2023 Nanaimo Reports

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Big Green Machine said:
Why is 200-300 too deep to fish? We fish that depth exclusively in French Creek north to CR and that is where we have the most success for springs.
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Back in the early 90's when I was guiding, the DFO had apparently tagged a big chinook and tracked its movements. Its pattern was to cruise along the bottom of the channels way down deep before coming up to feed in shallow areas including traditional spots that anglers targeted. So, no reason you can't fish deep and may make sense to target the fish highway in this regard, but it is just more work for the fisherman in every way. Up in the Broughton we used to rarely fish below 49 feet (those were the manual rigger days), but then my dad would come up on his boat and drag a white plug at 90 feet and consistently nail large springs. Our boss complained we used too much bait and the running joke was to just fish a white plug at 90 feet. I guess in some ways the joke was on us!
 
Sloooow tonight out front of Nanaimo. Got a dogfish, couple shakers and that's it. Tap turned off for me. There were lots of boats out, how'd you all do?
 
We spent some time out at entrance tonight. A bit slow but we were running plugs.
Landed and released a beauty that measured 86cm and put up a hell of a fight!!
Had another decent one on the line but missed setting the hook.
 
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Tomfoolery said:
Back in the early 90's when I was guiding, the DFO had apparently tagged a big chinook and tracked its movements. Its pattern was to cruise along the bottom of the channels way down deep before coming up to feed in shallow areas including traditional spots that anglers targeted. So, no reason you can't fish deep and may make sense to target the fish highway in this regard, but it is just more work for the fisherman in every way. Up in the Broughton we used to rarely fish below 49 feet (those were the manual rigger days), but then my dad would come up on his boat and drag a white plug at 90 feet and consistently nail large springs. Our boss complained we used too much bait and the running joke was to just fish a white plug at 90 feet. I guess in some ways the joke was on us!
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I would be surprised if they make a tag today needed to track underwater activity on a salmon. Interesting though, maybe.
 
Reel Time said:
I would be surprised if they make a tag today needed to track underwater activity on a salmon. Interesting though, maybe.
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Yeah, no idea how they would have accomplished that back then.. maybe it was all BS. They can do it now but tech has come a long way. I just remember that we all thought it was a really interesting thing and that it made sense in terms of where the fishing hot spots were. Up there we would never fish seemingly out in the middle of nowhere like around Fingers unless we were killing coho in the rips. Much of it was close in to shore with rod tips as close to the kelp beds as we could get which meant it was quite shallow in many areas.

The biggest fish I ever guided (49 lbs... so close I know!) was caught at 42 feet at one of the local hot spots. Fun times and one heck of a lot easier than the deep sea fishing we seem to have to do around here. I still feel after 20 years fishing around here that it is a bit like a lottery every time I go out. When I was guiding, it was just formula fishing at certain spots depending on the tide. I would lay in a teaser or cut plug with a perfect roll into a certain spot, work the structure and back eddies and if there were fish holding there you would get a hit, if not on to the next spot. Compared to that style of fishing the fishing here may as well be out in the middle of the Pacific! I guess that's why they call if fishing rather than catching.
 
Fished thrasher area around the slack today. Ended up with 3 hatch coho and 2 decent springs which were 10 & 12lb. White plug and hooch were hot. Few wild coho and small springs released. Bite dried up pretty quickly. Weather forecast said light winds but blew up to 20kn. Little rough coming back across.
 
Fished between Clarke and the fingers from 630 to dark. Was slow for us as well until 830. We had to release one at 101cm by 62 girth, which the formula puts at 32 lbs. Biggest I have ever caught out of Nanaimo for sure. 100' on a green hootchie. After that we picked up a 66cm a little shallower and called it, was getting pretty dark.

IMG_2992.jpg
 
Captain Dudds said:
Fished between Clarke and the fingers from 630 to dark. Was slow for us as well until 830. We had to release one at 101cm by 62 girth, which the formula puts at 32 lbs. Biggest I have ever caught out of Nanaimo for sure. 100' on a green hootchie. After that we picked up a 66cm a little shallower and called it, was getting pretty dark.

View attachment 95659
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Fantastic fish!
 
Captain Dudds said:
Fished between Clarke and the fingers from 630 to dark. Was slow for us as well until 830. We had to release one at 101cm by 62 girth, which the formula puts at 32 lbs. Biggest I have ever caught out of Nanaimo for sure. 100' on a green hootchie. After that we picked up a 66cm a little shallower and called it, was getting pretty dark.

View attachment 95659
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Nice fish!!
 
Captain Dudds said:
Fished between Clarke and the fingers from 630 to dark. Was slow for us as well until 830. We had to release one at 101cm by 62 girth, which the formula puts at 32 lbs. Biggest I have ever caught out of Nanaimo for sure. 100' on a green hootchie. After that we picked up a 66cm a little shallower and called it, was getting pretty dark.

View attachment 95659
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Nice fish. So based on our experiences last night I've got exactly 1 minute to scare up a fish for our guest visiting from Germany. Tide Change is 8:51 and sunset is 8:52. Will have to give it a go.
 
Grace underfire said:
Nice fish. So based on our experiences last night I've got exactly 1 minute to scare up a fish for our guest visiting from Germany. Tide Change is 8:51 and sunset is 8:52. Will have to give it a go.
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Lol ya it's not exactly a drawn out bite is it. Maybe when the low slack makes its way into the evening it will be better.
 
Captain Dudds said:
Lol ya it's not exactly a drawn out bite is it. Maybe when the low slack makes its way into the evening it will be better.
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Yeah, I think that's the case. I often find that we have a really low slack in the middle of the day and big change/ current as a result, a short sharp bite in the evening.
 
Thinking of going out tomorrow first thing. Except I am getting different wind reports. Wind alert says 7 knts. Windy says 8 or 9. Big wave Dave says 15. Anyone have better forecast.
 
Bearded wonder said:
Thinking of going out tomorrow first thing. Except I am getting different wind reports. Wind alert says 7 knts. Windy says 8 or 9. Big wave Dave says 15. Anyone have better forecast.
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It's a northwesterly so anything under 15 or so is pretty comfortable I find. The southeasterlies are a pain because the long fetch across the strait makes it lumpy. It's supposed to be calming down so I am heading out as well. Hopefully there are still a few fish around.
 
Tomfoolery said:
It's a northwesterly so anything under 15 or so is pretty comfortable I find. The southeasterlies are a pain because the long fetch across the strait makes it lumpy. It's supposed to be calming down so I am heading out as well. Hopefully there are still a few fish around.
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Yeah that was my thoughts. Going Monday morning now as plans needed to be changed. Hope the wind is good then.
 
coopsie said:
Is Prawning still open in 17-8 crofton area ?
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If you can figure this out?

Shrimp, Ghost17Hand Digging, Hand Pump50/100/-Open (See Restrictions)
Shrimp/Prawn17Ring Net, Spear, Trap (Other species of Shellfish)125/250/-Open (See Restrictions)

Seems to say it is open

Shrimp/Prawn17-5,17-6,17-9Season PlanningPulse Fishing Closures - In Stuart Channel (17-5, 17-6, 17-9) Saanich Inlet (19-7 to 19-12) and Alberni Inlet (23-1 to 23-3), “pulse” fishing closures are in effect to increase prawn escapement and prawn abundance. Closed September 7 to September 15, October 1 to October 15, November 1 to November 15, December 1 to December 15, and from January 1 until further notice. Please see https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/shellfish-coquillages-eng.html#prawn and the fishery notice for more information.

Seems to say these areas closed from January on BUT then;

Fishery Notice​

Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Shellfish
Subject:
FN0429-Recreational Shellfish - Prawn and Shrimp - Areas 17, 19, 23 - Closures



Recreational prawn and shrimp harvesters are advised that the harvest of prawns and shrimp by trap, ring net, or spear while diving, will close from 00:01 hours May 14, 2023, to 23:59 hours May 19, 2023, in Stuart Channel (Subareas 17-5, 17-6, and 17-9), Saanich Inlet (Subareas 19-7 to 19-12 inclusive), and Alberni Inlet (Subareas 23-1 to 23-3 inclusive). This action is to allow for the completion of comprehensive spawner index sampling at the start of the commercial fishery.

Seems it was open but closed for this time, but no notice saying it was opened or that 17-8 was ever closed.

No real information at all, so the only notice would seem to indicate it is open.

As I posted before I asked a Fisheries officer about this and he couldn't answer but did say the regs are confusing, neither could the creel guy. No answer when I phoned.

IMHO, 17-8 is open but not really in front of Crofton, 17-8 is on the east side of Thetis and Penelakut Islands
 
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