Fishing Around Salt Springs Island

[fishmstr]

Greetings,
I'm heading to Salt Springs Island on Monday to stay with a friend. I would love to do some fishing, but don't know much about the area. Are there good places to fish for chinook there? How about halibut?
In addition, can you harvest clams/oysters in the summer?
thanks for any info. Hoping to get my 4 year old daughter out too!
best fishes,
steve

 

[scott craven]

There has been a closure for PSP on Southern Vanc island/gulf islands, see following from DFO website :

http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/x...g=en&ID=recreational&ispsp=1&areas=east_coast

Looks like they may have reopened clams in certain sub area's

Area 18
Effective immediately the harvest prohibition for manila clams, littleneck
clams, oysters and mussels has been lifted in Subareas 18-6, 18-7 and 18-10.

The most recent marine biotoxin results were acceptable.

 

[Pippen]

Where on Saltspring are you going to be and I assume you have a decent boat to get out on?

 

[fishmstr]

Where on Saltspring are you going to be and I assume you have a decent boat to get out on?

He lives near Long Harbor (not exactly sure where). He has a 24 C-dory with radar, downriggers, etc...

thanks for your info!

later,
steve

 

[Pippen]

Hey Steve.....if he's that "set up"....he should have a fairly good idea as to where to fish.

You can certainly try around the inside of Active Pass which is a short run for you from Long Harbour as there will be fish moving through there. You can also head down towards Pender Bluffs or off east point on Saturna to give it a whirl. There may still be some action to be had at Thrasher Rock off the east side of Gabriola as well.

I am sure he'll have a pretty good idea where the Rockfish Conservation Area's are throughout the Gulf Islands as there are a lot of them and you can't drop a line for anything within their boundaries.

I can't help you too much on areas if you headed towards Victoria/Sydney area.

 

[fishmstr]

He lives in Portland...but gets up there 1 or 2 a year. I was hoping to get some current info, which I did...I really appreciate your help!!!

 

[Teja]

I was on Salt Spring Island last weekend and will be back there again this weekend. I heard from some "locals" last weekend that Porlier has been pretty good the last couple weeks but that there was nothing too positive regarding Active ... there were also a number of boats fishing on the east side / outside of Porlier when we ran back to Vancouver last Sunday afternoon.

As I will be at the north end of Salt Spring, I will probably try either Porlier or Thrasher (if I head out) but if I was leaving from Ganges I might take a quick run over to the Pender Bluffs as I have to believe there should be a pretty healthy flow of pinks starting to run by there anytime now, in addition to the occasional spring.

 

[Pippen]

He lives in Portland...but gets up there 1 or 2 a year. I was hoping to get some current info, which I did...I really appreciate your help!!!

Have fun! I was on Mayne Island looking out at the mouth of Active pass earlier this month and there were orcas rolling by at least once a day....that would be quite the show for your 4 yr old too!

If you're worried about the weather/wind for your young one.....Active will 'tend' to be more "sheltered" than the other 3 spots I mentioned; you can just work trolling back and forth from the channel marker outside Village Bay on Mayne towards that southeast tip of Galiano Island. Keep an eye out for those BIG white and blue boats that say BCFerries on them as you are right on their route; give them lots of leeway as they can bear down on you quickly and you don't want to be "that guy" who gets the horn.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=map+of...code_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCUQ8gEwAA

Regs are here for area 18.... http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/a-s18-eng.htm

And if you click on this link it shows one of the RCA's.....but if you scroll down you'll see all of them shaded in black so you have an idea. On the main page above for Area 18 if you scroll down you'll see all of the RCA's listed.

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/...a-acs/south-sud/MayneIslandNChart3462-eng.htm

These pics were taken right at Active less than a month ago....and as I said we had at least one pod coming by daily putting on great shows for us. We could sit on the dock and watch them. I zipped out on the boat and snapped these pics....it was pretty awesome. Just killed the engine and they came right by me.

 

[Pippen]

I was on Salt Spring Island last weekend and will be back there again this weekend. I heard from some "locals" last weekend that Porlier has been pretty good the last couple weeks but that there was nothing too positive regarding Active ... there were also a number of boats fishing on the east side / outside of Porlier when we ran back to Vancouver last Sunday afternoon.

.

Good call on Porlier Teja.....I too have heard some decent reports.

It can be a tough spot to fish though for someone who doesn't spend a lot of time in that water.


Just take note fishmstr......if you head north towards Porlier you will be in area 17.

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/a-s17-eng.htm

 

[fishmstr]

Awesome...thanks for the info and the links. I've been to the San Juans, but never the Gulf Islands. Really looking forward to it!