2022 Victoria and Oak Bay Reports

[wildmanyeah]

I need to know

Cave maned it with the halibut harpoon obviously lol

 

[Newf]

ow I just basically clean the small ones live. 2 fingers, one in each “nostril” of the hood and give them the inside out scrout. This exposes the internal parts and a quick swipe or 2 with a knife removes the unwanted bits. I then grasp the whole body in my hand with the legs facing towards me and use the tip of the knife to cut around and pop the beak out

Off topic for fishing reports but:
On a commercial trawler we did the similar process you describe with the big ones. We hung it on a hook, turned the hood inside out and removed everything that was in there and cut out the beak. Flipped the hood back, hung it back on the hook and skinned the hood and legs. Put them on ice and that's how they were delivered to the fish plant. Was told that we skinned them because that how the halibut boats wanted them for bait.

Back to reports, although there's not much to report these days.

 

[Rayvon]

A knife cut below and between the eyes kills them quickly and semi humanely,they will continue to move just from nerves.Then as "Nerf" says.

 

[eroyd]

Out of "the Gap" this afternoon. .2 m waves my butt! Was pretty bouncy but did calm down into the ebb. Pretty barren until an hour into the ebb and then some bait and fish started showing. Only got one spring about 4 lbs. and a couple of good crabs off Willows.

 

[Bent-Tip]

Out at the mud hole with @2xeagle16. It’s flat calm. A bit chilly but we’re keeping warm cranking up all the doggies.
2X is way ahead in the count at the moment

 

[Bent-Tip]

Warmed up enough to grab this little chicken right now

 

[kaelc]

Warmed up enough to grab this little chicken right now

The next one is going to be too big for your cooler! Thankfully it's cold enough you won't care. Boom!

 

[Original]

Went out on Thursday afternoon, launched 11:30 & was planning to pick up a buddy at the dock at 12:30 so went to drop the traps and it was lumpy ,cold, rainy so after dropping the traps went back to wait at the dock. Buddy arrives and says look the suns coming out. Sure enough the clouds parted and we had a great 3 hrs off Mcaulay point In perfect fishing conditions. Within an hr we had a couple small scrapy springs released then the bites kept getting better including a doubleheader of 10 lbers. They must have learned from the coho as the first sight of the boat they went nuts and both rolled off the hooks. Was steady action until 4pm when the sky said you’re done. Traps were loaded with most just under mixed in with a few keepers. I think we seen @Rayvon out there otherwise we had the area to ourselves. I luv these great winter fishing trips when the stars align.

 

[Wireman]

If you don't mind me asking,what were you using for bait?

 

[Original]

We used spoons. The double glo herring aid has been a go too on the port side and was getting most of the hits. I had been mixing up the Starboard side with AP needle spoon, cream soda spoon, my trusty green ******* but it was getting fewer and smaller fish so I put down the same herring aid spoon with a 36 in leader (shorter than usual) and it was getting hits instantly. That spoon seems to catch all species of salmon and been my most consistent spoon for the last few years, I just wish they lasted longer. Wow some crazy high tides this aft pulling all the logs and wood off the beaches today.

 

[eroyd]

Any reports on if the Cattle Pt. ramps were cleared today? Heard they were a mess.

 

[fishinforever]

They were as mess as of 11am

 

[scott craven]

They were as mess as of 11am

I doubt OakBay will clean up till next week

 

[eroyd]

I doubt OakBay will clean up till next week

Looks like a little more work than last weekend. Ha Ha.

 

[habberdasher]

People are launching a the other ramp

 

[eroyd]

Launched at the other ramp after clearing with a few of the usual suspects. The Gap got fished pretty hard. A half dozen boats picked there ways amongst all the wood. Not much to show for my effort anyways. Didn't see any nets out. Crabbing was decent.

 

[tinboatrobb]

Launched at the other ramp after clearing with a few of the usual suspects. The Gap got fished pretty hard. A half dozen boats picked there ways amongst all the wood. Not much to show for my effort anyways. Didn't see any nets out. Crabbing was decent.

Had 2 good hits and then netted a 6 lber for the BBQ.

 

[Original]

Steady action from 11-3pm off Mcaulay in the sun today. This guy dropped in on us as we reeled one in.

 

[Bent-Tip]

Weird day at the mud hole current wise. Hardly any up on top of the water but pulling hard down below. Really tough to keep the gear on the bottom but we’ll keep at it. So far only dogfish….

 

[Denny Dolittle]

Off the poop processor today. 4 on, 2 in bin. This is best one.