Where and When To Fish V.I. in 2005 ???

[MyEscape]

It has been a great year almost time to start fishing for winter chinook south of Denman and Hornby and mabye one or two more trips to Browns Bay for Chum. I soon have to book my holidays for 2005 I have three weeks available and one will be used for a week in port for socks in July. I live in Courtenay have a 17.5 deep v with everything except radar. I would like to here some input on where and when I should take trips to. I don't want to waste alot of time on E.C.V.I.
Looking to venture out to the west coast.In 05 one of my goals is to catch some halibut but without putting my life on the line doing it.
Also to beat this years record of a 34lbs chinook. Looking forward to everybody's input. Thanks....

Cheers ME


Happy Hookin!!!


Edited by - MyEscape on 10/26/2004 07:57:21

 

[Saltwater Cowboy]

If your really looking for some good chinook fishing, take some of your holiday time and go to Nootka Sound (Gold River) during either the last week of July or the First 10 days of August! The fishing is awesome and you should have a real good chance of breaking 34lbs. I was there for 4 days in early August this year and I caught at least 30 springs over 20lbs between 2 boats obviously we had to release a bunch! But the fishing is supposed to be even better next year and by going at that time of year the fish are mostly on the inside so size of boat doesn't really matter, plus by staying on the inside you cut your fuel costs way way down. I reccomend you either book a cabin at Critter Cove (www.crittercove.com) or try to reserve a campsite at Cougar Creek. Either way your fishing 2 mins from where your staying. As for Halibut the bottom fishing on the Bajo reef is awesome. If you have GPS you can find it easily the only problem is you have to pick your time to go wisely. I've gone each of the past few years in a 17'6 double eagle and I've been fine. It takes about an hour each way form Critter Cove depending on weather. I always go with another boat and we usually alwasy found someone else who was going there in a big boat as well and if it gets snarly we follow his wake home! Halibut can be fished at the same time of year. I also reccomend taking a short trip back of to Nootka in the Middle of September. The Coho fishing is unbelievable we catch up to 25lb coho on fly rods in ten feet of water and you can hardly keep them off your line!! It's so peaceful up there in September cause the hundereds of boats are gone by then and only the real fisherman go back in September. The water is so calm in September and the weather is still warm enough! It's worth while to do both trips because the fishing is so different both times. I also live in Courtenay and it's only a short 2hrs to the Mill in Gold River to launch and then 40 mins to Critter Cobe by boat! Hope this helps!

SW Cowboy

I do the Fishing, God does the Catching!