Winter Chinook fishing all around the Georgia Strait continues to be strong. Large schools of salmon seem to be content with hanging around feeding on the massive amounts of herring in the area and with literally hundreds and hundreds of tons entering the Georgia Strait to spawn in the next few weeks these fish should fatten up nicely over the next couple of months. More and more anglers are getting word of the opportunity and have chosen to dust off their gear and hit the water in all areas from Campbell River to Nanoose Bay. Many are hooking into as many as twenty fish if the weather and tides co-operate. Good sized fish are being landed in areas like Lambert Channel, Eagle Rock, off the lighthouse in Campbell River, the "hump" off of Kitty Coleman, Tribune Bay, Flora Isle, French Creek and the waters in and around Chrome Island.
Fish are hitting over a wide range of depths, from 75 ft all the way down to 320 ft but most fish are being hooked around 160 ft. Kermit Coyote spoons trolled behind Betsy flashers (gold or silver) have kept us busy most days, although every day out seems to require some sort of gear and or color change, but regardless the fishing is as good as it has been in a long time. With no virtually no commercial herring sets made north of Qualicum during the roe fishery last year it should serve as a reminder to ALL that if there is feed for migrating stocks of salmon in the Georgia Strait the fish stocks will increase, it’s a no-brainer…..more feed more fish.
Every year about this time thousands of large migrating Chinooks enter the waters on the east coast of Vancouver Island hot on the trail of the billions of herring and some of the best fishing of the year is just around the corner. Having landed many fish in the 30 + range outside of Flora Isle (Hornby) in March and April, one would expect more of the same in the next month or two. Make sure to have your spools full as these fish are for the most part are right on the bottom at 200-230 ft can have you chasing them around for quite some time. Trolling large (6-7") Wonder spoons or 5-6" silver prism Coyote spoons without a flasher, and stay right on the bottom dropping your deep lines down constantly to stay deep. The reefs just outside Whaling Station Bay (just north of Flora Ise) should not be overlooked as tide changes push bait up from the deep into areas where feeding salmon can be targeted as they chase the feed around. This is a great opportunity to do some mooching with your favourite setup.
Jan/25/2008
The 2008 saltwater sport fishery is approaching and local anglers can expect to see more fish in the Georgia Strait this coming
season as there seems to have been a significant change to the good in the last two years. The large number of under-sized Chinooks that took up residence in the Strait from Feb/March of 2007 until present, are feeding well and seem to be
happy staying put. Many of these fish have reached legal size and if they stay to feed on the influx of migrating herring that are now in or
on their way to the Strait to spawn will provide great angling opportunities for many who have lost interest in East Coast Vancouver Island fishing.
This year’s Chinook fishery in and around Courtenay / Comox, Denman & Hornby Islands should exceed most anglers expectations. Winter spring fishing is excellent and should carry right on through to early May when we should start seeing migratory stocks again. Hotspots include Twin Islands, Sentry Shoals (July), Kitty Coleman (July), Lambert Channel (Feb- June 15, Aug 15-Sept) and especially the south end of Denman and Hornby Islands (May-Sept). Big and Little Qualicum River runs have been exceptional for the last six years and expect more of the same in 2008. These two rivers are providing some of the best Chinook fishing (Aug 15-Sept 15) in the Georgia Strait with most fish hitting the scales at between 25-35 lbs. With any luck the Puntlegde River summer and fall Chinook runs will be stable enough to avoid the ongoing slaughter by problem seals, and with no action being taken by DFO, we just have to keep our fingers crossed.
Coho numbers may be stronger, but it’s too early to surmise what opens and what remains closed but we should expect some type of opening to start around early June, most likely for hatchery (fin-clipped) fish. This should coincide with an earlier (June1st) Lingcod opening, based on last year’s catch data.
Local prawning is fantastic, you just have to wait for Mother Nature to co-operate. With more DFO enforcement in Area 14, be sure to abide by all regulations before setting your gear.
For angling info or charters contact
Gil DiCesare
G&M Fishing Charters
tf 1-800-577-6966 / pager (250) 954-6500
