No Anchovies in 2022 Again?

[searun]

Bait over anything else except for the odd circumstance has been my experience

shhhhhh, bait doesn't work

 

[pescador]

Feed them what they eat, couldn't agree more

they always seem to want Chovies....

 

[Tom Mac]

Matching the hatch is always the route to go

That was was what I saw when when the guy handed me the bait, looked like the herring in the schools in the bay

 

[walleyes]

Feed them what they eat, couldn't agree more

This ^^^ Show me one time when fish target metal lol.

Can’t beat the real thing, “properly presented of course“ Feeding heavy, hungry fish, sure lures work but they aren’t real and fish aren’t dumb or blind or without senses.

 

[Capt_Ed]

they always seem to want Chovies....

I buy bait from Derby every year but have equal success with the herring we dip from bait balls around Telegraph Cove. It's a bit of work chasing them around ,finding a decent size and putting them up properly, but we'll worth it in the end

 

[Doug]

I only use bait and it's good to hear that the small herring work well. I have a few packages and will try them out.
Most days fishing in the Sooke area we get our limit of springs. Sometimes nice size fish like this fish from a few years ago.
Weighed in at Island Outfitter and Eagle Eye Wilderness 62.5 lb.
The good old days when bait was cheap and there were lots of big fish around.
In the last few years spoons have come a long way and do work better than the old ones did.

 

[trophywife]

,,, i use bait for roughly 2-3 weeks. inshore only. i cant imagine trying to run bait offshore.

 

[SpringFever552]

,,, i use bait for roughly 2-3 weeks. inshore only. i cant imagine trying to run bait offshore.

Exactly, inshore on the rocks fishing the kelp/foam = bait...
offshore throw a spoon on 1 side and rubber on the other if trolling

 

[spoiler]

It's hard to beat a freshly jigged herring rigged as a cut plug. there's something about the fresh blood and oil scent trail that drives Chinook nuts!

 

[bryce]

Last year, artificials (spoons and hootchies) out fished anchovies when we were in Rupert. Was quite surprised, but the results didn't lie. We bought 12 packs and have 9 left to try again this year.

Cheers

SS

When were you up? I fish up here all year and definitely have different results!
No bait up here besides my freezer right now as well!
A few packs of chovies but herring are generally the answer for big fish

 

[Seaspanker]

ok , so what is the scuttlebutt out there no Anchovie bait this year ? Again ! i texted ray's Davis baits about this , they said "might know more in July till then , doubtful", Is this just one very bad rumour ? is there any one out there with better information willing to pass along .

 

[Derby]

Very limited amount available.. Most likely mid july there should be some available.. Thought last year was tight.. the worest supply start I have ever encountered

 

[wildmanyeah]

Seemed like there was a crunch last year but by the time fishing opened up in September seemed like lots of places had them.

the positive is a lot of the early fishery’s. Spoons and hootchies work well.

 

[Rockfish]

the positive is a lot of the early fishery’s. Spoons and hootchies work well.

Are we still allowed to have early fisheries?

 

[scott craven]

Not anymore, new IFMP draft is out.
no retention in 19/20 April 1 to July 31
(aside from the small area in Becher)

 

[Sharphooks]

I found 90 cases yesterday but unfortunately they’re all pre-committed. I managed to get a case for my own , and was promised there’d be more in May. Trying to help out one of my guys in Hardy—-he said there is nothing to be found up there....charter guys getting nervous

 

[Derby]

Because there is none available...

 

[Bryan Allen]

Gone Fishin in Courtenay got a shipment of 5" herring a couple of days ago. They fit well in a teaser.

 

[Derby]

Got lots of those

 

[Doug]

As note on this thread, numerous fishermen have been having good success catching springs using the small herring they are selling in place of anchovies. I decided to try them out while fishing for winter springs.

I prefer to use bait when fishing for springs, so the last four trips out,, I brined up some herring and anchovies to see how they perform against each other.

The herring out of the package have great bright blue backs and nice shinny bodies. They look great for appearance. The herring are also a little thinner in the body and have a deeper body than an anchovy. I found the skin did not brine well and shrivelled compared to the anchovies. The herring also started to break down sooner than the anchovy while trolling.

I have attached a couple of photos.
-One where the herring and anchovies are fresh out of the packages side by side.
-One where I have placed a brined herring beside an anchovy. Both these were brined in salt water, in the same container for 14 hours.

We caught spring on both baits, but fishing 130 ft+ on the downrigger, in the clouds and rain makes it a little harder for the fish to get a good look at what you are trolling down near bottom. Wee have gotten spring every trip and today we got four nice springs in under two hours and let a few 5lb go.

If I couldn’t get anchovies, I would use the herring but brine them the night before you use them. The herring that sat in the brine for a few days really pruned up and the skin was still soft