Catching/Targeting Tyee's

[dennisb]

So...do guys that catch Tyee's actually target them? How much of it is luck? I realize that the area you fish has alot to do with it but how much of catching a Tyee is actually skill by targeting them or is it just pure luck?

I just finished up my week long stint in Nootka ( my 6th year) and have yet to catch a 30lb'er. Got a 27lb'er a few years back and swore up and down it was 40lbs

 

[prodjsaig]

My biggest was 25lbs at 70' out of t10 with herring in vancouver. A 24lbs shortly after. Its timing and area with some luck. I was fishing thrasher and my top shot was too long and rubbed on some drift wood. Hooked a decent fish and the line snapped. So its good to use 50' ofq 40-50 lbs top shot so the braid is on top to absorb some abrasion.

A lot of the times a bigger fish will bend the hook or spool you so getting like 600' of braid and good leaders. Luhr Jensen coyote hooks are cast and should be replaced after a few years.

 

[getbent]

So...do guys that catch Tyee's actually target them? How much of it is luck? I realize that the area you fish has alot to do with it but how much of catching a Tyee is actually skill by targeting them or is it just pure luck?

I just finished up my week long stint in Nootka ( my 6th year) and have yet to catch a 30lb'er. Got a 27lb'er a few years back and swore up and down it was 40lbs

Location, technique, and attention to detail...

 

[Aces]

There’s way less of them now and you gotta get lucky.

in the 80’s and 90’s caught lots, in the 2000’s until 2011 I averaged 35 a year but haven’t got 1 in 3 years.

 

[eroyd]

You not only have to be proficient at Chinook fishing, you have to fish where they are. Not many systems produce large amounts of huge fish anymore, most produce a few. . . . or just be lucky.

 

[Old Fisher]

Used to get several tyee every year along with occasional 40+ pounders. Not now.
Always enjoyed releasing the big ones hoping their genes would carry on for future generations. Unfortunately, most people bonked them ( and still do). Too bad.

 

[Ryan A]

Got lucky last night, 31 and change, weighed it in the net before a release. 6” plug and deep for my area, no skill, all luck.

 

[dennisb]

There’s way less of them now and you gotta get lucky.

in the 80’s and 90’s caught lots, in the 2000’s until 2011 I averaged 35 a year but haven’t got 1 in 3 years.

Sounds like I missed the boat (good ole days) by about 30 yrs or so.

 

[Birdman]

There’s way less of them now and you gotta get lucky.

in the 80’s and 90’s caught lots, in the 2000’s until 2011 I averaged 35 a year but haven’t got 1 in 3 years.

personally I think the pilchards had a lot to do with the great size we had on the west coast from the late 90s thru about 2011. Things really fell apart with the average and top end size when they disappeared, especially for the returning Conuma and Robertson fish.

to those saying it’s sporties keeping too many big fish, I say people have been keeping big fish for a long time and it’s really only been since about 2010 that there has been a sharp decline in Chinook size in southern BC (west coast). I also feel like on the west coast there are way less of the mid August to mid September white springs (lot of Harrison and Vedder stock) that used to often be our biggest fish of the year.

Overall I haven’t bonked a confirmed tyee in about 5 years. Had a few weighed 29’s and released one at French creek this year that was ballpark 30-ish.

You have to fish when and where big fish are primarily. Mainland inlets and northern BC would be a good place to start looking these days if you really are focusing on it.

 

[Rain City]

The bigger fish I have caught were on herring. But they were also all off the T10 area in late August. These weren't tyee's but my personal bests. Mid twenties with the biggest a 27 that I thought for sure was 40 when it hit the deck. I think my scale was broken.

 

[coastalmarinesafety]

6 oz weight. Cut plug, death rigged. 12 pulls. In and out of gear. Rod tip just off any kelp bed on the central coast. At least 18 years ago that’s how I did it .

 

[dmurph]

I’ve been pretty lucky to catch quite a few over the years fishing around Vancouver, for me it was being lucky enough to put in lots of time on the water, always trying to fish the productive spots, like Bowen in April, Spanish bank’s August, south arm and cap in September go where the fish are regardless of how busy the spot is. I liked to troll on the slower side also.

 

[wishiniwasfishin1]

I’ve been pretty lucky to catch quite a few over the years fishing around Vancouver, for me it was being lucky enough to put in lots of time on the water, always trying to fish the productive spots, like Bowen in April, Spanish bank’s August, south arm and cap in September go where the fish are regardless of how busy the spot is. I liked to troll on the slower side also.

You have caught Tyees off Bowen in April? I didn't really know that was a thing...

 

[dmurph]

You have caught Tyees off Bowen in April? I didn't really know that was a thing...

Ive caught one april 23 on anchovy, I didn’t know it was a thing either lol

 

[advTHXance]

A lot of guys swear you can only catch big fish on bait. Its simply not true. Big fish are much harder to come by these days for certain, but elephants still eat peanuts.

 

[Skucy]

If you want the bigger fish try using bigger gear. Your hook up ratio will go down but generally you’ll keep the shakers off using the big stuff. But be careful as just like advTHXance said. The big guys will eat the small stuff too. It’s like a few hours after you ate a big meal. Your not going to eat a burger but probably could have a snack.

Try and find a school or bait ball and do donuts over there head (of course if you can safely.. don’t do this in high traffic area’s). Try and keep your gear at the lower portion of the school/bait ball. As the bigger guys like to be a bit deeper.

 

[adanac]

6 oz weight. Cut plug, death rigged. 12 pulls. In and out of gear. Rod tip just off any kelp bed on the central coast. At least 18 years ago that’s how I did it .

Bingo

 

[Pineapple Express]

6 oz weight. Cut plug, death rigged. 12 pulls. In and out of gear. Rod tip just off any kelp bed on the central coast. At least 18 years ago that’s how I did it .

What is "death rigged"??

The way I was taught to rig a cutplug was with two single octopus hooks...one at the front piercing the top of the fish just ahead of the dorsal fin, and the other hook (smaller size) put through the fish along the lateral line above the anal fin

 

[Thunder21]

If you want big fish drive the boat to rivers inlet in early August . We were just up there . 6 fish in 2 days that ranged between 28.5 and 48 lbs. A friend just got back 2 days ago and they landed 12 fish in 2 days . Biggest was 50lbs.

 

[pescador]

Don't waste your time trying to catch Unicorns. In the last 1000 times I've fished, I've caught maybe 5 fish over 30lbs. But, what I will say, is that we seem to catch way more 18-23 lb fish than we did in the 70/80's..