2020 Victoria and Oak Bay Reports

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Check out the chart. It says 140-180 lbs based on your guesstimate! Nice fish!

I never would of guessed it could have weighed that much. Probably better for me that it wasn't legal. It would of been dangerous trying to get that thing on board or getting a rope on it. You can only carry so much crap on a 12' boat, but maybe I'll at least get a shark hook on a bungey cord.
 
I never would of guessed it could have weighed that much. Probably better for me that it wasn't legal. It would of been dangerous trying to get that thing on board or getting a rope on it. You can only carry so much crap on a 12' boat, but maybe I'll at least get a shark hook on a bungey cord.

That was one crazy adventure! Can’t even imagine! I’m not sure I’d want that in my 14 footer never mind a 12! Thanks for sharing!
 
I never would of guessed it could have weighed that much. Probably better for me that it wasn't legal. It would of been dangerous trying to get that thing on board or getting a rope on it. You can only carry so much crap on a 12' boat, but maybe I'll at least get a shark hook on a bungey cord.
Lots of stories from back when we could the big girls of guys sinking their tinny or bringing it in the boat alive and it breaking their legs!
 
Yep they are where you find them.

And they eat anything.

Stomach contents from the first 4 halibut at one of the Port Angeles derbies.

Yep, a chicken bone in the lower right.

The herring was about 10 inches in length.

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I also drew a hali blank today and yesterday. Worst start of a hali season for me. Yesterday I finally hook a good one after working through 20 or 30 doggies only to lose it 5 m from the boat. That was in 260'. Very few around is my conclusion, all my typical spots are empty or almost empty.

One surprise today, saw some commotion on the surface as a tideline came through off Albert Head, threw a spoon out and immediately caught a 4 lbs coho. A couple smaller ones after that. Those were probably the earliest coho in any year I have ever seen in the Jdf. All weird and screwed up this year!
 
I also drew a hali blank today and yesterday. Worst start of a hali season for me. Yesterday I finally hook a good one after working through 20 or 30 doggies only to lose it 5 m from the boat. That was in 260'. Very few around is my conclusion, all my typical spots are empty or almost empty.

One surprise today, saw some commotion on the surface as a tideline came through off Albert Head, threw a spoon out and immediately caught a 4 lbs coho. A couple smaller ones after that. Those were probably the earliest coho in any year I have ever seen in the Jdf. All weird and screwed up this year!

Thanks for the report. I haven't had a Hali bite yet this year, but hearing a few are out there makes me not want to give up. I was torn about Hali/ling but went prawning on Sunday in the inlet and had enough for a couple feasts for a family of five. Watching the weather window this weekend and it looks dam good, just where do I put in, it's on the trailer and I'm getting better at launching and retrieving 25 feet.
 
After reading all the reports about Halibut I will continue to trout fish and get my Halibut from Naughty Nellies great Covid protocol!
LOL
Tight lines everyone
 
Seeing mixed reports on halibut.
The mud hole area was pretty good on Sunday.
We got a couple and saw guys cleaning 20 pounds or so chickens at the Pedder Bay ramp when we came in.
Ours were 20 and 40 pounds, at 330', 1 on herring and 1 on octopus one just before the change and one just after.
only 4 dogs. Weather was pretty good with rain on all sides.
I was surprised not to see more guys posting from that area. Maybe they prefer to keep their success to themselves.
Not everyone is getting them! They are where you find them. One boat gets a couple and the guys on either side nothing.
Some days I think they spend the day sleeping, other days on the prowl for food.
Just have to keep at it.
 
But that's not how these good hali tides would normally go. At least not in the last 20 years. No reports means little success. I know of top rods who struggle right now. There are just a few fish here and there and not the numbers and hunting groups we have seen in previous years. Wonder if there's a lack of food around. I hear Swiftsure has been dead as well. Maybe we didn't have a good upwelling in a while. I remember 8 years back or so we had a year when Swiftsure fell off a cliff and this translated into some weird patterns in the Jdf as well.
 
i wonder if they are closer in to the beach? seems like it’s another squid year on the west side? squid running tight to the beaches. last year the only hali i got in nootka was in 65 or 70 feet of water right up front of the light house.
 
It's not what someone who gets a Hali every one or two trips would call hot but on the flats, straight out from Williams Head, I caught two in March, one in April and one so far in May. That worked out to 1 in every 4 trips which is hot for me. I'll take it. My kids, Grandkids and a couple of friends have no complaints.

Ranged from depths of 250ft to 330ft. Different baits, salmon bellies, squid, herring and chad. Drifted for 1, the other 3 on anchor.
 
I got out Thursday for a boat ride. No traps, no Hali gear so tried a few mins of jigging for a Ling off Brochie but no bites so headed out to Constance. Currents were going hard so decided to just troll. Picked up a few smaller lings that swam away. Had a couple good hits that didn’t stick but did get a scrappy coho to my surprise to the side of the boat. We were in 70-100ft of water with rigger from 40-99ft. Had the ocean to myself and had a nice relaxing day.
 

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I learned the hard way about trying to prawn on the waterfront...Lost 2 sets of traps and the hours I spent looking for them. If anyone come across them I would love to give a reward! One set of floats is pink/yellow, the other was red and white with a Scotsman on it. Other than that we had an awesome day on the water, and ended up with dinner, the largest dungie I've seen from Victoria. It must have weighed 3 or 4 pounds!

Edit: they both have my name and phone number of course. Just trying to keep the hope alive.
 
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I learned the hard way about trying to prawn on the waterfront...Lost 2 sets of traps and the hours I spent looking for them. If anyone come across them I would love to give a reward! One set of floats is pink/yellow, the other was red and white with a Scotsman on it. Other than that we had an awesome day on the water, and ended up with dinner, the largest dungie I've seen from Victoria. It must have weighed 3 or 4 pounds!
That was on Friday?
 
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