Sablefish? Anyone ever try off the WCVI?

[Pippen]

I am not even sure if they are down this far south? Have been googling and can't really find a "range" for them off the West Coast of British Columbia; lots of info on Alaska but not so much for us.

Has anyone ever picked them up? I know they are down pretty deep....not sure if anyone has hooked them while going for hail or lings down deep?

"If" they do exist off the WCVI....how far out do you have to be? Would they be within the range of the "highway" or do you have to head out notably further to deeper water to find them?

Just thought I'd ask....I was enjoying it for dinner last night and just thought I'd ask about the fishery.

 

[Dogbreath]

They're all along the coast right down to California.

I've heard of people picking up the odd one further north but not off WCVI-Grey/True Cod Yes but not Sablefish.

 

[Charter Tofino]

I had a buddy who owned a Hali farm up by winter harbor and he said they used to get lots both sports fishing and long lining.

 

[Justfish]

We caught Sablefish around the chicken ranch a few times. On the bottom in 200+ ft on Hali jigs, fast fishing when you hit a school. I believe they move around but for sure they are available along WCVI.

 

[Osama Bin Hopper]

We caught Sablefish around the chicken ranch a few times. On the bottom in 200+ ft on Hali jigs, fast fishing when you hit a school. I believe they move around but for sure they are available along WCVI.

What Justfish said.

Mid/end of Sepember is when we head out there trying to target them.

We saw some commercial black cod trapping boats when we were out tuna fishing so they gotta be in other spots, just a matter of spending the time learning.

 

[Steelhead S2]

hit em on the long line gear off wcvi. but way deep. can be thick though. incidentally, black cod collars make a fantastic hali bait too.

 

[chris73]

Caught one in the JDF some years ago while hali fishing. Somewhere between 250 and 300' deep. But never targeted them.

 

[bananas]

Yup have caught lots in 400Ft+ of water in sept off swiftsure and have got a couple off vic this year in the deep but just little guys.