2026 Nanoose Bay/French Creek Reports
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sweettjim
Well-Known Member
big one
salmonkiller01
Well-Known Member
We were out yesterday got one keeper released a couple under. Tried this morning not a sniff.tried for an hour but was too cold and windy.
Buddha
Crew Member
Our group came over from the Mainland for the derby as a last weekend away before the new fishing season. Splashed the boat at around 3:00 pm Friday and headed out to shake down the boat. Found out one rigger was short 50 feet from having the right amount braid. Went to switch to the back up rigger and discovered we left the keys to the locks in the truck so we switched spools and covers with the back up. Steady action but all were just under and shakers with a few doggies. Got everything to hit gear and bait except for the 602 plug. Small coho were jumping and hitting unattended gear at the top. 3 hours in had a massive tangle that wrapped and cut the cord on the rigger. Derby hadn't even started and we have changed spools and lost a ball already. We called it a nice shakedown troll and called it a day. Pretty big NW welcomed us Saturday morning. Being from out of town we only knew the 1 tac around the humps in the 220-230 FOW contour. Steady action in the morning but hit a nice 1.5 hour window where 3 of the fish were over 64, 67,69. Around 11:00 all action just stopped. Decided to go in for a pit stop and weigh in fish and head back out. Only shakers for the PM. Sunday morning was calmer but colder. Very scratchy morning. Got a few contender keepers (but just short) on anchovies but nothing to weigh in before the noon cut off. We did hook a 60 cm pacific cod on a spoon. Lost our second ball when the braid was chafing against a rough pulley. Overall lost 2 balls and rigging along with 3 flashers and set ups. Derby winner ended up being over 14 lbs. Overall great weekend excursion to finish off the season and hope to be able to make the trip again next year and learn more places to fish in the area. Preferably shallower. Tired arms all around. Everyone we met were super friendly and helpful. Found a great NY style pizza place called Craigstreet Pizza. The staff all enthusiastically fished the derby in the AM and the slices are amazing. Light, airy yet crispy crusts. Inhaled 3 slices but wasn't bloated. Better pizza than 95% of the places on the mainland.
Arimayaya
Member
Wasn’t part of this derby as I never heard about it but had a good friend come over for some fishing this weekend and got out Saturday 1pm-6pm, and Sunday 7-11am in that little window of decent workable winds. Got our limits both days with many just undersized gaff released at side of the boat. Smallest legal we kept was 64 and biggest was 81cm, excellent last run out before the close out of the season. Big spoons on the bottom got our fish.
If anyone here lost a set of prawn traps at Gerald island on Saturday let me know. Had a huge tangle up coming into the gap between Gerald and Douglas rock, somehow got all my gear untangled and back and had a sheared off rope wrapped up on my one rigger, pulled up the the set and have them at home. Message me and I’ll get em back to you.
If anyone here lost a set of prawn traps at Gerald island on Saturday let me know. Had a huge tangle up coming into the gap between Gerald and Douglas rock, somehow got all my gear untangled and back and had a sheared off rope wrapped up on my one rigger, pulled up the the set and have them at home. Message me and I’ll get em back to you.
Ryan A
Well-Known Member
I did once and found my bouys floating with the line cut. I learned the locals still like to fish the humps in the off season doing C&R, found other paces to prawn. Mistaken is good.
