Jigging/trolling for salmon/ cod/rockfish in a kayak Hornby Island

[Dusty]

Hello,

I'm planning a trip to Hornby island with my family mid august, we are traveling from Nelson BC.
I'm hoping to do some fishing from a kayak while I'm there(Jigging/casting spoons/ buzz bombs).

I've done a bit of research on spots and it looks like I should fish the southern side of Hornby.
I haven't done much ocean fishing for salmon/cod/rockfish so looking for some insight on lures to buy so I don't break the bank and don't by a lure that I wont use.

This is the info I've found so far from YouTube videos and scouring the internet and other forums

50 # braided main line with litre material monofilament( fluorocarbon ) that is 20# to 30#

lures I should purchase:

1. pearl 2.5 oz Zingger
2. 2 oz silver perkin
3. Point wilson dart -silver
4. 4inch Zingers 3 and 4 inch Buzz Bombs and same size Sting Zilda's best colors are green, blue, white, chartreuse
5. Spinnows cod killer
6. lil nib irish mint 2 oz
7. macdeep 150 grams

I'm hoping to avoid lures or swimbaits larger than 6 oz as I don't have the rod and reel set up for that. also reeling that in from a kayak would suck.

I'm looking to target anything but would like to catch salmon, cod/ling cod and smaller rock fish and cod ( greenling and copper rock fish)

Looking for some direction or recommendations on other lures to buy or not buy. I have a fish finder so I plan to paddle around trolling a spoon until I can find structure than try jigging for fish.

I've never been to Hornby so I will be trying to learn the area as well as catch fish.

Thanks !

 

[jim morrow]

the spot to rake herring and jig or mooch was at Norrish Rocks, south east end of Hornby. troll from there over towards the bay, watch for a spar buoy

 

[kaelc]

If you are staying on the whaling station bay side of the island I’d try just outside the bay to the north east. Good structure, easy launch, if the winds are right. Saw lots of bait and coho just before the high tide.

Caught a couple greenling off the north end of Norris rocks but I’d troll on the south west side, we hooked into some nice springs a couple of years ago.

I’d just choose a few types of buzz bombs, bring an air horn, busy boating and fishing time of year and sometimes captains get distracted….

 

[amashinga]

Hello,

I'm planning a trip to Hornby island with my family mid august, we are traveling from Nelson BC.
I'm hoping to do some fishing from a kayak while I'm there(Jigging/casting spoons/ buzz bombs).

I've done a bit of research on spots and it looks like I should fish the southern side of Hornby.
I haven't done much ocean fishing for salmon/cod/rockfish so looking for some insight on lures to buy so I don't break the bank and don't by a lure that I wont use.

This is the info I've found so far from YouTube videos and scouring the internet and other forums

50 # braided main line with litre material monofilament( fluorocarbon ) that is 20# to 30#

lures I should purchase:

1. pearl 2.5 oz Zingger
2. 2 oz silver perkin
3. Point wilson dart -silver
4. 4inch Zingers 3 and 4 inch Buzz Bombs and same size Sting Zilda's best colors are green, blue, white, chartreuse
5. Spinnows cod killer
6. lil nib irish mint 2 oz
7. macdeep 150 grams

I'm hoping to avoid lures or swimbaits larger than 6 oz as I don't have the rod and reel set up for that. also reeling that in from a kayak would suck.

I'm looking to target anything but would like to catch salmon, cod/ling cod and smaller rock fish and cod ( greenling and copper rock fish)

Looking for some direction or recommendations on other lures to buy or not buy. I have a fish finder so I plan to paddle around trolling a spoon until I can find structure than try jigging for fish.

I've never been to Hornby so I will be trying to learn the area as well as catch fish.

Thanks !

I only fish from a kayak, and do pretty well on salmon and bottom fish. You are over thinking the lure choice, and personally I prefer the traditional mackdeep/lil nib style jigs. You are not going to be casting them, I will explain below. Get two of each, cop car colors (black and white), irish mint colors (chartruse and white) and herring aid, all around 2 oz. Then get a chartruse and cop car variant at 5oz. The reason is it is hard to hit the bottom if there is a strong current, and as I said, you are not casting it. If you only have 2oz jigs, you could end up not fishing.

For bottom fish, look for rocks, pinnicles etc. Drop the lure till it hits bottom, wind twice, jig about 5 times, wind it up 20 feet, let it drop to the bottom, repeat. Let the jig do the work, and be ready for a take on the drop, not as you jig.

For salmon, forget about structure, and jig on the edge of the bait. longer jigs, wind it up and let it flutter through the bait. Most takes are on the drop. Use your sonar to find bait, but dont ignore the gulls too.

I would also take one or two spoons (I like the no bannana's and herring aid pattern) , and a couple of the peetz slip weights. I caught more than one chinook before I put a downrigger on my kayak using that combination (assuming you have a way to hold your rod while you paddle)

The problem with casting is you tend to reel in the slack, keeping the jig way too high in the water column. Its also just not necessary, you are in a kayak so you dont need to cast to reach the fish, they are right below you.

Have fun and good luck

 

[Dusty]

I only fish from a kayak, and do pretty well on salmon and bottom fish. You are over thinking the lure choice, and personally I prefer the traditional mackdeep/lil nib style jigs. You are not going to be casting them, I will explain below. Get two of each, cop car colors (black and white), irish mint colors (chartruse and white) and herring aid, all around 2 oz. Then get a chartruse and cop car variant at 5oz. The reason is it is hard to hit the bottom if there is a strong current, and as I said, you are not casting it. If you only have 2oz jigs, you could end up not fishing.

For bottom fish, look for rocks, pinnicles etc. Drop the lure till it hits bottom, wind twice, jig about 5 times, wind it up 20 feet, let it drop to the bottom, repeat. Let the jig do the work, and be ready for a take on the drop, not as you jig.

For salmon, forget about structure, and jig on the edge of the bait. longer jigs, wind it up and let it flutter through the bait. Most takes are on the drop. Use your sonar to find bait, but dont ignore the gulls too.

I would also take one or two spoons (I like the no bannana's and herring aid pattern) , and a couple of the peetz slip weights. I caught more than one chinook before I put a downrigger on my kayak using that combination (assuming you have a way to hold your rod while you paddle)

The problem with casting is you tend to reel in the slack, keeping the jig way too high in the water column. Its also just not necessary, you are in a kayak so you dont need to cast to reach the fish, they are right below you.

Have fun and good luck

Thanks so much for the info , I really appreciate it . I was wondering for trolling the spoons with the peetz weights . Do you usually run a flasher ? If so what size and type would you recommend?

 

[Jordyneary24]

I was just doing this 2 days ago. I have visited hornby over year for about 10 years now and jigged out of a kayak there the past 5 or 6. I always have gone out of tribune bay and jigged anywhere from 100 yards of the point on the right side of tribune bay, and out to 100 yards off the point off little tribune bay(about 1km further out). Have had lots of success with rock cod, and king cod here using buzz bongs and zingers. This year was probably my worst luck yet but still reeled in 5 rock cod and 1 large dogfish between me and my girlfriend in a double kayak, just unfortunately no ling. Also once here just trolling in the kayak I caught 6 salmon in about 2 hours trolling in kayak, using buzz bomb. Wouldn’t recommend expecting that, as I think it must have been a fluke salmon run and have tried trolling since and not gotten anything, but if you try this area using a fish finder I assume you would have lots of success jigging. I have had solid success without a fish finder in this area.

 

[amashinga]

Thanks so much for the info , I really appreciate it . I was wondering for trolling the spoons with the peetz weights . Do you usually run a flasher ? If so what size and type would you recommend?

No I dont run a flasher with those weights, it would probably pull out the loop.