Ling cod and halibut around Ladysmith??

[Filet Show]

Where would a guy start to look for bottom fish around Ladysmith? Gabriola, Valdez, and Gallianno?

Want to do a trip in April or May for some salmon and bottom fish.

Thanks.

FS.

 

[scott craven]

Ling cod won't open until May 01/14

 

[blake_a]

That's devastating. I thought it opened April 1st. I see that there is a coast wide closure for spawning until March 31st but I guess it does look like area 13-19 is closed until May. Cod damnit.

 

[uclueletcharters]

There's many great areas I logged thousands of hours as a kid in those areas and I don't want to hand over my hot spots may go there again one day. Get a chart look for pinnacles and reefs you want to drift up one side then down the other work your gear up and down along the bottom as you drift over use whole herring with a 4 foot leader then a banana weight to your rod. Big scampi's work well to but you can't beat whole herring. The Vancouver side of Valdez would be a good start as I don't believe it has been hit as hard, Coffin point used to be good years ago but I doubt that would still be the case and that's a short trip from the ramp. The Thrasher area has many nice reef systems that are productive as well. Good luck I'm sure you will find them!

 

[Bait Ban]

The Vancouver side of Valdez (south and north ends) and Coffin Point are now Rockfish Conservation Areas, as are many other prime lingcod/rockfish habitats in the Gulf Islands .

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/.../south-sud/ValdesIslandEastChart3463-eng.html

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/...a-acs/south-sud/CoffinPointChart3463-eng.html

Area 17:

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/maps-cartes/rca-acs/areas-secteurs/17-eng.html

Area 29:

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/maps-cartes/rca-acs/areas-secteurs/29-eng.html