Good to hear the report. We'll be there next week when the tides will have moderated in the morning.
Dave
2014 Port Renfrew & Swiftsure Reports
- Thread starter Whole in the Water
- Start date
Dave
Halibut-face
Member
Went to renfrew this week to spend 3 days fishing the beach. Was excited as typically Renfrew is at its best July 15 to the first week in August. I checked around at all the regular spots for reports, but didn't really find much. Anyways, maybe this is why:
Day 1: Fished the night bite high slack between rock pile and camper. Didn't see a net out - was out for 4-5 hours. No bait, the odd fish on the sounder that was probably a black cod.
Day 2: Trolled East Point first light - couple of hits and halved chovies. Nothing stuck. Fished all the spots all the way up to Walbran. Found some decent bait at Walbran but no fish. Didn't see ANYONE catch ANYTHING on the beach the entire time we fished.
Day 3: Decided to come back to Victoria. While Sooke has been slower than normal it's WAY better than beach fishing at renfrew.
I talked to a couple of the guides - one who was a total dick and blew me off - and another nice kid that regularly fishes the beach. He admitted it was pretty tough going out there, but like anyplace it has had it's moments.
Conclusion: More bad fishing than good in renfrew unless you wanna go offshore and catch your limit of 11 pound springs. Me and Renfrew are done for a while. Sooke has nicer weather, better fishing and lots of honest reports.
Day 1: Fished the night bite high slack between rock pile and camper. Didn't see a net out - was out for 4-5 hours. No bait, the odd fish on the sounder that was probably a black cod.
Day 2: Trolled East Point first light - couple of hits and halved chovies. Nothing stuck. Fished all the spots all the way up to Walbran. Found some decent bait at Walbran but no fish. Didn't see ANYONE catch ANYTHING on the beach the entire time we fished.
Day 3: Decided to come back to Victoria. While Sooke has been slower than normal it's WAY better than beach fishing at renfrew.
I talked to a couple of the guides - one who was a total dick and blew me off - and another nice kid that regularly fishes the beach. He admitted it was pretty tough going out there, but like anyplace it has had it's moments.
Conclusion: More bad fishing than good in renfrew unless you wanna go offshore and catch your limit of 11 pound springs. Me and Renfrew are done for a while. Sooke has nicer weather, better fishing and lots of honest reports.
merrittboy1
Member
Slow, slow, for me... Some being caught but, I, haven't seen many. Maybe you will bring luck!
kingspring
Active Member
Fished Saturday on Swiftsure,dirty seas,managed 4 springs 10 to 18lbs. The fleet was getting their halis in 425 ft, nearer to the neah bay side. Saw a few fish on the tables from the beach in the 22 to 25 lb class.
A buddy on Friday picked up a couple in the low twenties off camper and broke off on a big fish Saturday at East Pt.
A buddy on Friday picked up a couple in the low twenties off camper and broke off on a big fish Saturday at East Pt.
Halibut-face
Member
Renfrew is having a dismal year
T
The Jackel
Guest
Not if you include running all the way to the banks for some feeders and ping pong rackets, it is HOT HOT HOT
Fished the US side of Swiftsure both Sat. and Sunday. Limited (6 keepers) on modest size springs each day (11:15 on Sat., 10:15AM on Sun). Flashers and hootchies - pearl, purple fished at 135' on the cable, produced a pretty regular bite of 8-12# springs. Tomic plugs down deep (250 on the cable), produced a higher grade of fish but got hit far less often. As I was out with a guy who was a little impatient (well actually very impatient), we fished up higher and took mostly 8-12# fish. The biggest fish of the day was at the end of Sunday AM when I put a 319 tomic plug down to 250' to catch the last fish. 5-10 mins later we had a nice 18# spring that filleted white. Of the 12 fish we took over 2 days, 2 were white, the rest filleted red with the exception of one that was a mix of white and red.
ReelSlim
Crew Member
I also ran to the bank on Sunday and is as reported. Lots of teeners with one that was 21lbs. I've been putting in a few hours on the beach in the mornings for the last week except Saturday and it has been SLOW to say the least. Going to put a bit more time in tomorrow so hopefully some fish show up for the long weekend? Lol
tubber
Well-Known Member
You don't need to go to the bank unless you want other fish.
40-90 fathoms maybe half way out to the US line. The seine boats used to line up a half mile apart, every 5 fathoms and all set together. So 35, 40, 45, etc... all the way out to 120 or so. Then they would watch with binoculars and get in line at the depth where the most fish were being caught. 70 fathoms was a favourite depth for many boats on the blue line back in the day. The blue line was/is between Carmanah and the tip of the American side if memory serves. The depth of the water compared to the distance from shore at the blue line differs from straight out from Renfrew. I can't remember if it's deeper or shallower closer to Renfrew. Maybe go perpendicular to shore until you find them then go parallel. Watch for jumpers. There should be a test boat out there somewhere. If there's an opening, get well outside the blue line rather than behind the nets in the deader water. I don't know how many boats would be there. It used to be hundreds. Gillnetters come out at night like zombies.
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Deewar25
Well-Known Member
of interest - here is that evil plankton from 5 days ago - interesting how it smothers the broken islands and the heavy pockets just out from the banks?
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd....719_754437927931092_3474563827437256455_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd....719_754437927931092_3474563827437256455_n.jpg
Tsquared
Well-Known Member
Blue line was from Bonilla point on our side to Tatoosh Island on the 'Merican side. Made lots of money on the socks trolling just west of that line back in the day.
T2
tubber
Well-Known Member
I stand corrected. I was a dumb high school then university student and now I am older but still dumb. Great summer job. I remember watching the trollers yard them in as we waited in line for up to 5 hours to get the preferred depth for the next set.
Draht vom Hoko
New Member
I'd say that about 30% of the kings we've brought home from both US and Canadian SS this year have been white,....one day 4/6 were white,....unusually high percentage, but every bit as good eating and fighting as the reds!
ReelSlim
Crew Member
Slow again on the beach yesterday but had a good couple hours midday today. Managed a double header with my dad and son so pretty great afternoon. We got one more and lost another. Fish were decent size finally.....22....23 and 28. We saw a few boats with fish on around the same time although it was pretty foggy today....lol. Its still slow on the beach we just ran into a few at Camper today......Sockeye open tonight at midnight so will give the a go tomorrow with the kids.
Tsquared
Well-Known Member
Tubber's right-you don't need to go to the bank for sox. The easiest way to find the sox at Renfrew is to go to the 80 ft sockeye indicators that Fisheries conveniently provides for you, (otherwise known as the test seiners
) drop your gear 3/4 of a mile to the west of them and you're on fish. Just remember to stay out of their way. T2
