Here's an update on the local Vancouver saltwater fishing scene from Dave Korsch. I don't think he'll mind that I'm posting it here as it's got his contact info, etc for charters. Dave, if you you have a problem let me know and I'll take it down but I think it's very relevant for the people on this thread:
Hello Fellow Anglers
I would like to take this opportunity to say "Happy Holidays", and best wishes for 2011. It was definitely good to see the record Sockeye return to the Fraser River this past summer, and the Gulf Island Chinook fishery also provided some great fishing as well. We can only hope that 2011 provides us with some equally great fishing.
I know it has been a couple months since my last newsletter, but to be honest, there really hadn't been anything interesting to report until this past week. The wet fall weather really fizzled out the Capilano's fall Chinook fishery, and the winter Chinook fishery in Howe Sound was slow getting started. There were a few fish around since I began looking for "winter Chinook" back in the middle of October, but the action was inconsistent, and schools of "Tommy Cod" plagued us (making it difficult to fish effectively).
This all changed in the last week. The numbers of Tommy Cod thinned out, and the Chinook activity has picked up significantly. Legal fish were hit daily in several of the popular southern Howe Sound fishing locations (Grace Islands, Hutt Island, and Tunstall Bay). In addition, Chinook numbers have risen enough that we have even started to see "multiple hits". A buddy was out on Saturday, and had a nice double header of a legal and an undersized fish, and last Friday I was out for 3 or 4 hours with a buddy, and we had a double header that basically turned into a triple header (the 3rd fish hit before we were able to get the original two lines back out).....two fish were of legal size, and the 3rd would have been just a bit short..... Unfortunately, a "comedy of errors" led to all 3 fish throwing the hooks at the size of the boat......lol. The main thing is that we have finally started to have some decent action. We ended up the day hitting 5 fish, and other buddies fishing the weekend also hit multiple fish each day.....a far cry from the "one a day" that had been typical in recent weeks.
Spoons have been hitting the majority of fish (generally trolled behind a flasher, though some by themselves as well), though anchovies are also hitting some fish, 4" Tomic plugs, and even Glitter Strip have been effective. As is usually the case, dragging your offering right along the bottom is the most effective method at this time of year.
As I have done in recent winters, I am doing draws for free 5 hour charters for anyone on this e-mail list who does a charter during the "winter" or "off season". Because I never put out a newsletter in early November, and no one from this e-mail list did a charter between the start of November and now, I will only be doing two draws this winter. I'm not going to do one at the end of December as I have done in the past. This winter the draw for the first free charter will occur on February 15th, and the second one will occur at the end of April. Those who do a trip between now and January 15th will get two entries into the first draw while charters done between Jan 16th and Feb 15th will only get a single entry into that draw. For the second draw, trips done between Feb 16th and the end of March will get two entries into the final draw, and trips done during April will have one entry. Those who do trips between now and Feb 15th will also still have a single entry into the second draw, and if you happen to win the first draw, you are still eligible for the second draw as well.
As usual at this time of year, I have a pretty open schedule and am typically available to do charters on short notice. As I did last winter, I have moved my boat to Gibsons in order to avoid the pounding that can often occur in Horseshoe Bay from those nasty Squamish winds (and to easily allow me to pop out fishing for a couple hours when I want to go myself). That being said, I will bring the boat back over to Horseshoe Bay for charters whenever necessary, though if you want to walk onto the ferry, I can easily pick you up and we can do the charter from Gibsons, and avoid any potentially rough seas between Horseshoe Bay and Bowen Island. I still have several open dates through the holidays, and with the way the action has picked up, this looks as if it may work out nicely for those who want to try for winter Chinook. As of right now, I have the following days open: Dec 21st, Dec 24th (some time restrictions), Dec 26th (at least two days notice required), Dec 27th, Dec 28th, Dec 29th, Dec 31st, and then I am basically open from January 3rd onward.
I will also have the prawn traps out during charters, and they are always a great addition to the day's catch. Much of Howe Sound will actually close to recreational prawning on January 1st, but the area near Horseshoe Bay will remain open.
As always, feel free to pass this information along to any associates whom may appreciate the report. If you have any questions, or wish to book a charter, e-mail me at (davek@dccnet.com), or call me at (604) 329 - 8642.
Tight Lines,
David Korsch
Predator Charters
www.predatorcharters.com
davek@dccnet.com
david.korsch@eastlink.ca
(604) 329 - 8642
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