Victoria Reports - Spring and Summer 2011

[scott craven]

Lots of pinks, even hit a few on the flats this morning..
first troll caught halibut of the year as well.
all of about 12-14 lbs.

 

[boomer]

How big for hally craven I fished the break wall today1 teen burger first 10 min then 5 to 6 humps all let go was going to call it a day tried bait tricks and in ten minutes had three more springs 18 , and two in the low 20's just went your going to quit this happens,all fish at 47 to 40 feet I will be back again that for shure. Boomer

 

[scott craven]

Fished the wall this morning with at least 20 other boats from 9:00 till 11:30.,
A good fight with a 14 lb white spring. (don't know why they seem to fight harder)
and released a couple of pinks.
Called it a day and ran back before the wind came up.
Blowing 25-27 knots just like the forecast.

 

[boomer]

Spoons are working to , nice fish craven white mmmmmm,smoker fish

 

[the rook]

how is the halibut fishing at constance or albert head?

 

[scott craven]

Made another trip to the break wall today, very slow to start...
watched a seal grab somebody's fish and then nothing for almost 3 hours.
almost ready to go and the left rod goes off, a real screamer
thought i was sealed but was able to land 22 lb red.

one set of gear back in the water and instantly another fish strikes and
starts peeling line off.
a twin just over 20 lbs.
both on the #1 K.K. spoon and green/gold flasher

 

[porcupine]

Just thought I'd let you now that you'll be seeing about 2 dozen 12 foot tinnies off the waterfront this weekend. The Clover Point Anglers are having their annual salmon derby so the litlle boats will be out in force. If you're fishing near them try not to swamp them. Some of the anglers will be as old as the late 80's and others will have kids in the boats.

 

[dawn2dusk]

Made another trip to the break wall today, very slow to start...
watched a seal grab somebody's fish and then nothing for almost 3 hours.
almost ready to go and the left rod goes off, a real screamer
thought i was sealed but was able to land 22 lb red.

one set of gear back in the water and instantly another fish strikes and
starts peeling line off.
a twin just over 20 lbs.
both on the #1 K.K. spoon and green/gold flasher
View attachment 1874

HEy RSC, THanks for the tips yesterday. You look much bigger in real life! I ended up picking up one around 20 lbs. I have to agree that they seem to be liking the spoons and a little faster trolling up shallower right now. Cheers and keep up the great reports!

I saw that seal eating the salmon right in the kelp bed. THe tourist on the wall were just loving it. It's so cute my a$$!!

 

[tinboatrobb]

Hey Scott, I think d2d just called you short..lol. Nice looking fish. Good work.

 

[scott craven]

Hey Scott, I think d2d just called you short..lol. Nice looking fish. Good work.

well, back in the 70's with my platform boots i was almost 6'

 

[Pappy]

Fishing in Sidney? Any update? How is the pink action? Any sockeye or coho?

 

[boomer]

well, back in the 70's with my platform boots i was almost 6'

Nice fish spoons what great fishing,now for the seal ugh

 

[boomer]

A freind was out today fishing deep 180 on the riger water front eletrickchare hoochy boated a 40 plus and three in the twentys so sometimes go deep boys . boomer I, ll be there sunday try my luck good luck boomer

 

[boomer]

fished yesterday boated three in hour and a haft 60feet chovie 18 to 22 then rode starded but still a good day . good luck boomer

 

[foggydew]

Any sockeye anywhere? The wife wants sockeye (not pinks)..

Fog

 

[pescador]

Just curious, for the guys that fish Victoria regularly (RS Craven/et al), do you consider Constance Banks to produce the same way Bajo Reef and Swiftsure does? Do you see the large Springs transiting Conny, and, if so, when? Do your techniques differ from the Break Water to Conny (bait/troll speed/usage of plugs etc)?

 

[scott craven]

Constance can be productive at times but not in the same category as the westcoast banks, such as Swiftsure , big bank, south bank etc.
The summer fishery is not as strong(in my mind) as the winter/spring season.
That said, someone got a 40lb spring last week there.

I think the reason we don't see as many large chinook moving through is because there isn't the river systems to support them on the south island.
the fish we see on Constance are mainly transient and by this late in the season most of those fish have moved on.

Constance is usually quite consistent for Halibut all year.

 

[Shepnoir]

Pescador,

I have fished Constance for 10 years now and have never had the production that we experienced at Bajo last week. Most springs are teens, although the hali's are much bigger @ Conny than Bajo from my experience. In terms of gear, I stick to bait (long leaders greens and blues) and spoons although I'm sure that guys use plugs too. Typically I will fish deeper at the bank than the breakwall. In terms of speed, I'm a constant 2 - 2.5 knot guy myself. I know other guiys play around with speed more than I.

 

[pescador]

Thanks Guys. Appreciate your input.

 

[chris73]

Not comparable to offshore banks. The western offshore banks benefit from runs to all major pacific river systems and therefore - and especially because they include Columbia and Sacramento chinook - the fish quantity is manyfold that of Constance Bank which basically hosts only a portion (the one that come through JDF) of the Fraser bound fish and Puget Sound fish. On top of the way lower abundance, you have to realize as well that Constance Bank mature fish are near their natal stream and not as aggressively feeding as westcoast offshore fish which are hundreds of kilometers away from home. Therefore large plugs and spoons as on the westcoast will not yield the same success here. More finesse is required to trick the Constance fish. As craven said, the winter fishing for feeders is usually more consistent.