I come up to hornby once or twice a year for a few days so don't have much local knowledge. Fishing has been good but I never see any traps out which makes me wonder if its worth the effort prawning.
2025 Comox Valley-Comox Harbour, Kitty Coleman, Cape Lazo, Denman & Hornby Islands
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Subject: FN0594-Recreational - Salmon - Chinook Management Measures - Northeast and Central Vancouver Island - Areas 11 to 17, 111 and Subareas 29-1 and 29-2 - effective July 15, 2025.
This notice advises fishers of the recreational Chinook fishing opportunities for Areas 11 to 17, 111, and Subareas 29-1 and 29-2, effective July 15, 2025.
There it is, open July 15 area 14 for slot size, max 80 cms both marked and unmarked limit of one. The full release has some closed areas in 14, RCAs etc
This notice advises fishers of the recreational Chinook fishing opportunities for Areas 11 to 17, 111, and Subareas 29-1 and 29-2, effective July 15, 2025.
There it is, open July 15 area 14 for slot size, max 80 cms both marked and unmarked limit of one. The full release has some closed areas in 14, RCAs etc
kaelc
Crew Member
Thanks appreciate the help! Pretty good information on the RCA’s and closed areas but I’m not good at finding the notices and get to many emails to even catch the 4-5 areas I love to fish.
jackfish
Active Member
Commercial prawning wipes us out in may. Need to wait for winter or have a secret spot.
kaelc
Crew Member
Anyone had luck shore casting for coho off Hornby? Considering bringing my inflatable and 3.5hp it looks like we could catch them not far from whaling station? Or Nash bank from tribune or fords cove to Norris rocks but that’s spring country and we are a little early for the 15th opening! Thanks for any tips
Bryan Allen
Well-Known Member
OK -- as long as you dont mind an OLD report. Back in the 90s I used to scuba dive around Norris Rock / Heron Rocks when there were no boats dragging cannon balls or heavy trolling gear. I was fascinated with the regularity I saw salmon ( primarily coho ,) and dogfish. All it took was euphausiids being pushed together by the tide to get dogfish swarming the krill. It was incredible watching that from below them. On several occasions coho joined the feast. Sitting 25 ft below the surface and watching the feasting above me almost made me to forget to breath. Anyway, I decided to try casting off Heron Rocks...the last group of mini islands away from Norris Rock. I found the best lure was a 2 1`/2 grey/white buzzbomb. On numerous times I beached my 12 Sears tinboat and had fantastic fishing ripping the buzzbomb across the water. But things change. Today I joined the pack trolling off the south side of Norris Rock. The fishing was great in one aspect.. We caught over a dozen coho and springs....But only one marked coho. I will admit to meat fishing today.. we just wanted a couple of fish for the BBQ. Knowing what we know now about hooking release mortality, we would have really liked the opportunity to harvest the first two coho and gone chasing lings.
So long answer kaelc--- yes, the Herron Rocks are a good place to try. Let me know how you make out please. Bryan
kaelc
Crew Member
Awesome. Thank you, I’ll take 30 year old reports just like I go went back for my 30 year reunion in Courtney a few weeks ago. Love that you remember what buzz bomb, the ladies were reminding me about union high girlfriends I had long forgotten!
Probably best to fish the high tides and evenings there?
littlechucky
Crew Member
I will add another old report….We camped at Heron Rocks every summer when I was kid in the late 80s and early 90s. Spent most of my time catching bottom fish using live shiners. There used to be kelp beds right from the outer reef past Toby Island all the way to Maud Reef past Ford Cove. I did a long drift jigging bottom a couple years ago from the outer islets to Ford Cove. Not a sniff. Pulled piles of lings and rockfish out of there way back. And dogfish, ratfish, cabezon….and a giant skate out of our 9 ft rowboat. Hahaha.
Only ever caught small salmon casting from the rocks….never a keeper. The old timers back then said they used to get their 8 cohos casting from shore no problem.
Most of the salmon fishing was out at Norris Rocks. Hoochie, flasher and a deep six. Lots of herring rakes out there as well.
We occationally got springs on the outer edge of the kelp beds right off Heron Rocks jigging buzz bombs.
Only ever caught small salmon casting from the rocks….never a keeper. The old timers back then said they used to get their 8 cohos casting from shore no problem.
Most of the salmon fishing was out at Norris Rocks. Hoochie, flasher and a deep six. Lots of herring rakes out there as well.
We occationally got springs on the outer edge of the kelp beds right off Heron Rocks jigging buzz bombs.
blake_a
Active Member
The kids caught a few coho on a buzzbomb near Heron Rocks a couple of weeks ago. We drifted along in about 30 ft of water. Only fished for 20 mins but they were in pretty thick then. We are going to give it a try from the beach there this weekend.
Bryan Allen
Well-Known Member
Time of day didnt matter. But the high tide was the most productive.
Eden Island
Well-Known Member
A slight derail, Bryan. We used to dive from Ford Cove around 1980-85 - staying at a lodge built and operated by a character I'd met in Rivers inlet 10 years earlier. When we met him Bob Zielinski was salvaging timbers from the abandoned Rivers Inlet canneries - which he then used to build the lodge. He had a great deal for us - he would pay $1-2 for recovered lures and flashers, and $5 for 10 lb cannon balls. He rented out his tin boat for $5 an hour and accommodation in his cottage was $5/person/night. These prices were perfect for university students. We'd follow the crevasses in the sandstone reefs looking for snagged gear. One trip we salvaged so much fishing gear that he owed us money for the weekend. Another trip we exited the water just before a group of transients came thru! He's gone now, but his family runs the lodge as some kind of marine research centre.
Bryan Allen
Well-Known Member
So thats what the old booger was up to ! DFO had words with him on several occasions that I was aware of. Something about his clients cleaning off all the abs and rock scallops.....That was in the 90s. I wonder if they ever recovered ? I love that whole area on the south end of Hornby. When I was a LOT younger I spearfished for lings along St John Point-- now Helliwell Park. Still remember one ling that out smarted me... I chased her around and around a huge piece on the cliff that had fallen into about 25 feet. She kept on the opposite side of the boulder so I could not get a shot. I was not using scuba gear, so it didnt take long for her to wear me out! From Parks BC:
- Helliwell Bluffs are a fragile ecosystem. There are multiple ecological restoration projects underway at this park. Please stay on trails and do not cross the roped off areas that are being allowed to naturally revegetate.
- The area into Lambert Channel is part of Helliwell Park. In 1997, the park was expanded to include Flora Islet, which was acquired as part of the Pacific Heritage Marine Legacy, and a large marine area. This area is managed as a marine protected area and has the following commercial fishery closures: anchovy, surf perch, pile perch, sea cucumber, octopus, scallop, squid, red urchin, Pacific oyster and green urchin. Local divers have implemented a voluntary closure on all marine life. All parks visitors are encouraged to comply with the voluntary closure.
kaelc
Crew Member
I love how kids these days think they are the first freedivers on the island. So bring crab snares, my Freedive gear and some ring traps! Joking. Good to know the “local” customs, I'll stay well away from the park.
M1SF1T
Active Member
Used to be that someone came into the Dive Shop to get some gear, a speargun or sling was always a part of the package, why else would you go diving? That tapered off through the late 80s and 90s, and for years only a handful were sold every year out of a typical dive shop.
Now speargun sales are through the roof... Never seen more guns sold....
Now speargun sales are through the roof... Never seen more guns sold....
jackfish
Active Member
I hate to bring this up, but you need to carefully read the regs for shoreline fishing around Hornby. Much of the shoreline is specifically closed right now. I had to read the regs and map out the zones on my chartplotter, to know how close to the shore I could get.
Edit: Adding a link to the map of the closure: https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/includes/Southeasterly_Shoreline_of_Hornby_Island_(2).jpeg
My understanding is that all finfishing is closed in that area, as a protected dive area. Since it extends out to Norris and Flora, it is something we have to know about while boat fishing, and also shore fishing. Basically no shorefishing south and east of Hornby is possible, at all.
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