As an aside - the "juvenile jellyfish" that are referred to above are Velella and 7cm is above the max size for them. See - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velella. I've never seen them before this year but they sure are thick this year!
Missing Chinooks......
- Thread starter Seafever
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Sharphooks
Well-Known Member
Good read---thanks for that. I drew the wrong conclusions---looked like a "hatch" at first glance (all of a sudden, jellyfish everywhere)
Interesting that each individual animal is actually a colony.
One thing is clear to me though-- an eternal hell for a fisherman would be to make him troll his gear around in circles for the rest of eternity through waters infested with jellyfish...
If you read up on what's happening to many of the globe's bodies of water, we might be heading in that direction.
The research I've done---contrary to popular belief, this is NOT a result of ocean acidification. More a result of over-fishing predator species that feed on jellies...
Makes me glad I got my licks in before the dawning of jellyfish Armageddon
Interesting that each individual animal is actually a colony.
One thing is clear to me though-- an eternal hell for a fisherman would be to make him troll his gear around in circles for the rest of eternity through waters infested with jellyfish...
If you read up on what's happening to many of the globe's bodies of water, we might be heading in that direction.
The research I've done---contrary to popular belief, this is NOT a result of ocean acidification. More a result of over-fishing predator species that feed on jellies...
Makes me glad I got my licks in before the dawning of jellyfish Armageddon
Here's some more on Velella velella for you Sharphooks. The waters were lousy with them near Kyuquot in mid July but they certainly didn't affect the fishing 
http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/19/us/california-sea-creatures/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/19/us/california-sea-creatures/index.html
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Deewar25
Well-Known Member
well, my cousin got into 8 springs for his annual trip to Cortes (over a few weeks) - that is more than they have caught in the last 10 years though. Definitely seems to be an inside gig this year and thats impressive since last time I fished there, there were 100's of seals all over the place. I figured even if something did bite, no way in hell was it coming in the boat.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
I bet your wishing you could have done that trip to Malcolm this year.
Grace underfire
Active Member
Can't complain off Nanaimo. May was great. There was a long stretch through mid summer where size was an issue, but numbers are good.
Deewar25
Well-Known Member
as well as maybe, but more than satisfied with that Bammie trip we took!
IronNoggin
Well-Known Member
True that. ALL on PLUGS btw. And, in the exact same areas we fished them in the spring. Longest sustained period of time I have ever seen the area off Esperanza produce so many of great to better than average size...
The reason for that I believe is a cold water plume has centered on that exact area for a considerable period of time this year. Stayed colder there than pretty well anywhere else off the Island this year. As a consequence, the cold water and the HUGE amounts of feed drew the US origin springs in from the depths to feast. And, that is still going on today.
Given the somewhat less than stellar reports from Bamfield through Ukee & Tofu for much of July & early August while all the while the Columbia counters were rolling over faster than a one-armed bandit on steroids, I believe it is safe to say they were (and are) swimming right by us. The Ladz that left the Northern area to run down south (Big Bank etc) during our last opening basically struck out. Those that didn't wander home ran back up to join us again. Fishing was indeed GREAT!
My thoughts concur with those of capt hook. They don't somehow develop wings and fly over the water once they hit the southern areas off The Rock. They ARE there, chiefly running deep along the 100 fathom edge on their way to points south. And there IS indeed a LOT of them.
The Inlet here is indeed producing right well. Handful of the Usual Suspects have already called to see if I wanted to get in on that. Turned them down, as at this point, I am just a tad Jaded or perhaps a better word would be "Sated" on springs just now...
Cheers,
Nog
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SpringVelocity
Crew Member
True that. ALL on PLUGS btw. And, in the exact same areas we fished them in the spring. Longest sustained period of time I have ever seen the area off Esperanza produce so many of great to better than average size...
The reason for that I believe is a cold water plume has centered on that exact area for a considerable period of time this year. Stayed colder there than pretty well anywhere else off the Island this year. As a consequence, the cold water and the HUGE amounts of feed drew the US origin springs in from the depths to feast. And, that is still going on today.
Given the somewhat less than stellar reports from Bamfield through Ukee & Tofu for much of July & early August while all the while the Columbia counters were rolling over faster than a one-armed bandit on steroids, I believe it is safe to say they were (and are) swimming right by us. The Ladz that left the Northern area to run down south (Big Bank etc) during our last opening basically struck out. Those that didn't wander home ran back up to join us again. Fishing was indeed GREAT!
My thoughts concur with those of capt hook. They don't somehow develop wings and fly over the water once they hit the southern areas off The Rock. They ARE there, chiefly running deep along the 100 fathom edge on their way to points south. And there ARE a LOT of them.
The Inlet here is indeed producing right well. Handful of the Usual Suspects have already called to see if I wanted to get in on that. Turned them down, as at this point, I am just a tad Jaded or perhaps a better word would be "Sated" on springs just now...
Cheers,
Nog
Thanks for that insight....
scott craven
Well-Known Member
I sure hope they don't forecast another banner year for Chinook anytime soon....
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Oak Bay Flats still struggling? A lot of us up from you are seeing schools of fish on sounder running very deep in 200-300 feet offshore not near shore from where they usually are.... And very deep 150 feet and beyond... Next trip I am going to be trying this.. This could mean what we thought down here they are not stopping long to feed just taking the highway and moving on... I have heard same stories from guys in Renfew as well...Tons of markings down deep offshore. This could explain a lot. Well nothing to lose next trip will try this out more,,,,,,
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scott craven
Well-Known Member
Water temp hovering around 55 degrees which is borderline too warm....
I think Chinook prefer 50 degrees or less.
I think Chinook prefer 50 degrees or less.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Think your right...Try it out with some glow stuff what else do you have to lose.... If you see those markings go like 150-200 feet. I would be interested if you find anything... Those fish have to pass by you.
scott craven
Well-Known Member
Can't hurt to give it a try, we fish 150-200' in the winter quite often.
Karma-Kazi
Active Member
Sooke Temp on the weekend was 50.8 and warmest ive seen is 51.5 Early spring when fishing was HOT it was 48.9 Maybe its a little warmer down here but Im thinking the 55 Degree water is up teh coast a ways.
Have you acctually been reading 55 in vic?
Have you acctually been reading 55 in vic?
scott craven
Well-Known Member
Yes, it was 54-56 degrees in Oak bay , same in Haro strt
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
That's an interesting website pay attention to those temps your temp spike happened things went quiet... These are only surface I am sure someone has a better link. It says though average is 53.... Who knows?
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Fishin'Zinn
Active Member
Took this yesterday. Trying to find some damn fish! Malaspina Straight, Contours just north of Pender Harbour... There is an absolute drop off in the fishing every year starting in August, yet I still see marks on the sounder now and then. Over the last few weeks I have tried everything from tight to shore, structure, shallow, and now very, very deep. When I went way out to 400-500', I noticed that there were a lot of marks on the sounder at about 300'...
I tried something yesterday that I've never tried/had to try before (must be desperate!), went really deep on the downrigger. Started at 250', then progressed to 325' on the braid! (Other rigger could only go to 250')... I was using an LED cuttlefish, dummy flashers, and a Irish Cream Coyote spoon on the other side (more shallow). Marked tons of fish, bait (not jellyfish or algae), yet no bites. Could see them from 250' to 350'+ in higher concentrations than above in the water column. Really has me baffled. No bites, nothing, an hour each side of low slack:
I am wondering if I maybe should have tried a glow spoon or something else, but I have had good sucess with the LED Hootchie earlier in the year. Also a lot of blowback at that depth, but maybe I wasn't going fast enough. Really was interesting though as there was consistent bait/mass of something down there, and they seemed to be running along the top of it. Maybe a temp break or thermocline? Not many salmon on that side of the straight to begin with, but If I could find them, that would be great.
I tried something yesterday that I've never tried/had to try before (must be desperate!), went really deep on the downrigger. Started at 250', then progressed to 325' on the braid! (Other rigger could only go to 250')... I was using an LED cuttlefish, dummy flashers, and a Irish Cream Coyote spoon on the other side (more shallow). Marked tons of fish, bait (not jellyfish or algae), yet no bites. Could see them from 250' to 350'+ in higher concentrations than above in the water column. Really has me baffled. No bites, nothing, an hour each side of low slack:
I am wondering if I maybe should have tried a glow spoon or something else, but I have had good sucess with the LED Hootchie earlier in the year. Also a lot of blowback at that depth, but maybe I wasn't going fast enough. Really was interesting though as there was consistent bait/mass of something down there, and they seemed to be running along the top of it. Maybe a temp break or thermocline? Not many salmon on that side of the straight to begin with, but If I could find them, that would be great.
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