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Just got back from a week break from fishing and tried the Vic water front, starting at 630 to 1015. There were about 20 boats out and flat calm.
Landed our first fish (17lb white) at 7 at tide change. 65 ft on the DR and on bait. That was the only hit we had during our outing and never saw a net out on another boat all morning.

It's starting to slow down on springs, so time to change over to Coho.
Never fished for Coho out of Victoria so if anyone has any suggest where to fish it would be greatly appreciated.
 

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So where are the sockeye around Victoria?
FN1062-RECREATIONAL - SALMON - South Coast - Sockeye Retention in Southern BC Marine Waters
 
I've never caught one locally in 25 years .
Sooke gets quite a few although DFO have left it so late most of them are likely gone up the river.
 
Just got back from a week break from fishing and tried the Vic water front, starting at 630 to 1015. There were about 20 boats out and flat calm.
Landed our first fish (17lb white) at 7 at tide change. 65 ft on the DR and on bait. That was the only hit we had during our outing and never saw a net out on another boat all morning.

It's starting to slow down on springs, so time to change over to Coho.
Never fished for Coho out of Victoria so if anyone has any suggest where to fish it would be greatly appreciated.
Try out further 2nd or 3rd tide line. 2-300’ of water. Any depth up to maybe 80’
 
Thanks . 25 years is a long time.
I've fishing Sooke the last 16 years for Coho and it is always good until Oct 10th or until the heavy rains come in and they start moving. I find in Sooke there is a lot of location with-in a mile from shore which have deep water or just fish past Otter Point. With Victoria, deep water fishing is not available until Oct 1st and I guess the bank is the place to go.
I think I'll move back to Sooke for Coho fishing.
 
Here is a head scratcher for me. Why are there fish hanging around in front, between brotchie and Saxes Pt? Is it food fish from the gorge or are they looking for the Colquitz Creek. If it is just the gorge water then why not out front of the Esquimalt Harbour. I always try to think like a fish, (not really) but where is the bottom structure, where is the bait, tide eddies etc, and the out front, break water doesn't get to many ticks in the box.
 
Fished out front today between noon and 3 pm. Don't go out this way much. Surprised by all the boats on a Thursday.
Two unclipped coho and a clipped spring all 5-6 lbs. plus two missed strikes. WeeGee Herring aid took all. Bait nothing. All between McCaulley pt. and the Green can.
 
Here is a head scratcher for me. Why are there fish hanging around in front, between brotchie and Saxes Pt? Is it food fish from the gorge or are they looking for the Colquitz Creek. If it is just the gorge water then why not out front of the Esquimalt Harbour. I always try to think like a fish, (not really) but where is the bottom structure, where is the bait, tide eddies etc, and the out front, break water doesn't get to many ticks in the box.
I'm new to the waterfront, so curious as well. I've been marking lots of bait schools around Macaulay, yet not much out further. Still learning.
 
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It's surprising to even this oldtimer that fishing has been so good for so long on the waterfront.There were net pens established at one time in the harbour, but they've been gone for a long time,so not sure where these fish are from.It would be good to see where any marked fish heads that were sent in were from.All the teen size fish I've kept have been white or marbled and the under 10 lbers have been red.I keep thinking that it's over for springs and then more come in.Fella at our dock had 2 low teens,he said in an hour today.
 
Here is a head scratcher for me. Why are there fish hanging around in front, between brotchie and Saxes Pt? Is it food fish from the gorge or are they looking for the Colquitz Creek. If it is just the gorge water then why not out front of the Esquimalt Harbour. I always try to think like a fish, (not really) but where is the bottom structure, where is the bait, tide eddies etc, and the out front, break water doesn't get to many ticks in the box.


I think the waterfront has some structure, but mostly it is desirable habitat for bait (sandlance and herring) this makes the winter fishery decent. I find that late Aug - Sept is when the waterfront is the best for larger chinook. I figure recently they are Puget sound fish that are following the shore before crossing and net pen fish that have probably came from the East. All the marked fish I have got recently out there have been Washington fish.
 
It's surprising to even this oldtimer that fishing has been so good for so long on the waterfront.There were net pens established at one time in the harbour, but they've been gone for a long time,so not sure where these fish are from.It would be good to see where any marked fish heads that were sent in were from.All the teen size fish I've kept have been white or marbled and the under 10 lbers have been red.I keep thinking that it's over for springs and then more come in.Fella at our dock had 2 low teens,he said in an hour today.
The creel survey guys who are contacted by fisheries have taken over the years a lot of scale samples .Does that not tell fisheries what river they are from? The trouble is fisheries does not share any information with us and they never will.
 
Here is a head scratcher for me. Why are there fish hanging around in front, between brotchie and Saxes Pt? Is it food fish from the gorge or are they looking for the Colquitz Creek. If it is just the gorge water then why not out front of the Esquimalt Harbour. I always try to think like a fish, (not really) but where is the bottom structure, where is the bait, tide eddies etc, and the out front, break water doesn't get to many ticks in the box.
Seems Oak Bay is slower this year. Maybe a shift of some sort. Sewage outfall removal?
 
Besides catching that 27lb marbled the waterfront has been spotty for me. Constance was where I learned to fish on downriggers a few years ago but last two years have been slow there. I wonder if the new water treatment plant or the lack of cruise ships the past few years has changed something about the fish environment? I know make runs down to sooke/east sooke if I want coho but I have caught them in late sept/oct off the waterfront in years past.
 
Not a fishing report but my buddy lost a couple of unweighted traps out at esquimalt lagoon. Red/white float with Lonnie and 250 number pretty faded. Likely in Neah bay by now but could be near pedder bay or race rocks hung up. Yes, I weight my traps. He kayak fishes and has for years with them without weight so wasn’t worried. Thanks for any leads.
 
Excellent video. It is amazing how many fish are checking the lure out. This proves that presentation is critical. Plug action, bait roll, leader length and speed. Then again a little BS luck works as well. Thanks for the video.
 
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