Gabriola Island Trip Help!!!

JAC

JAC

Well-Known Member
Hey Guys,


I'm looking for some info on planning a trip to fish Gabriola Island in May or June. I'm looking for info on the best time of year to fish Thrasher and also if most guys fish with bait or with gear? I will be towing my boat up from the okanagan and then launching on the mainland and boating over. I have a 21 foot boat and from what I have read if the weather is good I should be ok to cross the strait. If any one has any idea where the best place to launch the boat on the mainland and leave the truck and trailer for 3-4 nights. I would like to avoid launching on the fraser river because it sounds like sandheads can be a little tough if the wind picks up. I'm planning on staying at Pages marina and maybe sleep on the boat or camp if the weather is good. Any tips on fishing or making the trip over there would be great.


Thanks
JAC
 
The locals suggested McDonald Beach Launch on the North Arm by the Vancouver airport when I brought my boat down from the Okanagan last summer for day fishing sockeyes. It is a good launch with a big parking lot and is a quick trip out to the salt. I think the gate gets locked at night, but I'm pretty sure you can leave the truck and trailer in the parrking lot for extended stays so long as you pay the machine and put the ticket on the dash. Hopefully the Vancouver guys will chime in.
 
Hey JAC....

I think McDonald may be your best if you're looking to leave your truck/trailer for a few nights.

As for prime time for Thrasher.....you'll be right in the midst of it in May/June but I wouldn't go too late in June. Make sure you check in advance for moorage as in late May/early June there are a few fishing tournaments in the area and they can eat up a fair bit of the moorage. We haven't had problems at Page's though in the past.

As for what gear to use.....it really can change from day to day and you just never know. We had some great days this year on bait.....but also spackleback hoochies and spoons worked as well and we were always prepared to change it up if nothing was happening. Alot of glow had a tendency to work well whether it was hoochies, spoons or teaser heads....but greens/blues/purples did well for us.

One thing I can tell you is if you hit a fish....mark the spot on your plotter and head back to it once you're finished with the fight. We did really well over the past few years doing just that.

Do you know the area very well?
 
I have launched at Mcdonald 3 times in the past and fish the QB marker. There was a gale warning and the waves were pretty dam big on the way back in the north are kind of made me think twice of running out of there. There was a guy in a 17' kc or Double eagle that no joke took a hugh wave at the mouth of the north arm, the wave came over and ripped his soft top and bent one of the arms for his top. We followed him back to the launch and he bilge pump was running wide open all the way back. I have never cross the strait or fished Gabriola or Thraser, I do a lot of salmon and trout fishing just never in that area. I have the charts on my GPS and I hope to pick up some info on here and talk with a few guys to learn some more. I thought about launching in White Rock or somewhere other that the fraser. I guess that the north arm does get rough but nothing like sandheads, so it should be ok. I will be going with another boat so it should be safer for the crossing. love to here any more info or tips you guys may have.

Thanks
Jac
 
The water at the mouth of the north arm can get gnarly but I think it is your best option but you could launch at vanier park . This option would be maybe 10 to 15 min longer run time but a good scenic tour and it may cost more to park there. Crossing the straight is pretty easy if you have the skill to navigate the river, but once over on the other side you need to watch the reefs around thrasher rock and running into pages and silva bay. Thrasher will be marked on your sounder and fish can be found out front of it and to the sides running in towards land but beware the depth goes up and down very quickly . I often fish the south inside the marker. The currents really rip over there so you should run 15 lbs weights or heavier if you have the new scottys . Spackle back works well as does irish cream and any glo like pippen said. The fish can be pretty deep , down like 180 , so heavy weight and glo gear is the way to go. May seems to see things get going there and it seems to tapper off towards the end of June, but fishing can be good earlier and later. I would shoot for mid to end of May . Thrasher is pretty exposed so it can blow up with the wind pretty good , there is shelter just up the way at the grande. There is a good scene over there , usually lots of people at the docks there to fish. Another good thing is you can change it up and go bottom fishing for yellow eye and ling, or maybe a hali.
 
In the old days (25 years ago) we used to launch for free on the Tsawwassen Ferry slip - there is a free access road leading along side it. Then we would time our run to follow in the wake of the ferry so it would break the rough seas for us. I'm not sure if you can still launch there today, and the BC Ferry Capt's didn't take too kindly to us following in the wake but it sure made crossing in a small boat a lot easier. Not sure, no in fact I would not, do it now knowing how ugly it can get crossing that open water in a small boat.

As for fishing, late May and early June are best. Had some fine fishing right until the middle of June.
 
Thanks for all the replys!!! I have charts on my Gps so getting around the reefs should not be a big deal. I also have good scotty elec I always use 15lbs balls so that should be good. I have a 21foot Stabicraft it was new this year and it has a new 150hp suzuki and I have a kicker on my boat. From what I read as long as I'm watching the weather and try to cross in a no more then a 10-15mph wind I thought I would be ok. I will be crossing with another ocean worthy 22 foot aluminum boat and we have all the safety gear. We will be crossing at first light staying over there for 3-4 nights make sure to watch the weather and then crossing back at first light to go home. Do a lot of guys go over there in 20-22 foot boats and do any of you guys follow the ferries as searun said to help smooth out the water. I guess worst case I would have to stay an extra night or go home early or worse yet get back to the truck and trailer and take the ferry over to bring the boat home!!! Are the winds normally pretty strong in mid to late May?


Thanks
JAC
 
Made the run across from false creek last year a couple times in my 18' Outrage, was a bit choppy one time which sucked but other times I had it flat. Was able to rip over pretty darn quickly on the flat days (200hp Suzuki).

Have had more success at the Grande cliffs personally, fishing near bottom with flasher/spoon combos. Good Luck!
 
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Jac....following the ferries is kind of going to depend on where you run from. ;) You could really be going out of your way to get tucked in behind one. Although it is tough to say it's always going to be calm at first light....it is much more normal to be nice and calm at first light and if I was going to make a run across in a smaller boat I would shoot for early in the morning. It is definitely not 100% of the time calm....but in the years I have been running across the to Gulf Islands I would say more often than not it's pretty good in the early morning. But...as with the weather on the west coast ; you just never know.

As demco and Murph mentioned....there is also the Grande/Waterfall which is the "north" side of Gabriola as you head west/northwest out of Silva Bay through the Defence Islands. There were a lot of days where the water was pretty dirty with all the Fraser run off at Thrasher but all you had to do was make the quick run around the corner of Gabriola and it was nice blue water. You'll get an idea if looking at your charts where to fish there and more than likely you'll see boats up that way too. It's a REAL quick run before you can drop the lines.
 
Yeah I will watch the weather for for a few days before I go to see whats happening if it says it going to blew I will have to change my plans. The Waterfall/Grande area is this more protected that Thrasher rock. Have they done any improvements to the Mcdonald launch last time I wasw there it was a little trick at low tide to say the least!!!

Thanks
Jordan
 
The Grande is only more protected based on which way the wind is blowing. ;)

As for McDonald Beach.....I seem to recall that they DID do upgrades to it but don't quote me on that. Unless anyone can shed light on overnight parking there you may have to call the city of Richmond....."google" McDonald Beach Boat Launch and you may find a number to call. You could also launch in Horseshoe but you would have to call Sewell's and ask them about overnight/multi-day parking. There is also Sunset Marina a bit north of Horseshoe Bay which may be another option for overnight parking? Here is a list from Burnaby Power Squadron of lower mainland "marinas"....you won't see McDonald Beach on there as it is just a launch and not a "marina". http://www.burnabysquadron.com/General Info/lowermainlandmarinas.htm

I live right by Vanier launch and I can check on the signs there in the next day about multi-day parking or you can call the City of Vancouver/Burrard Civic Marina and they may be able to help you. (604-733-5833) http://vancouver.ca/parks/info/marinas/ They DO have at Burrard Civic Marina (right next to Vanier) a large fenced in parking lot and although it is largely empty a lot of the time they always seem to say that there is no parking available for multiday parking of a boat and trailer.
 
we may launch in Whiterock I guess that would be a long boat ride but we have overnight parking there. Is there any launchs up towards port moody or indian arm area? If Vanier park allows over night parking that might be the place to do it and then you don't have to screw around with the Jetty at the mouth of the fraser!!!
 
If you call Sewell's and Sunset (both in the West Van area) if they have overnight parking you'll be able to avoid the mouth of the Fraser and it will also be a much shorter run. From White Rock you have to go out around Point Roberts and then head up but in saying that you could also make a run straight across into Active/Porlier and run up to Gabriola on the "inside" of the Gulf Islands (Galiano/Valdez Islands). I would not recommend Porlier unless you have a LOT of experience and the tides are just right....Active is much easier to access and not as tumultuous as Porlier can be.

There is a launch in Port Moody that I believe is called Rocky Point.....but I know jack squat about it.

Take the links/numbers I gave you above and call Burrard Civic for info on Vanier and the other two for Horseshoe and Sunset....these will all keep you well clear from the Fraser and it's outflow. I have no idea what may be down Ladner Tswassen way but another option would be Point Roberts which is in the USA but part of the Peninsula that is due south of Tswassen. Not sure if your familiar with it but if you use this map and "zoom" or navigate around you'll get an idea.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=map+of...code_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CEAQ8gEwAA
 
Rocky Point is $25 per day truck and trailer. Busy as F@#$ most of the time. A lot of people who don't know what their doing when it comes to launching. Typically a gong show. No overnight parking as The Boathouse operates the same P-Lot.

I've seen it whip up some pretty good swells around the point in Stanley Point, when exiting the Burrard Inlet, but as with most, pick your weather. We run out of the north arm of the Fraser when we cross the straight. The outflow can be abit tricky but there is a sheltered bay right at the mouth that you can take refuge in until the outflow/inflow calms and is passable. Never had to use it but its there.

The crossing could take anywhere from 1-2 hours.
 
Launch and park at Sunset Marina (cheap) and run towards Gibsons in protected waters (30 min) then out the
Gibson Gap to the Grande and you are fishing 45 minutes later .....
 
I will check out Sunset Marina. Is the Gibson gap the passage between Bowen and gibsons? Is there any advantage of running out that way versus launching in van and running straight across?
 
Is the Gibson gap the passage between Bowen and gibsons?
It is between Keats and Gibsons.
 
Gosh ........
Your in a 21 '. use Mcdonald Beach, run the river for 15 to 20 min. pay the extra per day parking, then scoot over look in advance for marine forecast ........ you will be looking for light winds, 5 to 15, any more then 20 and you better be patient. and SAFE.

HT
 
I'm not worried about running the river we sturgeon fish from Ladner all the way up to mission the river not bad just had to keep a close eye for logs. The river mouth, Jetty or Bar what ever you call it can be pretty hairy. I have fished Bouy 10 on the columbia river and I have learn jetty/bars are something to take very serious and if I can avoid them I will.
 
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