spring fever
Well-Known Member
I have to admit I am not looking forward to 2012 as far as Springs go. Let's hope they had an extraordinarily easy time at sea with an extra high survivability rate.
Port Hardy / Winter Harbour / North Island Report - Spring and Summer 2011
- Thread starter MyEscape
- Start date
SerengetiGuide
Well-Known Member
No japs combined with excellent outgoing conditions the next year makes me not too scared actually...thoughts anyone?
spring fever
Well-Known Member
You've got me on that one-whats the "no japs" comment pertain to? Some fishing practise they weren't/didn't do or is it some other slang word that somehow I've missed the significance of?
MRWood
Well-Known Member
Amazing fish for you and your dad. Any one of those fish would be a dream for most people.
I have my boat up in Hardy. Going to go up next week. Hopefully the showery weather that is forcast will bring calm conditions.
Sitkaspruce
Well-Known Member
We really didn't have a summer here, the cloudy and wet conditions made for some great days on the water this year. But do you think the constant rain and warm water of WH played a factor in the spotty spring fishing this year??
The boys in Hardy had a great year, but down here it was hit or miss, some days you found a few, others you didn't....a lot of others. Same for WH, at least when I was out there and getting info from friends.
Overall a strange season so far.....
Cheers
SS
The boys in Hardy had a great year, but down here it was hit or miss, some days you found a few, others you didn't....a lot of others. Same for WH, at least when I was out there and getting info from friends.
Overall a strange season so far.....
Cheers
SS
SerengetiGuide
Well-Known Member
sorry spring, as in no japanese out with their massive butt nets...since the tsunami wiped them out...
SerengetiGuide
Well-Known Member
And ya, by far my best overall year...2 days ago went bottomfishing, limit of ling snapper and 150, 135lb, 75lb and 40lb halibut
spring fever
Well-Known Member
Hadn't thought of that one Ie. the loss of nets etc-so you are hoping this will give the 2008 fish a respite this year. Could be-since Japanese fishing and catches are less than transparent. I have my fingers crossed.
Charlie
Well-Known Member
Anyone want or care about a Charlie prediction? 
My personal thoughts – for what it is worth, unless something changes, 2012 will be just fine and I personally believe while it may or may not be as good as 2011, it will end up above that average return they (NOAA) predict!
Right now, they are predicting "average" Chinook returns for 2012. I can see and “tend” to agree with that prediction; however, if nothing changes (anymore than it has) – it could very well end up being better than that average predicted. With Chinook, it really does depend on whether we have a warm PDO, or a cold PDO. Chinook migrate, live, and FEED inside the confines of the Continental Shelf – so, those warm El Niño waters (and associated weaker upwellings just experienced) doesn’t bring those colder waters into the shelf. That does affect the Chinook food supply and has to affect survival rates (and size).
Compare ocean conditions the smolts are exposed, from the time they enter the ocean until scheduled to return. With Columbia, when NOAA talks about ocean conditions and survival, it is all about that Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), which BTW is currently in process of changing. That number of smolts Columbia basin puts out, the better ocean conditions (colder PDO) = more food = larger survival rates = bigger returns.
Now concerning the Fraser returns, I just have to throw this in. When DFO talks about Chinook returning, they seem to continually refer to “Very poor marine survival continues to be a concern.” Yep, I can see where poor survival might be a concern! What DFO isn’t telling is way whenever that statement is made, it seems to be in direct proportion with those smolts having to swim through all those fish farms! And, they don’t seem very interested in spending money on researching the “very poor marine survival”! I guess from all those testimonies starting to come out in the Cohen Commission, we are starting to find out why? Just my fish farm plug, for the day!
Ocean conditions are good and remain good, with the exception of a small El Niño from autumn of 2009 lasting through April 2010. Not sure,how that small El Niño actually affected those out-migrating smolts during that timeframe that typically reduces survival rates; however, it was small. Those warm waters certainly do affect the food supply for our Chinook on their feeding grounds. Our Chinook feeding grounds are within the Continental Shelf, within the Gulf of Alaska, a cold PDO is a good thing – warm PDO is bad. The Alaskan Chinook migrate further north, so for them things are reversed. A cold PDO is a bad thing, and warm PDO is good. However, with Columbia releasing more smolts, that should help offset that small” El Niño effect. The fish on the feeding grounds that are the returning in 2012, they probably just followed their food to the colder waters and that should not have had that much effect on them. It may or may not be equal to this year - but overall, unless something changes, the 2012 return will be just fine!
Beyond 2012 – I take no bets! The PDO is in a warming stage, oceanconditions are changing in favor of Alaska Chinook. Right now - Only Mother Nature and the ocean has the answer beyond 2012! PDO shifting to warmer = good for Alaska, bad for our Chinook! The good thing we have going for us Columbia basin hatcheries are currently releasing more Chinook smolts than ever.
Just my 2 cents!
http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/fed/oeip/g-forecast.cfm
My personal thoughts – for what it is worth, unless something changes, 2012 will be just fine and I personally believe while it may or may not be as good as 2011, it will end up above that average return they (NOAA) predict!
Right now, they are predicting "average" Chinook returns for 2012. I can see and “tend” to agree with that prediction; however, if nothing changes (anymore than it has) – it could very well end up being better than that average predicted. With Chinook, it really does depend on whether we have a warm PDO, or a cold PDO. Chinook migrate, live, and FEED inside the confines of the Continental Shelf – so, those warm El Niño waters (and associated weaker upwellings just experienced) doesn’t bring those colder waters into the shelf. That does affect the Chinook food supply and has to affect survival rates (and size).
Compare ocean conditions the smolts are exposed, from the time they enter the ocean until scheduled to return. With Columbia, when NOAA talks about ocean conditions and survival, it is all about that Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), which BTW is currently in process of changing. That number of smolts Columbia basin puts out, the better ocean conditions (colder PDO) = more food = larger survival rates = bigger returns.
Now concerning the Fraser returns, I just have to throw this in. When DFO talks about Chinook returning, they seem to continually refer to “Very poor marine survival continues to be a concern.” Yep, I can see where poor survival might be a concern! What DFO isn’t telling is way whenever that statement is made, it seems to be in direct proportion with those smolts having to swim through all those fish farms! And, they don’t seem very interested in spending money on researching the “very poor marine survival”! I guess from all those testimonies starting to come out in the Cohen Commission, we are starting to find out why? Just my fish farm plug, for the day!
Ocean conditions are good and remain good, with the exception of a small El Niño from autumn of 2009 lasting through April 2010. Not sure,how that small El Niño actually affected those out-migrating smolts during that timeframe that typically reduces survival rates; however, it was small. Those warm waters certainly do affect the food supply for our Chinook on their feeding grounds. Our Chinook feeding grounds are within the Continental Shelf, within the Gulf of Alaska, a cold PDO is a good thing – warm PDO is bad. The Alaskan Chinook migrate further north, so for them things are reversed. A cold PDO is a bad thing, and warm PDO is good. However, with Columbia releasing more smolts, that should help offset that small” El Niño effect. The fish on the feeding grounds that are the returning in 2012, they probably just followed their food to the colder waters and that should not have had that much effect on them. It may or may not be equal to this year - but overall, unless something changes, the 2012 return will be just fine!
Beyond 2012 – I take no bets! The PDO is in a warming stage, oceanconditions are changing in favor of Alaska Chinook. Right now - Only Mother Nature and the ocean has the answer beyond 2012! PDO shifting to warmer = good for Alaska, bad for our Chinook! The good thing we have going for us Columbia basin hatcheries are currently releasing more Chinook smolts than ever.
Just my 2 cents!
http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/fed/oeip/g-forecast.cfm
SerengetiGuide
Well-Known Member
Cool insight charlie...makes sense...I know the water up here is super warm right now however 
From what we have been observing on SVI is that there are more springs than the last 2-3 years but they are not huge. It seems the 3 year olds had a very good survival and if the 4 year olds fared just as well next year then we should see plenty of tyees in 2012. And I get very excited about thinking of the possibilities of many monster 5 year old chinooks in 2013 if they again did and will be doing well until then...
That's based on observations in Victoria/Sooke and from a few trips to Renfrew and Bamfield.
That's based on observations in Victoria/Sooke and from a few trips to Renfrew and Bamfield.
spring fever
Well-Known Member
Anything happening in Winter Harbour? Any springs off-shore? Has anyone been taking Coho off the mahatta or Koprino/ Thanks -appreciate any info-good or bad. Heading up Sun -back tues or wed-will post a report WIGB
oilslick
Active Member
Hello Spring Fever, 3 boats and 8 diehards just got back on Wednesday from Winter Harboiur. We were scheduled for 6 days of finishing but limited out on both springs and coho after 4 days.
One of the days(Sunday) was a complete washout due to 35 - 40 knot winds and an amazing 200mm of rain in a 24 hour span, just brutal. Lets just say the wine tasted ok that day...
The outside was producing ok with some smaller springs being caught as well as some Hali and Lings but the hotsot for us on all 4 days was Cliff Point.
What a great place to fish when the springs are there. Ninety percent of our springs came from Cliff, biggest being 35lbs and the best of all, the smallest was 24lbs, nice slabs. We lost a few beauties, breaking leaders and of course "suspect" netting.
The weather didn't allow us to get to Brooks Bay but we certainly wanted too go.
All in all it was a great trip, the guides are basically done for the season but the fish are still there. Good luck to you and your squad.
One of the days(Sunday) was a complete washout due to 35 - 40 knot winds and an amazing 200mm of rain in a 24 hour span, just brutal. Lets just say the wine tasted ok that day...
The outside was producing ok with some smaller springs being caught as well as some Hali and Lings but the hotsot for us on all 4 days was Cliff Point.
What a great place to fish when the springs are there. Ninety percent of our springs came from Cliff, biggest being 35lbs and the best of all, the smallest was 24lbs, nice slabs. We lost a few beauties, breaking leaders and of course "suspect" netting.
The weather didn't allow us to get to Brooks Bay but we certainly wanted too go.
All in all it was a great trip, the guides are basically done for the season but the fish are still there. Good luck to you and your squad.
goin up to alder bay on wednesday any reports??? gonna try bottom fish more.... any roundabout locations would be greatly appreciated..... also if I zap strap mycrab traps doors open is it legal for the nimpkish area????(dip nets only) sitkaspruce can you help me out on this? tks guys
Heavyc
Active Member
Saturday was a day to remember for me. Started off with us almost hitting a humpback as it came up 10 ft from the port bow at full throttle enroute to cliffe pt. We bang off a nice coho on our first pass close to the kelp. We get another about an hour later and then the day begins to drag on.
We move over to Mcallister islet and try for a few more passes as we see a couple of boats in that area. Get 1 out of a double header there.
At about 2 the wind has increased and we decide to hit cliffe pt for another pass or two. I put down a pink hoochie behind an army truck flasher on one side and a chovie 6ft behind a green hot spot on the other. Both sides less than 30 ft. The hoochie bangs off and I grab it, my dad pulls up the other gear and points us towards deeper water. This fish begins to go deep and fast, spring on!. After that one long run I slowly coax him towards the boat and it is not tiny. Dad nets in on the second pass and we get this 34lb lunker into the cooler. My first ever Tyee!
It was as big as my 4 yr old and weighed just as much.
Now if you're wondering why in the pic of me and my dad with the fish (and a flower in his hair courtesy of my daughter) We decided after cleaning the smaller fish to go to hardy to verify the weight and confirm my tyee. I gleefully trot down towards the launch/cleaning station/scale down by the quarterdeck pub (*rech*). I go to lift my fish onto the hook and it slipped a bit and impales my hand on the hook for the scale. It went about an inch into the meaty part of my palm. Several people come to my rescue, they cut the lock holding the hook in place and I get wheeled off to the hospital with this monster hook still in my hand (not before I see if someone else has a scale around there and the bled fish weighed 33.5lbs so I'm rounding up due to bleeding)
Docs in the emerg freeze my hand, and cut it out. And now I'm back home with a crazy story of a really fun and interesting day.
Here's the hook, it was in past the barb.
Our 2 day trip yielded 2 springs, a 24 and a 34, 7 coho's and a couple of nice sized black rockfish.
I can't say enough about all the people who came out to help me when I got impaled on that scale. There was about 8 people helping out before the ambulance even got there. If anyone knows of a guide there who used to be a paramedic for 15 years, can you please PM me his name so I can send him a proper thank you. He walked me through the whole thing.
The only way I can sum it up for me from my experience, Best Trip Ever.
PS: On the whole where to eat in hardy front, we did dinner both thursday and friday night at Sporty Pub and the dinners were great. We had planned to go saturday to Escape bistro but I went and got my hand impaled instead. Next time I'm there, Escape is first.
We move over to Mcallister islet and try for a few more passes as we see a couple of boats in that area. Get 1 out of a double header there.
At about 2 the wind has increased and we decide to hit cliffe pt for another pass or two. I put down a pink hoochie behind an army truck flasher on one side and a chovie 6ft behind a green hot spot on the other. Both sides less than 30 ft. The hoochie bangs off and I grab it, my dad pulls up the other gear and points us towards deeper water. This fish begins to go deep and fast, spring on!. After that one long run I slowly coax him towards the boat and it is not tiny. Dad nets in on the second pass and we get this 34lb lunker into the cooler. My first ever Tyee!
It was as big as my 4 yr old and weighed just as much.
Now if you're wondering why in the pic of me and my dad with the fish (and a flower in his hair courtesy of my daughter) We decided after cleaning the smaller fish to go to hardy to verify the weight and confirm my tyee. I gleefully trot down towards the launch/cleaning station/scale down by the quarterdeck pub (*rech*). I go to lift my fish onto the hook and it slipped a bit and impales my hand on the hook for the scale. It went about an inch into the meaty part of my palm. Several people come to my rescue, they cut the lock holding the hook in place and I get wheeled off to the hospital with this monster hook still in my hand (not before I see if someone else has a scale around there and the bled fish weighed 33.5lbs so I'm rounding up due to bleeding)
Docs in the emerg freeze my hand, and cut it out. And now I'm back home with a crazy story of a really fun and interesting day.
Here's the hook, it was in past the barb.
Our 2 day trip yielded 2 springs, a 24 and a 34, 7 coho's and a couple of nice sized black rockfish.
I can't say enough about all the people who came out to help me when I got impaled on that scale. There was about 8 people helping out before the ambulance even got there. If anyone knows of a guide there who used to be a paramedic for 15 years, can you please PM me his name so I can send him a proper thank you. He walked me through the whole thing.
The only way I can sum it up for me from my experience, Best Trip Ever.
PS: On the whole where to eat in hardy front, we did dinner both thursday and friday night at Sporty Pub and the dinners were great. We had planned to go saturday to Escape bistro but I went and got my hand impaled instead. Next time I'm there, Escape is first.
lorneparker1
Banned
Nice fish! and holy fack that musta hurt!
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