2017 OFFISHALL Vancouver-Howe Sound-Sechelt Reports Thread

Had my engine lose half it's power right in the middle of the straight on the weekend. The problem isn't an expensive one, but just made me realize how important it is to have a second source of power. My main was still able to putt at 8-10 knots, so took me 3 hours to get back to port moody, bug if it had died completely, i would've had to use the kicker at 3-5 knots, which wouldn't have been fun.
Luckily, conditions were favorable, and i think all in all i was very lucky nothing worse happened.
It's a strange feeling when you lose power smack dead center of the georgia straight, quite eerie. (issue was boost sensor failed and wasn't engaging the turbo)
TLDR: perform maintenance on electrical instruments as well as mechanical components of your engines. Although the fix may be cheap, effects could be devastative.


Report side of things: Thrasher on the weekend was slow. Boxed 2 good ones, and had a few bites. I was trolling along, look at the port rod, starboard rod, back to port, and the pin was popped, but when i reeled and went to set, no weight was there. This happened twice.
Both fish on spackleback hootchies at 155ft in 600-800ft of water. Algae was the worst i had experienced. Had to hand bomb the first fish the last 30 feet.

Glad it made 10 knots. What people don't realize is these as close as 17 miles from Thrasher to Point Grey is, that IS far especially if you have a kicker where the prop cavitates and you only make 3-4 knots in flat calm conditions. I have been out in tightly spaced 8 footers years ago in the mid Strait in 40 plus knots and it's no frickin' joke. It's angry stretch of water when it wants to be. Although...20 footers in the Charlottes in a storm Force off the west side is beyond ridiculous.... don't ask why I had to be out there... :(
 
Started fishing 6am north of thrasher reefs in 400' of water played 4 fish at 65',one keeper hatchery red. 7am the bite was off. Should have started earlier, might have found a second.
 
I keep hearing stories about guys fishing for rockfish in West Van. This is 100% illegal correct? The DFO website is kind of confusing. All of 28 and 29 is closed except for 29-5 right? I had a guy trying to tell me that it's only closed in the rockfish conservation areas but the way I read it is ALL fishing is illegal in those areas.
 
I keep hearing stories about guys fishing for rockfish in West Van. This is 100% illegal correct? The DFO website is kind of confusing. All of 28 and 29 is closed except for 29-5 right? I had a guy trying to tell me that it's only closed in the rockfish conservation areas but the way I read it is ALL fishing is illegal in those areas.

Closed.
 
Started fishing 6am north of thrasher reefs in 400' of water played 4 fish at 65',one keeper hatchery red. 7am the bite was off. Should have started earlier, might have found a second.


Crow - how was the algae in that area?

Looking to find algae-free (to the extent possible) water for the derby this weekend...
 
You are correct Rain City. CLOSED

Aera 28 under the tab Popular Species you will find "Rockfish all species" listed as CLOSED
Area 28 under the tab Other Finfish you will find "Cod" listed as OPEN
Most of us know Rockfish are not Cod.

The rest need to be better informed and that's there responsibility IMO
 
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Crow - how was the algae in that area?

Looking to find algae-free (to the extent possible) water for the derby this weekend...

Much better than our last trip a couple of weeks ago when we were having trouble bringing the lines up from over 100', but not completely gone.
 
Was at QA today for the slack and, with fish on, brown crud and something that looks like parts of jelly fish, my rod got jammed with the stuff. Couldn't get it off the line properly. Also, its all over my downriver cable. WOW. Was all over the other rod too! Anyone know what it is and how to clean it off? thx.
 
Let it dry and it should flake off if not cut the end of your fishing line & cable clean and draw them though a wet terrycloth towel that should do it.
 
Let it dry and it should flake off if not cut the end of your fishing line & cable clean and draw them though a wet terrycloth towel that should do it.
Thanks Dogbreath, I'll deal with it the clean up on Sunday. I thought it might be algae others are talking about but its brown and sticky.
 
Was at QA today for the slack and, with fish on, brown crud and something that looks like parts of jelly fish, my rod got jammed with the stuff. Couldn't get it off the line properly. Also, its all over my downriver cable. WOW. Was all over the other rod too! Anyone know what it is and how to clean it off? thx.
Pretty sure it's still the algae your talking about. Don't know about sticky apart from it sticks to the lines. The big enough globs seem fibrous.

Only thing I found is you can't run your gear for an hour without bringing it up.

Ive been about every 20 mins bringing them up and slapping the water with the line to get the majority off.

I wish it would pound sand and be gone. Anyway I'll prob be out tomorrow, decide on a crossing in the morn. Anyone been getting them locally?
 
Im grabbing a buddy from Gibsons tomorrow morning then looking for a place to fish. Any thoughts? I was thinking SW Bowen.
 
Im grabbing a buddy from Gibsons tomorrow morning then looking for a place to fish. Any thoughts? I was thinking SW Bowen.

Fish the QA to hump area.
Buddies stopped there for a couple hours early yesterday, got two out of three springs, 15 ish each. Wanted to overnight in the islands. Hit the Fingers, fished to Thrasher, fought the wind and algae, plankton, or what ever test brown greeny pink crap is ...... Plus jellies. Lots of undersized boxed one good one.
In my opinion, from what I've seen the last couple weeks, the bloom of crap ?......From ( Christies Crusties from Victoria's direct sh-t dump) lol is worse on the other side then the Vancouver side.

I'd fish this side ..... Plus there are two Derbies this weekend on over there ....... Box some springs, get some crab, go home crack open beers, Bbq fish, boil crab ...... Sleep like a log, do it again Sunday:D

Good luck out there.

HT
 
Late start to the season this year for me but finally got the boat on the water yesterday - what an awesome day! Had two guys from the office that hadn't caught salmon before. Fished Cowen Pt, then briefly at the Hump, then over to Roger Curtis. Managed 3 nice fish and the guys lost several other good ones. Released 4 in the five pound range. Best success was on anchovies. Hit fish at varying depths between 60 thru 100'. Also ran deeper at times down to 130' but no hits below 100'. Had a hit on a homeland security spoon that didn't stick & also towed the kitchen sink around for a while. Each fish had several anchovies in its stomach. Had a few killer whales show up and cruise slowly around us for a while - great bonus for the guys I had out. And it didn't seem to bother the fish at all as we continued to get hits. Attached pictures were taken of us from my friends boat - they also had great success out there yesterday. Best place on earth :-)!!
 

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