Islander57
Well-Known Member
Any reports for Quatsino/Mahatta? I'm heading up that way tomorrow for late season coho's…..and bottom fish out near Winter Harbour
2018 Winter Harbour Reports
- Thread starter SFBC
- Start date
Barnacle Bill
Well-Known Member
Please post a report upon your return. Have a good, safe trip. .....BB
Islander57
Well-Known Member
I sure will
Islander57
Well-Known Member
Just got back from Port Alice. I spent two days fishing, the first day was out front of Quatsino and in the narrows. I got one coho, about 10 pounds and lost one close to the boat. Yesterday, I took a run on my own out to Cliffe Point. I started off bottom fishing at one of my favorite spots out past Gillam Is. I couldn't buy a ling cod out there, which has never happened. Got my three rockfish and brought three nice size yelloweyes to the boat, and sent back down on the seaqualizer. Afterwards, I trolled off of Lawn Point and Cliffe, got my two coho's, both around 12 pounds, lost three and got a small spring, maybe 7 pounds. I kept it because it was a bleeder, so that is dinner tonight.
Fishing for coho seemed much slower this year than last. Last year you could almost through a bare hook at the coho and get a hit. It was tough going this year. I did hear that on the outside the coho fishing was much better. I saw no boats at either Mahatta River or Koprino either. Best action was on cop car coho killers with a black UV Moonjelly flasher, and 5 inch herring, salted hard in green glow anchovie teasers with a purple haze flasher. Fished between 21 ft - 39 ft.
Fishing for coho seemed much slower this year than last. Last year you could almost through a bare hook at the coho and get a hit. It was tough going this year. I did hear that on the outside the coho fishing was much better. I saw no boats at either Mahatta River or Koprino either. Best action was on cop car coho killers with a black UV Moonjelly flasher, and 5 inch herring, salted hard in green glow anchovie teasers with a purple haze flasher. Fished between 21 ft - 39 ft.
TyeeSlayer
Member
Heading up to Quatsino on Friday with a small group. We hope to fish from Saturday until Wednesday, and we also hope to get outside if the weather permits. I saw that DFO announced a commercial opening for chinook in 127, so there must be some around, as well as some early chum. Hopefully, we can also find some straggler coho inside. I'll file a report when I return.
Islander57
Well-Known Member
We never did get to Varney Bay, but that might be a good bet this time of year
TyeeSlayer
Member
Just back from our final trip of the season. Arrived at Coal Harbour just as the heavy rains were ending and had a week of gorgeous fall weather to enjoy. The fishing was slow inside. There was a short, concentrated bite on both the incoming and outgoing tide each day at Cliff Point at the light, when we would hook up with 8 to 15 lb coho, but the rest of the time we were challenged keeping the shakers off of our lines - lots of activity, but only 7 boated coho to show for it ( lost a few as well which was heartbreaking ). We also fished Koskimo and Koprino, both of which had jumpers around, but again we only caught shakers. The weather and the abundance of late season crab made it all worthwhile. Next time, we'll have to try Varney Bay and Stephen's creek as well. We closed up our camp at Quatsino for the season and now have wonderful memories to reflect upon, as well as freezers of fish fillets to enjoy over the winter. Until next season - tight lines all!
Game Changer
Well-Known Member
Nice report! I’m not asking for your spot, but where does a guy look for crab out there? We have never seemed to do any good crabbing near winter harbour. Thanks for any input.
spring fever
Well-Known Member
Winter Harbour itself hasn't really been a great place for crab since the otters moved in around 2005 or 6-before it was amazing. Now you have to try above the narrows in Rupert arm or thereabouts and set at least 150ft deep or you will get very little. I'm not saying the little Buggars can't dive that deep but they maybe lazy or whatever --it is only in deep water where you will find crab in any amount and size
TyeeSlayer
Member
My observations about crabbing in the Quatsino /Winter Harbour area:
1) I have observed that Dungeness crab are found in the bays where a salmon bearing stream empties into salt water, so any bay with a stream or river emptying into it that has a terminal salmon fishery should also have crab. Some of my partners have also set traps along flat shelves on the shore and caught the occasional crab, but I stick to the bays with streams. The locals have also been helpful with exact locations. A lot of trial and error is involved, so I suggest it is worthwhile to keep a logbook of what works and what doesn't and where and when.
2) I agree with the above posts that the crab catch has decreased and varied greatly over the years and from trip to trip as the number of sea otters has increased in this area. I also agree with the observations that the deeper the traps are set, the lower the probability that an otter will raid them. I have found on some of my traps that the swinging gate has been forcefully pulled out to the outside of the trap and suspect that it was either an otter pulling out crab from the inside, or a mud shark that swam in and ate the crab and then bludgeoned its way out. Over the years, I have had to set my traps deeper and deeper, going from 50 feet to over a 100 feet to be successful. Some of my partners go as deep as 250 feet. So, find a suitable bay with zero to minimal number of otters around and try it.
3) I use the portfolio approach to crabbing. We normally have 4 to 6 people come up per trip, and so we set up to 4 traps in the same bay, spread around the bay and at varying depths. I think the crab move around the area and in a 12 to 24 hour soak, it's a hit and miss situation for a single trap, in my opinion. What I observe is that one trap has only females, one has nothing, one has a mix with a single male keeper and the final one ( you hope ) has the mother lode - " crabmaggedon " - 3 or 4 large males that exceed the outside of the yellow calipers and make our meal.
4) When recreational and commercial crabbing create a lot of competition in a particular location, I have found that having a variety of bait in the trap seems to improve my odds of catching keepers. So I try to have multiple species carcasses, and/or road kill and/or freezer burned meats and/or expired meats from the grocery store dumpster and/or tuna flavoured cat food - to differentiate my trap from all of the others,. Does it really work - who knows for sure?
Hope this helps.
1) I have observed that Dungeness crab are found in the bays where a salmon bearing stream empties into salt water, so any bay with a stream or river emptying into it that has a terminal salmon fishery should also have crab. Some of my partners have also set traps along flat shelves on the shore and caught the occasional crab, but I stick to the bays with streams. The locals have also been helpful with exact locations. A lot of trial and error is involved, so I suggest it is worthwhile to keep a logbook of what works and what doesn't and where and when.
2) I agree with the above posts that the crab catch has decreased and varied greatly over the years and from trip to trip as the number of sea otters has increased in this area. I also agree with the observations that the deeper the traps are set, the lower the probability that an otter will raid them. I have found on some of my traps that the swinging gate has been forcefully pulled out to the outside of the trap and suspect that it was either an otter pulling out crab from the inside, or a mud shark that swam in and ate the crab and then bludgeoned its way out. Over the years, I have had to set my traps deeper and deeper, going from 50 feet to over a 100 feet to be successful. Some of my partners go as deep as 250 feet. So, find a suitable bay with zero to minimal number of otters around and try it.
3) I use the portfolio approach to crabbing. We normally have 4 to 6 people come up per trip, and so we set up to 4 traps in the same bay, spread around the bay and at varying depths. I think the crab move around the area and in a 12 to 24 hour soak, it's a hit and miss situation for a single trap, in my opinion. What I observe is that one trap has only females, one has nothing, one has a mix with a single male keeper and the final one ( you hope ) has the mother lode - " crabmaggedon " - 3 or 4 large males that exceed the outside of the yellow calipers and make our meal.
4) When recreational and commercial crabbing create a lot of competition in a particular location, I have found that having a variety of bait in the trap seems to improve my odds of catching keepers. So I try to have multiple species carcasses, and/or road kill and/or freezer burned meats and/or expired meats from the grocery store dumpster and/or tuna flavoured cat food - to differentiate my trap from all of the others,. Does it really work - who knows for sure?
Hope this helps.
Islander57
Well-Known Member
I've been crabbing in Neroutsos Inlet for about 7 years. Up until last year, crabs were quite abundant. I never had a problem getting my limit, and good size crab to boot. I never see any sea otters anywhere close to where I go crabbing, yet the crabs are disappearing. I can't speak for Quatsino Sound, as I rarely crab there. But I had crabbed many times in Rupert Inlet over the last 7 years also, and rarely had a problem getting a limit, but I have seen sea otters there. In Neroutsos, I personally think the crabs are been over fished, ever since the mill closed. Many people selling crabs on the sly. I have wondered if water temps may be playing as part in crabbing, since it seems to have been affecting fish runs.
norman oliver
Member
I have this very thing! However our fisheries have made it mandatory to have a release device on board the boat. hooked up and ready to use. I've asked the fish boys if this hook device would be acceptable. the answer was no. I sure do not understand that. I have used it several times before they did the mandatory thing.
