2025 OFFISHALL Vancouver- Howe Sound-Sechelt Fishing Reports Thread

[Rain City]

Well I don’t really like to kiss-and-tell with the prawns but yeah what @Raincity said about structure and finding the same type of stuff that works around here. There’s a few spots I’d try.

My secret was going on a weekend once a couple years ago and just driving around until I saw a cluster of other guys buoys and just tried around there.

Can we also add that people shouldn't be dropping right next to other peoples gear?? I'm shocked that I've found even guides' gear dropped right next to mine. To the point where I had to move it in order to retrieve my own gear without tangling with them. It's a good way for your gear to DRIFT far away.

 

[A-a-Ron]

Can we also add that people shouldn't be dropping right next to other peoples gear?? I'm shocked that I've found even guides' gear dropped right next to mine. To the point where I had to move it in order to retrieve my own gear without tangling with them. It's a good way for your gear to DRIFT far away.

100%. I should clarify. Only drop right beside someone if the buoy says “Rain City”

 

[ab1752]

100%. I should clarify. Only drop right beside someone if the buoy says “Rain City”

Same same, its a tried and true formula for prawn winning.

 

[Squire]

Can we also add that people shouldn't be dropping right next to other peoples gear?? I'm shocked that I've found even guides' gear dropped right next to mine. To the point where I had to move it in order to retrieve my own gear without tangling with them. It's a good way for your gear to DRIFT far away.

I use a 100 m rule for where I drop prawn and crab traps but not everyone follows any semblance of ethics or courtesy.
I dropped my gear once with no other buoys within a mile radius and came back after a few hours to find a guy pulling his gear with my buoy bouncing against the side of his boat. There were still no other buoys around and my set was completely empty so I can only assume he pulled mine first.
I'm sure he wasn't too comfortable with me floating a couple of boat lengths away staring at him while I waited to pull my gear.

 

[chille51]

Can we also add that people shouldn't be dropping right next to other peoples gear?? I'm shocked that I've found even guides' gear dropped right next to mine. To the point where I had to move it in order to retrieve my own gear without tangling with them. It's a good way for your gear to DRIFT far away.

As a newb, I'm doing my best not to be that guy. If anything I'm probably overly cautious. What rule of thumb do people use to determine how far is far enough?

 

[Rain City]

As a newb, I'm doing my best not to be that guy. If anything I'm probably overly cautious. What rule of thumb do people use to determine how far is far enough?

Enough to not get in people's way while they're trying to retrieve, or to not be laying across them. A common problem is that people don't check their buoy after their traps have settled into position, do that if you're unsure. You should also consider the current that would affect the position of their buoy so you can try and predict the position of their traps. The buoy could be hundreds of feet away from their first trap, and in whichever direction they decided to drop. So a couple hundred feet is best to be safe. Some spots are so obviously tiny that it would be best to avoid the hole that the guy is likely trying to hit. The fact that you're thinking about it at all is better than most dummies out there.

 

[chille51]

Enough to not get in people's way while they're trying to retrieve, or to not be laying across them. A common problem is that people don't check their buoy after their traps have settled into position, do that if you're unsure. You should also consider the current that would affect the position of their buoy so you can try and predict the position of their traps. The buoy could be hundreds of feet away from their first trap, and in whichever direction they decided to drop. So a couple hundred feet is best to be safe. Some spots are so obviously tiny that it would be best to avoid the hole that the guy is likely trying to hit. The fact that you're thinking about it at all is better than most dummies out there.

What do you mean to "check my buoy"? Check it for what?

 

[Rain City]

What do you mean to "check my buoy"? Check it for what?

It's final position.

 

[Aquaholic]

Had some time to kill tonight.

 

[sweettjim]

Had some time to kill tonight.

View attachment 122953

nice how was the course u learn lots

 

[Aquaholic]

nice how was the course u learn lots

Never long enough, he is a great presenter. Lots of weather and related safety talk at first, then a deep dive into technique (bottom bouncing specifically), gear, electronics, areas. Lots of questions from the group.

 

[Buddha]

Pushed off at 7:30 this rainy morning for some trapping and fishing in the sound. Got all the traps down and started at Grace. Choppy going both ways so only gave that 3 passes and picked up lines to fuel up in Gibsons. We decided to give Salmon Rock a futile pass on the way to the Waterfall. Lots of action on the finder but not a single twitch on the lines all day. Went to pull traps and picked up our daily limit on crab in 2 traps. Very dense, heavy and hard shelled with a few barnacles on them. The prawn trap floors were fully covered but only 25 were prawns. The rest were squat lobsters/langostines, Never had that ratio before. On the run in we saw what looked like a strip of stubble sticking out of the ocean just north of the bell buoy tac. Came in closer to take these pics. Awesome day overall but will have to go out again to find salmon.

 

[Sttr]

Fished grace at slack tide today, not much going on. Moved to the bell in the afternoon, got into a decent fish right away, lost it. Then hit another one, all of a sudden it ran… 5 times, lost it. Was thinking it’s the biggest winter nook I have ever hooked. Turned around to the same spot, again decent fish…. Whiskers!!!! Gone!! Again doubled up to the same spot, fish on! Wtf whiskers again. Kept pounding the same spot, released a few unders and got sealed again! Had enough, trolled towards mile markers, no luck.Now I’m thinking I’m pretty sure the fish that ran 5 times was actually whiskers. 4 times sealed my personal best LoL

 

[ryanonthevedder]

Fished grace at slack tide today, not much going on. Moved to the bell in the afternoon, got into a decent fish right away, lost it. Then hit another one, all of a sudden it ran… 5 times, lost it. Was thinking it’s the biggest winter nook I have ever hooked. Turned around to the same spot, again decent fish…. Whiskers!!!! Gone!! Again doubled up to the same spot, fish on! Wtf whiskers again. Kept pounding the same spot, released a few unders and got sealed again! Had enough, trolled towards mile markers, no luck.Now I’m thinking I’m pretty sure the fish that ran 5 times was actually whiskers. 4 times sealed my personal best LoL

Years ago there was a guy who made the news by towing a killer whale pool toy behind his boat to ward off the seals. He claimed it worked well and it couldn't hurt to condition those sea dogs not to fear killer whales.

 

[Shasta1234]

Ran to off Entrance Island from Vancouver. Rain, foggy. Took in the slack. No fish, not much feed. Picked up and ran down to Thrasher. Not much wind. Got a double header at about the 120 ft edge just south of the light. Caught one nice spring, about 12 lbs,, the other hit drifted off. One more small keeper just before we picked up. A few whitecaps picking up. Ran home at 2:30. That was yesterday, Wednesday. Trolled off the edge as we brought in the gear. Lots of feed at 300 feet on the sounder. Stopped and tried a tack but no fish and kept running.

 

[adanac]

Fished grace at slack tide today, not much going on. Moved to the bell in the afternoon, got into a decent fish right away, lost it. Then hit another one, all of a sudden it ran… 5 times, lost it. Was thinking it’s the biggest winter nook I have ever hooked. Turned around to the same spot, again decent fish…. Whiskers!!!! Gone!! Again doubled up to the same spot, fish on! Wtf whiskers again. Kept pounding the same spot, released a few unders and got sealed again! Had enough, trolled towards mile markers, no luck.Now I’m thinking I’m pretty sure the fish that ran 5 times was actually whiskers. 4 times sealed my personal best LoL

Pre and post Christmas was lights out last year at the bell in shallow water like 90’. Limited 4 guys one day in pretty short order , 3 other limit days aswell.

 

[A-a-Ron]

Pre and post Christmas was lights out last year at the bell in shallow water like 90’. Limited 4 guys one day in pretty short order , 3 other limit days aswell.

I just went thru last years thread to remind myself… damn you had a nice little run there, I remember that. I think whiskers is taking over your role there this season.

 

[TucTuc]

Fished the bell, north arm and T10 yesterday. Beauty day on the water. Not much action at the bell so moved to the north arm, caught 1 decent under. Moved to T10 and hooked into 4 decent sized unders. I've been out locally 3 times in the last three weeks and no keepers yet. Maybe just me but last year I recall more keeper sizes by this time of year. Might be just luck of the draw. I fished a 5" Tomic 185 easter egg on one side and rotated through a bunch of different flasher spoon/hoochie/flash fly combinations... all hits were on the plug. That was surprising!

 

[Sttr]

Fished the bell, north arm and T10 yesterday. Beauty day on the water. Not much action at the bell so moved to the north arm, caught 1 decent under. Moved to T10 and hooked into 4 decent sized unders. I've been out locally 3 times in the last three weeks and no keepers yet. Maybe just me but last year I recall more keeper sizes by this time of year. Might be just luck of the draw. I fished a 5" Tomic 185 easter egg on one side and rotated through a bunch of different flasher spoon/hoochie/flash fly combinations... all hits were on the plug. That was surprising!

Got all my fish on one rod yesterday, bon Chovy weegee, the other rod didn’t get a sniff , phate spoons, west coast spoons nothing.

Just got to the bell, the only boat here, hmmmm no witnesses maybe I should find whiskers for some payback

 

[Sttr]

Fished 10-130, started at the bell, got an under right away dropping gear, got into a few more 50cm then I seen whiskers pop up. Didn’t feel like playing with him, pick up gear and headed towards NA, non stop action with 50cm fish, too many to count. Unfortunately whiskers caught up with me, had 3 pin poppers total, couldn’t get him away, even kept my riggers down when fish on, circled ontop of him, he’s so stealthy, I think he was hanging out infront my boat so I wouldn’t see him. No keepers but a great day with non stop action,