ECVI French creek-Nanoose-nanaimo reports

Fished 3 more hours in the rain lost one near the boat. Smaller fish 8lbs maybe. only 80ft skunk hootchie barely any bait seen. Back out in the morning if the engine problem will allow.
 
Fished 3 more hours in the rain lost one near the boat. Smaller fish 8lbs maybe. only 80ft skunk hootchie barely any bait seen. Back out in the morning if the engine problem will allow.
 
Hey Kelly I caught the last 6 fish on one of those spoons, they were'nt touchin anything else. 6 foot+ leader was the ticket but I know it's a hassle when solo.Gotta work tomorrowbut then off for 9 days!!!!!!
 
Hey Kelly I caught the last 6 fish on one of those spoons, they were'nt touchin anything else. 6 foot+ leader was the ticket but I know it's a hassle when solo.Gotta work tomorrowbut then off for 9 days!!!!!!
 
Fished the Grande for a couple hours Saturday morning. Had a friend with me who's never caught a salmon. He was able to experience the awsome power of a 20+ lb chinook in a battle that lasted 15 minutes...right up to the point when the ****ing seal took the fish next to the boat. Tough to tell a rookie to let it run if it wants to run...and in the same breath tell him to get that fish to the boat as fast as you can. Oh well, he was pumped up about the fight...and he'll be in our group in Bamfield in a couple weeks, where I'm sure he'll get a few.
 
that seal infront of the grande is a real problem.

thinks nothing of coming within feet of your boat to take a 20+ fish[}:)]

the gillplate isnt quite as exciting as catchin the entire fish
 
Where did all these seals come from? Where are the natural predators? They should have a bounty on them like they used too! I just got back into salmon fishing after a twenty year break but i dont remember them ever being this bad. I guess you have to fish like your in the caribbean and drag em to the boat before the sharks get em! See you out there.
 
No, they never used to be a problem. I grew up fishing the Winchelsea/Yeo/Ballenas/Douglas Rock/Sangster area during the late 70's, 80's and early 90's. In the probably 500 days I spent on the water during that time...I lost 1 fish to a seal. In the 5 days I've spent on the water this year I've lost 3 to seals.

There are less salmon for them to eat these days...decreased food source should decrease the numbers, but there are far more of them. There were always 1 or 2 seals hanging around all the popular fishing spots...I went on a cruise out to Grey Rock last summer, and there was probably 30. So there's abviously a healthy food source for them (certainly not coho[V]).
 
must be pretty quiet out there? not much chatter! maybe your all to busy catching fish. anyone get any pinks in our area yet?
 
fished decourcy past couple days, nothing much happening but some small springs. Loads of 3 inch herring around, but not any size to the salmon.
 
RVP was right there are still fish around. Fished only 30 min right now on the tail end of the tide change and lost the biggest fish of the year. Backside of gerald. It was a gongshow i took out my uncle and cousin.I set the hook on the fish and it took off so i handed it to my cousin.He didnt know how to work a knuckle buster and it took off then turned and he kinda just held the rod and watched. Definatly had some size to it. Also saw a 20 landed and talked to a guy that lost 4 landed one. 160-170ft i was using green/white needlefish and the others were same color with hootchie.
PS it was pretty bumpy i had to come in
 
Am i the only one fishin? its still good. I was keen on letting my cousin get his first salmon ever. Fished gerald island in nanoose from 1-6. Two hours in hit a nice fish on a glow hootchie that was on our third rod which was on a 12 oz weight. I set the hook and the fish ran i handed the rod over and my cousin being new dropped the tip and it was gone. An hour or so latter we hooked up again 175ft green glow needlefish. I handed the rod off and this time he was ready. Landed a nice 11lber. Next up was my buddy and same setup at 175ft. He nailed a twin to that fish another 11 lber. I was last up and we called it quits and began to reel in and a fish hit on the retreive. I got the rod and got it almost to the boat. Danm seal grabs it and we tried to get our lines in fast but by the time we were up i had two wraps of line left. Fought it 30 min covered almost a half km and finally we tired it out and got ovr it. It broke surface beside us and i had about 10 5 lb rocks just for a moment like this. We smoked the seal and scared him enough he let go and we netted it. A nice 15lber on purple haze 175ft. 3 fish 10lbs of prawns. Next up is the french creek derby on sat. well test our luck out. Anyone else gonna be out there?
nooka.jpg
 
Nice haul Kelly, I have'nt put my boat in since the winter harbour trip. Had to do some repairs but she's all ready to go now. I was just down at the marina and saw the fish on the board, glad it was you. It seems like hootchies are working again. did you ever give that spoon a second chance, or is that what really caught all those fish? Where were you prawning?
 
greg i still have that 5 bucks for that coyote. I tried the spoon today for a bit before switchin over to all hootchies. I hit a few fish 2 wks ago on it but didnt land them. Those 3 on the board werent me but another group. Gettin prawns between sparbuoy and mistaken. 400ft.A bit more risky leavin traps there than the bay but better prawning. You goin out anytime soon? should try that derby there is some awsome prizes.
 
i would go but my friends boat aint working properly:( any one got a spare seat i'll pay my share of expenses, i have all my gear
 
Don't worry about the 5 bucks, it was working really good for me but thats when all the bait was around. I'll probably drop the traps tomorrow, I gotta work Fri. and Sat. What's the scoop on the Derby? Have'nt heard much this year.Wonder if there's any slabs showing up at the river, you heard of anyone heading down there?
 
I agree it had been a spoon show all year. My first 15 fish were on spoons these were my first on hootchies.

Just found out the derbys a no go. They cancelled it for the last 2 years or something. I had remembered it being a big thing and my friend had heard it was still on. Oh well
 
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