Nootka sound reports?

[Bish]

A bizarre Nootka story, then I'll shut up, try to flip a few stocks, and get back to fixing busted stuff.

I'm trolling along by myself one evening about 8pm, Three Cove Bay, two rods out on downriggers. Fish hits starboard rod, he's on long enough to get me excited, then gone. While I'm dealing with that rod and getting it fishing again 3 "young guys", late 20's I'd say, troll by going the other way, they yell at me, FISH ON, and I look up and port rod is jumping...same deal, momentary excitment, then off.

I get rods fishing again, make a turn to fish the same spot again, they are doing the same. We pass, say hi and that's that.

Buddy of mine is trolling towards me, I turn and troll along side him. We see the "young guys" boat dead in the water about 100 yards away and someone in the water close by. Buddy and I are on the radios to each other and the conversation went something like this:

"Looks like someone is in swimming off that boat, hot enough"

"Looks like...hey just checked with binocs, there's two of them in the water"

"What the hell, one of them is holding a landing net"

"Huhhhhhh? The other guy is holding a rod"

"WTF it looks like he has a fish on."

"They fall overboard trying to net it?"

"Two guys? No way."

We're getting closer now, easier to see.

"Hey, they have life jackets on."

Anyway, these two guys, one on the rod, one with the net, landed a 23lb spring while in the water...all of them.

Back at Couogar Creek I'm telling people the story at the dock, Dick hears me and says, "oh those guys, they've been dong that for years, they used to use inner tubes".

They get a big salmon on, he's going to run, and run long, so they have some time.... rod guy puts on life jacket and jumps off the boat and plays the fish. Net guy puts on life jacket and swim fins and jumps in with net. Then they play and net the fish in the water. Net guy has fins so he can stay close to rod guy when the salmon plays him and is dragging him around....very funny to watch. Monitoring VHF 68 the next week while by myself I heard of two more fish they'd done same with.

 

[LoveToFish]

Hey Bish

My dad spends most of the summer up there. He would have been there with you. Good friends with Dick. My hubby arrived sunday with boys, and I have heard about those crazy young guns fishing in the water every year!! My boy's come home and say MOM you should have seen these guys fishing in the water!!!!. I think it would be something to catch on tape.

 

[Bish]

I've probably talked to your Dad then. "Know" a lot of people there. I love that place. Next year I won't make the mistake of telling friends and family when we will be home...it's going to be open from now on.

 

[LoveToFish]

Hey Guys

Husband just phoned and they are coming home with 6 salmon. He said fishing up at cougar creek has just started to pick up.[8D]
I will get him to update more when he get's home!!

 

[salmonkiller01]

Lovetofish, i hope your hubby and son had a great time. We stayed one night only at couger creek and it was great. Apparently the fishing turned on about two or three days before we fished so i am sure they had a great time.
I am going back this comming week to fish for another day.
[8D] The great thing about Campbell River is that 3 hours from my door to the lighthouse on nootka island.

 

[oguard]

Hey guys just got back from cougar creek last night.Fishing is really starting to pick up,we caught 1 at 30# and the rest in the 25# range.The fish are right inside now and that saves on fuel.Lots of dogfish and mackerel making it kinda tough to use anchovy but spoons and hootchies are working well.

Mike

 

[scottyboy]

hootchies?????? kinds and leader legths as i`m up on the 6th for a week, white and glow has bin hot in the past years

 

[The Dominator]

Bish,
Saw those guys too.... two years in a row now. This year they were doing it off of the wall. The appeared to be having a great time and three sheets to the wind. But, with the temps as they were, who could blame them.

Just got back ourselves from Critter Cove. Fishing was spotty for us t the first few days. On Thursday, Critter was out of gas and so was our kicker. Ended up using the main motor trolling faster (2.5-3.0). That made the difference. We killed them catching our limit and releasing several.

We'll be back next year. Same time, same bat channel

 

[oguard]

White hootchies did the trick as well as purple haze 32" leaders.good luck!

Mike

 

[Saltwater Cowboy]

Did a day trip today to Nootka and started at Burdwood no fish in an hour and nobody else either, moved to the Lighthouse and no fish in an hour and saw one caught. Dead calm so we decided to head to Bajo and there were 40 boats there small and big alike we hooked over 20 springs in 7 hours kept our 4 keepers and headed home. All on anchovie and water melon teaser head. Biggest spring was well over 40 but lost right at the flippin boat buddy missed with the net and it caught the leader in the net and snapola!! All four springs we kept were from 22lbs-27lbs. Of the 20 springs hooked approx 6 shakers. Fish all full of needlefish. Aall between 40-60ft. What a great day, never seen so many boats at the Bajo before!

SWC

 

[doubletyee]

Just spent the last three days in Nootka. Fishing was alright ended up land 7 spring each day all on anchoivies. Did not fish spring that much as targeted hali but had little luck did get only one but lots of snapper and lings. Fished friendly cove and hits a couple there but the best fishing was at Beano and Bajo. I was one of the 40 boats there and limited out yesterday and the day before in a matter of 1 1/2 hrs. Most fish hit at 30 to 50 ft. Nothing huge but a few in the mid 30's. If you want info on Friendly Cove disaster see my posting.

 

[oguard]

Doubletyee where is this posting?

Mike

 

[doubletyee]

I just finished it and posted in in this forum

 

[Gone Fishn]

doubletyee.... when you say you fished bajo with 40 boats... were you guys just trolling back and forth around the hooter bouy???

 

[doubletyee]

We were actually a little below the buoy. I actually exagerated a little about the 40 boats I think I would have counted 15-20 but we left by 9 am limited out on 4 fish over 30 and three littler ones we released. the 40 I quoted was in reference to SWC earlier post. There might have been 40 later as there was a steady stream of boats heading there as we left. Earlier in the trip fishing here was a little spotty still fish but not one after another. Did better at Wash rock and Beano earlier.

 

[Gone Fishn]

So is there really any structure you are trolling out by bajo or are you just doing circles out in the middle???? Like i mean are you trolling the contour of the reef? lotsa big fish by the sounds of it too eh!!! good to hear! cheers

 

[Despy]

Not much is tougher than having a fishing trip planned that is still 3 1/2 weeks away.Hoping it remains as good for us[?]
Enjoy reading all the reports submitted , and taking notes !!
Tight lines all !

 

[doubletyee]

Not much structure out there but trolling the 50-80 ft drop off. There is one bad rock that not on the charts and cost us a downrigger ball.

 

[Despy]

It`s not beneath me to ask strange questions so here goes. I have always belong to the school that believes your leaders should be lighter test than your mainline. I have had owners of a fishing supply store say that for Nootka I should use 30 lb test for both. I`ve always felt it better to break off a leader than lose weights and flashers, etc. Anyone have any thoughts on this subject?
Also been a couple days since I`ve seen any reports out of Nootka. Don`t know if this is a good sign or bad one, LOL !!!

 

[Riptide2]

Heavy leader helps you from losing the fish not the gear.