Fishing Cap Mouth

[the butcher]

I primarily launch out of the North/South Arm. Don't have too much experience fishing the cap mouth from July - Sept. Had a couple of questions I was hoping some of the seasoned guys here who fish that area could help me with:

1. besides the beginning and tail end of the runs, what months are the major push of Cap Mouth cohos running around the cap mouth and north shore?

2. Is the fishing consisent and good when the coho are present or is it a small run that goes to the cap mouth?

3. What % of the cohos going to the cap mouth are hatchery? 50%?

4. Same questions as #1 and #2 for Chinook

5. If it's blowing up in the straight which would affect the north and south arm fishing during the late summer, is the water fairly sheltered and calm when fishing the cap mouth?

The reason for these questions is because I don't have very much experience fishing the cap mouth and want to see if it's worthwhile for me to get a year pass at Vanier for parking and launch.

thanks.

 

[Aces]

You may find those cohos tight lipped

 

[prodjsaig]

From my experience the month of August for coho and you have to start hitting it in September October don't go too far into October. You have a good shot at springs August September October (I would say only first week of Oct). Its different from year to year one year I was there I got into a bunch of coho with bait in August. Of all the coho I caugh 90% were wild and I believe the hatcheries are not clipping a large percentage of the fish. I have always had calm water at the cap mouth I would recommend you run 15 or 18lbs cannonballs.

 

[dmurph]

End of August into October is the main cap fishing with September being prime time. Keep in mind you access the mile markers/bell bouy also from vanier.

 

[dmurph]

Some years the coho off west van has been quite fun in July and there’s some springs mixed in, I’d say a vanier pass could be a good option if it’s not to much hassle to get there. I’d rather run false creek to north arm as opposed to mc beach to the arm.

 

[paulo]

The coho fishing has definitely dropped off over the years. The hatchery, as already stated, is probably not clipping 100% hatch fish. I don't know this for fact about the Cap. I do know that their production was cut back about 6 - 7 yrs ago, hence fewer fish. I have also found their staging patterns have changed. Their use to be schools of fish on the flats from 14th st to 28th st. Catch them into 25' of water. Now, they seem to be all over the place with more and more staging off of third beach at Stanley Park. As Aces mentioned, they can be tight lipped. Tough fishing when 5 - 10lb fish are jumping all over like a summer shower and you can't get any to bite. Years ago by the middle of June there were enough numbers that you could target them specifically and by the second week of July they were in until the end Sept. Now it seems its the first few days of August before they show in any quantity. The occasional spring could be caught by the last week of July and more so once you get further into Aug. What used to be a great lower mainland fishery for pretty much the whole summer has shrunk significantly. I haven't bothered as much over there the last couple of years because of last years spring fishing at the Banana and the Sockeye the year before. The Cap in my estimation is someplace that should never be overlooked. Some nice fish can be taken year round just gotta put in some time to become familiar with it.
I have an annual pass at Vanier and for me it is the best. I can be at the Sandheads in 25 min in good water conditions. Tunstall, same thing. Hope that helps.

 

[wildmanyeah]

A couple years ago they showed up in huge numbers of south bowen in early july

 

[Reeltime]

There's a waiting list for Vanier year parking pass, all Aug i'll launch mainly North or South arm where the action is, then later on i'll start launching
from Vanier so i have options in fishing the Cap, mile markers, bell bouy, stanley park for the once in a blue moon epic coho fishing, if thats
dead i'll keep making my way out towards QA and North arm ... 2 hours each spot..

This was such a blast when the coho staged for weeks at Stanley park

 

[the butcher]

thanks for the replies... Wasn't aware there is a waiting list for vanier..