2024 Victoria and Oak Bay Reports

[Admin]

While we understand the temptation to post in the fishing report threads about what might happen with regulations, we want to keep posts on topic. People look at these threads for fishing reports. Threads about DFO and regulations can be debated in the Conservation section of the forum. When an actual announcement of changes to a particular area come regarding slot limits, MSF, posession limits etc. someone will post them in the reports section. This is fine as an information piece, but the debate around why needs to happen elsewhere.

 

[SeaSaw]

Went out of Esquimalt with an out of town buddy who does't get out on the water much. Wind forecasts were looking too random over the last couple days to feel good about anchoring for hali for me, so we slept in - and in the late morning made a last minute decision to grab some crab for the wives. Trolled out past the green can around 1130 with a 1/2 dozen boats while the pots soaked - got into two scrappy 8lb-ers for our efforts. Skinny G with a green flasher was the ticket. Random depths from 80-150 near the bottom. Pots were pretty good, but still lots of softies down there. What a great way to spend the day!

 

[Original]

Hit the bridge at noon today and jigged up 9 herring . There was 3 of us out there with similar results. Kinda came in waves with a few doubles outa 4 on that made the long haul up. 1 big one rest are like a large anchovies.

 

[DuroBoat]

Hit the bridge at noon today and jigged up 9 herring . There was 3 of us out there with similar results. Kinda came in waves with a few doubles outa 4 on that made the long haul up. 1 big one rest are like a large anchovies.

You eat them or use them for bait?

 

[Fisherben3]

You eat them or use them for bait?

I use them for Halibut bait

 

[Cataline]

8:30, fished out from Esquimalt, turned left and fished down to the green can buoy, no action, headed back west and found Springs where the freighters would ususally anchor. Crazy weather with a cold wet squall coming in from the straits, then it started to snow! Just like living in Canada! The three of us shared 5 clipped Springs, released some grilse and a couple of nicer 'wilds'. The keepers were 50 - 55cm, feisty but slim. Skinny G's in Herring Aid livery, the 36" leader seemed to work better than a 4'. Downriggers 5' to 10' above bottom. Not much in the fish's stomachs.

 

[The Green Bastard]

Launched in a snowstorm late yesterday morning from Pedder Bay ended up with a couple chickens just after noon. Started off with catching a large octopus which was a first for me. Just dead weight I thought I was snagged on some old gear but it was a 4' octopus. Was able to just shake it off I didn't really know how to deal with it. So different from last week no dogfish at all just 3 bites between the octo and hali
Hali on salmon belly Octo on Octo

 

[Doug]

Fished the mud hole area and there were five boats near by. 1.5 ft chop.

5 big dog fish a rat fish in 4 hours and then a 57lb halibut, then a 10lb halibut which we let go think we would get a bigger one. NOT
That was it for the halibut and at the dock the one of the other boats near us came in with 4 chickens.

Bonus, got our crabs too and nice size,

 

[islandboy]

The October "no-net" (Avatar) coho head I sent in came from Puntledge river.

Date Caught​	Label​	Tag​	Location Reported​	Area​	Species​	Length mm​	​	​
2023‐10‐05​	1375057​	186506​	Saxe Point​	19​	Coho​	635​	​	​
​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Date Caught​	Tag​	Area​	Species​	Age​	Release​	Map Num​	​	​
2023‐10‐05​	186506​	19​	Coho​	3​	Puntledge River​	1​	​	​
​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Tag​	Prov/​	Release Location​	Hatchery Location​	Stock​	Brood​	Release Date​	Length​	Weight​
186506​	BC​	Puntledge​	Puntledge​	Puntledge​	2020​	2022‐05‐19​	123​	19.25​

 

[islandboy]

All quiet out front? Rowed for a couple hours this morning in the current. Only a couple other boats and they were scattered. Bounced bottom in front of Macaulay and Saxe point, 100 to 150. Marked a handful in front of Macaulay at 40' in 90.

 

[Original]

Got out on Wednesday for an afternoon float with a buddy. There were a few boats out there, looked like a few were hooked up. We got lucky again a got a beauty hatch red male that measured out at 12lb. Fought harder than it weighed for sure. Nice catch pal. Also had a double header that had 2 hatch 5 lbers. Tossed one back as I’m looking for that last tank to fill my dance card.

 

[Popeye]

Got out on Wednesday for an afternoon float with a buddy. There were a few boats out there, looked like a few were hooked up. We got lucky again a got a beauty hatch red male that measured out at 12lb. Fought harder than it weighed for sure. Nice catch pal. Also had a double header that had 2 hatch 5 lbers. Tossed one back as I’m looking for that last tank to fill my dance card.

Beauty Fish

 

[eroyd]

I know things can change one day to the next, but for myself anyways, Saxe to Clover pt. was the dead sea this morning. Not a salmon of any size or shape to be had. I heard go west was the way today, Albert hd. was producing. A few halibut brought in as well, mostly smaller.

Crabbing was decent. Managed to get 5 hard shell keepers out of 20 or so.

A few sun burns today. Bring it on!

 

[Randy M]

Fished OB flats from sunup to 10 am on Sunday with one very small salmon to show for our time. (which was returned to the sea)

 

[DuroBoat]

Saw a few decent salmon kept off Albert head - mine was small but a nice dinner. Creel in Pedder said there were a fair number of salmon and hali coming in. Crabbing was great.

 

[eroyd]

OB flats around noon and then trolled West to Clover point following the 120' contour. One small lingcod. Only significant bait was just south of Trial. Busy at Cattle pt. today, as to be expected on such a fine day.

 

[Fishin]

super late start for me today but what a beautiful day tons of boats out and flat calm Dropped the hook just after 11 had a nice 45lb hali before 12pm must have dropped it right on his head pulled up and went for salmon picked up a nice 10lb red hatch off the water front 75’ on the rigger in 120’ of water no other salmon after that though halibut was on octopus and salmon was on a white hootchie.

 

[tinboatrobb]

Fished Oak Bay this morning from 8:30 to 11:00. First hour and a half not a sniff. Breeze came up so I switched to one rod out instead of 2, 5 mins later I get this 80cm hatchery freight train. That was it, no keeper crabs in the trap. This will become candied salmon using Noggs recipe.

 

[Doug]

Got a call from a friend, Brave Angel (Keith Brown) asking if I would like to go out halibut fishing with him. Sure, I've got the bait, rods and Hook sets ready to go.

I met him at Oak Bay Marina today at 645 to load up the boat. He had never halibut fish on his boat before, but had all the anchoring gear needed so we got things orginized and went out to 225 ft of water and dropped the anchor and gear. Got 4 big dog fish from 8 to 10. then finally got a 20 lb halibut in the boat, then at 1030 got a good one on and got it in the boat 57lb 123cm.
Same size of fish we got last week and both fish on my special skirt and salmon belly.

 

[Fishin]

Got a call from a friend, Brave Angel (Keith Brown) asking if I would like to go out halibut fishing with him. Sure, I've got the bait, rods and Hook sets ready to go.

I met him at Oak Bay Marina today at 645 to load up the boat. He had never halibut fish on his boat before, but had all the anchoring gear needed so we got things orginized and went out to 225 ft of water and dropped the anchor and gear. Got 4 big dog fish from 8 to 10. then finally got a 20 lb halibut in the boat, then at 1030 got a good one on and got it in the boat 57lb 123cm.
Same size of fish we got last week and both fish on my special skirt and salmon belly.

Good work! Halibut really seemed to pick up this weekend saw lots at the cleaning table yesterday at pedder and more coming in after I finished with mine.