2018 OFFICIAL Vancouver-Howe Sound-Sechelt Reports Thread

[paulo]

I definitely agree with the lack of visual evidence throughout the day. I have not seen a roll or jump for quite some time and yet oddley enough a few weeks ago I went to the mouth just to take a look and in the river portion they were jumping. Definitely fickle fish for sure. Over the years though as I say, for me, bar none the morning bite has been best. Its probably been 3 yrs since I have had any major success as in the past for the WV coho though. I pray that changes.

 

[SteelyDan]

I’ve fish here quite a bit over the years. I’d like to say it’s a first light fishery but I have to admit first light hasn’t helped in my experience. The coho are just fickle. Most fish have been hooked mid day in sunny weather. Most coho hooked on gear, late season chinook on chovies.

Years ago you would see pods of coho schooling, finning and jumping. The last few years, next to nothing.

Anyone else?

Try a purple haze hoochie with uv insert on a 22" leader behind a kinetic or purple onion flasher. That's my west van coho slayer. Now that its know I'd expect fewer fish to return to the hatchery lol

 

[sir-vivor]

Fished 9-1700.fished 3miles off the south arm Fraser. One hatch Coho about 6 lbs and nothing else. 112 ft down on the wire using a green flasher and a anchovies. Oh and believe it or not caught a horse herring on an anchovies, the Damn anchovies was 1/2 the size of the Herring, bet the herring was targeting the black trailer hook and not the anchovies lol

 

[fishin_magician]

The West Van Coho fishery never really happened this year. All the fish seemed to be off South Bowen. For the 1st week of July until late last week. It was a mix of wild and hatchery. I didn’t partake in this with zero effort. Some moved right down East directly to the mouth into the estuary, others dispersed.

I fished this morning. Rods in at 845...later than my liking but Dad is well into his 80’s so I don’t mind if he takes a while to get moving. Went looking for big fish. 6” Anchovies behind my favorite Flashers. Finally landed a 24 at about 1230. That seemed to take forever to get a Chinook strike. painful. Lost a much smaller fish after hookup... 20 seconds in very short order. Next bite was a chunky 19 pounder about 45 minutes later. A few Sox lobbing here and there. Saw a few people here and there but for the most part no one was around. Doggies out there...lots of them.

I consider myself lucky today.

Felt incompetent despite landing 2 of 3 strikes.

 

[Gator]

The West Van Coho fishery never really happened this year. All the fish seemed to be off South Bowen. For the 1st week of July until late last week. It was a mix of wild and hatchery. I didn’t partake in this with zero effort. Some moved right down East directly to the mouth into the estuary, others dispersed.

I fished this morning. Rods in at 845...later than my liking but Dad is well into his 80’s so I don’t mind if he takes a while to get moving. Went looking for big fish. 6” Anchovies behind my favorite Flashers. Finally landed a 24 at about 1230. That seemed to take forever to get a Chinook strike. painful. Lost a much smaller fish after hookup... 20 seconds in very short order. Next bite was a chunky 19 pounder about 45 minutes later. A few Sox lobbing here and there. Saw a few people here and there but for the most part no one was around. Doggies out there...lots of them.

I consider myself lucky today.

Felt incompetent despite landing 2 of 3 strikes.

 

[Gator]

A 24 and 19 should make you proud!!! Where and how deep?

 

[wishiniwasfishin1]

The West Van Coho fishery never really happened this year. All the fish seemed to be off South Bowen. For the 1st week of July until late last week. It was a mix of wild and hatchery. I didn’t partake in this with zero effort. Some moved right down East directly to the mouth into the estuary, others dispersed.

I fished this morning. Rods in at 845...later than my liking but Dad is well into his 80’s so I don’t mind if he takes a while to get moving. Went looking for big fish. 6” Anchovies behind my favorite Flashers. Finally landed a 24 at about 1230. That seemed to take forever to get a Chinook strike. painful. Lost a much smaller fish after hookup... 20 seconds in very short order. Next bite was a chunky 19 pounder about 45 minutes later. A few Sox lobbing here and there. Saw a few people here and there but for the most part no one was around. Doggies out there...lots of them.

I consider myself lucky today.

Felt incompetent despite landing 2 of 3 strikes.

Any pics of the fish? Sounds like a pretty stellar for YVR this time of the summer...

 

[Stizzla]

The West Van Coho fishery never really happened this year. All the fish seemed to be off South Bowen. For the 1st week of July until late last week. It was a mix of wild and hatchery. I didn’t partake in this with zero effort. Some moved right down East directly to the mouth into the estuary, others dispersed.

I fished this morning. Rods in at 845...later than my liking but Dad is well into his 80’s so I don’t mind if he takes a while to get moving. Went looking for big fish. 6” Anchovies behind my favorite Flashers. Finally landed a 24 at about 1230. That seemed to take forever to get a Chinook strike. painful. Lost a much smaller fish after hookup... 20 seconds in very short order. Next bite was a chunky 19 pounder about 45 minutes later. A few Sox lobbing here and there. Saw a few people here and there but for the most part no one was around. Doggies out there...lots of them.

I consider myself lucky today.

Felt incompetent despite landing 2 of 3 strikes.

Must feel good to have 43lbs of keeper fish to the boat. Glad to hear your patience paid off. I’m trying to bust a slump myself today.

 

[Smoker]

The West Van Coho fishery never really happened this year. All the fish seemed to be off South Bowen. For the 1st week of July until late last week. It was a mix of wild and hatchery. I didn’t partake in this with zero effort. Some moved right down East directly to the mouth into the estuary, others dispersed.

I fished this morning. Rods in at 845...later than my liking but Dad is well into his 80’s so I don’t mind if he takes a while to get moving. Went looking for big fish. 6” Anchovies behind my favorite Flashers. Finally landed a 24 at about 1230. That seemed to take forever to get a Chinook strike. painful. Lost a much smaller fish after hookup... 20 seconds in very short order. Next bite was a chunky 19 pounder about 45 minutes later. A few Sox lobbing here and there. Saw a few people here and there but for the most part no one was around. Doggies out there...lots of them.

I consider myself lucky today.

Felt incompetent despite landing 2 of 3 strikes.

Just so people know the west van coho fishery cracked off right on time this year in the first week of july and really picked up until the mass amount of bait showed up last friday and when everybody was fishing bowen for coho the harbor was just as good with tons of double digit mornings and absolutley nobody fishing it. It was a old school hootchie show and the fish were filled with crab larvae. Things are really changing tho it seems like its a shorter thing these days as it used to be good all of july then they didnt show up until first week of august two years in a row and it was short lived. Then last year they were a no show. It kinda seems like they don't want to stage in the harbor anymore or the numbers are so low that they are off the bite in no time. Hopefully the bait moves out and the fishing picks up again...

 

[fishin_magician]

A 24 and 19 should make you proud!!! Where and how deep?

It's cryptically and subtly included in my report. Salmon at from 50-80.

 

[fishin_magician]

Just so people know the west van coho fishery cracked off right on time this year in the first week of july and really picked up until the mass amount of bait showed up last friday and when everybody was fishing bowen for coho the harbor was just as good with tons of double digit mornings and absolutley nobody fishing it. It was a old school hootchie show and the fish were filled with crab larvae. Things are really changing tho it seems like its a shorter thing these days as it used to be good all of july then they didnt show up until first week of august two years in a row and it was short lived. Then last year they were a no show. It kinda seems like they don't want to stage in the harbor anymore or the numbers are so low that they are off the bite in no time. Hopefully the bait moves out and the fishing picks up again...

Lots of guides and prostaff out there who will disagree with you...not me as I disn't fish it at all. They were fishing South Bowen because they were getting 15-30 strikes a morning with the odd Chinook thrown in.

I know one guide firm and a guide who fished West Van a lot this July and it wasn't a plentiful fishery. Despite finding fish for their guests. Creel Surveyors alao report lower reaults than previous years.

If you were fishing West Van for Coho 2 years ago in August you were missing out on a lot of chinook elsewhere.

 

[Gramps]

The West Van Coho fishery never really happened this year. All the fish seemed to be off South Bowen. For the 1st week of July until late last week. It was a mix of wild and hatchery. I didn’t partake in this with zero effort. Some moved right down East directly to the mouth into the estuary, others dispersed.

I fished this morning. Rods in at 845...later than my liking but Dad is well into his 80’s so I don’t mind if he takes a while to get moving. Went looking for big fish. 6” Anchovies behind my favorite Flashers. Finally landed a 24 at about 1230. That seemed to take forever to get a Chinook strike. painful. Lost a much smaller fish after hookup... 20 seconds in very short order. Next bite was a chunky 19 pounder about 45 minutes later. A few Sox lobbing here and there. Saw a few people here and there but for the most part no one was around. Doggies out there...lots of them.

I consider myself lucky today.

Felt incompetent despite landing 2 of 3 strikes.

Lucky? You hit the fish at slack tide changing to the flood. Not luck to me just fishing the correct time of the day. Yes it’s mid July and we are all waiting for mid August fishing results. Less doom and gloom, be happy we have a year round fishery. 90% of the fish are caught by 10% of fishermen. West van always fishes better first light, not saying you can hit them mid day but years of testing don’t lie.

 

[fishin_magician]

Lucky? You hit the fish at slack tide changing to the flood. Not luck to me just fishing the correct time of the day. Yes it’s mid July and we are all waiting for mid August fishing results. Less doom and gloom, be happy we have a year round fishery. 90% of the fish are caught by 10% of fishermen. West van always fishes better first light, not saying you can hit them mid day but years of testing don’t lie.

The slack tide and location were no accident on my part, however, there is lots of water out there---and I mean lots and returning fish are fleeting in early season and it is still early. I don't fish the same way when personal fishing as when I guide.

Mid August promises to be lots of fun. There's a reason I'm trying to catch Chinook now....because we won't be in 3 weeks.

I have a second full size upright freezer cleaned up and just plugged in for this one.

 

[Whitebuck]

My buddy experienced almost a week of the best coho fishing off of West van a few weeks ago. Smoker summed it up best.....old school mouth of the Cap fishing. Few of the morning they had 30+ coho in a few hrs. Tight lips kept only a few of the boats on the tack!
Of late it died right off though...

 

[Rain City]

My buddy experienced almost a week of the best coho fishing off of West van a few weeks ago. Smoker summed it up best.....old school mouth of the Cap fishing. Few of the morning they had 30+ coho in a few hrs. Tight lips kept only a few of the boats on the tack!
Of late it died right off though...

Just so people know the west van coho fishery cracked off right on time this year in the first week of july and really picked up until the mass amount of bait showed up last friday and when everybody was fishing bowen for coho the harbor was just as good with tons of double digit mornings and absolutley nobody fishing it. It was a old school hootchie show and the fish were filled with crab larvae. Things are really changing tho it seems like its a shorter thing these days as it used to be good all of july then they didnt show up until first week of august two years in a row and it was short lived. Then last year they were a no show. It kinda seems like they don't want to stage in the harbor anymore or the numbers are so low that they are off the bite in no time. Hopefully the bait moves out and the fishing picks up again...

The slack tide and location were no accident on my part, however, there is lots of water out there---and I mean lots and returning fish are fleeting in early season and it is still early. I don't fish the same way when personal fishing as when I guide.

Mid August promises to be lots of fun. There's a reason I'm trying to catch Chinook now....because we won't be in 3 weeks.

I have a second full size upright freezer cleaned up and just plugged in for this one.

I have to say, what the f*** are you guys doing on here if you want to say this kind of stuff weeks after it's happened? Just showing off? Acting cool? Pumping your own tires? I learned a lot from this forum in this first couple years of fishing and was grateful to the guys that posted up to date REPORTS. Now I pay it forward when I can because there's always new guys looking to learn. Maybe you guys should make a few friends.

 

[Smoker]

I have to say, what the f*** are you guys doing on here if you want to say this kind of stuff weeks after it's happened? Just showing off? Acting cool? Pumping your own tires? I learned a lot from this forum in this first couple years of fishing and was grateful to the guys that posted up to date REPORTS. Now I pay it forward when I can because there's always new guys looking to learn. Maybe you guys should make a few friends.

Hey man I just happened to look in on the reports and notice people saying the west van fishery hasnt happened yet which in my opinion is not true take it for what it is.... as i said it was still good mid last week. I'm not saying it was the best ever but they were there for sure for about 10 days. Everyone was too busy pounding bowen to really notice i guess.. again just my thoughts. As far as why i didn't post reports is because that in my mind is bragging and because of the stupid **** that people always have to say about others reports. If your waiting for reports your missing out..... kinda sounds like your mad you missed out mabey or you don't care .. i dunno .. i mean that in the nicest way possible seriosly. My post was just to say that there was fish there and that it gets weirder every year thats all . Anyways no more posts from me forget it all

 

[noluck]

Hey man I just happened to look in on the reports and notice people saying the west van fishery hasnt happened yet which in my opinion is not true take it for what it is.... as i said it was still good mid last week. I'm not saying it was the best ever but they were there for sure for about 10 days. Everyone was too busy pounding bowen to really notice i guess.. again just my thoughts. As far as why i didn't post reports is because that in my mind is bragging and because of the stupid **** that people always have to say about others reports. If your waiting for reports your missing out..... kinda sounds like your mad you missed out mabey or you don't care .. i dunno .. i mean that in the nicest way possible seriosly. My post was just to say that there was fish there and that it gets weirder every year thats all . Anyways no more posts from me forget it all

cut the guy some slack, ya he is missing out, his boat is out of commission with a bad engine. so rain city is in a bad way

 

[Rain City]

Hey man I just happened to look in on the reports and notice people saying the west van fishery hasnt happened yet which in my opinion is not true take it for what it is.... as i said it was still good mid last week. I'm not saying it was the best ever but they were there for sure for about 10 days. Everyone was too busy pounding bowen to really notice i guess.. again just my thoughts. As far as why i didn't post reports is because that in my mind is bragging and because of the stupid **** that people always have to say about others reports. If your waiting for reports your missing out..... kinda sounds like your mad you missed out mabey or you don't care .. i dunno .. i mean that in the nicest way possible seriosly. My post was just to say that there was fish there and that it gets weirder every year thats all . Anyways no more posts from me forget it all

Sorry guy. Yah sometimes I get a little peeved at the cryptic posts. I shouldn't have lumped you in there. I shouldn't have said anything at all really. Anyhoo carry on doing what and how you like. Appreciate your input.

 

[Rain City]

cut the guy some slack, ya he is missing out, his boat is out of commission with a bad engine. so rain city is in a bad way

True story lol.

 

[Whitebuck]

Not my report to brag about Rain city, not gonna wreck my buddies fun and hard work when he was hitting it daily for weeks before it turned on. It’s funny because all the pro staff and guide boats would do a quick tack catch nothing then leave. If somebody posts something in the wrong, that will mislead other anglers I will call them on it.
RC, will PM you next time there is a hot bite