Why NO 'Live-bait' on South Island?

[Little Hawk]

Howdy!

I'm just getting back into 'salt-chuckin' again after a 25yr. pause
and I'm still mystified - after moving here from the lower-mainland in 82' - why a guy can't buy 'live-herring' here on the South Island.

Mooching with live bait was probably my favorite way to catch salmon.

Why doesn't Pedder Bay or Cheianna(?) sell live-bait?

I've thought about it some and the only thing I can figure is that the tides in the Juan de Fukka are not conducive to anchoring and still-fishing.

Am I on track here?

Any and all opinions appreciated...

Cheers,
Terry

 

[TheBigGuy]

I'm not sure if anybody even sells live bait on the mainland around Vancouver either. There is nowhere near the amount of boats fishing on the lower straight anymore to support it. The guys who still own boats and fish regularly mostly use downriggers these days. I just don't think the marinas feel it's worth the trouble, for the small number of boats still wanting live bait. I could be wrong, but thats my guess why it's rarely available these days.

TheBigGuy

 

[Striper Sniper]

Hey LH, in the old days we would watch for gulls, find the herring ball and rake (a long slim piece of cedar with numerous sharp needles protruding) them into the boat I haven't seen a herring rake for many years but they do sell a herring set up that you can snag them with. Unlike 25 years ago, most of the herring balls I have been seeing are on the Lowrance, down deep. Striper Sniper

 

[Dogbreath]

As Big Guy says too few fishermen too few fish live isn't worth it anymore.

You can jig up your own live bait but in the end you'll end up trolling occasionally jigging like everyone else.

 

[Little Hawk]

Howdy!

It's a cryin' shame really. I miss the old days bobbin' around in the sun off the South end of Bowen or Salmon rock with a bucket of 'live-ones' and a bucket of 'cold-ones'...

... a little 1 or 2 ounce weight... gettin' slammed by coho's that seemed to take forever to get to the boat...

Times change I suppose. Time to gear-up for the 'big-guy's'...

Cheers,
Terry