Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => Fishing Reports => Members' Fishing Reports => Topic started by: FISHIN MAGICIAN on July 13, 2005, 10:12:51 PM
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Hello all. As promised..here is my report.
Fished the POINT GREY BELL BUOY to the QA, and then about 2 miles south..and NADA SNIFF, we were just about to pull the gear up and run to the T 10 and the wind came up, out of the Northwest which made things a little uncomfortable, and made for difficult trolling even with shallower depths on the downriggers. At which point we packed it in, and headed back for an afternoon siesta.
SAW NOTHING< HEARD OF NOTHING NOTABLE>>>NADA>>> pretty sad trolling. (For the record, I was trolling six rods covering all depths from 120 feet to 25 feet---which in itself is pretty sad... )
Take 2, on the water, we headed out and dropped West of the Fisheries in the company of 4 other boats, and everyone was pretty bored, bored, bored. We then ran into HUMPIES...no COHO..BUT HUMPIES! (pinks to all you newbies) but that ended pretty quick with a quick stint which had 4 on the line, and releasing 3 beside the boat. All of which where bright silver and in prime shape, and then it was the GOBI desert...nothing nothing nothing! We trolled in close, out far, to the east to the storm sewer, out to the QB and again out to the fisheries then back down to the Pink Building....nothing nothing nothing. We wrapped up about 830 and that was it...
All in all, put very simply folks, there isn't any meaning schools of Coho in English Bay, and any that people are catching is a simple fluke, and speaking with a local charter operator of mine, it is very quiet locally, since last Friday as a matter of fact. Repeatability is next to nil this week, and the fishing would best be described as almost a waste of time, as there were highlights earlier in the week with the Point Grey Bell Buoy and some larger springs which got pushed in by the tides. Having been on the water for 3 days this week averaging better than six hours a day with rods in the water in different areas, on different tides, on different days, all I can say is, the salmon fishing is very inconsistent.
This year is NOT like other years, and normally right now the Coho fishery in West Van would be in full swing, and there would be a few springs thrown in on every tide for good measure...
My advice for anyone looking to fish the next few days in Vancouver harbour? If you have the boat to fish elsewhere, then DON"T FISH ENGLISH BAY!!!
Folks, best bet would be to fish elsewhere for a few days, and I'm not saying that a whole lotta fish can't enter the harbour, but what I saw today on my colour Si Tex sounder confirms the story I told you above. As a matter of fact, if you do get into fish locally here in the next few days and you do hook into some keeper size fish, think of it as a gift and a bonus.
Til next time out,
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At least you got into some pinks. I've been skunked 5 trips in a row. I sent you a boss429 email yesterday.
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hey...sorry bout that...was that the one about the website? if so..great..if not...then send it to me again! :)
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Good report Fishin Magician
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Fishin Magician, Great report. Yes it was the email was about the web site. Better luck next trip. I wish I had tried out a little deeper yesterday. I'm guessing that SouthWest from QA might be better next time. I came across from Porlier to Sandheads Sunday afternoon and saw a huge seal slowly eating a beautifuly square tailed salmon about 5 miles west of Sandheads. He had 4 seagull buddies beside him waiting patiently for scraps. Maybe the springs at Thrasher and Porlier will meander East for us this weekend.
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Would be nice..but there is a whole lotta dead water out there, and the winds have to cooperate...
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So...
I guess its safe to say that trolling or mooching in Horseshoe Bay/Hole In The Wall area this weekend will be a waste of my time?
Especially since it'll be my first time out there!
:-[
-rob C
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Probably one of the better choices to go there, lots of scenery..and good place to get your bearings...get out early in the morning..that would be my advice...and be prepared for big fish...this time of year...Howe Sound fish show up..and swing through that area on the right tides... lots of workable area for springs...and feeders too...
Give it a shot..and watch out for ferry traffic...
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i have heard recent reports from poteau cove and defense island area up howe sound.... you never know... and yes they were mid 20's to mid 30's
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oh man
now i might actually head out there then.
Was thinkin' about hitting a local lake, but I might try the chuck.
Whats best for fishing for those big mammas? Cut plug, any favorite lures?
Anyone wanna join me?? hehe
I'll be out there in my 12'er!
Gotta get some weight for the front end!
I'll check out the weather report and if there are no small craft warnings I'll try to hit it.
Whats the best tide to hit for that area?
I'm actually thinking of getting a small little radio for the boat so that I can listen to Weather Band and keep up with the local reports so I don't get stuck in any situations.
Any suggestions on where to get a nice little radio like that?
Thanks in advance!
-rob C 8)
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Maybe the tide is about to turn, and some of the springs holed up along the Gulf Islands will head our way. Here's a theory. We just had 4 days of all daylight hours outflow tides holding the fish on the West side of the straight, kind of like it dragged the sailboater across on Monday ever to Porlier. Today was changeover day, and now we can look forward to a week of daytime flood tides full of fish going with the flow. By noon Friday the middle of the straight could be hopping and by Saturday they might be sniffing the fresh around the Fraser mouths.
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If I were you..I would just check the latest marine forecast on the net...
http://www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/marine/marine_e.html?C-WSB
Best Tides?
The flood and the ebb are fine...preferably the flood..but if I were you...just troll up and down the shore to sunset...if it gets rough..you can always go to Horseshoe Bay for fish n'chips at Trolls and watch the local charter fleets come in...
2005-07-16 5:25 AM PDT Sunrise
2005-07-16 8:03 AM PDT 4.57 feet Low Tide
2005-07-16 3:41 PM PDT 12.33 feet High Tide
2005-07-16 7:32 PM PDT 11.45 feet Low Tide
2005-07-16 9:12 PM PDT Sunset
2005-07-17 12:51 AM PDT 14.07 feet High Tide
2005-07-17 5:26 AM PDT Sunrise
2005-07-17 8:50 AM PDT 3.22 feet Low Tide
2005-07-17 4:55 PM PDT 13.42 feet High Tide
2005-07-17 8:58 PM PDT 12.19 feet Low Tide
Cut Plug herring is FANTASTIC in that area for those fish...try 20 to 40 pulls and remember to keep your boat moving...these fish aren't really "ripe" so they will still feed pretty actively...keep your lines on a 45 degree angle and take your motor in and out of gear every few minutes to drop your lines to vertical and you should be in the money for covering area...try to troll with the tide...
Otherwise...COYOTE spoons behind a flasher will do you just fine..
TIGHT LINES! :)
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full report will be in if i make it out!!
Thanks for the help!
-rob C
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well...
i got out there today.
it was REALLY nice out there.
But no fish?? :(
Oh well, just gotta keep trying.
I started out in horseshoe bay at around 8am. The water was nice and calm and that made things so much easier and nicer for a newbie like me.
Anyways, i went to Barry's the yesterday and the guy there recommended anchovies for horseshoe bay area.
I trolled until about noon with not a bite. I changed my bait every once in a while because i would pull up my line and the anchovie was looking pretty rough.
I was using a 9 ounce slip weight with a plastic head thing for the anchovie (not sure what they're called).
I checked my speed and that seemed to be alright, there was nice rolling action with the bait.
I just gotta keep trying i guess.
There were quite a few boats out later on (closer to noon), doesn't seem like anyone was really getting anything tho.
Till next time,
-rob C
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Fishing in the hole in the wall for springs I believe you need a downrigger.
I am just wandering whether there are cohos now in Ambleside
If you need someone to go out with you in the boat I would be pleased to join
Let me know when you are going out next.
I live in Coquitlam and used to have a 10 footer and know of a few places to go. I still have a 7.5H Yamaha motor that you may want to use.
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Yeah man!
Lets plan for something next weekend??
I just bought rod holders for my 12'er so its nice and handy now!
I don't have a downrigger :(, but i'm planning on getting one in the future...along with a fish/depth sounder.
If the weather is good, i'm more than happy to go out and hunt for those buggers.
Just don't know a good spot to launch from. I parked at Sewell's today. $24!! OUCH!
$8 for the car parking, $8 for the trailer parking & $8 for launching the boat!
Anyone know any good spots to park with a trailer??
I don't mind paying the launching fee, but $24 is just too much for every weekend!!
If we fish ambleside I'm not sure where to launch from. I've read some discussion of where to launch in Ambleside, but i'm not sure exactly where it is.
Anyways, pm me if you're up for going out and trying for some fishies, and helping me out a little with some tips.
Thanks,
-rob C
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hey.
I wouldn't recommend buying a downrigger. If you are fishing shallower than 100 feet, you can still fish productively and catch fish. If you are fishing West Vancouver, you DO NOT need downriggers..but they are nice to have. Anchovies work well, and they are very popular because of the small bait size, and that they last a long time because they hold up well with faster trolling, otherwise, herring works just as well--sometimes. As a matter of fact, if you want to catch Coho at Ambleside, just use an 8 or 10 oz weight, strip out 10 to 30 pulls, with a Coyote Spoon on, or a small cut plug herring in the 5 inch size, and you should have no problem hooking a couple when the fish are around, which is your limit anyways. If there are fish around, look out as Springs will inhale that bait!
As for where to launch at Ambleside, if you are coming down Marine Drive headed WEST, hang a left at 13th Street, cross the train tracks, and hang an immediate right, and the launch is next to the 15th Street Pier, which is IDEAL for fishing with your rig. You can launch, park your vehicle, and then basically start trolling right off the dock. Or run 100 feet out, then get your lures in the water.
On with my fishing report for today. Was at AMBLESIDE, and watching a few boats with binoculars for about a half hour, and the water was nice and flat. High Tide. I counted 10 boats from Fisheries to Lions Gate, and NO ONE seemed to have anything going on. There was ONE guide boat, and I did see his flashers in the air once, but I didn't see him use a net for anything. Otherwise, the boats were spread out, and no one was tending to their gear or anything that I could see. I wasn't on the water, but I can tell you this, in previous years, on a day like today, there should have been 40 boats along that shore.
Peering through the binoculars, I could see that there were 2 boats fishing the Point Grey Bell Buoy.
Was at the hatchery too, and the cable pool was empty, and I have no idea why people where drifting their floats through there as you could see that anything was in there was like grilse size. At the hatchery, in the ladders, there were lots of Coho, but few were decent size, many were very lean indeed, with little girth. If those fish in the ladders are any indicator of what is in that river, I don't think too many people should be getting hot and bothered.
Thanks for the report! :)