La perouse pilchards

[Sharphooks]

I never made it to Uke this year---I shot my wad going to Port Hardy instead

Part of the thrill of fishing Big Bank for me was seeing the pilchard show---does anybody have any anecdotal stories of the pilchards they saw this summer (or didn't see)?

There's a theory that a big band of cold water kept them out---

http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/sst/contour/uspacifi.cf.gif

what say you?

 

[IronNoggin]

Have not seen even a single pilchard in any bellies, nor any evidence on the surface or sounder.
Methinks NOAA got it right...

And that ain't so cheery...
Nog

 

[Sharphooks]

Thanks for that, Nog---I was hoping you'd chime in on what you saw or didn't see.

Ya, bad news, no doubt. The Ucluelet facility is going to be hurting if it ends up being a No Show---

 

[IronNoggin]

The seiners have been poised all summer. One wanders out every now and then for a look, then returns to tie up. A day or two later, it is another's turn... and so on and so on...

Plant is running on ~ 1/2 staff and hoping...

Thankfully a few herring were about for the salmon and others! (SHHHH... DO NOT inform The Dino or they will rapidly do away with those! ).

Missed running my arsenal of pilchard imitations this year, they usually are The Answer. Good thing I held onto a few of the old herring ones...

Likely too late to make any difference all the way around. The Big Returning Springs have largely wandered on it seems. If the pilchards do show, probably too late to help out the Plant etc, but at least that biomass of feeders out there could capitalize and the returning Coho might be able to tack on a few pounds before wandering to the Sweet Water...

Cheers,
Nog

 

[Aces]

No big bait no big fish

How much of the biomass was captured by the seiners in our area? I've heard a lot of different numbers

 

[TheRock]

I was smelt fishing on the beach in Port Renfrew a month ago.. and caught three Pilchards in the nets.. http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum...mer-Port-Renfrew-amp-Swiftsure-Reports/page15

 

[Samnjoe]

No pilchard at all in Winter harbor this August.
Al fish had herring large to very small.
Wonder what happened to them?

 

[Wildside]

Outside of Port Hardy and Fitzhugh Sound are loaded with Pilchards

 

[Samnjoe]

Are these confirmed as pilchards? Good thing if they are.
Have not seen one all year and I fish a lot for a non pro.

Outside of Port Hardy and Fitzhugh Sound are loaded with Pilchards

 

[Wildside]

Yup definitely Pilchards loaded with them especially around Namu. Humpbacks feeding on them all over the place. I live in Tofino there were some around in early May but haven't seen any here since. Some years they show up some years they don't.

 

[FishWhisperer]

One word - Jughead.
Pilchards are the reason I made Jughead. The smaller sizes are a bi-product...
Wonder how we can coax them buggers down this way... may be too late now tho.

 

[bushwackin]

Not a single pilchard in esperanza or offshore from there all summer either, that we saw.

 

[Portsider]

I live in Hardy. The fish plant here hasn't had any pilchards come in all summer. Their were a few earlier, but all small. 5 years ago it wasn't uncommon to see 30 or 40 Humpback whales on a trip from Hardy to Fitz Hugh on the water taxi, this year we are lucky to see 1/2 a dozen. Maybe they moved south or offshore. I see the water is warming up off of Topknot again. Hope to get a trip in soon!

 

[hambone]

Anyone heard of pilchards being found on the WCVI??? Or are they going to avoid us again this summer??

 

[Fish Assassin]

Anyone heard of pilchards being found on the WCVI??? Or are they going to avoid us again this summer??

I can deal with pilchards but those dam mackerel that's a different story.

 

[seadna]

I've got money that says the mackerel will be thick by August. I think the El Nino will bring them right in. On the bright side, strips of mackerel on a hootchie catch salmon.

 

[the fog ducker]

mackeral have now infested the nook again ,
great kids n adults with Caesars in hand fishery

gonna throw a few in the live tank , send em down to some big mowths lol

fd

 

[tubber]

Anyone heard of pilchards being found on the WCVI??? Or are they going to avoid us again this summer??

On about July 5th the lady at the fish plant in Ukee said they would be doing mostly hake, as the pilchards were not looking like they would show up.