Saltwater Cowboy
Active Member
I was using a double black glow flasher and generally we were going approx 2.2-2.6kts. The UV flash fly was also a great producer.
2020 Nootka Sound/Esperanza Inlet Reports
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codfather
Crew Member
Hi greenhornet, I use a dummy flasher off the cannon ball with 3 feet of 300# test line on them. So I run my plugs up 3 feet and back 8 feet so it's close to the flasher which is called an attractor for a reason. It attracts the fish to come around and have a look at what's making that flash. If the lure is past the flasher by let's say 20 or more feet and there is 15 feet of visibility then it's all for not as they will not see your lure most often. If you were running a flasher on your rod you would have the lure 6 to 8 feet max past the flasher, so I try and keep it close.
If you have really clean water with 25 feet of visibility then you could run it farther back. If the water has 4 feet of visibility like when it blooms then run it 3 feet back.
So speaking of FLASHERS, here is my diatribe on them. They are called attractors for this reason.
If you let a 20# Spring go into a 100 foot round pen and 1 Anchovy and 1 Herring go at the same time, the bait will never get eaten. The Spring will try and try to chase them down to eat them and never have a chance as the bait is WAY to fast and could dart away every time. So the Spring would at some point starve. The way a Salmon get's to eat is they go directly thru a bait ball and smash the **** out of them with there tail knocking however many senseless and then turn around and it's lunch time. Now they can chow down on the wounded ones as they can catch them and dinner is done. OK I'm getting to the flasher thing. So the fishes buddies that are swimming around see this fish going thru the bait ball thrashing and bashing bait with it's tail causing a big flash comes around also to eat the wounded bait. SO that's why your flasher is supposed to simulate and attract the fish to come and have a look and hopefully see the lure.
So that's my reason for running the lure close to the flasher most of the time.
Doe's anyone have another opinion on this as I'd be interested?
Codfather
If you have really clean water with 25 feet of visibility then you could run it farther back. If the water has 4 feet of visibility like when it blooms then run it 3 feet back.
So speaking of FLASHERS, here is my diatribe on them. They are called attractors for this reason.
If you let a 20# Spring go into a 100 foot round pen and 1 Anchovy and 1 Herring go at the same time, the bait will never get eaten. The Spring will try and try to chase them down to eat them and never have a chance as the bait is WAY to fast and could dart away every time. So the Spring would at some point starve. The way a Salmon get's to eat is they go directly thru a bait ball and smash the **** out of them with there tail knocking however many senseless and then turn around and it's lunch time. Now they can chow down on the wounded ones as they can catch them and dinner is done. OK I'm getting to the flasher thing. So the fishes buddies that are swimming around see this fish going thru the bait ball thrashing and bashing bait with it's tail causing a big flash comes around also to eat the wounded bait. SO that's why your flasher is supposed to simulate and attract the fish to come and have a look and hopefully see the lure.
So that's my reason for running the lure close to the flasher most of the time.
Doe's anyone have another opinion on this as I'd be interested?
Codfather
spring fever
Well-Known Member
My way of thinking as well-if I'm feeling rich I use a cone zone for the flasher but pretty pricey if something goes wrong but I like the in-line thing about them and feel there is less chance of a tangle if running tight to it.
Just got back from Nootka. Stayed at Moucha Bay and as always it was top notch. Fished from the June 26th to July 3. Fished the usual spots from the lighthouse to Beano. We had some SE winds and wanted to try burn wood and discovery but having never fished there I got voted out of that. Weather sure put a pounding on us. The fishing started out slow and got better thru the week. Biggest spring might have pushed 20lbs. Cohos were spotty but when we found them there were double headers with 2 back to back triple headers. Funny how cool, calm and collective you are till the rod goes off and then absolute mayhem. Bright clear UV flasher with the clear white UV flash fly is always a big producer and the white bloody nose teaser head was very good too. Only made it off shore 2 days due to weather and limited out on bottoms and lings biggest being 32lbs. Yet to burst my Hali cherry. Not sure why but most guys I talk to are picking up the odd Hali trolling. Either way trip was awesome.
Big thanks to the prawn help I got. Managed approx 200 over the week which made for some kick butt appetizer every night. Crabbing was also fantastic as we managed at least 15 or so.
Not sure if I got punked or someone didn’t like me crabbing in there spot but found the head of a dog fish in one of my crab traps one afternoon. Perfectly severed head. Pretty weird. Hope to get back there second week of August.
Big thanks to the prawn help I got. Managed approx 200 over the week which made for some kick butt appetizer every night. Crabbing was also fantastic as we managed at least 15 or so.
Not sure if I got punked or someone didn’t like me crabbing in there spot but found the head of a dog fish in one of my crab traps one afternoon. Perfectly severed head. Pretty weird. Hope to get back there second week of August.
Just came back from a 7 day adventure with my 5 year old sleeping on the boat. We went everywhere, but man the winds were ridiculous and heavy seas all the time in the open. The wind hammered us every day except for yesterday when we finally had to go! Certainly we could have gotten a couple hours of calm at 5 am a couple of the days but that's a non starter with the little guy. Seas were too big for him so we didn't bring anything home but had a lot of fun none the less, he reeled in lots of jack springs as they were in the calmer waters. No big springs on the inside as of yet from what i could see. We went everywhere from Nootka sound to Esperanza and Nuchatlitz and in between. Going back on Saturday to a cabin in Esperanza with the the adult boys to hit them hard. They got off easy last week but I'm coming for them now.
Crali2014
Crew Member
Just got back today after a 3 night trip (first trip ever) Managed to bring home 1 8lb spring and 1 coho. Weather was rough until Saturday and managed explore Beano. Im not really a bait person so i experiment with spoons and dummy flashers. We had lots of little
Jacks biting and let go 3 at about 55cm. I am use to fishing on the SOG where its 60cm and it didnt click in my noggin till Friday night that its 45cm on the WCVI. Oh well!
We prawned all over the place mostly doing overnight soaks in 300-350 feet of water. Came home with 50 prawns. Tried crabbing once then moved on from it.
All in all a good first trip my wife really enjoyed the area. We developed an engine issue Friday AM and just took it easy and didnt try for ground fish. Suspect I have a loose lifter with the ticking noise it was making. Back up August long weekend and then hit SOG for balance of season
Crali
Jacks biting and let go 3 at about 55cm. I am use to fishing on the SOG where its 60cm and it didnt click in my noggin till Friday night that its 45cm on the WCVI. Oh well!
We prawned all over the place mostly doing overnight soaks in 300-350 feet of water. Came home with 50 prawns. Tried crabbing once then moved on from it.
All in all a good first trip my wife really enjoyed the area. We developed an engine issue Friday AM and just took it easy and didnt try for ground fish. Suspect I have a loose lifter with the ticking noise it was making. Back up August long weekend and then hit SOG for balance of season
Crali
greenhornet
Active Member
Thank you for the quick reply to both salt water cowboy and codfather !!! Great information you shared on the forum,I super appreciate the info, i also run my gear fairly close like you as well it definitely works !!! I'll be up for a month in esperanza next monday looking forward to that for sure !! hope you guys have a great summer and good luck out there !!!!
tight lines
Billydoo
tight lines
Billydoo
Doubleheader
Well-Known Member
Can’t speak for south of Nootka, but Esperanza has been slow the last three days even with the weather smartening up. Good bottomfishing buy there’s not many salmon cruising by the surfline. Sure be nice to troll the 50 fathom edge...
Saltwater Cowboy
Active Member
It might just be a typo saying 60cm but remember springs on the East side of the Island have to be 62cm.. would hate to see DFO have a reason to nail a guy!
SWC
SWC
Crali2014
Crew Member
Port Eliza Fishing
Well-Known Member
Dead calm winds past couple of days. Fish have been a bit hard to find, but they are around grassy, had some success jigging. We hooked a squid on the salmon jig, it died but I sent it down anyway and jigged it, 30.5 lb Spring hit it. Played it on a light rod and silex type center pin reel (almost no drag on those). Fun fish! 
Doubleheader
Well-Known Member
If you fish hard you might get a couple springs, likely 1 and most zero lol. Got a couple at pin rock this afternoon, back to back just before the flood then had to head in. Local fish high teens which is a good sign...
capman
Well-Known Member
Thanks for great info Mike. I yet have to catch a salmon on a plug. Couple of questions to ask if you don’t mind.
1. How heavy leader do you use for plugs? I normally use 30’ maxima for my spoons and baits.
2. I understand there are tons of plugs to choose from. If you had to choose let say 5 or 10 plugs, what model and size Tomic would you choose among themes?
Thanks so much for the input.
codfather
Crew Member
Hi capman, I don't use any leader. I pull the pins on my plugs and run my main line thru to a bead and my hook.
My mainline is 30# burkley big game tied direct.
When you pull the pins you cannot use a leader as you will have a swivel on it. If a fish breaks my line for some reason (usually the fisherman wants the fish to bad and pulls to hard) the fish will take your hook off to sea but the plug will float to the top allowing you to retrieve it. I have some plugs that have been snapped off several times and got them back that are 20 years old.
If I could only pick 3 plugs they would be this:
4 and 5 inch tubby 639.
4 and 5 inch tubby 632.
4 and 5 inch 900 classic.
But when I say that over the last 3 years with the bait being very small I have caught hundreds of fish on the 3 inch tubby also.
There are a thousand colors of plugs, sometimes it what ever you think is going to work. But remember LURES are for the most part to catch fisherman not fish.
I'll post a couple pics when I can of my favorite plugs.
Mike
My mainline is 30# burkley big game tied direct.
When you pull the pins you cannot use a leader as you will have a swivel on it. If a fish breaks my line for some reason (usually the fisherman wants the fish to bad and pulls to hard) the fish will take your hook off to sea but the plug will float to the top allowing you to retrieve it. I have some plugs that have been snapped off several times and got them back that are 20 years old.
If I could only pick 3 plugs they would be this:
4 and 5 inch tubby 639.
4 and 5 inch tubby 632.
4 and 5 inch 900 classic.
But when I say that over the last 3 years with the bait being very small I have caught hundreds of fish on the 3 inch tubby also.
There are a thousand colors of plugs, sometimes it what ever you think is going to work. But remember LURES are for the most part to catch fisherman not fish.
I'll post a couple pics when I can of my favorite plugs.
Mike
capman
Well-Known Member
BTW, Mike, I sent you an email and also sent a PM . When you get a chance, would be great if you could get back to me.
Thanks so much,
Capman
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