Winter spring fishing on fire!!!
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Rum Buddies
Well-Known Member
Thats the issue the most fish mortality happens days, weeks or months later. It can happen by infection due to scale and mucous loss and an even bigger factor is the high levels of cortisol and lactic acid that build up from the stress of the fight. So while the fish might swim away and seem fine the end result is a certain percentage of those fish will certainly die.
At 30 fish to the boat with a 30% mortality, you may have killed 9 undersized fish just to get a 7lb spring. I know its fun to catch a lot of fish and I know a lot of guys are going out because they know they will catch a lot of fish(legal or not). The legal sized fish becomes the bonus and the undersized fish are the real goal.
I'm not saying don't go fishing because you MIGHT catch an undersized fish.
I'm saying don't go fishing if you MIGHT catch a 6-9lb fish and dozens of undersized fish.
W
wetbeaver
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i agree poppa swiss this was my first time fishing this early for winters. My first time fishing sooke for that matter, was quite disappointed with the size of the fish and the number of boats out there. There must be hundreds of slaughtered fish every day. Even though i seen most people taking care of the fish, the eagles were having a hayday and we all know what that means. I think there should be a season for these fish that closes in november and opens around march when the fish are bigger and stronger so there wont be the need to release 25-30 small fish per day and if they do get released which is great they have a far better chance of survival. I think we are doing more damage than good out there.
I was out saturday, i noticed most were clipped fish, i also noticed that at the mouth of beacher in 120 feet there was lots of small ones. I headed east to the bedfords in about 200 ft depth and 120 on the rigger and caught less but larger ones. I know you are suppose to plow the bottom for winters springs but the deeper water worked for me that day. Nice to see those fish bellies stuffed full of bait fish.
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
70 cm is too big for winter fish? Well the commercial fellas don't seem to have trouble finding fish over 62 cms, a tour of Granville Market today had one vendor with more than a handful of nice wild 10 lb plus Springs. Perhaps if less time were spent clearing the lines of shakers and "undersize", the lures would be fishing for the larger fish?
The commercial guys are usu. fishing flashers, 38 inches leaders on hootchies with 6/0 hooks, and spoons. There was even a couple of "fresh caught" feeders pushing 16 lbs. Those are nice size fish, and probably hauled in off WCVI.
70 cm may seem to be too large, but it does cut down on the "keeping" so to speak. Perhaps if such a regulation were in effect, the fish would grow to that size...and become more abundant...which is a good thing. It would also require a change in gear to target larger fish.
There's a couple of guys that come fishing from your way every winter---which is quite comical..they're usually towing up from Tacoma or something...a 17 foot Fibreglass with a 90 hp and they fish around the Vancouver locales...
Another acquaintance speaks of Puget Sound being a dead zone for decent sized springs...let alone small fish.
Ultimately though, with the mortality rate potentially being so high, perhaps we should be targetting larger fish? Or, this raises the question...should we be fishing when in fact we should let the nursery be?
M
Mongoose
Guest
anyone tryed for some winters during the snowfall?
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
Ummm...by the way..Capilano River Cohos are caught each year off San Francisco, and in the article I read, Marble River Springs have been found offshore Oregon by the commercial fleet.
I got out Sunday and Monday. Was balls-to-the-walls action, I sent the tommies down and got some bigger ones. Started trolling at the marina breakwater (Cheanuh), and was hitting 'em constantly. Bigger lures definatley increased the size of fish and decreased the shakers.
scott craven
Well-Known Member
Last Chance, what size were the bigger ones running ?[?]
saw your boat at Cheanuh on saturday, looks like a nice fishing boat.
Is that a Hourston ?
saw your boat at Cheanuh on saturday, looks like a nice fishing boat.
Is that a Hourston ?
12 pounder and a few very low teens. Yep, the boat is a 30+ year old Hourston that is almost totally restored. I am going to hopefully get new windows for it in February, and a new rub-rail if my piggy bank rolls over and farts out some extra cash this spring ..
The winters are aggressive, but it seems that you get certain size brackets for certain gear (Not just on size of lure either). I think that using a barbless hook, and just pickin' the little guys up by the leader(No Net), and turning the hook upside down to pop the fish off results in an excellent survival rate. The big Tommie plugs are great for this, you have a nice T-Handle to hold while you turn the hook upside-down with pliers. Gibbs Gator spoons are all right too, the thicker metal is less likeley to bend while you pop the fish off, but I have wrecked several Cayote spoons doing this release(They are REAL thin).
DO NOT TOUCH THE FISH (For anyone who does not know)! I read in Charlie White's "How to Catch Salmon", that when he caught fish for the Undersea Gardens, wherever he touched the salmon, in a week a fungus would appear in the shape of finderprints and the fish would die! I don't know if this happens a lot, since the little buggers that get handled and tagged are fine, maybe wearing gloves or make sure your hands are nice and wet first. Don't touch it unless you are gonna eat it I guess.
Don't immitate the bass fishing shows pattented "Wipe the slime off and squeeze the guts out of the fishe's arse" routine, followed by the "Hold it up for 3 minutes for the camera and squeeze behind the gill plate" trick.
H
Hurston
Guest
Wow, I lost my internet for a day a come back to this[
].
I also forgot to mention that I also never use a net on any of these winter fish and barely ever touch them.
Fish that are kept are just tossed into the boat by the leader and fish that are released are let go by 1 hand on the leader and uses pliers/fingers/gaff on the hook.
Yes some unfortuneately were hooked thru the eye or bleeding but the eagles were circling so I hope the went to good use.
Jason
].I also forgot to mention that I also never use a net on any of these winter fish and barely ever touch them.
Fish that are kept are just tossed into the boat by the leader and fish that are released are let go by 1 hand on the leader and uses pliers/fingers/gaff on the hook.
Yes some unfortuneately were hooked thru the eye or bleeding but the eagles were circling so I hope the went to good use.
Jason
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
Hey! Good work!
What size and number of Tomics were you using..with what size hook. If other people try this method and head out and they have success...it definitely makes the difference!!!
I got em on a 652 Tommie, 5 incher. Hook size was whatever it comes with (I think 6/0).
This time of year down in the US (Washington) its really hard to get a decent fish as there are tons of shakers from 10-16" A little later they move out to the strait or on up to Vancouver Island. The larger ones start to show then. It is still fun. Even though we put on larger plugs, hooks, spoons. The occasional little ones still get impaled. My guess is that they cloud the lure like flys and sooner or later one gets it. They are overly aggressive.
Glad to her you guys are getting some noce ones. I just bought an older 25' Trophy Walkaround and can't wait to get it out and run it.
Glad to her you guys are getting some noce ones. I just bought an older 25' Trophy Walkaround and can't wait to get it out and run it.
I haven't jigged for 'em, but since green, white, glow and pink have been good colours for me, just park yourself in the trench between Fraser and the flagpole in 120-150 ft, and jig away with a larger Spinnow or Gibbs jig. You may have to back troll into the wind because it will probably be blowing and moving you. Since flashers are optional, you would be better to troll wtih 16 oz to 2 lbs on your main line and a Coyote or something, and be done with it.
P
Pablo2079
Guest
Give jigging a shot and then let us know how it goes.
I jig a lot in the summer (since I only have a cartopper) and occasionally run into a fish. I think the best advice with jigging is "If you don't get anything in 15 minutes, change your lure or your location." You don't cover water like you do when trolling, so you need to be willing to move around.
Drifting with a cut plug herring might be something to try too. Only problem would be doggies.
I have one of those manual Scotty Downriggers that clamp on the side of the boat. I have yet gotten to the point where I can fish with it and not worry about it twisting off the side of the boat. I need to come up with a better mount. I've also had a hard tome figuring out how to stack in such a cramped environment. I should probably just concentrate on getting one line to work before I start stacking! Anybody else use a manual DR on a cartopper? Any hints? How heavy do you go with the cannon ball?
I jig a lot in the summer (since I only have a cartopper) and occasionally run into a fish. I think the best advice with jigging is "If you don't get anything in 15 minutes, change your lure or your location." You don't cover water like you do when trolling, so you need to be willing to move around.
Drifting with a cut plug herring might be something to try too. Only problem would be doggies.
I have one of those manual Scotty Downriggers that clamp on the side of the boat. I have yet gotten to the point where I can fish with it and not worry about it twisting off the side of the boat. I need to come up with a better mount. I've also had a hard tome figuring out how to stack in such a cramped environment. I should probably just concentrate on getting one line to work before I start stacking! Anybody else use a manual DR on a cartopper? Any hints? How heavy do you go with the cannon ball?
Cut plug drifting sounds like a great idea, I may give it a shot on Sunday, put a jumbo herring on, and see if I can find some bigger ones (or another 'butt!). That puts our good ol' Sooke wind to some good use, as it is often about the right speed.
As for mounting a downrigger on a boat, I have one on the "Leak-A-Flex", a tin boat I use in Horne Lake. I stuck it on the aluminium that is rivetted between the side of the boat and the transom, and put a wood gusset under it. The biggest risk when using a downrigger on a little boat is that if you get snagged in the tide, it can swamp you, as the only time the line will reach it's 150lb breaking strength is when it is either bending your boom or wrecking your boat (Not when it is just holding you ball, doing it's job).
For a clamp-on, I would bolt(not screw) a 2 ft 2x8 to the inside of your boat halfway between the bow and the stern (Hopefully where it is straight so it doesn't wrinkle your boat), right at the top under the trim rail, then clamp to this. It will spread the load over the side of your boat. You should be fine with a 10 pound ball, it's what I use on my little rig, but if your cranker has the bigger boom (Not just the bent stainless rod), just put a 15 on for the winters, that way you get down there. It is no different when cranking either a 10 or a 15, you don't notice it. I also suggest a rubber snubber (The good black ones, get 'em at Trotac in the back by the commercial gear), the green ones are crap. For me, when I do hangup, I find they help me "bounce" out of the snag a little easier.
As for stacking, it is a pain in the a** even with electric downriggers, so with manual ones, you would probably be better to ante up the 50-100 bux for a good used one, and run two, that way, you can still fish one if you have a tangle or other mishap. (PM me if you want, I think my buddy has a few to get rid of).
This is a great time of year to fish with a smaller boat, as you can stay in the protected bays where the fish congregate, you burn no gas, and success is practically assured. You usually don't need a net as the little buggers can be lifted in with the leader, further adding to the safety aspect of not standing up in a small boat.
Highliner
Well-Known Member
Hey Last Chance,
How do you set up the cut plug? What kind of weight should I use to get my bait down there? Banana weight? I've heard of guys using the part of the dowrigger clip that clips on the the cable with a small leader to a 2 pound cannon ball. I guess when the fish gets close enough you can just unclip the weight?
Highliner
How do you set up the cut plug? What kind of weight should I use to get my bait down there? Banana weight? I've heard of guys using the part of the dowrigger clip that clips on the the cable with a small leader to a 2 pound cannon ball. I guess when the fish gets close enough you can just unclip the weight?
Highliner
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