2019 Vancouver-Howe Sound-Sechelt Reports Thread

[Fixit]

Fished SH yesterday, rods in the water at dawn, there were only 5 boats there when we arrived..
Watched a guy beside us get sealed, and then the fish got tangled in our rigger, somehow managed to cut the line, lost 18lb ball and two clips
Ended up getting two early on, then a 61cm, a63cm and the finished the day at 1pm with a double header, landed both! Sorry mr seal. Lol pew pew

80-85ft on anchovies in 150ft of water

And to the guy in the aluminum boat, camo shirt who thinks right of way doesn’t apply if you keep your back turned to me Your pissing off a lot of boaters out there (middle finger emoji)

 

[hippaisland]

Left work early and fished Sandheads from 2:30pm to 6:30pm. Flat calm like a lake today. We went 4/4 with 3 springs - 21 lbs, 17 lbs, 9 lbs, 1 hatchery coho in the boat. Counted about 50 boats out. Riggers at 80 ft and 65 ft with chovies. Saw one guy in a Trophy with a fish on and the other guy driving the boat in a tight loop at 7 knots while he was fighting the fish (not sure why he's doing that, if somebody saw that let me know why too... is this a new seal scare tactic?). Anyways, ended with a nice sunset view home.

We got both springs back from seals staying over top of them doing donuts so they can’t come up for air. Helps if you’ve got a smaller boat for sure! Little to no damage on the fish either. Just had them by the tail. Definitely get some weird looks when your doing it but oh well!

 

[RiverBoy]

Left the Marina at 8:00 after filling up gas at $1.83 pet liter. Ouch. Dropped 4 Prawn traps and rushed toward SH and lines in water around 10:00. Lots of boats but really didn’t see any nets out. Around 11:30 landed a nice red springs in the 15 lb range. Things went quiet until 15:00 when we landed a nice hatchery coho. Decided to troll back to t-10 to test our luck. Was going to pull lines at 16:00 to pick up the traps and then all hell broke loose. Landed a nice 18 lb white spring. Lost one more at the boat and then a double header that we long line released to finish the day. So it was a 2/5 kind of day. That is okay because all the ones that got away put up great fights and they all gave us a good adrenaline rush. Rigger at 70 in 350 feet of water. We limited out on prawns and pull into Eagle’s Nest gas station to get some ice but also treated ourselves to a Hagen Dazs for the trip home. After hearing about our exploits on the water, our friend Big Bruce at the gas station said “what a remarkable day”. We whole heartily agreed.

PS-any suggestions how to land double headers when only 2 fellas on the boat?

double bag em

 

[trout_flyfisher1]

We got both springs back from seals staying over top of them doing donuts so they can’t come up for air. Helps if you’ve got a smaller boat for sure! Little to no damage on the fish either. Just had them by the tail. Definitely get some weird looks when your doing it but oh well!

well that explains it (didn't see the guy with the rod reeling it up and the rod was bent hard, looked like was on an anchor weight). glad you got the fish back. it looked really strange at the time... we were thinking somebody's had a little too much to drink

 

[sir-vivor]

Well that figures... I was at SH yesterday 6:30-11:30 and only landed one that was 2” too short (story of my life....) and couple hits that didn’t stick.
Hey sir-vivor that was a “30” until you had it officially weighed lol. Your a pro at hiding “the longest arm” in the picture
Edit: seems like I also caught a cold yesterday...

It started off as a 40 when we were fighting it ,then some how lost damn near 14 lbs on the run from the south arm to weigh station just past lions gate bridge . But honestly it was the skinniest fish I've caught in a long time. If it was a female , she would have been well over 30. Sorry about the cold

 

[Rain City]

Only ended up with three hatch ho's and a pink today at sh.
Had a bunch of new guys out though so it was still a blast. Everyone reeled in and cleaned their own fish. We had delicious hotdogs. Good times.

 

[Fixit]

Only ended up with three hatch ho's and a pink today at sh.
Had a bunch of new guys out though so it was still a blast. Everyone reeled in and cleaned their own fish. We had delicious hotdogs. Good times.

Nothing tastes better than a hotdog while fishing!

 

[Old Deckhand]

Awesome day at Sandheads, most fish caught 66 feet on the riggers, green/white 3.5" coyote, 50 inch leaders, behind chartreuse UV Glow flashers. They liked a bit slower troll today. Only one on a chovy, 5 on the coyote green-glow. Was sunny part of the day, not too rough, some reall nice fresh reds springs still around today, was expecting a slow day as the season winds down, but was mistaken- in a good way! . Most ran like freight trains, was great fun. Hope you all had fun as well today fellow fisher folk.

 

[Sir Reel]

Pretty quiet at sandheads for me so far

Probably that new kicker is defective.
When do we get to see what you did?

 

[kanuckle head]

Great day with my cousin at SH, arrived at 7:30 and by 8AM landed a 24#, 80 ft on the rigger in 280 dept
In the end another 22#, 15# hatch hoe and a dime bright chum in the box and released 3 wilds.....and of coarse the biggest gave me a leap goodbye

The 3 nooks scaled at Steveston prawn boats

 

[Rain City]

Probably that new kicker is defective.
When do we get to see what you did?

Keep forgetting to take pictures. It's pretty sweet. The merc is quiet as can be.

 

[mdub]

Good day at the sandheads. Coulda had our limit on springs for 2 guys by 8 30 but lost a bunch. Ended up landing 3 between 12-18 lbs and losing close to double that.

If we had stayed past 1 I think the limit would of happened.

50-66 on the riggers with choves.

 

[the butcher]

Seems like some folks are still having success using hardware rather than bait. Wondering if I can get some feedback on who else is having success with spoons or hoochie. If hardware is still effective I will use it next time at SH.

 

[Rain City]

Seems like some folks are still having success using hardware rather than bait. Wondering if I can get some feedback on who else is having success with spoons or hoochie. If hardware is still effective I will use it next time at SH.

I ran nothing but large anchovies today stubbornly and I'm kicking myself now. Should have switched it up. I did drop a 6" plug towards the end that a 4lb coho managed to bite. I also tied my leaders shorter (5.5') last night worried that all the rookies would have trouble netting. Turns out when you don't catch a chinook it's even harder to net. I'll go back to 6.5' again.

 

[Blueback]

Got out for the afternoon bite and was fishing sandheads solo by 12:00. At 1:00 I got a 18lb white. Half hour later lost a dime at the boat b/c I didn't check/change the leader after the first fish. Fishing chovies in 550 plus ft. Both fish at 75ft on the wire.

 

[sir-vivor]

I ran nothing but large anchovies today stubbornly and I'm kicking myself now. Should have switched it up. I did drop a 6" plug towards the end that a 4lb coho managed to bite. I also tied my leaders shorter (5.5') last night worried that all the rookies would have trouble netting. Turns out when you don't catch a chinook it's even harder to net. I'll go back to 6.5' again.

Just my 2 cents RC but my leaders are never longer than 5 feet and I troll at a fast 3 knots and I use a black box set at .06 and I never ever fish hardware in fall ....hmmm I'm doing everything wrong I guess lol (it's the truth though lol)

 

[Rain City]

Just my 2 cents RC but my leaders are never longer than 5 feet and I troll at a fast 3 knots and I use a black box set at .06 and I never ever fish hardware in fall ....hmmm I'm doing everything wrong I guess lol (it's the truth though lol)

I agree with the bait thing but I run braid and always long leaders. I clip short to the flasher. Just one of those days I guess. I mean 4 fish isn't a BAD day.

 

[pescador]

Sand Heads now = Anchovy. I’m sure anything could work but nothing like chovy. Just one mans view. I’ve tried it all.

 

[capman]

Congrats Capman !!!

Thanks bud. Had an amazing day yesterday at the Cap. 2 red springs. A 23 lb and 2nd one a little over 30. Only one day late otherwise would’ve been biggest in the derby on Friday. Could not believe such massive fish around the Cap at this time of the year was actually a red.

 

[FishDoc]

Thanks bud. Had an amazing day yesterday at the Cap. 2 red springs. A 23 lb and 2nd one a little over 30. Only one day late otherwise would’ve been biggest in the derby on Friday. Could not believe such massive fish around the Cap at this time of the year was actually a red.

Thats a beauty.