I hit more Chinook, and the biggest I had this summer on a white hootch. I don’t usually fish them, much, but they got more play this year
2025 Nanaimo Reports
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Forgot to mention in my report yesterday - apologies for not properly introducing myself to the forum member that was complementing my boat in the parking lot when we came off the water. I did not think at the time to introduce by name - long day and much boat cleanup to be done between me and dinner! Feel free to shoot me a PM or ID yourself here if you read this, always good to meet another forum member.
Blue Hewes
Well-Known Member
Fished Entrance tonight from 3-7:30. Quite an evening to say the least. Started off with one of my Islander reels getting line in behind the spool. Not sure how that happened. Couldn’t find my screwdriver and had to mess around to find something to get that drag screw out. Got it done and back to fishing. Wife then lands a 65cm spring and we are on the board. Decided to turn around and head back through the same tack again and while I’m reeling up the lines from down deep a big coho smashes the plug 20ft behind the boat and goes ballistic. I realize the drag is still locked down from bringing it up and when back it off I over do it and poof a huge backlash as the coho keeps pulling. Can’t get the tangle loose and decide screw it just reel in the mess and get the fish in and deal with that after. Simple right. Nope. Find out the fish had gone under the main and broken off on the downrigger on the other side. Some how the line is wrapped around the main and the plug is jammed in the prop. Total cluster. Need to get to a dock to get that sorted. Head over to Gabriola and find a private dock that we can use. Wife jumps off and unwraps the line and plug. Back to fishing but on the way out see something in the water. It’s an over turned kyak with debris floating around. Can’t see anyone in the water but looks like a recent event. Called it in and found out the guy swam to shore somewhere and CC gives us his number. We try pulling the kyak in the boat but it’s half submerged and heavy with a trolling motor on the butt end. We decided the best we could do it tow it over to the private dock we were just at and tie it up for him. Let him know where it is and try and salvage some fishing time. Get back to entrance and get rewarded with another spring and 2 hatch coho before it goes quiet. Good karma I guess. Picked up all fish on plugs ran a 5” & 6” at 135 & 155.
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Stizzla
Crew Member
Wow sounds like you had a Stizzla Certified
tangle out there. Not a boring report! Nice work
Blue Hewes
Well-Known Member
It was grade A for sure!Wow sounds like you had a Stizzla Certified
Not a boring report! Nice work
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Wow crazy day....
Tomfoolery
Well-Known Member
Squire
Well-Known Member
Late report from the Monday opener but I did a full-pull solo fish starting at Porlier, moved to the Flat Tops, then the Grande, then Entrance, then a couple last tacks at the Grande. Of course I couldn’t manage a legal spring or any pinks for smoking but I did have just enough action to keep me going.
I released half a dozen undersized springs and probably a dozen beauty wild coho and kept a hatch on each end of the day. Broke a rod on one of the small springs I couldn’t gaff release and had to bring in to the boat because of a deeply set hook. Trying to pull the rod back while leaning forward to scoop it up in the net didn’t leave me with a hand to loosen the drag off and the rod snapped when it hit the dinghy on the roof. A quick snap of the wrist with the pliers got the hook out and the fish swam away seemingly unharmed at least.
This experience has got me thinking about getting a couple of 9’ rods for solo fishing now. I already bought a shorter handled and lighter net after finding out how unwieldy my Scotty with the 6’ handle is trying to land a fish by yourself lol.
I released half a dozen undersized springs and probably a dozen beauty wild coho and kept a hatch on each end of the day. Broke a rod on one of the small springs I couldn’t gaff release and had to bring in to the boat because of a deeply set hook. Trying to pull the rod back while leaning forward to scoop it up in the net didn’t leave me with a hand to loosen the drag off and the rod snapped when it hit the dinghy on the roof. A quick snap of the wrist with the pliers got the hook out and the fish swam away seemingly unharmed at least.
This experience has got me thinking about getting a couple of 9’ rods for solo fishing now. I already bought a shorter handled and lighter net after finding out how unwieldy my Scotty with the 6’ handle is trying to land a fish by yourself lol.
I'm going to do the same, I haven't used the 9' variant (have the 10'6) but been super happy with the salty outdoors/r33f rod. Great bang for buck at $170.
West Coast tackle has the Fury model in 9' as well, but quite a bit steeper at $300. Carbon fiber
I've been using a white hoochie a lot on one side this year that was working for both, but the number of coho hitting it the other night was extreme. I think I had 3 hit on the way down. I'm sure it won't be like this all the time, but the combination of fewer chinook that are starting to feed more sparingly in late season + massive amounts of coho that are still agressively feeding is something I've never seen on the inside. I'd be interested in what people do where this is more the norm.
Personally I'm going back to running plugs on both sides, which seems to at least reduce the coho significantly.
outbeen
Well-Known Member
Here are 2 options for 9' rods at each end of the budget spectrum that I use on my boat depending on the pedigree of my crew and intended application:
9' TFO Downrigger/Mooching Rod $250+GST - My favorite. A well engineered and refined experience for the discerning fisherman. Does not come out with rookies aboard. There is a free one one the bottom at waypoint 5 (see post #393) if you drag for it.
www.harbourchandler.ca
9' Daiwa Wilderness $35+GST at Canadian Tire - Basically indestructible -- suitable for smashing on gunnels, popping clips by dropping the rigger, and winching fish in with the drag cranked all the way down. Perhaps more an instrument of blunt force trauma then tactical finesse.
www.canadiantire.ca
The only other advice I would offer for fishing solo is using 200# mono leaders between flasher/mainline to the lures so when you get close you can just reef them over the side if you intend on retaining and gaff release for anything else
9' TFO Downrigger/Mooching Rod $250+GST - My favorite. A well engineered and refined experience for the discerning fisherman. Does not come out with rookies aboard. There is a free one one the bottom at waypoint 5 (see post #393) if you drag for it.
TFO Downrigger-Mooching Rod 9'
TFO Downrigger-Mooching Rod 9' - Made of a special combination of S-Glass and carbon fiber for both sensitivity and power
www.harbourchandler.ca
9' Daiwa Wilderness $35+GST at Canadian Tire - Basically indestructible -- suitable for smashing on gunnels, popping clips by dropping the rigger, and winching fish in with the drag cranked all the way down. Perhaps more an instrument of blunt force trauma then tactical finesse.
General PDP Template
www.canadiantire.ca
The only other advice I would offer for fishing solo is using 200# mono leaders between flasher/mainline to the lures so when you get close you can just reef them over the side if you intend on retaining and gaff release for anything else
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Squire
Well-Known Member
Here are 2 options for 9' rods at each end of the budget spectrum that I use on my boat depending on the pedigree of my crew and intended application:
9' Downrigger/Mooching Rod $250+GST - My favorite. A well engineered and refined experience for the discerning fisherman. Does not come out with rookies aboard. There is a free one one the bottom at waypoint 5 (see post #393) if you drag for it.
TFO Downrigger-Mooching Rod 9'
TFO Downrigger-Mooching Rod 9' - Made of a special combination of S-Glass and carbon fiber for both sensitivity and power
9' Daiwa Wilderness $35+GST at Canadian Tire - Basically indestructible -- suitable for smashing on gunnels, popping clips by dropping the rigger, and winching fish in with the drag cranked all the way down. Perhaps more and instrument of blunt force trauma then tactical finesse.
General PDP Template
The only other advice I would offer for fishing solo is using 200# mono leaders between flasher/mainline to the lures so when you get close you can just reef them over the side if you intend on retaining and gaff release for anything else
Thanks for this. I just picked up a 9’ Ugly Stik Carbon Salmon/Steelhead at Gone Fishing today which lands right in the middle of your price range at $150. I’ll report back on its performance but it sure looks purdy with my red MR2 lol
Ugly Stik Carbon Salmon Steelhead Spinning Rod | Ugly Stik®
Still 50% Stronger* Now 30% Lighter** Introducing the Ugly Stik® Carbon Salmon Steelhead rod series featuring 100% graphite for a lightweight rod, crisp actions, and increased sensitivity while maintaining the legendary toughness expected from Ugly Stik. *On average, based on controlled lab...
www.uglystik.com
And I have tied some 50# leaders to help hoist hatch coho into the boat.
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Yeah, I think you and I are pretty much fishing the same gear. My 5" 602 Tubby I'm nick naming the Serial Killer. There was one night a couple of weeks ago my buddy and I put our 6 fish in the boat in 2 hours on that lure alone.
I still think it catches less coho than spoons or most hoochies I've tried though... maybe the smaller ones stay away.
Squire
Well-Known Member
I’m new to believing in the plug but so far it’s caught only springs or quality cohos so hard to abandon it.
Aces
Well-Known Member
I thought there was no fishing in that zone?
Blue Hewes
Well-Known Member
I agree. I’m starting to run plugs first now on both sides and only run a flasher setup if needed. Finding I don’t need to change.
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