2025 Victoria and Oak Bay Reports

[Hot-Streak]

Worked 1/2 day then took a buddy out after lunch for a 2 hour troll. Got into a chinook about 7lbs or so off the waterfront then about 1 hour later got into a really nice fish. Was watching the rod when saw it tip up which meant the lure was pulled off the clip... ran over and grabbed it and reeled in fast wondering if it had just got hooked on bottom or something but then felt the tug.

Fish charged the boat for a bit then started pulling as it went for a decent run back and forth a few times with that sweet sound of the fish peeling line. I was a little surprised at the fight, landed it eventually and had a nice 76cm chinook.

Weather was nice, sunny day, calm waters, beautiful scenery. We live in a special place.

First fish caught on bait (leftover from the summer) 2nd Fish caught at 100ft off bottom. Same WCFT Phat-E (skinny G clone) Fish had a big herring and some smaller bait fish in the belly.

 

[Mokie’sBuoys]

Made it out for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon, started off fishing Saxe Pt to the breakwater 90'-120' and couldn't even mark any bait in the water. As I rounded the Brotchie Ledge Marker I moved into 135'-150' of water and started marking bait but no strikes. After turning back toward the marker and into the current I starting playing with the speed to try and keep the lines close to the bottom. Then both rods started bouncing, at first i thought one fish had wrapped around the second line, but no a January double header!! Never seen that before. Lost the first one right at the boat, dropped the rod in the boat a grabbed the other one, couldn't believe the fish was still there and the two fish stayed away from each other while hooked. Landed a nice sub 10lb winter spring. I was in 135' of water with 125' & 150' on the riggers both on Herring Aid Wee Gee.
A great afternoon on the water.

 

[Hot-Streak]

Made it out for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon, started off fishing Saxe Pt to the breakwater 90'-120' and couldn't even mark any bait in the water. As I rounded the Brotchie Ledge Marker I moved into 135'-150' of water and started marking bait but no strikes. After turning back toward the marker and into the current I starting playing with the speed to try and keep the lines close to the bottom. Then both rods started bouncing, at first i thought one fish had wrapped around the second line, but no a January double header!! Never seen that before. Lost the first one right at the boat, dropped the rod in the boat a grabbed the other one, couldn't believe the fish was still there and the two fish stayed away from each other while hooked. Landed a nice sub 10lb winter spring. I was in 135' of water with 125' & 150' on the riggers both on Herring Aid Wee Gee.
A great afternoon on the water.

Nice! We passed each other and you told me about the 10lber. What a great day to be out on the water. Nice catch!

 

[submerged]

Out from Pedder yesterday morning. Decided to try Brotchie Ledge for a change. Absolutely no bites and saw no one else with a fish for 3 hours, then right as we decided to pull the gear and try elsewhere, the port side rod snapped off the clip and we landed a 10.5lb spring.

We fished another 20 minutes with no action then motored back to Pedder and tried a couple tacks by the can. We got rewarded with a double header. Lost one, but landed another 8lber.

We were fishing on the bottom all day. Cop car spoon and white hootchie.

No legal crab from 2 pots.

 

[eroyd]

Only a couple of hours this morning. 10-12. Trolled from Brotchie to the flag pole and back without a sniff. Coming back, across the harbour mouth in 120' of water both rods went off. Both good fish but we only got one of about 8lbs. Both on 8" herring. I had places to be but wish I could have done a few more circles in that area.

 

[kaelc]

Had some trouble this morning with frozen shift cable?, frozen impeller-pisser and a frozen deck hatch where the cannonball was stored.

Used a tooth pick to get the pee flowing and warming the cabin or 25 minutes of idling got the main shifting working again.

Arrived in front of pedder just as a few fish were landed, saw about 5 netted but no bites on white hoochie, AP needle fish and Green yellow loony spoon for us. Ice cream for the boys at pedder bay and they had a good outing.

 

[eroyd]

Quicky from 11 til 1:00. Oak Bay Gap. Got a 10 lb before I got the second line down. Thought we were in for a good pm but only got one other small. No Bananas SG. Looked like a few more boats over on the flats. Heard a 15 taken there.

 

[chris73]

A few salmon around in front of Esquimalt Anglers. Got one about 7-8 lbs, rest were smaller. Herring in belly.

 

[Stizzla]

Looks like most reports are ending up fishy! Nice to hear

 

[islandboy]

Something big hit, ran then pulled me into the wind. About 20' from the boat it let go.
The only damage to the herring was a crushed nose.
Let me know what you think it was.

 

[chris73]

Something big hit, ran then pulled me into the wind. About 20' from the boat it let go.
The only damage to the herring was a crushed nose.
Let me know what you think it was.

Are you sure it was a fish? Looks like you were snagged on some old gear or a rope or something. Could be ghost crab gear.

 

[tinboatrobb]

Plenty of ghost gear in that area. That would explain the damage to only the nose of the bait.

 

[islandboy]

Are you sure it was a fish? Looks like you were snagged on some old gear or a rope or something. Could be ghost crab gear.

There was an initial run (@0:25 until just before I put the surface rod back in the holder), though running into gear may be what happened.

 

[eroyd]

It would be cool to think it was some fish or creature. Some big Octopus around that might just like a herring at rowing speed. I did lose a cannon ball set-up about there on the new poop pipe. Just SW of the green can.

 

[kaelc]

There was an initial run (@0:25 until just before I put the surface rod back in the holder), though running into gear may be what happened.

Do you run a modern gopro 5 or newer to capture the footage? I think they all have image stabilization, I couldn't see the hit, tough with the water contrast.

 

[Mokie’sBuoys]

Beautiful day on the water again, but I am really having to put in the time (I know it really sucks to be on the water when its sunny and calm) and cover some water to find the feed and ultimately the springs. Out last Friday for about 3 hours and was skunked, only feed I marked was on the surface. Back out again today, (5 hours) fished from Saxe Pt to Clover Pt, fishing various depths. After the turn at Clover Pt I moved out to 165’ and finally hooked up something larger than a grilse. 175’ on the rigger, crucifish flasher & a herring aid wee gee. Had a larger - 6” herring in its stomach. Might try a plug on the other rod next time I’m out.

 

[tinboatrobb]

Fished Oak Bay with Scott Craven this morning. We had one hit and fortunately it stuck. Hatchery 15.8lb female spring. Nice size for late January.

 

[scott craven]

Fished Oak Bay with Scott Craven this morning. We had one hit and fortunately it stuck. Hatchery 15.8lb female spring. Nice size for late January.

Nice fish buddy!

 

[submerged]

Out in the flurries off Pedder today. Got a 6lber and a nice 12.8lber on the afternoon tide. Lost 2 others, and released several undersize. Quite a bit of action for 2 and half hours fishing.