2014 ECVI Nanoose Bay, French Creek Reports

[bigredsnapper]

Managed to get out yesterday for a troll,wanted to go to French Creek but it was too windy so we headed for Gerald. Fished for an hour or so and released a couple undersized so went to Balenas and got a nice ten pounder. Tried a bunch of different gear but the trusty old green and white spoon got the fish. Picked up the prawn traps on the way in and filled a bucket, traps are still out if anyone wants to go.........BRS

 

[bigredsnapper]

Sorry about the pic, couldn't figure out how to straighten it...........BRS

 

[newfie boy]

View attachment 15001Managed to get out yesterday for a troll,wanted to go to French Creek but it was too windy so we headed for Gerald. Fished for an hour or so and released a couple undersized so went to Balenas and got a nice ten pounder. Tried a bunch of different gear but the trusty old green and white spoon got the fish. Picked up the prawn traps on the way in and filled a bucket, traps are still out if anyone wants to go.........BRS

how is the new boat running. give me a call re party on Sat

 

[bigredsnapper]

Hey Newf, I will call tonight. Boat is good, getting used to it. The biggest difference is going back to a two stroke, what a difference after having a four stroke for so long. She seems pretty lucky too, so far so good............BRS

 

[bigredsnapper]

Managed to get out Boxing Day with a buddy. He had some family in town from Europe and asked if I could get him out and get some seafood. Dropped the crab traps and pulled my prawn traps and got half a bucket of prawns, would have had more but there was an octopus in one trap and cleaned it out. Ran over to Ballenas and trolled for about half an hour when we trolled over a bait ball and his rod hit. I reached for the net and my side went off, double header! We managed to get both in the boat I was a good thing we both knew what we were doing. Starting getting dark so we headed in and pulled the crab traps and limited out. Needles to say the seafood feast with his relatives was a meal they won't forget and another great day on the water..........BRS

 

[Copper Moon]

Nice report, as usual

Thanks

 

[newfie boy]

good job buddy I left a message on your cell but didn t hear back. off to maui Monday at noon. Will keep in touch. See you next summer. take care

 

[bigredsnapper]

Hi Don, I saw your call and text you this morning. Have a good trip, Aloha. Thanks Copper Moon you should be out prawning, it's producing well. Just so everyone knows I always let the octopus go, I think they are pretty cool. Kelly are you around? Boats in the water.........BRS

 

[Charter Tofino]

Nice haul! Tell me the double header wasn't on the green and white....

I am in Central America, I ran into your buddy Dan who is Charlie's neighbour down here. Home in a few days I'll give you a ring.

 

[bigredsnapper]

I'm sure the fish down there are happy to hear you are leaving. Say Hi to Dan, I'll bet he is having fun Yes it was a green and white double header, hootchy on one side and spoon on the other.(What else would you use at Ballenas?) text me when you get back and I will get you out in my new rig..........BRS

 

[Copper Moon]

Hi Don, I saw your call and text you this morning. Have a good trip, Aloha. Thanks Copper Moon you should be out prawning, it's producing well. Just so everyone knows I always let the octopus go, I think they are pretty cool. Kelly are you around? Boats in the water.........BRS

You may not want to see us prawning, given that we might be forced up into your area to make way for an increased commercial fishery down this way.

 

[bigredsnapper]

No more prawning for me, I'm done. Lost two sets of traps in four days. Don't know if they were stolen or the shrimpers ran over them, doesn't matter. Now I will have more time to troll and catch salmon which is way more fun then hauling up traps..........BRS

 

[Cuba Libre]

No more prawning for me, I'm done. Lost two sets of traps in four days. Don't know if they were stolen or the shrimpers ran over them, doesn't matter. Now I will have more time to troll and catch salmon which is way more fun then hauling up traps..........BRS

And THAT is why a person should NEVER leave his traps, and do a short soak ....

 

[Copper Moon]

Maybe a boom Greg. I thought I saw one go by recently.

 

[bigredsnapper]

No more prawning for me, I'm done. Lost two sets of traps in four days. Don't know if they were stolen or the shrimpers ran over them, doesn't matter. Now I will have more time to troll and catch salmon which is way more fun then hauling up traps..........BRS

And THAT is why a person should NEVER leave his traps, and do a short soak ....

THANKS for EXPLAINING that to ME......BRS

 

[bigredsnapper]

I saw the boom go out and I was clear of it. I was prawning close to where the shrimp guys go by and I try to stay out of their way but sometimes they land on the flats. There are three shrimpers out there and all good guys and talked to them and they were going to keep an eye out for me. I'm just gonna fish for now........BRS

 

[newfie boy]

That's too bad Greg. Sorry too hear but I have some traps and when I get back we will have to put them down for a soak. Go get those salmon. Happy New YEAR

 

[bigredsnapper]

That's too bad Greg. Sorry too hear but I have some traps and when I get back we will have to put them down for a soak. Go get those salmon. Happy New YEAR

Happy New Year Don, hope you and your family are havin fun. Thanks for the offer, call me when you get back............BRS

 

[Cuba Libre]

THANKS for EXPLAINING that to ME......BRS

YER WELCOME!!!!! ...not being a jerk-- but too often we see posts here that "my trap was stolen, the commies got them, or "somebody ran over them" Who knows? It might have been a big log pushed off the beach by the king tides..... My point is that it would not happen if guys kept an eye on their traps . Given the price of traps, line, floats bait etc. It only makes sense to fish close to where you dropped the traps. 4 years ago, I caught the Hornby Island poacher lifting one of my traps....... We were dragging spoons when my partner said that he could see that a tinny had stopped on top of one of my traps. We headed over that way on an angle. When we were about 1/4 mile off his starboard side, I swing the boat over and hit the throttle. He still had some of my line in his boat..... His bs was that he thought it was drifting as it was "not in a normal place" Made a big point of writing down his numbers and told him that if we ever saw him near our traps again, we were going to the RCMP. Too bad we had no camera, I would have loved to splash his picture all over the web. FA know about this guy, and he specialized in raiding others gear.

So to restate-- if you dont want to lose it.. stay near.

 

[Fish Assassin]

FA know about this guy, and he specialized in raiding others gear.

CL is right I know the guy, really I hate to say it but I do. Good new though he moved to Victoria.

Privately I may share with a few of you who to watch out for