Vancouver Island Fishing Report

By Island Outfitters - Sep 19, 2006

Salt Water Fishing for September 17

Overview

Salmon fishing is still PRETTY GOOD around Sooke but SLOW TO SPOTTY elsewhere. Anglers are still catching Chinooks in the 20’s, 30’s and low 40’s. Halibut fishing was SLOW this past week due to everyone being out fishing for salmon. If you have any fishing info, notable catches or tips that you would like to share or have included in our fishing report, please email us at info@fishingvictoria.com.

Port Renfrew

Spring salmon fishing has been SLOWER with spotty action near East Point, Logan and Camper creeks. The big springs off the mouth of the Nitinat River have moved into the river and action has really dropped off there. The COHO fishing has also been spotty off shore. Halibut fishing out at Swiftsure Bank has been GOOD most days.

Sooke

Salmon fishing remains PRETTY GOOD for most anglers. A strong run of big springs holding near the harbor entrance and increasing numbers of hatchery coho, once again made Sooke the place to fish. There were quite a few springs over 30 lbs and lots in the 20’s caught all week long. However, the honors for the week had to go to Gord Martin who landed 43 and 41 lb springs on one trip! Secretary Island and Possession Point have been hot spots and Otter point and points westward also produced big fish. A few hatchery coho up to 14 lbs and some wild fish up to 18 lbs have also been caught recently, but the big run has not appeared yet. Anchovy is still the most popular bait by a huge margin and teaser heads in Gold chrome color combinations or Purple Haze have been working the best. With plastic baits go with Army Truck, Purple Haze, or Green/White color patterns and with spoons use Mongoose, Party Girl or the Cop Car. Hot Spot Gold Fever and Betsey Gold flashers are working well in conjunction with your favorite lure. HALIBUT - Halibut fishing was SLOW this past week. Extra Large Herring, Mackerel and/or Octopus fished off of a spreader bar and close to the bottom is the best bet to catch the big flatfish.

Becher Bay

Salmon fishing was PRETTY GOOD this past week. Nice springs were being caught all the way from Beechey Head to Secretary. The largest spring taken went 42 lbs (caught near the Trap Shack) and there were a few in the low thirties, but most are in the teens and low twenties. Some hatchery coho are also being caught but not too many. That run has yet to really hit the area. Anchovy is still far and away the bait of choice and the best teaser head colours have been Gold Chrome, Green/Gold Chrome and Purple Haze. Big Shooter Betsey Gold, Boogie Man and Purple Hot Spot flashers have been the best flashers to use. The Purple Haze has been the best hootchy this past week. Spoons also work and the best ones lately are the 4 inch Coyotes, Titans or Gibbs Gators in Mongoose, Party Girl or Cop Car.

Pedder Bay

Salmon fishing was SLOWER according to the marina. Once again, there were springs from the mid teens to the high 30’s being caught but not too many. A few hatchery coho up to 15 lbs are also being caught but again, not too many. Almost all the springs were coming from the Church Rock area or points further west. Most anglers are trolling anchovies in glow green or chrome Rhys Davis teaser heads and at 60 to 80 feet on the downrigger. However, it pays to try a little deeper at times now. Hootchies have also been effective with Army Truck and Purple Haze the best colors to use. If you want to troll spoons, the Party Girl, Mongoose and Lime Twist Coyotes, Gypsies, Titans and Tomics in 4 or 5 inch sizes have been best. Oki Betsey Gold and Red Hot Gold Fever flashers have been good for attracting fish. HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was SLOW this past week. Only one 40 pound fish was weighed in. Almost everyone is out fishing salmon instead of halibut right now. Other smaller ones were also taken. Extra Large Herring or Octopus fished off of a spreader bar and close to the bottom works best to catch the big flatfish.

Victoria Waterfront

Salmon fishing was HIT AND MISS along the waterfront. There are still a few mature springs around but not lots of fish by any imagination. Most of the action is coming from Esquimalt to Holland Point. The best depths to troll have been from 60 to 70 feet. Steve Chalmers picked up a 19 lb spring on the weekend and Greg Kutyn an 18 ½ lb spring, both caught on anchovy. Anchovy is still the bait of choice and the Chartreuse and Mint Pearl were good teaser head colors to use. Betsey Gold and Red Gold Hot Spots flashers have been the most effective. Jellyfish hootchies and squirts fished behind Purple Glow or Purple Haze flashers have been working well too. If you use spoons, use Mongoose, Cop Car or Army Truck color combinations with 4” Coyotes, Gypsies and Titans. HALIBUT – Halibut fishing was QUIET this past week on Constance Bank as everyone is out fishing salmon instead of halibut right now.. Most anglers are fishing Octopus or Herring on a spreader bar, just off the bottom. However, if the dogfish get really bad use Mudraker or Lucky Jigs.

Oak Bay

Salmon fishing was SO - SO most of this past week. A few winter springs in the 6 – 7 lb size range have been caught, but not a lot of fish. The Flats produced the best this past week. For the winter springs try trolling close to the bottom around 120 feet, occasionally going into either shallower or deeper water until you hit the fish. Anchovies are working well but the dogfish can still be a problem at times. The best plastic baits have been the Purple Haze and Jellyfish. The best spoons have been green and silver 4” Coyotes, Titans or Gypsys. Green/silver or Purple Glow Hot Spot flashers have been good. HALIBUT - Halibut fishing was QUIET this past week. Extra Large Herring or Octopus fished off of a spreader bar and close to the bottom is the best bet to catch the big flatfish. However, some anglers use Mudraker or Lucky Jig with good success too.

Sidney

Salmon fishing was NOT TOO BAD this past week. Anglers trolling for springs were finding fin clipped winter springs, mostly from just legal to 11 lbs, in the Sidney Channel and near Sidney Spit. Bob Haney got his fishing buddy into an 18 lb spring on a Glo Below Squirt this past weekend in the channel. Plastic baits have been good with the Glo Below and J-79 Squirts producing the best. Other good bets are small anchovies and 4” spoons in Green/Glow or Cop Car.

Notable Catches

Here are some of the notable catches that we know of from this past week. Top honors for the week had to go to Gord Martin who landed 43 and 41 lb springs on one trip near Sooke! Steve Chalmers picked up a 19 lb spring on the weekend and Greg Kutyn an 18 ½ lb spring, both caught on anchovy off the Victoria waterfront. Bob Haney got his fishing buddy into an 18 lb spring on a Glo Below Squirt this past weekend in Sidney. If you have any fishing info, notable catches or tips that you would like to share or have included in our fishing report, please email us at info@fishingvictoria.com.

Fresh Water Fishing for September 17

Overview

The hot spot has been Nitinat River where there are lots of springs and lots of anglers. In the lakes, trout fishing is PICKING UP as the temperatures cool. Bass fishing is still good. If you have any fishing info or notable catches that you would like to share or have included in our fishing report, please email us at info@fishingvictoria.com.

Cowichan River

Fishing is SLOW and the water level is still at summer lows. The salmon have not entered the river in large numbers. The best fishing for trout has been in the morning and evenings or at night. Good flies include Prince Nymphs, Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymphs, Pheasant Nymphs or stonefly nymphs. Wooly buggers also work well, especially on the Brown Trout.

Local Lakes

Trout fishing is PICKING UP in most lakes with the cooler fall weather. Also, the Vancouver Island Trout Hatchery will be starting their regular fall stocking program of Fraser Valley Catchable Rainbows in local urban lakes on Sept 25th and on Oct 2nd in the Victoria area. They will be stocking Prospect, Langford, Thetis,Colwood, Durrance,Florence, Glen, and Lookout Lakes. They will also be hosting the second annual fall fishing fair along with the Victoria Fish and Game Club on Sept 30th at the Victoria Fish and Game Club Property on Holker Road at the top of the Malahat. You can contact Adam at the Goldstream Nature house for updated press releases and ads for the event. Elk, Spectacle and Shawnigan Lakes are fishing the best. Anglers fishing Green Glitter Powerbait from the fishing pier on the west side of the lake have been pulling in some too. One tip that has been working well is to fish a larger hook, size 6 or 8, on your power bait set up and put on 3 eggs to give the fish a little bigger target to see. On most lakes, fly anglers can stay with the old reliables (Black Leeches, Green Wooly Buggers) and expect good action. Chironomids have been good (there have been some big hatches lately) and Pheasant Tail, Halfback and Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear nymphs also work well. For trolling try Red/Pearl Dick Nite or Needlefish, Flatfish or Wee Tads in orange, frog or rainbow patterns, red & white, or yellow with red spots. Willow Leaf Lake trolls with Wedding Bands and/or worms will almost always work.

Bass Fishing

Bass fishing is FAIR TO GOOD. Evenings and mornings have been good for top water action. All the local bass lakes (Elk Lake, Beaver Lake, Langford Lake, Shawnigan Lake, Prospect Lake, Thetis Lake, Quennell Lake and St. Marys Lake) are producing decent catches of bass now. Use almost any bass lure, (tube jigs, lizards, jigs with pork rind, plastic worms, stick baits, plugs or crankbaits) and fish the shoreline or near structure in shallower spots at dawn or in the late evening.

Notable Catches

If you have any fishing info, notable catches or tips that you would like to share or have included in our fishing report, please email us at info@fishingvictoria.com.

Fishing Tip for September 17

Tip of the Week

Go where the fish are! This time of year the salmon are migrating to the rivers to spawn. If you want to catch the big ones now you should head towards river mouths where the fish stage before heading upstream. And be sure to keep abreast of any fishery notices or closures.

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