OFFICIAL 2016 Vancouver-Howe Sound-Sechelt Reports Thread

[Ken J]

Any recommendations for good spots for crab? I had two traps taken (stolen from me?) around North Arm so I'm looking for a new, safer spot that could produce a good catch. I haven't heard much about crab areas in Howe Sound. Usually I launch at McDonald Beach so ideally I'd like someplace relatively close.

Traps are disappearing in all waters...even when one stays within sight of them.

 

[TheBigGuy]

Definitely a more active morning at the Cap. Managed to burn thru the pack of anchovies and had to throw out a spoon and a hootchie. Fished right on bottom. Unfortunately, fed a seal a beauty, snappped the leader on another that I was forcing to the boat in fear of the seals. Had two other good fish on that didn't stick but managed to box one 20lb and one 11lb hatchery. Really, really wish tomorrow wasn't a work day.

Glad you got something that the seals didn't steal.

 

[Teja]

Glad you got something that the seals didn't steal.

No question ... between the seal on one fish today and my failed attempt to horse a second big fish in to avoid being sealed a second time, I did a pretty good job of catch and unintentional release this a.m. Have had enough of the seals for while between feeding two Sandheads seals a couple weekends ago and today's Cap seal.

 

[Pippen]

Funny seal story....there are a few at the Cap but there is one BIG harbour seal, kinda coloured up so I think he's been staging there for a while...haha.

To the guys in the blue hulled boat around 2 pm with the double header on ho's.....we are sorry. This big seal had been following us ALL day....and we were fishing in the "closed" area a fair bit as the PA didn't care about us as we were staying well out of the channel. This seal was all over us....finally I did a big run from one side of the boat to the other like you would to a dog in a sweeping motion to say "GO AWAY". Well....the seal is trained as he followed me and went off like on command to the blue hulled boat and took one of their double header. I felt bad but I did yell at them....."SEAL IS ON THE WAY".

Good bites yesterday around the tide change....we got springs in the mud and ho's up high. All of our springers were going east into the ebbing tide on the outside tack (most were doing the same tack...haha) in about 120' of water right on bottom.

 

[Silver Tip]

Its the new RCMP boat

I've seen it a few times... it's the new chase boat of the VPD Marine Division and has been given the name, Larry Young.
It's a custom RHIB built by Titan on Vancouver Island.
At the moment I believe it's powered by twin 300 Evinrude outboards...it's an amazing vessel and very fast but as a one of prototype, still undergoing it's break in period.

 

[adanac]

Sandheads Saturday produced one 18 lb chrome as can be whitey on herring out in the deeper water. Moved to the Capaliano for the afternoon for a few hours and put 3 quality coho in the boat all 8 lbs plus. interestingly enough was that we got all our coho casting to the schools with spinners on spinning tackle, great fun on 8 lb braid. Some real quality fish in those schools of coho.

 

[wildmanyeah]

Looks like big rain is coming for Thursday so better get out to the CAP before they all go up.

 

[TheBigGuy]

Worked the Cap for am slack. Very little happening. Fished there a couple hours with nothing then decided to find some fresh incoming fish. Headed to Ambleside. First pass got a nice big hook nose hatch coho 10lbs. Strip with a 7 foot leader. Purple taped head with a purple haze flasher 90ft deep in 120ft of water.

 

[Finished Business]

Any recommendations for good spots for crab? I had two traps taken (stolen from me?) around North Arm so I'm looking for a new, safer spot that could produce a good catch. I haven't heard much about crab areas in Howe Sound. Usually I launch at McDonald Beach so ideally I'd like someplace relatively close.

Crabbing off the Fraser, though good, can be treacherous for traps. Factors working against you are many. Big currents from the river, big tides on full/no moons, heavy shipping traffic going up/down river (tugs, swinging log booms), heavy freighter traffic (more a concern for prawn traps) travelling to Van. Harbour, countless fishing and rec boats transiting these waters, and lastly, trap thieves.

The currents and tides are tough to contend with in these areas, choose a float to big and your traps will lift and float off, choose one too small and its likely to be pulled under.

@ cap 4-6pm Sunday, no bites

 

[el.Pereh]

Sandheads Sunday am till 2. Missed a good strike setting gear with my head in the bait cooler. Looked up when I heard the reel...

Nice hatchery coho at 1oam at 37' on a chovie. There were a few nets out in the late am.

 

[pescador]

Any idea how much longer we can fish the North Arm or Sandheads? Weather is changing and days getting shorter. Want to get a couple more days in if it worth while.

 

[tightlines]

SH's today 12-3. 30-50 ft chovies. 1 white spring 20 lbs, 1 chum 12 lbs, 3 nice coho to boat (2 hatch). All the fish were chrome bright, except the chum had the very beginnings of the tiger stripes.

It seems like there are still fresh fish out there. Might be a few more good days left. We were fishing north of the green bell in about 100 ft of water.

 

[TheBigGuy]

All the Coho jumpers that were at the Cap last week appeared to be gone. It was very quiet for the number of boats there yesterday. So it looks like a good number of the fish have already headed up river. So with the rains forecast this week I imagine that will flush any remaining fish up the river. I'm not saying the fishery is done, but I don't think there will be big numbers of fish holding there after this week. The Chum I picked up there a couple days back was the brightest chrome chum I've ever caught there, so I'm sure the Chum will be coming for a while yet. The Chum don't bite well enough to make that fishery alone worthwhile though. I'm sure there will still be a few spring and a decent number of Coho still arriving at the cap over the next few weeks, but if it doesn't stay dry most will bolt straight up river. So hopefully, it dries up for a last kick at the can before the season ends. At least it finished on a high note. The Cap fishery ended up being way better than the Fraser mouth all summer. My worst day at the cap was better than most of my good days off the Fraser this summer. Hopefully the Cap continues for a bit longer. Maybe I can refine my chum techniques an start getting them with some consistency and prolong the season even further. Big thank you to all the guys contributing reports this year, much appreciated.

 

[reeltordarius]

All the Coho jumpers that were at the Cap last week appeared to be gone. It was very quiet for the number of boats there yesterday. So it looks like a good number of the fish have already headed up river. So with the rains forecast this week I imagine that will flush any remaining fish up the river. I'm not saying the fishery is done, but I don't think there will be big numbers of fish holding there after this week. The Chum I picked up there a couple days back was the brightest chrome chum I've ever caught there, so I'm sure the Chum will be coming for a while yet. The Chum don't bite well enough to make that fishery alone worthwhile though. I'm sure there will still be a few spring and a decent number of Coho still arriving at the cap over the next few weeks, but if it doesn't stay dry most will bolt straight up river. So hopefully, it dries up for a last kick at the can before the season ends. At least it finished on a high note. The Cap fishery ended up being way better than the Fraser mouth all summer. My worst day at the cap was better than most of my good days off the Fraser this summer. Hopefully the Cap continues for a bit longer. Maybe I can refine my chum techniques an start getting them with some consistency and prolong the season even further. Big thank you to all the guys contributing reports this year, much appreciated.

We were there yesterday and still seemed to be lots of jumpers...although not quite like last week. Looks like the big rains start coming mid next week....

 

[TheBigGuy]

We were there yesterday and still seemed to be lots of jumpers...although not quite like last week. Looks like the big rains start coming mid next week....

Thats good to know. I only fished early in the AM then packed it in, as it was pretty slow fishing and had stuff to do in the afternoon. Guess the jumpers waited till it got warmer in the afternoon to do a bit of splashing around.

 

[reeltordarius]

Thats good to know. I only fished early in the AM then packed it in, as it was pretty slow fishing and had stuff to do in the afternoon. Guess the jumpers waited till it got warmer in the afternoon to do a bit of splashing around.

We did the afternoon shift - 12:45 - 4:30 - boxed one hatchery and got sealed with what looked to be a nice spring. 2 other boats got sealed next to us as well....they were out in force

 

[TheBigGuy]

Ya that was the other reason I left the Cap after a short while. Not a lot of boats there and the seal was dogging me. So, I knew if I did get one there I would probably end up fighting the seal for it.

Got a nice size Coho at Ambleside then packed it in. I've been lucky this year and have only had a seal get a hold of one of my fish, and I beat the seal on that one.

 

[sir-vivor]

Went out at 9 am , thinking the Weather Man made a mistake with Gale winds,, Nop ! at about 11am the winds came up big time and by 130pm it was batten down the hatch and head home. Picked up a nice Coho (7 lbs, wild , safely released) on Anchovies straight out from the green can at about 55ft in 180' of water , the current was really running and the winds made it tough to fish anymore so left for the dock ... lots of fish marked out there sea side of the green and red can , to bad the winds came up !!

 

[reeltordarius]

Looks like the report is.... rain! Gonna try on Monday but something tells me the rivers will be way up and the fish are making their run.

 

[sir-vivor]

Looks like the report is.... rain! Gonna try on Monday but something tells me the rivers will be way up and the fish are making their run.

Yup and turn off the lights !