2023 OFFISHALL Vancouver-Howe Sound-Sechelt Reports Thread

[ChinookChaser]

T10 was kind of snotty but decent. Lost one and caught what appears to be about a 9 pound feeder Chinook. Totally fresh Purple silver scales with bright deep red flesh highlighted by nice thin strips of fat. Did not look like a half dead green yellow Fraser white I’ll tell you that. Other fish was probably 15 pounder (of what origin I couldn’t say) but lost it handing it to a buddy.

Pretty wet out there but worth it for a last day of the year.

There is plenty of bait around t10 and further north towards UBC

 

[ChinookChaser]

Fished 1-4:30 both fish on small herring on the shallower side

 

[Brett83]

I went out today. I got to sandheads around 930. Quite a few wild coho to start. Big coho. I was getting closer to t10 when I got the biggest hit of my life. I fought the fish for thirty minutes, I was solo and needed some driving help. I got a few good looks at it, I got it to the back of the boat, it ran again. Then I couldn't get it closer then 50ft from the back even when I almost stopped the boat. It took a huge jump and gone. Pretty disappointing, but at least I got to feel a massive fish. Ended up with a 13lb white spring. Got a few more wild coho. Then i left sandheads at 530 pm and tried the cap from 600 pm until dark no bites.

 

[ChinookChaser]

I went out today. I got to sandheads around 930. Quite a few wild coho to start. Big coho. I was getting closer to t10 when I got the biggest hit of my life. I fought the fish for thirty minutes, I was solo and needed some driving help. I got a few good looks at it, I got it to the back of the boat, it ran again. Then I couldn't get it closer then 50ft from the back even when I almost stopped the boat. It took a huge jump and gone. Pretty disappointing, but at least I got to feel a massive fish. Ended up with a 13lb white spring. Got a few more wild coho. Then i left sandheads at 530 pm and tried the cap from 600 pm until dark no bites.

Given the less than optimal conditions yesterday I can imagine that was the hell of a fight solo.

How big you figure?

 

[coho]

Fish the Cap waterfront yesterday. Tried in close between the yellow can and the pink apartments with white hoochies in 40 feet of water. Not a sniff. Caught lots last year doing this at this time. Went out to 100 feet deep and joined the line of boats and switched to skinny g's and caught a 10 pound white and broke something big off. Saw a few nets out so the fish were around.

 

[A-a-Ron]

Well my plan to wait for today didn’t pan out quite as expected. “Wind light” turned into NW15 overnight but it wasn’t too bad out there. Pulled up to North Arm around 8am and promptly saw a couple pods of orcas so watched them for a bit and took off to T10, couple wild coho. Went to SH 10-1 and one big pin pop that didn’t stick, it bit the tail off the herring but missed the trailing hook We did get a small hatch coho, so something for dinner at least. Pretty slow overall tho.

 

[Cabezon1]

Don’t give up yet. Friend asked me to go out today but wife had other stuff going on that needed my support. Anyway, he landed this beauty between T10- SH. White hootchie. Also missed 3 doubles as he was fishing solo. I am gonna give it a go tomorrow afternoon if the weather forecast stays true-light wind.

 

[Brett83]

Given the less than optimal conditions yesterday I can imagine that was the hell of a fight solo.

How big you figure?

It was one hell of a fight. I have auto pilot. So when I tried slowing down the boat the auto pilot couldn't keep up, I started spinning. So I took it out of auto and let the boat do what it wanted. I caught the fish by closer to t10 and ended up going through the sandheads gong show with the fish. Guys could see I had something special and two people pulled their gear up as I passed which was really cool of them to do that. It was pouring rain and rough... How big do I figure? I don't even want to guess.

 

[Shano]

Fished Sandheads to from first light to 11:30. Steady action until about 10:30. We kept 2 hatch coho (about 4 and8 pounds), one approx 14 pound chum, and one 36” about 22 pound chinook. We released 6 or 7 unmarked coho and lost 3 or 4 coho near the boat and lost a nice chinook after about 4 big runs. All on chovies and all shallow except for the chum which was at 75’. We just fished near the green can the whole time. Also lots of shakers. We saw a lot of bird activity more in the river so we headed over to troll there and was a mistake. It seemed the shakers were pushing the baitfish (which looked like immature anchovy or herring) and all we got there was some shakers ripping apart our anchovies.

 

[ChinookChaser]

It was one hell of a fight. I have auto pilot. So when I tried slowing down the boat the auto pilot couldn't keep up, I started spinning. So I took it out of auto and let the boat do what it wanted. I caught the fish by closer to t10 and ended up going through the sandheads gong show with the fish. Guys could see I had something special and two people pulled their gear up as I passed which was really cool of them to do that. It was pouring rain and rough... How big do I figure? I don't even want to guess.

The elusive…… t**e …. That’s a hell of a long way to drift must’ve been a gooder.

I lost one what WOULDVE been my first last year at sandheads.

Got about half way out that morning and realized…. The net was gone along with one of the bolt of rod holders that mount to the rails of boats I had stupidly forgotten to put lock tight in.

Too late to head back already half way there… we had a gaf… figured I’d guide my buddies and work on my gaffing that day. What could go wrong?

Hooked into by far the biggest fish of my life (caught many in the low to mid 20s). Fought like nothing I’d ever been onto before. Same thing COULD NOT get it close to the boat without turning the motor off completely. Not ideal in peak season at sandheads. Oh ya and there’s a commercial guy dropping ******* crab or prawn traps or some **** right beside me. Not like he gives a **** I’m into a tyee.

Anyways finally got it up to the boat, once …. *Green buddy*swing and a miss

Twice … swing and a miss

Third time… I’m essentially a rabid dog foaming at the mouth at this point “Silvio this is your ******* chance don’t **** it up”

He grabs the flasher with his hand to try and get the fish just a liiittttttle bit closer. SNAP, fish goes for another dive and the flasher snaps in half against the corner of the boat gunnel. Not at all his fault, wasn’t mad at him, (just myself). I set him up for failure. With a net we would’ve had it, I’m certain.

I keep the flasher above the door in my bedroom as a reminder of the one that got away.

Sorry for the rant. It’s been over a year but I still need to vent.

Moral of the story bring your net and always be ready for the big one.

Sorry to hear he got away, you’ll get him next year. That’s what I keep telling myself anyways.

 

[Blue Hewes]

Headed out for a solo trip today which I never do. Was a little nervous going alone but that wind report was just too good to pass up and I figured netting fish myself would be ok. Dropped lines half way between the North Arm and T-10. Was into the coho right away went 6 for 8 all on anchovies and the action was non stop for about an hour. Only 1 hatch of the bunch. Had 1 rod at 75 and the other at 120. The deeper rod seemed to do better. Hooked 2 fish on the drop. Couldn’t figure out at first why the rod wouldn’t tighten up on the DR line and then I look up seeing the flasher going from right to left across the surface . Fun when that happens. Finally got a spring on around the afternoon ebb. A nice 10min battle only to lose the fish at the side of the boat. Had some colour so I was ok with that. Hooked that one on a white hoootchie at 130 heading back towards the North Arm. Started marking a fair bit of bait and some good arches so back down at 135. About 20min later just before packing up hooked this beauty chromer on the white hootchie again. Has that nice purple back so maybe a feeder? Scaled in at 12.8lbs. All in all a great day out there and much better than I expected.

 

[capman]

The elusive…… t**e …. That’s a hell of a long way to drift must’ve been a gooder.

I lost one what WOULDVE been my first last year at sandheads.

Got about half way out that morning and realized…. The net was gone along with one of the bolt of rod holders that mount to the rails of boats I had stupidly forgotten to put lock tight in.

Too late to head back already half way there… we had a gaf… figured I’d guide my buddies and work on my gaffing that day. What could go wrong?

Hooked into by far the biggest fish of my life (caught many in the low to mid 20s). Fought like nothing I’d ever been onto before. Same thing COULD NOT get it close to the boat without turning the motor off completely. Not ideal in peak season at sandheads. Oh ya and there’s a commercial guy dropping ******* crab or prawn traps or some **** right beside me. Not like he gives a **** I’m into a tyee.

Anyways finally got it up to the boat, once …. *Green buddy*swing and a miss

Twice … swing and a miss

Third time… I’m essentially a rabid dog foaming at the mouth at this point “Silvio this is your ******* chance don’t **** it up”

He grabs the flasher with his hand to try and get the fish just a liiittttttle bit closer. SNAP, fish goes for another dive and the flasher snaps in half against the corner of the boat gunnel. Not at all his fault, wasn’t mad at him, (just myself). I set him up for failure. With a net we would’ve had it, I’m certain.

I keep the flasher above the door in my bedroom as a reminder of the one that got away.

Sorry for the rant. It’s been over a year but I still need to vent.

Moral of the story bring your net and always be ready for the big one.

Sorry to hear he got away, you’ll get him next year. That’s what I keep telling myself anyways.

A rookie lost my net once while trying to net the fish, we then lost couple of big ones due to not having any net. Since then, I always leave a smaller and more compact net in the boat as a backup.

 

[Sea Chaser]

Headed out for a solo trip today which I never do. Was a little nervous going alone but that wind report was just too good to pass up and I figured netting fish myself would be ok. Dropped lines half way between the North Arm and T-10. Was into the coho right away went 6 for 8 all on anchovies and the action was non stop for about an hour. Only 1 hatch of the bunch. Had 1 rod at 75 and the other at 120. The deeper rod seemed to do better. Hooked 2 fish on the drop. Couldn’t figure out at first why the rod wouldn’t tighten up on the DR line and then I look up seeing the flasher going from right to left across the surface . Fun when that happens. Finally got a spring on around the afternoon ebb. A nice 10min battle only to lose the fish at the side of the boat. Had some colour so I was ok with that. Hooked that one on a white hoootchie at 130 heading back towards the North Arm. Started marking a fair bit of bait and some good arches so back down at 135. About 20min later just before packing up hooked this beauty chromer on the white hootchie again. Has that nice purple back so maybe a feeder? Scaled in at 12.8lbs. All in all a great day out there and much better than I expected. View attachment 98587

Gives me hope for the weekend

 

[adanac]

A rookie lost my net once while trying to net the fish, we then lost couple of big ones due to not having any net. Since then, I always leave a smaller and more compact net in the boat as a backup.

At one of the Haida Gwaii lodges I worked at , we watched a young deck crew kid with little to no fishing experience solo gaff a 38 lb spring . Still to this day I don’t know how he pulled it off

 

[Brett83]

I went out yesterday. About 1030-300 at the cap. It was me, two charters and one solo guy. About 10 seals. By 1100 I saw four fish hooked up. The solo guy and charter guy were side by side with fish on and they got sealed. I went two for two to seals. And the other charter fought a seal up to river mouth. Worst I've ever seen it. So I guess there are some fish around, maybe with more boats the odds will improve. It might have been my last chance for a while. I'll be fishing Okanagan lake this weekend, we'll see if there's fish around when I get back. I was reading archives for the last four years around mid October, not great. But I made it out to sandheads 13 times in September and had a banner October day. Can't complain too much.

 

[Chummer]

Is there still anything happening around Bowen or Gower areas? A friend wants to take his boat out from Gibsons this weekend but need to stay closer to home so heading to sandheads area isnt really an option

 

[Aquaholic]

Is there still anything happening around Bowen or Gower areas? A friend wants to take his boat out from Gibsons this weekend but need to stay closer to home so heading to sandheads area isnt really an option

Someone and a few guests got their limit of coho at South Bowen yesterday. I might head there Friday.

 

[A-a-Ron]

I went out yesterday. About 1030-300 at the cap. It was me, two charters and one solo guy. About 10 seals. By 1100 I saw four fish hooked up. The solo guy and charter guy were side by side with fish on and they got sealed. I went two for two to seals. And the other charter fought a seal up to river mouth. Worst I've ever seen it. So I guess there are some fish around, maybe with more boats the odds will improve. It might have been my last chance for a while. I'll be fishing Okanagan lake this weekend, we'll see if there's fish around when I get back. I was reading archives for the last four years around mid October, not great. But I made it out to sandheads 13 times in September and had a banner October day. Can't complain too much.

Yeah not surprising… I put an hour in early Tuesday am at the Cap and with about 6 seals just following me, waiting for a hookup, I figured I’d just get sealed anyways.

Then that’s when I went to NA and saw the Orcas….

 

[Aquaholic]

Yeah not surprising… I put an hour in early Tuesday am at the Cap and with about 6 seals just following me, waiting for a hookup, I figured I’d just get sealed anyways.

Then that’s when I went to NA and saw the Orcas….

Don't quit your day job.

 

[coho]

I was also at the cap yesterday... The guide who caught fish told me he got sealed 3 times but did get their fish.

Fished the Cap mouth yesterday and first time skunked all year. Very little showing on the fish finder when 2 days earlier there was lots on the fish finder. Fishing with an inexperienced fisherman when I see a banana peel on the seat. Yes he brought a banana on the boat. Seals were very bad as we had 2 on us at all times so off to Point Atkinson. No fish but lots of small bait fish. Weather was great and no waves at all. I should have gone to Bowen.