2024 OFFISHALL Vancouver-Howe Sound-Sechelt Reports Thread
- Thread starter fishin_magician
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kingblazer84
Crew Member
id love to see a pot puller get ripped right off the gunwale from excessive weight a little bit of swell lol
Copper Moon
Well-Known Member
While I can't comment the movement of the buoy, it is fairly common for octopus to unscrew bait canisters (scotty). There is usually some evidence of their visit left behind, ie empty prawn shells. Normally only happens if traps have been out for more than a day.
Davekorsch
Member
Yup. Last summer I had Octopus take my bait jars out of the elastic holder etc several times….a pain when they do that as you get far less prawns when the jar rolls around the perimeter of the traps
sweettjim
Well-Known Member
awesome nice work
A-a-Ron
Well-Known Member
Pic of fish or it didn’t happen
Aces
Well-Known Member
Stizzla
Marley
Well-Known Member
Fished the Bell and in by the freights today with @Tiki . Threw everything we had at them but no luck other than this fish which I think is a Pacific Cod but not sure. Tired hoochies, spoons, a ton of different flashers all just off the bottom between 140ft and 250 ft. Water was great super smooth. Caught 17 crab in three traps over a 4 hour soak with just one keeper.
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sweettjim
Well-Known Member
yep that does look like a p cod never know unless u try though is that time of year when the bell and around the freighters produces
adanac
Well-Known Member
Not a pacific cod , that’s a walleye pollock . Nearly everyone mis ID’s em .
sweettjim
Well-Known Member
whatever it is looks like great crab bait
Blue Hewes
Well-Known Member
That's a great haul. What is your bait of choice in the crab pots?
Rain City
Crew Member
These were a mix of scraps we had. Chicken salmon and herring
Good morning, everyone. New member here, wanted to jump right in and say hello. As a Washington resident, I, like many others, am envious of your year-round Chinook, Spot Prawn and Dungeness Fishery, Haha! I recently purchased our first "real" family boat, 19' Arima Sea Chaser. With the limitations of Winter fishing in the Puget Sound/Coastal Zones, I have started to read up on the Howe Sound Blackmouth and Prawn/Crab Fishery. We have a long weekend coming up in February, President's Weekend, the 16th-19th. My 5-year-old son is chomping at the bit to get out and "catch big fish with dad". Trolling for the occasional Cutthroat and Kokanee is fun, but it can be a bit repetitive. He has been begging me to go out and catch Salmon; Explaining our closures for certain areas is something he is still grasping.... Well, I think we all are. I have been trying to plan out a fun surprise trip for him and I, maybe a couple of other family members as well. Wanted to gather some local's thoughts into the time of year/month I was considering coming up. Understand I can purchase a multi-day license for both of us, as well as, Salmon Stamp online before we go? Plan was to tow the boat up, stay at a Hotel in West Van or find an Airbnb in that area or near Horseshoe. Sewell's Marina said that because it's a long weekend, they cannot promise overnight moorage would be available...however daily launch and parking are available. If a slip was available, I was going to leave my boat tied up from Fri PM - Mon AM. Would leave my trailer either parked there (if they had space or at the hotel lot/airbnb driveway). We would drive to the marina each morning, hop in and go. I have downriggers, pot puller, crab pots, shrimp pots and all gear needed. I am trying to understand the areas that are and are not open during this time of year and for particular species, so forums/maps and Pac DFO CA online site has been helpful. Should there be some Blackmouth around for him to tug on and some Crab/Prawns to practice his counting with? Thanks all! Had to throw in a pic of his first Coho last summer.
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Rain City
Crew Member
Late Feb can still be hit and miss even in the known hot spots. Lots of deep (250') fishing and dragging (or touching) bottom. Not sure if you're used to that style or not. For the young one you might be doing the first or last of the reeling because these winter fish will generally go on one good run and then head straight back at the boat. Lot's of catch up reeling.
Prawning has been spectacular so that should be an easy hit. Most guys on here couldn't catch a keeper crab if their lives depended on it, I don't know what the heck their problems are lol. I've been doing ok in that regard. But generally lots of unders you have to weed through.
It's a short day with available light so trying to get it all in is tough. Just a suggestion, but maybe for your first time in the area, or even just the first day, you could get on a guide boat and have them show you the ropes. Fast-track the learning curve a bit.
There are transient slips available right downtown if you're into that kinda thing. Granville island is really nice for the kids and finding some warm food when you're back. It's not for everyone but the city boating adventure can be pretty sweet. Easy access to Vancouver Harbour where crab are pleniful and more sheltered water available if the weather doesn't cooperate. Prawns are about 30 minutes out. And based on early reports, the fishing within the harbour should be great. Shallower depths as well. I totally get if you'd rather be up the sound and away from it all a bit more though. But even that is only a 45 minute run up from downtown when the winds cooperate.
Sounds like an awesome adventure though and I'd be happy to share some local knowledge when you do make it out.
Thank you very much for the quick-replied welcomes! As to the spell check concern of species names, maybe I should just call them fish? LOL. The ones with a silver skin and glittery scales that look like they came off an old friend named Mercedes or Bambi....
Thank you for the detailed reply/intel, Rain! I was thinking...worst case scenario at least my son will have fun playing with some Spots. It would be his first time going for Prawns. Dungies seem like they should be an easy one to find...But maybe it's harder than it looks, lol. I will say the last few times we went out in Puget Sound late December, before it closed, I had to find my own spots to set gear...I went a little bit further away compared to where most other buoys were laid out...We had 2-4 limits per pot each day we picked... Plus a crap ton of red rock mixed with shorts and females... After commercial fishing for 10 years, I believe that bait really has a lot to do with the Crab you get in your Pot. 1 razor clam in shell snapped in half for a clam jar. Illex Squid mixed with Mackerel, Sardines, Chovies or Herring for a scotty jar. Add a chewy bag for longer soaks. Wolf Eels and Octopus love Seagull and Salmon Carcasses! What defines the "Harbour" ?? Would love to chat more, especially if we do end up making the trip next month! Thank you again. Also, I am happy to help with any WA fisheries, should anyone want to check them out!
Thank you for the detailed reply/intel, Rain! I was thinking...worst case scenario at least my son will have fun playing with some Spots. It would be his first time going for Prawns. Dungies seem like they should be an easy one to find...But maybe it's harder than it looks, lol. I will say the last few times we went out in Puget Sound late December, before it closed, I had to find my own spots to set gear...I went a little bit further away compared to where most other buoys were laid out...We had 2-4 limits per pot each day we picked... Plus a crap ton of red rock mixed with shorts and females... After commercial fishing for 10 years, I believe that bait really has a lot to do with the Crab you get in your Pot. 1 razor clam in shell snapped in half for a clam jar. Illex Squid mixed with Mackerel, Sardines, Chovies or Herring for a scotty jar. Add a chewy bag for longer soaks. Wolf Eels and Octopus love Seagull and Salmon Carcasses! What defines the "Harbour" ?? Would love to chat more, especially if we do end up making the trip next month! Thank you again. Also, I am happy to help with any WA fisheries, should anyone want to check them out!
Blue Hewes
Well-Known Member
Your son is true fisherman. He even has the extended arm pose down perfectly. I thought that was a 15lb fish for sure
No-no..Not a 15lb'r...That was a 25lb'r and he was thhiiissssss big (*my son stretching his arms as wide as possible) haha. In all seriousness, this kid loves fishing more than I do..And I'm pretty obsessed. He carries a fly fishing trout net around the house and scoops toys, torture his older sister with it. He pulls swim baits, kwikfish and soft plastic jigs out of my tackle boxes and either puts them in his own tackle box or take pliers and leaves both them next to each other under his sheets, like he's working on re-tweaking them or switching washers out. He is so Damm funny.
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