2024 OFFISHALL Vancouver-Howe Sound-Sechelt Reports Thread

[A-a-Ron]

Any action today out there? Hump/bowen?
Orcas?

Oh yeah, we saw a ton of orcas around 6:30am at Sandheads before we crossed. 5 pods of about 4-5 orcas each, spread out over a half mile or so. Never seen so many in close proximity to each other.
They were heading south

 

[Forza]

Fished South Bowen 1130-330, starting at Cowan and trolling over to Roger Curtis and Tunstall and back. Lost a beauty Chinook in the low twenties, landed and released a 2 and 4 pound chinook, lost a few fish and had a bunch of pin poppers that didn’t stick. Action was pretty much all in the Roger Curtis and Tunstall area at 60-77 feet on the rigger, much better water clarity there too. No elusive coho though, still early I guess.

 

[sweettjim]

They’re all on the other side. Thrasher was just bangin today. 3.3-4 knots seemed to keep the springs away, 66-85’ depth. Double headers galore. Had time to tub out on lings too. Unreal day. View attachment 107473

what a haul

 

[sweettjim]

I was checking my records from last year, and it is still early on the calendar for the impressive hatchery coho run off of Bowen.

when was it when it got hot for coho off bowen last year?

 

[Manolaki]

when was it when it got hot for coho off bowen last year?

Mid July

 

[paulo]

I do recall some excellent Coho fishing but the arrival of the Pinks seemed to put a damper on it. It will be interesting to see what happens with no Pinks this year.

 

[Fish Wistler]

Any experienced captains want to chime in on what tomorrow might look like crossing the straight in the morning?

 

[Skins88]

It's blowing out of the south. Those are less predictable in my experience. I'd plan to go in my 28 footer, but would keep an eye on things. All depends on your equipment and comfort level. Windy says .5m in the morning. Big dropping tide. Could be choppy.

 

[A-a-Ron]

Any experienced captains want to chime in on what tomorrow might look like crossing the straight in the morning?

Like Skins mentioned, the tidal current can play a big role more than you think. It flows up the straight (heading NW) on the flood and down on the ebb. So a strong ebb today heading into an opposing wind from the south could chop up pretty good. It also depends if your travelling into the waves, or following them.

Know what to expect… but expect the unexpected

This is a boring but worthwhile read if you’re dorky like me but wanna know your stuff:

https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library-bibliotheque/40587976.pdf

 

[Fish Wistler]

At thrasher seas are manageable averaged 24mph across. 4 in the box, 6 or 7 released. 1 spring. Using white and pink squirt on both rods 50-90ft

 

[Trayvreller]

Out at South Bowen this morning. Steady action in RC area. Landed 8 coho, 5 hatcheries in the box. Fishing 27 - 57 feet, most hitting in the 40 - 50 range.

 

[Aquaholic]

Caught this on my trolling gear yesterday in 195 feet of water. Submerged underwater but sort of neutral buoyancy to keep it from not going to the bottom. Just was not sufficient weight in the trap to hold it on the bottom. I cropped out the name.

 

[sherrett]

Fun morning fishing a few hours off Worlcombe Island from 9-11. I thought we'd be pretty alone and tucked in from the dropping tide, but we found ourselves in the traffic of ~12 other boats.

Kept the speed up and the riggers in the 50' - 75' range and managed to find 2 hatchery coho for a buddy and his dad to take home.



We didn't work too hard. Lots of water to fish and seemed like lots of fish around. We missed another ~4 coho hits or lost fish on retrieval.

Did also have some chinook action, which we dutifully long-line released, including a ~15 lbs pin popper that peeled line and dusted the knuckles on my buddy's dad.

Hot and flat. Felt like the first day of summer fishing.

 

[Buddha]

Fun morning fishing a few hours off Worlcombe Island from 9-11. I thought we'd be pretty alone and tucked in from the dropping tide, but we found ourselves in the traffic of ~12 other boats.

Kept the speed up and the riggers in the 50' - 75' range and managed to find 2 hatchery coho for a buddy and his dad to take home.

View attachment 107569

We didn't work too hard. Lots of water to fish and seemed like lots of fish around. We missed another ~4 coho hits or lost fish on retrieval.

Did also have some chinook action, which we dutifully long-line released, including a ~15 lbs pin popper that peeled line and dusted the knuckles on my buddy's dad.

Hot and flat. Felt like the first day of summer fishing.

That bottom one has an impressive "anchovy/krill gut" going. It drops bellow the chin and pelvic fins.

 

[terrin]

Out at South Bowen this morning. Steady action in RC area. Landed 8 coho, 5 hatcheries in the box. Fishing 27 - 57 feet, most hitting in the 40 - 50 range.

Spoons or hootchies?

 

[sherrett]

Spoons or hootchies?

Spoon on one side and hootchie on the other. Performed about equal. I’m not a fan of hootchies because they seem to have a poor hookup rate.

 

[Rain City]

Spoon on one side and hootchie on the other. Performed about equal. I’m not a fan of hootchies because they seem to have a poor hookup rate.

It's not the hootchie, it's the Siwash. That's my theory anyway.

 

[Trayvreller]

Spoons or hootchies?

Most action on white hootchies, but also hit a couple on spoons.

 

[TMan]

Middle of the Strait on the way to Nanaimo. Conditions look good.

 

[TMan]

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