2018 Winter Harbour Reports

Chasin' Dreams said:
Got back last night from our trip to Winters Harbour. We got three days of fishing in due to one day of a heavy NW storm that blew in. We got lot's of nice Lings jigging around all the reefs everywhere where we tried with nice rock structure. Released a few nice Yellow Eye's on the decending device. Hooked a massive Hali for a 45 minute fight at a 160' contour off the reef two bays north of Lawns Point and pulled more Lings in that area too. We didn't spend much time anchored for Hali cause I like Ling meat better so we spent time targeting getting our quota of Lings. A couple fella's were doing well for Hali's out from the Lighthouse between the 250 to 300' contour on some pinnacles there. We also got a couple nice Cabazon off the reefs.

We had heard there had been some salmon showing up around the Light House and Grants bay over the past few days so we spent 45 min one morning trolling bait around the shallows off the Lighthouse with no action other than some rock fish and a couple small grills salmon so we pulled our gear and tried on the 300' contour "highway" area for another 45 min with no action, no bait showing, or fish showing on the sounder. So we pulled our gear and headed for Grants bay. There were a few boats there doing the circuit inside and just outside the bay. We hit our first Spring in just a few minutes trolling Anchovy in 65' of water and down 45' on the rigger. We hit our second minutes after that on a Herring in teaser head at the same depths. Then about 15 min after that we had a double header both on chovies at the same depth. Lot's of bait and fish showing on the sounder that morning. We also lost 3 springs in the bay and all that action in about a two hour window in the morning then it died down but still got one more spring two hours later in the bay. In the stomachs of the Springs were white Squid. See the picture of the Rock Fish for what the squid looked like that were in the Salmon's bellies. They were in large numbers in the bay according to some local info from a friend up there. We got all our Springs on chovies or Herring but other guys there were hammering the Springs with large white hootchie/flashtail/squid gear. All our Springs were in the 16 to 21 lb range and we heard someone got a 25 in the bay as well. No need to use flashers there in the small bays when the bait is in. The fish are ready to hammer down if you are trolling the right stuff at the right depths. And much funner fishing without flashers. If you wanna use one I recommend a dummy flasher off the rigger and not on your rod line.

Don't bother bringing crab or prawn traps IMHO. All our prawn traps were filled with Hag Fish that ate the prawns and sprayed slime all over the inside of the traps and of all the areas we tried for crabs we got ziltch except for one small rock crab. So many otters in the area I think they are doing a good job at eating up all the crab from the local areas.

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Well done fellas! Thanks for the great report, and intel! Heading out there in 4 more days, for 6 days. Will report back as well.
 
SFBC said:
Post your 2018 fishing reports here!
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Just spent the last 10 days in Winter Harbour. The commercial Troll fishery ended May 31, it was really quiet up until the last week of the month and a then a whole wave of fish showed up and the guys were having pretty good number days.

The last week has been somewhat up and down as a few low pressure fronts moved thru... but the good days have been really good. Lots of needlefish in the flats off of Lippy Point to go along with a big Squid spawn.... Trolling a big white glo squid was very productive for Springs and Lings. Lots of cookie cutter 16-18lb reds in the area, with the odd 25+ . Cains Island Light has also been really good early in the AM and at slack tide. Some really nice fish coming out of there every day. SO it would seem like its game-on !

We do have the odd accommodation spot left, but certainly have full service RV sites and moorage. look us up if you want to come up with your own boat
 
Just a quick Winter Harbour update. Bottom fishing has been great, as long as the weather co-operates LOL. Some salmon on the highway, but most of the fish are being caught around Lippy/Grants Bay and Kains Light. Usual times, first thing and slack tides, especially high slack when rubbing the kelp. Mostly squid in the stomachs, with some herring mixed in on the highway caught fish. Fish are moving around though, due to the extreme low tides that have occurred this past week. Harbour is starting to get busier and the weather is starting to even out as well, definitely getting into the summer weather patterns. Overall, great start to the fishing season.

Regards,

Fishyboy
 
fishyboy99 said:
Just a quick Winter Harbour update. Bottom fishing has been great, as long as the weather co-operates LOL. Some salmon on the highway, but most of the fish are being caught around Lippy/Grants Bay and Kains Light. Usual times, first thing and slack tides, especially high slack when rubbing the kelp. Mostly squid in the stomachs, with some herring mixed in on the highway caught fish. Fish are moving around though, due to the extreme low tides that have occurred this past week. Harbour is starting to get busier and the weather is starting to even out as well, definitely getting into the summer weather patterns. Overall, great start to the fishing season.

Regards,

Fishyboy
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Thanks Fishyboy nice report! we were up there from June 8th to June 14th. Sounds like much the same results. Lots of springs and coho in behind the light at Cain’s. when it got slow between tides we shot out towards south brooks and dropped the hook. 1 hour wait and then it came on. The last hour and a half we had 6 Hali’s to the boat, one under size, and 3 between 100 and 115. The other two were well over! The next day we went north off shore, but only 1 legal out of 3.

Cain’s seemed to drop off by the third day, no hits at first light, or on the slack, so we shifted to Cliff, we were into our first spring in 10 min, only to lose it to a seal! ( not a whale) we managed to boat a couple more that morning before heading out off the light and limiting on our lings. Big shout out to DBastock and crew for a job well done on the seal fighting, and fish sleying in the back of the boat. Very experienced and professional crew to say the least.

Day 4 and 5 were much the same, cliff in the am, lots of springs, and lots of seals!! Lost our first 3 springs to seals, then managed to get a couple to the boat. Pretty sure we know what the issue is with our spring returns being down, and whales starving. I have never seen this as bad as it is now on the west coast.

Regardless, there were plenty of fish, and great times had by all! We stayed with Oli, in one of his great cabins at cape Scott winter harbour cottages, and felt right at home again. Top notch place to stay, with or without your own boat.

We will be back the first week of September for coho, and Oli’s 1st annual tuna shootout. Hope to see Smiley, Whyknot, Sculpin, and any others that want to join in on a fantastic fishery.

Tight Lines
 
Looking for some input on trailering my boat to winter harbour or to run it from coal harbour and have the old lady drive the truck in, any one do that and know how long of a run it is, 23’ trophy new yam 200hp
Thanks
 
Adam barry said:
Looking for some input on trailering my boat to winter harbour or to run it from coal harbour and have the old lady drive the truck in, any one do that and know how long of a run it is, 23’ trophy new yam 200hp
Thanks
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Launch at Coal Harbour and run down. Use the float plane ramp and you can park your trailer there as well. It takes about 1:15 by boat to get to WH. Driving takes anywhere from 1:30-2:00 depending on road. Road was in good shape last week.
 
N2013 said:
Launch at Coal Harbour and run down. Use the float plane ramp and you can park your trailer there as well. It takes about 1:15 by boat to get to WH. Driving takes anywhere from 1:30-2:00 depending on road. Road was in good shape last week.
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Thank you very much, i think ill run the boat down!
 
If you are driving into Winter Harbour during a week day, please be aware that WFP uses off highway log trucks with 14' (4.3m) bunks. On a road that averages 5-6m width, it cab be quite the eye opener meeting one of these behemoths, worse yet is the off highway Lowbed. Truck drivers radio ahead letting other truck drivers know the where abouts of public vehicles, but the best option is to try and avoid trailering in your boat during the week. If you must, I highly recommend towing after work hrs.

Tight Lines to all....
 
Adam barry said:
Thank you very much, i think ill run the boat down!
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We have been to winter Harbour 8 times now, and always dump the boat in coal harbour! Beautiful run out, and buddies run a truck out as well. Pretty much an hour run at 28 mph. And the truck is always there 10 min before we get there.
 
I heading to WH Thursday, I will be lunching first time in the Port Alice , apparently is better ramp then Coal Harbour.
 
If it is low tide at Coal Harbor instead of using the paved section go in on the gravel instead. There is a big hole drop off where the pavement runs out and you may get your trailer stuck in it. The gravel area next to it is very good and even all the way down in low tide water. When I was there launching it was very low and the owner of the float plane repair business there was also getting ready to launch a float plane and he came over and told me about using the gravel area instead. Worked out well.
 
Thanks for all the tips and info, usually launch in WH, but thought this year i should run up and save the trailer a bit of abuse
 
gokart said:
I heading to WH Thursday, I will be lunching first time in the Port Alice , apparently is better ramp then Coal Harbour.
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It's a nice run out from Port Alice too. Takes about an hour and ten minutes. Best if you run out in the morning as the winds tend to blow down Neroutsos in the afternoon
 
Hey guys,

Spring fishing has been fantastic for the last week...lots of really nice fish around. The AP Sandlance spoons have been hot in the shallows off Lippy, and the action at Kains has been pretty consistent either side of slack. Alot of squid still hanging around

Someone asked about the Seaqualizers, we are stocking the deep version at our Outpost store in WH, $75.....and we are stocking a cheap mechanical version as well which is +/- $20

If ur interested in coming up we do still have moorage, rv sites and a few accom dates avail!
 
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