 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Related Links |
|
Region 1 freshwater regulations Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce Vancouver FOC office Victoria FOC office |
| Important Note |
| The smallmouth bass is an introduced species in BC lakes. Anglers are reminded to only fish for them in lakse that already have established populations such as St Mary Lake. It is illegal to keep and transport live fish. Introducing bass to another lake or river system may devastate the ecosystem as they may become predators that feed on small salmonids. |
|
My urge of catching a bass has become stronger this year after hearing stories of dozens of hook-ups from people who have visited St Mary Lake. St Mary Lake is the largest lake on the island that is famous for its smallmouth bass fishing. Comparison between the strength of a bass and a salmon has always been a hot topic among anglers in North America, but I wasn't going to make any assumptions until I have tried both of them out. In Eastern Canada and many parts of US, bass fishing is a popular fishery. In British Columbia, it is only being done by a small number of anglers. In the last two decades, bass fishing has become extremely common in Japan and many other Eastern Asian countries. What exactly is making these fish so attractive? I was extremely eager to find out. During a weekend in early August, I decided to make a trip to Salt Spring Island and search for the infamous smallies of St Mary Lake.
The ferry ride was long, and I was restless and anxious to test out my weedless jigs. We arrived in Long Harbour at 2:00pm, and what a beautiful place it is! Cabins could be seen along the forested shoreline. As the ferry docked onto the pier, seals popped their heads out on the water surface and looked on curiously. After we had landed, the meandering, narrow road took us through scenic countryside until we reached out destination. Lakeside Gardens was where we called home during our stay on the island. It's a camping resort that locates along the northshore of St Mary Lake. We stayed in one of the little cabins available at the resort, which are called cabanas. Each cabana is built by the water, allowing us to enjoy the lake view. Cooking and dining tools were provided, while a communal washroom is only seconds away from the cabin. Once we settled in at 3:00pm, I was eager to survey the waters, so we paddled out with our fishing rods without any great expectation. |
For
many years, I have been hearing wonderful things about a tiny little
place among the gulf islands. Salt Spring Island is known to be
a popular holiday destination, yet it has managed to stay low keyed
to avoid becoming a grand tourist attraction such as Victoria. The
island is a favorite hangout for artists, farmers, naturalists and
of course, anglers. In the mid 1990's while I was still mountain
bike racing, I was told that a bike tour around the Saltspring is
a must. When I started spending more time wetting my line in BC,
I began to find out the quality fishing this island offers.
The
morning of our departure was a circus, as we did not plan for the
trip until two days before. Realizing that there were only two ferries
leaving to the island on that day, I woke up early and made a reservation
just for precaution. Just before we took off to the Tsawwassen terminal,
I rushed by Berry's Bait and Tackle to pick up some necessities.
While lurking through the shop, I stared at a huge selection of
bass offerings and scratched my head. Jig, jerk bait, grub, tube
bait, these are all terminologies that most West Coast anglers would
never come across. Thankfully, after being helped by a couple of
bass experts at the shop, I was able to pick out a few products
and more importantly knowing how to rig them up.