2016 Nanoose Bay/French Creek Reports
- Thread starter SFBC
- Start date
bigredsnapper
Well-Known Member
We got a late start and headed to FC for the late bite. First five minutes Bushy hooks in to a screamer and hands me the rod. Well the birthday boy had him on for about a minute and then gone, couldn't believe it. Hey Bushy next time your gonna hand me a big fish make sure it's hooked really well
We ended up releasing a bunch of springs that were close and kept one hatchery coho. Didn't have the radio on but the Coast guard sent out both boats towards the river at high speed then turned around after a couple minutes. That zodiac is scary fast, really cool to see. Hopefully get out again this weekend, hopefully make it to Sangster...........BRS
One Fish
Active Member
There were a few fires around deep bay/Union bay areas. Reports were at first it was a boat but I think one was an RV.. Oh ya... Would love to take that Zodiac for a thrash lol....We got a late start and headed to FC for the late bite. First five minutes Bushy hooks in to a screamer and hands me the rod. Well the birthday boy had him on for about a minute and then gone, couldn't believe it. Hey Bushy next time your gonna hand me a big fish make sure it's hooked really well
the fisherman guy
Member
Pretty quiet out there yesterday at FC, and little q, beauty day to be out - nice to have some reprieve from the wind.
Found bait off the humps in 400+ but couldn't get anything to eat. Been a slow year for us.
Was hoping to cross to Texada, Lasquiti, Sangster today. Will be watching the wind, doesn't look like I'll cross as anything with whitecaps makes the girls nervous. Anyone have a good recipe for Dogfish?!?
Found bait off the humps in 400+ but couldn't get anything to eat. Been a slow year for us.
Was hoping to cross to Texada, Lasquiti, Sangster today. Will be watching the wind, doesn't look like I'll cross as anything with whitecaps makes the girls nervous. Anyone have a good recipe for Dogfish?!?
hedgehog
Member
Yesterday slow. Today slow. Several small springs and a few coho yesterday but the only keeper never made it to the boat not to mention it was also foul hooked. Today seemed like a good day at first, hooked a decent coho pretty quick but lost it 10' from the boat. At least today started out with lots of bait and fish showing towards the humps. I followed the gulls around while it lasted. Only a few wee buggers after the first one.
Dogfish are great for fish and chips apparently you just have to process them right away.
I'm thinking of Tribune Bay tomorrow, at least you can jig for cod if nothing else works.
Dogfish are great for fish and chips apparently you just have to process them right away.
I'm thinking of Tribune Bay tomorrow, at least you can jig for cod if nothing else works.
Ryan A
Well-Known Member
Went out front this a.m. and man was it slow for this guy. Released a couple nice wild coho caught on a green splatter back and one undersize spring. Figured I'd shoot over to the little q for low slack and had a great hit on an anchovie right away but that was it for action.
Only about 6 boats at the river which was a nice change but didn't see any nets out for the short time I was their. Talked to the surveyor kid at the ramp and he said only 8 fish had come in all mornin. Gonna try either ballenas or sangster tomorrow for a change of scenery
Only about 6 boats at the river which was a nice change but didn't see any nets out for the short time I was their. Talked to the surveyor kid at the ramp and he said only 8 fish had come in all mornin. Gonna try either ballenas or sangster tomorrow for a change of scenery
rowswell
Member
Out this Pm from S Cove for 1st time in > a week as winds have kept me home (as they have much of August!!). Fished over slack for an hour and a bit. Released an ~70cm wild coho that hit when I was dropping lines the 1st time & kept a 72 cm white hatchery chinook that hit an hour later. Lost a 3rd on the way to the boat right that hit as I was pulling lines. Interested to get the tag info on the chinook when it comes. I thought whites are mostly Harrison River, but this seems late for one of them to be going by?
All on a hand painted green/white 4" spoon 4' above a dummy flasher. 210' line out on the rigger so ~185' deep. N0 flasher so a lot of fun on the spinning rod I use
Fish had a fresh 6" herring in its stomach, but only saw sporadic bait balls
As I dropped the head in the freezer at the gas dock, I spoke with a dad & his son heading out in a tinny to jig. Nice to see the excitement in the boy's eyes!
All on a hand painted green/white 4" spoon 4' above a dummy flasher. 210' line out on the rigger so ~185' deep. N0 flasher so a lot of fun on the spinning rod I use
Fish had a fresh 6" herring in its stomach, but only saw sporadic bait balls
As I dropped the head in the freezer at the gas dock, I spoke with a dad & his son heading out in a tinny to jig. Nice to see the excitement in the boy's eyes!
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Seafever
Well-Known Member
hedgehog
Member
As the case for the last couple of day, many hours spent fishing with little to no reward. Such is fishing sometimes.
Today at least I landed one almost legal spring while trying to catch a coho. I was trolling at a depth of 55' using a coyote spoon - chrome with green on edge and black and green circles - in about 250' of water right out front.
That was it for the day except for a number of wee coho. One was actually legal but as small as it could be and still be legal, let it go. Mostly action on spoons today but did manage some coho on hoochies as well. White with pink stripe and green spatter back.
Possibly should had stayed out for low tide but I've already fished for at least 15 hrs. this weekend. Another day.
Today at least I landed one almost legal spring while trying to catch a coho. I was trolling at a depth of 55' using a coyote spoon - chrome with green on edge and black and green circles - in about 250' of water right out front.
That was it for the day except for a number of wee coho. One was actually legal but as small as it could be and still be legal, let it go. Mostly action on spoons today but did manage some coho on hoochies as well. White with pink stripe and green spatter back.
Possibly should had stayed out for low tide but I've already fished for at least 15 hrs. this weekend. Another day.
Islander30
Member
Fished out of French creek for the first time last week and having not gotten much advice on the area I only managed one hatchery coho and few undersized springs. However I tried again yesterday morning and had a whole different experience, we hooked a into lots of fish and ended up keeping three really nice springs 10, 16 and 19 lbs. I haven't really fished the East Coast for about 10 years after an exceptionally bad year at the fingers where almost every fished I hooked was taken by seals. I had forgotten how wonderful East Coast fishing can be, there is a lot to be said for catching big springs in beautiful calm waters and sleeping in my own bed at night...lol ! French creek is really a great fishery, I'll be back more in the future for sure !
Brent,
Brent,
lordofthesprings
Well-Known Member
rhonda b was that at the river mouth ?
Ryan A
Well-Known Member
Was at the little q by 6:30 this morn and managed just one smallish spring. Left that scene around 8:30 and fished the humps and lost one decent spring on an anchovie and threw back one undersize. Managed to get one hatch coho before I called it quits. Most hits came at 150ish in 220' and both fish I kept hit the UV white hoochie with mini pink insert.
rowswell
Member
Off Icarus
rowswell
Member
Lantzville if you want to be pedantic about it (I think most residents would protest loudly that they aren't Nanaimo)
(FWIW fished there a lot this summer, mostly as the only boat & never been skunked)
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Ryan A
Well-Known Member
Covered some ground today. Was at the little q by 1st light with the neighbor for the Harmac derby thinking we would get a jump on the outa towners but we didn't get a sniff for the couple hrs we were their. Saw only one boat with some action but heard later some 20's were landed throughout the day. By 8:30 we had moved too sangster and fished the trough and had steady action but only one 9lb spring as a keeper caught on a anchovie. Next was ballenas but no joy in terms of keepers...threw back a couple pinks. Great day on the water. Calm till around 1 or so and very few boats out other than at the river which in hindsight we shoulda stayed at
