Best VI waters for small boat, beginner crew?

C

chille51

Well-Known Member
Hi there - interested in the opinions of more experienced boaters on Vancouver Island. What locations/management areas would you say are the best bet for someone with not a lot of experience and a smaller craft to dip their toes into some Salmon trolling this summer? I have a 14' with a 25hp motor, and 2 x 24" Scotty downriggers. Live in Nanaimo and bought the boat a few years ago from a guy in Yellowpoint who used it in those waters (watching the weather of course). I have used it exclusively for lake fishing since I bought it, but would like to put it in the salt this summer in a hopefully lower stress situation. Saltwater the most experience I have is in Nootka Sound with the 18' rental boats, which went totally fine but the sound is pretty sheltered and we didn't have any weather to speak of. Have my PCOC and have ran boats freshwater for years. But there is no tide and no commercial traffic in freshwater. Looking into a Power Squadron course as well.

So ideal location, should such a thing exist - would be not too tight traffic wise, more stable weather wise, and decent chance of actually finding some fish. I can trailer pretty much anywhere on the Island.
 
Sidney spit, powder wharf out of sidney. Pedder bay on sooke is nice and close on a calm day. You can also fish just out of esquimalt launch on a calm day
 
Fished Port Renfrew for two weeks out of a 14’ fiberglass. Pick your days and you’ll be good.
 
I would second Alberni Inlet, lots of small boats fish there and ExFlyGuy says Sockeye fishing is great. Just have to watch for afternoon winds.
 
For ease I would just fish off Nanaimo the first few times until you are comfortable and setup. Launch from Charlaine and can fish Neck Point and Pipers within minutes. Not many boats in those spots and lots of room. Off Five Fingers it get busy with people trying to fish close. I caught most of my fish last year off pipers. Once you are comfortable and dialed in then take a day and fish some of the other spots guys are mentioning.

I see people fishing from paddle boards, kayaks, and Costco boats off neck point.
 
I've fished all over in an open 16' with about 12" freeboard. Its all about picking your weather, adjusting to conditions and having a Plan B.

For day fishing, guys have covered Nanaimo for you. Third vote for China Creek - that's a short trailer run for you, but probably you want to camp or overnight to get an early start while its calm. If you are open to camping based trips, the Island is full of possibilities that you could work up to - Broken Group from Toquart, Clayoquot from Tofino, Nootka from Cougar Creek, Kyuquot from Fair Harbour, etc. Queen Charlotte Straits from Telegraph Cove or Alder Bay is very doable, but do some reading and planning about tides.

An intermediate trip would be to go out from Ladysmith or Crofton to Silva Bay and the Flat tops - or out to Porlier and watch your tides. Cottage rental or camping at Page's Marina [ https://pagesresortgroup.com/ ] used to be reasonable - you'd have to check. You could even trailer onto Gabriola and launch at Page's.

Good luck!
 
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Thanks all! Yes, I figure the first spot for a trail run will be launching from Charlaine. I've shore fished at Neck Point (no luck), so I have an idea of the area. Definitely fine with camping too - we have a camper van and most of the lake fishing has been camping and pulling the boat in with the van. Will do some research on China Creek - never targeted Sockeye before so would have some research/learning to do there. I hear it can get pretty crowded in the Inlet?
 
Aquaholic said:
how would you rate the Chemainus Kin Park launch, not including the parking confusion?
Click to expand...
The ramp itself is fine for the kind of boat the OP has but there is no dock to launch your boat alongside. Instead it has the 3’ high cement wall that is 3’ wide on top as well that follows the slope of the ramp. It is a lot like Porteau in Howe Sound and I avoid this type of system because with anything over a 17’ boat your boat is beyond the dry part of the walk before it is clear of the trailer when launching. Then you have to pull the boat forward to board over the side and your bow is close to grounding. Any kind of crosswind and your boat is riding on the cement walk; add some waves and it’s no fun at all.
 
Same comments as above, except with that size of boat, keep an eye of ferry waves, could be swamped real quick if not paying attention....
 
When I was a kid most boats in the straight of georgia were 12,14 and 16 foot aluminum boats. Local areas such as Nanaimo, Nanoose and French creek are all fine for a 14 footer. If you are up for a bit of a drive, Alberni and Campbell River are also fine for a 14 footer. As with all small boat fishing, don't overload your boat and pay attention to the weather. With some time on the water you will get a better feel for what you, and your boat, can handle.
 
Becher Bay is a great spot for small boats, though it can get iffy quickly if you round either corner out of the bay.
 
There is a small fleet of boats you describe that fish the Nanaimo area (I am one of them). As everyone has said, just pick the weather. The joys of these boats is the ease at which you can trailer them around. Port Alberni in the AM, Campbell River, French Creek, Bamfield, Uki, Tofino are all within reach given the right conditions and the fuel to tow won't be much more than just driving.
 
I fished out of a 12ft Lund with a 15hp Johnson for 10 years and then a 14ft Lund Rebel with a 30 HP Yamaha for 10 years all around Campbell River, Kitty Coleman and Comox to Hornby and Denman Islands, but weather and tide dependant. As in most cases the fish get closer to the River mouths later in the season so it gets easier to find and catch fish closer to shore, the weather stabilizes as well. I’m spoiled now with my Grady but caught a lot of fish in those tin boats the biggest was a 44lb fish in Campbell River in 1989. There’s a quote I heard somewhere “the boats are getting bigger while the fish are getting smaller”
 
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I just posted a 14 foot Lifetimer in the used boat section that looks pretty good. Not mine, a Facebook ad.
 
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