2023 OFFISHALL Vancouver-Howe Sound-Sechelt Reports Thread

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Weekend report for the opener.

Did our futile opener trip to Gower on Saturday. Haven’t been successful on Chinook there for the opener for the past 4 years. Pushed off at 7:20 and got there just before 8. Really low wind and looked very promising. A dozen boats lining out from the point working the shallow to deep tac. We dropped in past them towards Byng to work the open area. For the first drop I put the flasher 30 feet behind the boat thinking the fish might feel spooky today. When I went to put the line in the clip I felt the flasher digging down and rotating. When I looked back it was actually a fish hooked and top fighting. I was frozen trying to decide whether I should hand line it in or let go of it and grab the rod. After the Jeopardy music stopped I grabbed the rod and brought it in to release a chunky unclipped coho. Lost my pliers overboard in the process. The smaller hook was in an angle I couldn’t get a gaff on it. We proceeded to blow through a tray of anchovies and had 2 hatch coho to show for it. We couldn‘t get the lines down long enough before coho started to hit it. Switched over to hoochie and quickly got our 3rd hatch. Then finally broke my Gower shut out and landed a very chunky 74cm Nookie. It was so chunky we thought it was over 80cm but decided to land and measure it. Happy that there is only a slot on length and not girth. Picked up our 4th hatch quickly and it was only 9:30. Decided to call it a day on salmon and to come back tomorrow and dug out the prawn traps to soak overnight. A Radiant green haze 5 inch hoochie with a uv flasher had the most love 50 feet down in 70-300 feet of water. 175-200 feet of water seemed to be the zone. Tried out the Hawken Simon release attachment for flashers for the first time and really enjoyed using it. When the fish release the flasher they seem to like to come up for a jump.

Sunday was a different story as the wind was heavier and we couldn’t troll anywhere we wanted and had to take what‘s given. It fished like a completely different place. First drop I thought I hooked my clip onto the flasher but must have missed because I lost my whole flasher teaser set up when I threw it over the rail. Eventually settled down and we did end up scratching our 4 hatch coho from 7-10am trolling into and with the wind in the deeper water (200-300 feet) more towards Byng. Nasty weeds in the shallower water so we stayed outside the tide line. Pulled up the lines and went to grab the traps. 2 huge spot prawns and rest were pink shrimp. Cleaned up and in the car by noon on both days so we can enjoy other things this awesome city has to offer. Felt like a long weekend…
 
Weekend report for the opener.

Did our futile opener trip to Gower on Saturday. Haven’t been successful on Chinook there for the opener for the past 4 years. Pushed off at 7:20 and got there just before 8. Really low wind and looked very promising. A dozen boats lining out from the point working the shallow to deep tac. We dropped in past them towards Byng to work the open area. For the first drop I put the flasher 30 feet behind the boat thinking the fish might feel spooky today. When I went to put the line in the clip I felt the flasher digging down and rotating. When I looked back it was actually a fish hooked and top fighting. I was frozen trying to decide whether I should hand line it in or let go of it and grab the rod. After the Jeopardy music stopped I grabbed the rod and brought it in to release a chunky unclipped coho. Lost my pliers overboard in the process. The smaller hook was in an angle I couldn’t get a gaff on it. We proceeded to blow through a tray of anchovies and had 2 hatch coho to show for it. We couldn‘t get the lines down long enough before coho started to hit it. Switched over to hoochie and quickly got our 3rd hatch. Then finally broke my Gower shut out and landed a very chunky 74cm Nookie. It was so chunky we thought it was over 80cm but decided to land and measure it. Happy that there is only a slot on length and not girth. Picked up our 4th hatch quickly and it was only 9:30. Decided to call it a day on salmon and to come back tomorrow and dug out the prawn traps to soak overnight. A Radiant green haze 5 inch hoochie with a uv flasher had the most love 50 feet down in 70-300 feet of water. 175-200 feet of water seemed to be the zone. Tried out the Hawken Simon release attachment for flashers for the first time and really enjoyed using it. When the fish release the flasher they seem to like to come up for a jump.

Sunday was a different story as the wind was heavier and we couldn’t troll anywhere we wanted and had to take what‘s given. It fished like a completely different place. First drop I thought I hooked my clip onto the flasher but must have missed because I lost my whole flasher teaser set up when I threw it over the rail. Eventually settled down and we did end up scratching our 4 hatch coho from 7-10am trolling into and with the wind in the deeper water (200-300 feet) more towards Byng. Nasty weeds in the shallower water so we stayed outside the tide line. Pulled up the lines and went to grab the traps. 2 huge spot prawns and rest were pink shrimp. Cleaned up and in the car by noon on both days so we can enjoy other things this awesome city has to offer. Felt like a long weekend…
Sweet report. Cool you got a simon release. I was thinking of ordering one after hearing about it on the Outdoor Line. Did it ever pop open without a fish at all?
 
Sweet report. Cool you got a simon release. I was thinking of ordering one after hearing about it on the Outdoor Line. Did it ever pop open without a fish at all?
The magnets are pretty strong. It was still connected when we brought the lines in to clear weeds. It does disconnect when you miss a heavy hit though but usually the bait is gone anyway. If you’re using gear then I guess you would have to check on all hits. Got introduced to them fishing with guides in the Stuart Island area and the currents are quite strong there so I think they hold well enough.
 
Weekend report for the opener.

Did our futile opener trip to Gower on Saturday. Haven’t been successful on Chinook there for the opener for the past 4 years. Pushed off at 7:20 and got there just before 8. Really low wind and looked very promising. A dozen boats lining out from the point working the shallow to deep tac. We dropped in past them towards Byng to work the open area. For the first drop I put the flasher 30 feet behind the boat thinking the fish might feel spooky today. When I went to put the line in the clip I felt the flasher digging down and rotating. When I looked back it was actually a fish hooked and top fighting. I was frozen trying to decide whether I should hand line it in or let go of it and grab the rod. After the Jeopardy music stopped I grabbed the rod and brought it in to release a chunky unclipped coho. Lost my pliers overboard in the process. The smaller hook was in an angle I couldn’t get a gaff on it. We proceeded to blow through a tray of anchovies and had 2 hatch coho to show for it. We couldn‘t get the lines down long enough before coho started to hit it. Switched over to hoochie and quickly got our 3rd hatch. Then finally broke my Gower shut out and landed a very chunky 74cm Nookie. It was so chunky we thought it was over 80cm but decided to land and measure it. Happy that there is only a slot on length and not girth. Picked up our 4th hatch quickly and it was only 9:30. Decided to call it a day on salmon and to come back tomorrow and dug out the prawn traps to soak overnight. A Radiant green haze 5 inch hoochie with a uv flasher had the most love 50 feet down in 70-300 feet of water. 175-200 feet of water seemed to be the zone. Tried out the Hawken Simon release attachment for flashers for the first time and really enjoyed using it. When the fish release the flasher they seem to like to come up for a jump.

Sunday was a different story as the wind was heavier and we couldn’t troll anywhere we wanted and had to take what‘s given. It fished like a completely different place. First drop I thought I hooked my clip onto the flasher but must have missed because I lost my whole flasher teaser set up when I threw it over the rail. Eventually settled down and we did end up scratching our 4 hatch coho from 7-10am trolling into and with the wind in the deeper water (200-300 feet) more towards Byng. Nasty weeds in the shallower water so we stayed outside the tide line. Pulled up the lines and went to grab the traps. 2 huge spot prawns and rest were pink shrimp. Cleaned up and in the car by noon on both days so we can enjoy other things this awesome city has to offer. Felt like a long weekend…
Nice! Appreciate the report :cool:
 
Fished South Bowen yesterday from 9-1 with my son and one of his buddies. Played three strong fish until the flasher broke surface and then off they came. All were pin poppers and peeled a fair bit of line. I remember what Aquaholic was saying about guests losing fish the same way. Only saw 2 other boats with fish caught, and noticed one fella was fishing without a flasher. Too late for us to switch though, as no more hits. All hits came on a glow white hootchie at 50ft. Not only lost fish; lost a bumper at MacDonald beach launch too. Still a fun day as everything I fixed on my boat worked well on my first outing of the year.
 
yes we got one Saturday at Gower with some other fish ,and a just under 80cm spring, 74 and 67cm. 5 hatchery ho's and a pink
We missed a lot of hits , maybe the trolling speed? Fish did not stick, lost probably over 20 hits. the one in the middle is the pink
good to see, thanks!
 
Sunday morning Four hatchery in 45 min at gowland so went across to thrasher and got this perfect 80.
Looks like 80.25 to me…. Haha it’s the jealousy talking. But in reality if you lay the tape on the ground and put the fish on top it would probably be 78-79cm… that’s how I measure them. What’s the correct method, anyways?
 
Sunday morning Four hatchery in 45 min at gowland so went across to thrasher and got this perfect 80.

Measure underneath the fish. Length is defined as the measurement of something from end to end, not around. Think of it this way, if you measure the length of a football, you measure it straight across, end to end right? Not from one end, up and over, and down to the other end. Same goes for measuring the length of a fish. This is just my opinion. Make a couple marks on your boat floor where you typically lay a netted fish so you it makes for a quick, easy, measuring process.
 
Measure underneath the fish. Length is defined as the measurement of something from end to end, not around. Think of it this way, if you measure the length of a football, you measure it straight across, end to end right? Not from one end, up and over, and down to the other end. Same goes for measuring the length of a fish. This is just my opinion. Make a couple marks on your boat floor where you typically lay a netted fish so you it makes for a quick, easy, measuring process.
I've put electric tape on the gunnel. 62.5 and 80Cm marks. I use a C&R net and measure it like N2013 mentioned. If it's under or over, fish goes in the water with the net and then get's gently popped off into the drink. less than 30 secs to pull out the hook, measure and release.
 
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