French creek.

[GetMeAFish]

Hi all. New to the forum and new to fishing as well ... LOL!

I've heard about the Qualicum area being good fishing for rookies and French Creek Marina is apparently a good place to launch .. I hope that info is correct.

Anyway ... can anybody offer some insight into the fishing in that area ... do you start fishing as soon as you leave the marina area or are there specific locations that you head to from there?

What depths are you best to troll at?

And finally ... when is the best time of year for rookies to try that area out?

Had the boat for a couple years and have had the fishing gear since last summer but damned if I can catch a salmon around Porlier(closer to home) ... no problem with Ling, kelp or bottom hooking up though ... thought a trip into rookie friendly waters would be better for the learning curve and Qualicum was suggested to me.

I'm a little aprehensive about going West coast ... at least until I have some experience on getting one into the boat ... or better ... on the dang line.

Been using a green glowing flasher and different hoochies ... no luck ... gonna get some of those Coyote spoons ... sounds like some think they are the bomb ... if that means 'fish on' ... I'll be one happy novice.

I must tell you that I suck so bad at fishing ... that when I took up some advice to go to Campbel River and fish just out front of the big rock ... it would be surefire 'fish on' ... I went up one week after the person giving the advice was out there and catching fish ... needless to say ... I caught about 8 dog fish and not a single flipp'n salmon ... either I am some kind of salmon repellant or maybe I'm just not up to speed on the best practices and timing of day to catch one.

I look to your experience for a helping hand ... is Qualicum rookie friendly ... or is it as rookie friendly as CR ... meaning ... I'll probably suck at catching a salmon there to ..LOL!

Of course I write this in all fun ... I'm not about to jump overboard cuz I can't hook up a salmon ... but ... in all seriousness ... a little insight into the Qualicum area would be greatly appreciated.

Regards.

 

[Degree of Freedom]

French Creek is a good launch...but you will likely spend many many hours washing your gear with no results. The locals that fish there regularly do catch nice fish, but they are not abundant. Mid-June can be pretty good.
If you want to give it a try, head out from the marina until you hit about 200' of water. Try fishing your gear at different depths between 90 and 200 feet. My go-to gear is a 4 or 5 inch copcar spoon 4' behind a green-glow flasher...but you'll need to try a bunch of different combos.
The end of August, begining of September is a different story...do a search on this site for Little Qualicum (or Little Q). That can be an exiting fishery...although the last couple years have been tough due to the early rains. Head out of French Creek, hang a left and run past Qualicum Beach unit you see all the boats. Fish in water depths from 120' to 20' with your gear 10' off the bottom. Best fishing is at sun-up and sun-set.

 

[GetMeAFish]

Thanks Backatit ... I'm going to give it a whirl. Here's another question and I pose it to keep myself out of trouble with the more experienced fish'rs out there. What is the etiquette protocol out on the water when you have numerous boats in the same area?

How much room do you give each other to keep everybody in a good mood towards each other?

Oh ... and would you strictly troll out there or do you park it every now and then and jig?

Silly questions I'm sure ... but ... I hate being the rookie who pisses off others simply because I'm inexperienced in the sport.

Regards.

 

[TyeeMonstrausity]

The only time you have to deal with crowds, around French Creek, is at Little Q during August.Not to worry though it can look a little hectec at first but as long as you go with the flow, and don't try to cut across it, you'll have no problems.Just make sure you give some room when a boat has a fish on.

When it comes to trolling or jigging, it is all trolling right in front of French Creek. However, at little Q I know both methods are productive.Though i've only ever trolled the area I know some days the guys who jigg in the shallows do very well.

Personaly when trolling I like to use a Green/glow coyote spoon, 42" behind a green Hotspot flasher.
Hope this Helps and good.

TyeeMonstrausity

 

[GetMeAFish]

Thanks Tyee ... really appreciate your insight. If I can catch just one salmon this year ... that would make my year ... I'm a simple guy to please ... just need the fish to realize that and give one up ... LOL!