Fished porlier yesterday from noon to 3ish. Couldn’t find any hatchery coho just afew small wilds. Slack tide the bite really came on for some big springs, the girlfriend had lots of fun with them, super feisty fish. DFO was out checking boats. They were very friendly, beauty day out there just couldn’t find any keepers
2024 Gulf Island Reports
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seachicken
Well-Known Member
Fished Thrasher this afternoon from 230 till 530, landed 1 hatchery spring and a couple solid bites early on, seemed to die off for slack though. No keepers. Got some nice prawns on the way in though.
Squire
Well-Known Member
Fished from 10:30 to 1:30 between Thrasher and the Grande and the action was non-stop an hour either side of the high tide. Spoon on one side and the ghost flash fly on the other; 100’ - 130’ was the zone. Had to wade through a lot of wilds to retain two hatchery coho. The wilds were a pound or two heavier than the hatchery I got to the boat.
Just to add to the debate on rigging hoochies/flashflies I lost at least five fish in a row including a solid spring that took a good run and spit the hook on the turn. This was on the Flashfly rigged with the swivel and one siwash hook method. The hook was sharp but not sticking so I swapped it out for the same flashfly rigged with tandem hooks and started getting them to the boat.
A great first day on the water since March
Just to add to the debate on rigging hoochies/flashflies I lost at least five fish in a row including a solid spring that took a good run and spit the hook on the turn. This was on the Flashfly rigged with the swivel and one siwash hook method. The hook was sharp but not sticking so I swapped it out for the same flashfly rigged with tandem hooks and started getting them to the boat.
A great first day on the water since March
seachicken
Well-Known Member
Nice work, was definitely better in the afternoon when we got there. Where exactly is The Grande though? Off Enterance?
Squire
Well-Known Member
If you come out of Silva Bay heading toward Entrance the Grande is along the shoreline there.
seachicken
Well-Known Member
Oh ok, like outside Commodore Passage?
Squire
Well-Known Member
Yes, if you exit Commodore Passage heading North and turn West along the Gabriola Island coast for about a mile you are at the Grande.
I find I can run into fish anywhere between the flat tops off the East end of Gabriola to Whalebone to the West. I’ll often do this long tack then pop out to Entrance if fishing is slow and weather permits.
seachicken
Well-Known Member
Sweet, thanks. Thrasher is just 15 minutes from our cabin, I'll have to get out there more. Picked up about a 45cm spring (son said it was hatchery but I didn't look) yesterday afternoon on a no bananas spoon while trolling the west side of Decourcy on our way up to visit friends on Mudge. I don't have a lot of time trolling on my own so happy to know I'm doing something right to get fish to the boat this weekend.
Aces
Well-Known Member
It definitely slowed down around 1:30
I went out yesterday to Tumbo Island area. It was really active, couple chinook as we were trying to find the hatchery coho in about 100ft .We moved into the deeper water 300ft, and i got a surface bite while letting the gear down so we brought the lines up to 20ft using spoons. And got three hatchery coho in a row.
Been years since I fished that area is it still the area just out from Cabbage Island were you found the coho or is it more like in Tumbo Channel where you need to fish
I can launch at Cresent Beach Marina I think it’s take a hour to get there from there with calm seas , been wanting to go back and give it a go for a long time
I can launch at Cresent Beach Marina I think it’s take a hour to get there from there with calm seas , been wanting to go back and give it a go for a long time
Flounder_pounder
Member
The channel has worked for us this yr. Sorted through a few big wilds & Chinook last wknd to get a nice little hatch 'ho. Our family cabin is nearby, so we fish the area often. If I were spending the gas money to make the crossing, thrasher & active pass are definitely more productive areas. We'll usually head that way or Moresby/Tent if we've got time. It is a really scenic area tho. Saw a pod of orcas few weeks back
I fish alone often, and use auto pilot. So I troll really long lines from tumbo channel to Cabbage. So far I've had better luck across Cabbage. As soon as I find a hatchery coho I try to stay close as possible to that area. Activepass area is good but I've noticed it's typically a little more rough then tumbo area.
I went on today. 1000am until 200pm at Tumbo channel and fished towards Active Pass. Constant action, we didn't get any chinook. Because we were fishing 25 to 40 ft at 7km/h in 200-300ft. We got our limits on coho using a spoons. Then we went for shallow water and trolled spoons with a ridiculous amount of scent on them. Got our lingcod. We never jig, just slow troll spoons for lings. It was a good day, tons of fish around and bait everywhere. The coho was delicious.
Aces
Well-Known Member
Fresh early season coho are delicious
Reelin In The Years
Well-Known Member
You were trolling at 7 km/h? Is that not a bit fast?
A-a-Ron
Well-Known Member
That’s perfect for coho IMO (=3.7 knots). I go 3.5-4 knots for coho especially if they’re shallow. Keep the springs away a bit too if you’re trying to target only coho.
High Time
Crew Member
Curious to know if you used flashers with the spoons for Coho. Must really be churning at 7km/h, Mind you they like speed and action. Well done.
