2025 OFFISHALL Vancouver- Howe Sound-Sechelt Fishing Reports Thread

[Marley]

Are people getting many red Springs? What’s the best way to tell a “Red” from a “White” Spring before you bring the fish aboard?

Over two days we came home with 6 reds and 1 white. I think the whites look darker and the reds are more silver but I am not the most experienced here. I would be interested to see what other people think. Looking at the fish in the post above I would guess the one on the bottom was a white.

 

[Shano]

Fished this morning in my friend’s classic Whaler from 6:45 to 11:45. Got 3 springs in the first hour and then a few pinks and then it turned on at about 10 and got 3 more and a nice clipped coho. Pinks weren’t too much of a problem for us. We did almost loose the top part of our net when netting a decent spring but fortunately the teaser head hooks got caught up in the net and we got it back. Lost the fish tho. We did get caught in some idiots crab float set in about 150’ of water right on the best tack area. Got our gear back. We fished as per usual shallow (40 to 65) with chovies. Biggest spring was a fat 86 which is the biggest we have landed so far at SH since opening. I’m guessing 23 pounds?

 

[Alex_c]

Are people getting many red Springs? What’s the best way to tell a “Red” from a “White” Spring before you bring the fish aboard?

Honestly, it’s hard to tell. Some people say they can tell by looking at them, but I have had whites that I thought were reds and vice versa. I personally don’t care enough to not immediately send them to bonk city as soon as they are over the rail

 

[CBsqrd]

Are people getting many red Springs? What’s the best way to tell a “Red” from a “White” Spring before you bring the fish aboard?

Hard to tell in the water, but whites generally have larger, elongated and more spots on their back and tale. Larger head as well and whites tend to be darker - they don't have as far to travel so are already well on their way through metamorphosis into their spawning stage (also why the reds tend to better quality table fare when caught off the river, in the winter or 100 miles from here there is no difference). Once you have them in the boat you can look behind the gill plate, and the bottom-rear of the collar if there is color you likely have a red. Also, marbles are just whites with a bit of color in the meat as they are able to partially process the orange / red pigment.

In @sherrett 's post above, before I fully scrolled down it was pretty obvious that the top was likely a red and the bottom a white.

The Columbia River has similar stock with reds spawning in the upper river system and whites in the lower; they refer to them as Up River Brights (URBs) and Tules, respectively. Very similar morphology and there is lots of info online on how to tell the two apart.

Finally got the work sorted and family tended to so I could get after my true love: fishing.

Made a silly stop at T-10 for 45 minutes before getting to Sandheads at 11:45. Fished the contours tack toward the green can. Got too hairy for fishing solo so headed deeper. Pinks galore and a few small chinooks.

Headed out deeper past 250’. Dropped the riggers deeper too. At 95’, still pinks. At 115’, still stinky. At 125’ and deeper, chinooks on.

Bonked my two by 1:45 before I remembered to eat lunch. Collars for dinner tonight.

View attachment 120704
View attachment 120705

 

[Alex_c]

Hard to tell in the water, but whites generally have larger, elongated and more spots on their back and tale. Larger head as well and whites tend to be darker - they don't have as far to travel so are already well on their way through metamorphosis into their spawning stage (also why the reds tend to better quality table fare when caught off the river, in the winter or 100 miles from here there is no difference). Once you have them in the boat you can look behind the gill plate, and the bottom-rear of the collar if there is color you likely have a red. Also, marbles are just whites with a bit of color in the meat as they are able to partially process the orange / red pigment.

In @sherrett 's post above, before I fully scrolled down it was pretty obvious that the top was likely a red and the bottom a white.

The Columbia River has similar stock with reds spawning in the upper river system and whites in the lower; they refer to them as Up River Brights (URBs) and Tules, respectively. Very similar morphology and there is lots of info online on how to tell the two apart.

That being said, I have definitely caught reds that look like the white, and whites that look like the red in that pic.

 

[CBsqrd]

That being said, I have definitely caught reds that look like the white, and whites that look like the red in that pic.

For sure, not hard and fast rules. Dealing with probabilities. Plenty of Lower River fish have the gene that allows them to process red pigment so will look like your "typical" white. I've found the opposite to occur less frequently, but still happens.

 

[A-a-Ron]

Are people getting many red Springs? What’s the best way to tell a “Red” from a “White” Spring before you bring the fish aboard?

Right now I’m finding the opposite, the reds are getting a bit dark and the whites I’ve seen caught look pretty chrome still. Would make sense as the reds are almost done, and the whites will be around a few more weeks.
This was the 20-ish red from today, which I thought was gonna be a marble

 

[Rain City]

Right now I’m finding the opposite, the reds are getting a bit dark and the whites I’ve seen caught look pretty chrome still. Would make sense as the reds are almost done, and the whites will be around a few more weeks.
This was the 20-ish red from today, which I thought was gonna be a marble

Yeah I never would have figured that was a high teen red.

 

[A-a-Ron]

Yeah I never would have figured that was a high teen red.

Looked a bit prettier when it hit the deck lol

 

[High Time]

Are people getting many red Springs? What’s the best way to tell a “Red” from a “White” Spring before you bring the fish aboard?

Look at the throat inside flesh under the lower gill plate.You can see the flesh color there. Late whites also has a different look, long snoot,bigger
black spots, strong chinook smell

 

[Howesounder]

Another productive day at Sanheads. 120 pink &white. All 3 nooks were red we also found a surprisingly large hatchery Ho and bonked a couple pinks for the smoker. Forecast still looks good but time for a break.

 

[wildmanyeah]

All reds today

 

[el.Pereh]

Got 8 springs 2 hatch hos yesterday at SH. picked off a few first lightish then around 10 it lit up and seemed like everyone in our zone had a fish on for 30 minutes or so. Bait shallow 27-47 to start then 37 67 to finish. Went dead then pinky time around noon then split…had room for 2 more. 5 whites 3 reds

 

[MiddlepointBight]

Got 8 springs 2 hatch hos yesterday at SH. picked off a few first lightish then around 10 it lit up and seemed like everyone in our zone had a fish on for 30 minutes or so. Bait shallow 27-47 to start then 37 67 to finish. Went dead then pinky time around noon then split…had room for 2 more. 5 whites 3 reds

Legend.

 

[Bent Gaff]

Finally hit a nice one at Sandheads . Anchovey 105 feet.

 

[Bent Gaff]

Finally hit a nice one at Sandheads . Anchovey 105 feet.

 

[el.Pereh]

just wrapped at sandheads with 9. Same program as yesterday. Buddy’s licence maxed out so no room for the 10th. Time to address the “not working enough” guilt!

 

[A-a-Ron]

. Time to address the “not working enough” guilt!

It takes a couple seasons but I’ve gotten over it

 

[Alex_c]

Work is just a scam to keep you paying taxes and prevent you from going fishing

 

[MiddlepointBight]

just wrapped at sandheads with 9. Same program as yesterday. Buddy’s licence maxed out so no room for the 10th. Time to address the “not working enough” guilt!

We've been training our whole lives to ignore that emotion brother!!