2020 Victoria and Oak Bay Reports

[Original]

Got out Sunday to Constance bank, started with trolling the three pinicals with a plan to anchor up at 10ish for Hali. Well right at 10 the rod goes off the clip, we got a nice fight with some good runs and the normal not wanting to get near the boat but the battle was won and a beauty hatch 92cm 15 lb gal was in the tub. Tricked her with herring aid glo spoon on a 7ft leader which was the hot setup for the day. Stomach was empty. Never went for Hali and had a couple more springs to the boat of which another (over 10 )sizeable wild released at the side. This slot stuff sucks! Thanks for a great day on your boat FM.

 

[Kildonan]

Got out Sunday to Constance bank, started with trolling the three pinicals with a plan to anchor up at 10ish for Hali. Well right at 10 the rod goes off the clip, we got a nice fight with some good runs and the normal not wanting to get near the boat but the battle was won and a beauty hatch 92cm 15 lb gal was in the tub. Tricked her with herring aid glo spoon on a 7ft leader which was the hot setup for the day. Stomach was empty. Never went for Hali and had a couple more springs to the boat of which another (over 10 )sizeable wild released at the side. This slot stuff sucks! Thanks for a great day on your boat FM.

That’s a nice one. Well done!

 

[2xeagle16]

Got out Sunday to Constance bank, started with trolling the three pinicals with a plan to anchor up at 10ish for Hali. Well right at 10 the rod goes off the clip, we got a nice fight with some good runs and the normal not wanting to get near the boat but the battle was won and a beauty hatch 92cm 15 lb gal was in the tub. Tricked her with herring aid glo spoon on a 7ft leader which was the hot setup for the day. Stomach was empty. Never went for Hali and had a couple more springs to the boat of which another (over 10 )sizeable wild released at the side. This slot stuff sucks! Thanks for a great day on your boat FM.

Awesome winter spring! I would guess you were in a Campion 542 (?)

 

[Newf]

This slot stuff sucks! T

I agree but it is much better than what’s coming. We had to release a nice wild a couple of days ago at Pedder. Broke my heart.

 

[Original]

Awesome winter spring! I would guess you were in a Campion 542 (?)

Yes we were, I love fishing in those boats. Luckily I have 2 buddies that have them;-)

 

[Rockfish]

We were out today off the water front trying to fill in some of the empty slots on the license. Hoped to find some of those 10 to 12 lbers some have hooked. Hooked up five in total on plastic and Skinny G's. Release one around 3.5 lbs. then proceed to hook up 3 heavier pip poppers that all managed to throw the hook and a couple of them seemed like heavy fish for this time of year. Managed to net a short, deep 7lb hatchery which gave me a good fight including 3 right out of the water aerials. Nice day on the water.

 

[Original]

Hey, you’re in my spot! Go ahead and take that seal.
https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-15

 

[Tips Up]

I practiced some social distancing yesterday morning on anchor off waterfront from 8 am till 11:30 with nothing but dog fish.
Was back in my driveway by noon with boat on trailer and a beautiful day still ahead so I grabbed the kids and we launched again in Brentwood and did some hording of food. 3 Dungees, 30 oysters and a bucket of mussels.
Cracked a Lucky (avoiding Corona's) and had one hell of a nice meal.

Tips!

 

[Hookedup]

I practiced some social distancing yesterday morning on anchor off waterfront from 8 am till 11:30 with nothing but dog fish.
Was back in my driveway by noon with boat on trailer and a beautiful day still ahead so I grabbed the kids and we launched again in Brentwood and did some hording of food. 3 Dungees, 30 oysters and a bucket of mussels.
Cracked a Lucky (avoiding Corona's) and had one hell of a nice meal.

Tips!

Oysters?! How do I find some of those ??????

 

[Brett]

I practiced some social distancing yesterday morning on anchor off waterfront from 8 am till 11:30 with nothing but dog fish.
Was back in my driveway by noon with boat on trailer and a beautiful day still ahead so I grabbed the kids and we launched again in Brentwood and did some hording of food. 3 Dungees, 30 oysters and a bucket of mussels.
Cracked a Lucky (avoiding Corona's) and had one hell of a nice meal.

Tips!

How did you harvest the mussels ? Just for interest sake

 

[Tips Up]

How did you harvest the mussels ? Just for interest sake

I always avoided harvesting mussels in the past for some unknown reason. Not sure why.
You simply check the area to confirm shellfish is safe, pull into beach at low tide and collect from the clusters on rocks. This is actually not that easy to do and easy to cut your hands.
Then we remove barnacles from any that have them using pliers, scrub with one of those green scrub cloths and pull the beards off. The beard is the stuff they use to fasten themselves to each other and rocks.
We then soak in flour and salt water for an hour which cleans them out and plumps them up. (important step)
We like to boil them in a coconut red curry sauce and serve. Better tasting than any I have had at a restaurant.
Learned it all from google.

I did say yesterday that maybe I should just order at restaurants as it is a ton of work. At least a 3 beer job for one dinner.
We only collect enough for a meal or appy now after finding how much work it is.
Will be looking for beaches with less barnacles in the future and find a tool that will help to remove them from rocks.

 

[Brett]

I always avoided harvesting mussels in the past for some unknown reason. Not sure why.
You simply check the area to confirm shellfish is safe, pull into beach at low tide and collect from the clusters on rocks. This is actually not that easy to do and easy to cut your hands.
Then we remove barnacles from any that have them using pliers, scrub with one of those green scrub cloths and pull the beards off. The beard is the stuff they use to fasten themselves to each other and rocks.
We then soak in flour and salt water for an hour which cleans them out and plumps them up. (important step)
We like to boil them in a coconut red curry sauce and serve. Better tasting than any I have had at a restaurant.
Learned it all from google.

I did say yesterday that maybe I should just order at restaurants as it is a ton of work. At least a 3 beer job for one dinner.
We only collect enough for a meal or appy now after finding how much work it is.
Will be looking for beaches with less barnacles in the future and find a tool that will help to remove them from rocks.

Right on thanks for the reply. sure does make for a fancy treat now and again and can only imagine they taste that much better having harvested them yourself.

cheers

 

[Rayvon]

Salmon was slow today,jigged a 7&12 lb.,no bait showing on Constance to speak of.Got a 30 Hally and a skate elsewhere.

 

[ciacione]

Salmon was slow today,jigged a 7&12 lb.,no bait showing on Constance to speak of.Got a 30 Hally and a skate elsewhere.

That is a good day

 

[Original]

Got out with my buddy for an 1-5pm afternoon float, expectations were low as currents & tides didn’t look to promising. Had a Downrigger issue and had to manually pull it up but managed to fix it while we floated off Brochie. Trolled down to Clover Point then while heading back with the Ebb current and Tide going out at a good clip got a pin popper off the Flag Pole in 115 ft & 99 on the rigger that took a good run but surfaced about 200 ft back (never a good sign) then of course he headed at us so reeling as fast as I could, my buddy says he’s gone but I’m thinkin he’s still there when about thirty ft from the boat he shoots sideways, yup still there. Scrappy guy gets near the boat tries to get under the engines but I managed to somehow get him back to the side and whoosh he’s in the net. He’s a good sized spring pal says **** it’s a wild, I pick him up he takes the hook out I swing him over the ruler for a quick look and Bingo 66 1/2 cm.....Bonk.
My lure looked nothing like what he was eating but the Green ******* got er done ;-)

 

[Stizzla]

Got out with my buddy for an 1-5pm afternoon float, expectations were low as currents & tides didn’t look to promising. Had a Downrigger issue and had to manually pull it up but managed to fix it while we floated off Brochie. Trolled down to Clover Point then while heading back with the Ebb current and Tide going out at a good clip got a pin popper off the Flag Pole in 115 ft & 99 on the rigger that took a good run but surfaced about 200 ft back (never a good sign) then of course he headed at us so reeling as fast as I could, my buddy says he’s gone but I’m thinkin he’s still there when about thirty ft from the boat he shoots sideways, yup still there. Scrappy guy gets near the boat tries to get under the engines but I managed to somehow get him back to the side and whoosh he’s in the net. He’s a good sized spring pal says **** it’s a wild, I pick him up he takes the hook out I swing him over the ruler for a quick look and Bingo 66 1/2 cm.....Bonk.
My lure looked nothing like what he was eating but the Green ******* got er done ;-)

Nice football Don!

 

[barkerfam]

Got out with my buddy for an 1-5pm afternoon float, expectations were low as currents & tides didn’t look to promising. Had a Downrigger issue and had to manually pull it up but managed to fix it while we floated off Brochie. Trolled down to Clover Point then while heading back with the Ebb current and Tide going out at a good clip got a pin popper off the Flag Pole in 115 ft & 99 on the rigger that took a good run but surfaced about 200 ft back (never a good sign) then of course he headed at us so reeling as fast as I could, my buddy says he’s gone but I’m thinkin he’s still there when about thirty ft from the boat he shoots sideways, yup still there. Scrappy guy gets near the boat tries to get under the engines but I managed to somehow get him back to the side and whoosh he’s in the net. He’s a good sized spring pal says **** it’s a wild, I pick him up he takes the hook out I swing him over the ruler for a quick look and Bingo 66 1/2 cm.....Bonk.
My lure looked nothing like what he was eating but the Green ******* got er done ;-)

I love that spoon!

 

[Rayvon]

Great tide/currents this week,put in too many hours to get one butt today.Only one dogfish though.

 

[Purplemonkeydishwasher]

Fished winters from 8-11:30: Albert Head-royal bay in the am, then waterfront from 12-2. Fished hard and pounded bottom, but only 3 shakers to show for the effort. Last two weeks Albert Head had paid off with a couple chinook each outting. But nothing today unfortunatly, except a couple dungies.

 

[vicsurfer]

Decided to give Pedder a try today. Picked up a 56cm spring near the can and that was it. Perfect weather on the water