2024 Gulf Island Reports

[Digger]

Fished around the reef on Cabbage Island again today …arrive at 9:30 and left around 3:30 managed two good hits that stuck one wild coho and one more hatchery both at 99 feet deep both on army truck hootchie
Saw lots of arches on the sounder down deep real deep 250 plus thought they looked like Salmon but never tried that deep … not sure what else they would be but there were lots of them bait was deep too

 

[Deepaaaar]

Fished around the reef on Cabbage Island again today …arrive at 9:30 and left around 3:30 managed two good hits that stuck one wild coho and one more hatchery both at 99 feet deep both on army truck hootchie
Saw lots of arches on the sounder down deep real deep 250 plus thought they looked like Salmon but never tried that deep … not sure what else they would be but there were lots of them bait was deep too

Could've been salmon! I just had my first experience jigging at those depths for salmon up island and it was crazy productive. Feels pretty weird to drop down so deep, but the fish do often hang down there, it seems.

 

[Brett]

Was out on that tack yesterday evening. Lost a screamer, and then we got a decent 10lb right to the boat and I just completely rookied it with the net. All me oh well, there’s fish there. Try again tonight.

Was there yesterday morning too and lost 3 nice springs. Bonked a nice size hatch coho…. They are there for sure.

 

[Shano]

Was there yesterday morning too and lost 3 nice springs. Bonked a nice size hatch coho…. They are there for sure.

We fished Active last night, only boat there! A few boats outside maybe jigging? We got a beauty 73 cm and lost another after a big run. For whatever reason there was a lot of weed in the water. Way better experience than the crowded boat show Saturday. I lost a beauty to a boat jigging right in the middle of the tack. Earlier Brett in his Proline had a hit and then the fish wrapped itself around my downrigger line and it was lost - I did see it when I brought up my weirdly bouncing rod and rigger it was a nice one. I was hoping to get his flasher and gear back but no luck on that. Catch the evening tide if you can! Again the flash fly got the fish and the earlier hit. Maybe that is because that is all I use at Active! We did have a no bananas spoon on the other side but nothing. I have also caught and released maybe 5 small lings there. Tricky but fun place to fish.

 

[Brett83]

I've been out quite a bit lately, I've spent quite a bit of time around Tumbo. I seem to be getting the Coho especially the last couple weeks. This weekend was really slow, one hatchery coho and 5 or six wild coho. I tried everything except for anchovies to get a chinook. So next weekend I'll return with some anchovies and give it another try.

 

[A-a-Ron]

Finally got some redemption there on the Active Pass tack east entrance. Last night bonked a 66cm and this morning got a 64cm after losing 2 after the first run… then I saw the bent hook on my spoon… managed to land the one on it tho. Ended up 2 for 8 on that tack. Strong little fish but quite shaky at the end.
Got more action up at 45-55 on the rigger with a 5” spoon (G Force). Lot of 5” herring in their bellies.

 

[dstalheim]

Could've been salmon! I just had my first experience jigging at those depths for salmon up island and it was crazy productive. Feels pretty weird to drop down so deep, but the fish do often hang down there, it seems.

I’m curious how you rig to jig that deep. I saw marks that deep, too. Do you do something similar to halibut with lead and a hootchie?

 

[Shano]

Finally got some redemption there on the Active Pass tack east entrance. Last night bonked a 66cm and this morning got a 64cm after losing 2 after the first run… then I saw the bent hook on my spoon… managed to land the one on it tho. Ended up 2 for 8 on that tack. Strong little fish but quite shaky at the end.
Got more action up at 45-55 on the rigger with a 5” spoon (G Force). Lot of 5” herring in their bellies.

Well done! For whatever reason the fish at Active always seem fresh and feisty. I would guess we only land 1 in every 4 hits.

 

[A-a-Ron]

Well done! For whatever reason the fish at Active always seem fresh and feisty. I would guess we only land 1 in every 4 hits.

Well that restores my confidence a bit lol

 

[Deepaaaar]

I’m curious how you rig to jig that deep. I saw marks that deep, too. Do you do something similar to halibut with lead and a hootchie?

I'm pretty new to it, tbh, but I ran 5oz jigs on a 7' rod with a backbone on a conventional reel with a line counter. It was less active jigging and more of a reel-reel-reel-reel drop sort of thing, covering more of the water column. There are some good threads on here re: jigging in deeper water. It's pretty common around the mid island to jig down to 200+.

 

[Pearl dog]

Well that restores my confidence a bit lol

Forgive my ignorance…. AP east entrance? Miners bay?
Thx

 

[A-a-Ron]

Forgive my ignorance…. AP east entrance? Miners bay?
Thx

Mayne side, between Laura point and Georgina point. Real tough to fish in the current, you got about an hour at slack to hammer down.

 

[Shano]

My wife and fished the Active Pass slack at mid day today. Was super quiet until the flood started and then finally a good hit and a 73 cm got bonked! Again on the flash fly. Was pretty good bite going on as I saw another boat hook up right then also and then the current got too strong and it was over.

 

[Sttr]

Fished 18-1 yesterday afternoon, steady action, gold phantom skinny g out performed everything else by a mile

 

[Shano]

Fished 18-1 yesterday afternoon, steady action, gold phantom skinny g out performed everything else by a mile

Tumbo Channel? That is one fat chinook!

 

[Sttr]

Tumbo Channel? That is one fat chinook!

That spring was a awesome fight! @Bait&Sea got it on a naked spoon, breached multiple times, almost got tangled on riggers but somehow managed to net this feisty fatty.
Was fishing closer to active pass

 

[Shano]

We fished the mid-day slack at Active. Started out slow and stayed that way. We tried chovies and got 4 small chinook (3 pounders) and then when the current went from ebb to flood it was almost impossible to fish. There didn’t seem to be a slack period as usual. Maybe the Chilcotin River bulge of water had an impact? We had the downrigger lines under the boat sideways! No issues but…. So we bailed and tried Collinson but was quiet there so went and did the only reasonable thing and went and had a beer!

 

[A-a-Ron]

We fished the mid-day slack at Active. Started out slow and stayed that way. We tried chovies and got 4 small chinook (3 pounders) and then when the current went from ebb to flood it was almost impossible to fish. There didn’t seem to be a slack period as usual. Maybe the Chilcotin River bulge of water had an impact? We had the downrigger lines under the boat sideways! No issues but…. So we bailed and tried Collinson but was quiet there so went and did the only reasonable thing and went and had a beer!

Never hurts to troll right in Miners Bay when the current is tough. I’ve nailed a few in there in my days. Find the tide lines and zig zag thru them.

 

[Shano]

Never hurts to troll right in Miners Bay when the current is tough. I’ve nailed a few in there in my days. Find the tide lines and zig zag thru them.

Thanks for that. Never tried that but we will. I’ve seen quite a few boats power mooching (I think) in various spots in Active and maybe I’ll try that also - could be fun.

 

[Marley]

Hi Guys

I am on Salt Spring for a week. I have a 16’ boat so transversing Active Pass to get to the East Entrance is out for me, not worth the stress. I caught a few small springs at collision point last year but was looking for a few pointers. I was thinking of heading down to beaver point area as I am launching out Ganges.

Any advice would be appreciated.