WCVI timing for Columbia Spring Run

[searun]

I see from the fish ladder data on the Columbia that the peak in-river migration seems to be from Mid May to June. Wondering if anyone has any good/reliable data on when those Columbia "springers" pass along the west coast of Vancouver Island? Trying to time some trips to match when those predicted 479,000 fish swim by Bamfield.[][]

Searun

 

[Charter Tofino]

There was that stupid amount of fish around barkely (inside) late may, early june last year and they were almost all hatch (i assume american) fish 8-20lbs. Anyone ever find out where they were from? I didnt get a chance to send the heads in.

 

[Karma-Kazi]

They Were in sooke in early june last year. Thats all the help I can give.

 

[searun]

That was my experience last year also. I didn't get a chance to put any heads in, but would bet you a few beers the majority of fish were Columbia River fish. Sure would be good to get some technical data to back up what we expect to be run timing for WCVI to be...my guess being it will start in late April and peak in May. I'm hoping there are a few data junkies out there who can put some science behind the best guess...there must be some WCVI commercial troll data somewhere??

Searun

 

[Derby]

Believe or not-DFO would really like all the sporties to turn their heads in.With less troll fisheries, less heads turned in means less data available. Maybe we should all turn in every head?thus more accurate data. That would include me as I don't alway turn all my heads in either.[}][]

 

[Charlie]

quote:Originally posted by searun

That was my experience last year also. I didn't get a chance to put any heads in, but would bet you a few beers the majority of fish were Columbia River fish. Sure would be good to get some technical data to back up what we expect to be run timing for WCVI to be...my guess being it will start in late April and peak in May. I'm hoping there are a few data junkies out there who can put some science behind the best guess...there must be some WCVI commercial troll data somewhere??

Depending on where you were last year - I might have to take that bet! But, only if it is "good" and cold Canadian beer!

The majority of those 8-20 pound “fin clipped” springs caught off Sooke and southern VI, are actually from Puget Sound. Many on the banks are also Puget Sound that reside there. They usually don’t go farther north than La Perouse Bank and very few north of VI, but they are caught offshore at Nootka (heads turned in - Westview Marina).

But, it is interesting everyone thinks if it is clipped, it is U.S. and if it’s not clipped it is “wild”, that is not necessarily true and - Canada clips! Canada and Washington clips almost 100% of all Coho and Steelhead, but Washington clips less than 50% of the Chinooks (Columbians). And, sorry to say that the majority of those Columbians clipped or not… have also originated from a hatchery!

BTW… Something brought up on another forum, If you read your regulations - some just might be releasing “hatchery” fish thinking they are wild, not looking for the “ventral” or “pectoral” fin – you need to be watching, as I have caught fish on the WCVI missing the pectoral and... to my knowledge "no one" in the U.S. clips the "pectural" fin! According to regulations “Glossary” that would be a hatchery marked fish:

quote: HATCHERY MARKED FISH – a fish usually marked by the absence of the adipose fin, or sometimes the ventral (pelvic), or pectoral fin, and having a healed scar in place of that absent fin.

As stated, you should start seeing more on the WCVI starting in April. You can do a search for “Bamfield” and look at last year’s fishing reports, when and where they were catching the bigger fish, which would be a good place help determine when to target them. If I were to plan a trip to target them, I would be going around the middle of April or May 11th-12th?

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

Charlie, Do you think a guy might get into some at the highway offshore Nootka in about mid April?

Fill the dam tub!

 

[Charter Tofino]

Derby i always turn my heads in but was moored at the gov dock and didnt see a return.

Pat i think i remember someone saying they sent the heads in and as charlie said they were puget fish. Someone must have sent a few in.

 

[fishspoon]

I recalled my fishing trip off Beechy head with old friends of mine long time ago hooked a hatchery fish, decided to send the head in at DFO office. We have received the information that our fish was from the hatchery in Puget Sound.

 

[Charlie]

quote:Originally posted by Island Fish Lifter

Charlie, Do you think a guy might get into some at the highway offshore Nootka in about mid April?

Yep, if you can "get" out there? I have fished that area at the end of March and it can get iffy – fast.


Nootka Sound is a different fishery than the banks South of Estevan Point, especially at that time of year through July 15 (when the 77cm takes effect) and “it” is all about Conuma fish? It's slower at that time, but the Conuma 5/6 year olds start showing up around the first of May - ahead of the massive amount of 3 and 4 year olds - and those are "large" good fighting fish – very much Canadian! Many are in that 40/50 pound range and they very much like to travel “very” early with the tide. Like to hold in areas like Ferrer Point and they will travel on the afternoon flood, during a full moon. I would only run offshore during that time early morning and if it was completely dead at your favorite spots?

The Chinook head count last year shows 77.4% in that area, are Canadian fish coming from Vancouver Island stocks with the majority of these, 59.7%, coming from the Conuma Hatchery, with the balance from Washington stock leading, followed by Oregon and California, while it is just reversed, south of Estevan. I personally think the Columbians come closer to shore south of Estevan to get out of the affects of the “Big Eddy”, which is also why some come into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but that is a different subject!

Me - if I were fishing off Nootka in April or May, I would be looking for “no” moon less than a 5 foot tide, and after those 5/6 year old Conuma!

 

[Tofinoguy]

My friend from Ahousat was telling me that the band's food fishing trollers are averaging 10 - 12 nice smileys a morning the last 2 weeks. [:0]

 

[Charlie]

quote:Originally posted by Tofinoguy

My friend from Ahousat was telling me that the band's food fishing trollers are averaging 10 - 12 nice smileys a morning the last 2 weeks. [:0]

Some actually migrate throughout the year - as in year around! [:0][:0]

 

[Tofinoguy]

Yes but they do seem to show up in waves

 

[searun]

I would expect to see some large numbers of Columbia Springers starting to show up on LaPerouse in a few weeks. Probably the best source of run timing off the banks will come from the old commercial troll data...anyone have access to that??

Searun

 

[Tofinoguy]

quote:Originally posted by searun

I would expect to see some large numbers of Columbia Springers starting to show up on LaPerouse in a few weeks. Probably the best source of run timing off the banks will come from the old commercial troll data...anyone have access to that??

Searun

There used to be April 15th openings when i 1st moved here in the 80's

 

[Charlie]

The Springs start entering the Columbia in “numbers” mid March. Depending on conditions it takes from two-three weeks up to a month for them to travel from WCVI to the Columbia. The numbers really start increasing in the middle of April and continue through the middle of May, then start tapering down. They take another look at the numbers in the Columbia the first week of May, to determine the accuracy of the run size prediction, as the “run” is then considered half over. WDFW is opening the season March 1. As of February 18, WDFW has upped the estimate to 559,900, over twice as many as last year, so you should have plenty of early fish. Don’t over analyze or think, if you want to catch a “Columbian”, just get out there and enjoy the fishing. If you miss the main run or “waves”, you will still catch fish! If you do miss those "waves", just drop to the bottom and pick up some of those nice “residents”!

I assure you, the Columbia Spring run have started their migration and are migrating “now”, but the main "numbers" of fish should be more towards the middle of April lasting though the middle of May!
http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=feb1810c

Here are some other interesting facts about the Columbia basin fishery. This is from the 2006 “hatchery” reports and it equates to the four year olds returning this year. There was a total of 98,919,232 hatchery fished released throughout the Columbia basin in 2006. Yes, that is millions – pretty close to 100 million in one year. Out of that approximately 55 million have “no” markings at all. That would be about 55 million “hatchery” fish running around out there that everyone thinks is “wild”! They marked 2,583,524 by the removal of the maxillary or ventral fins only – these fish still have their adipose fin. Canada released 753,359 out of Okanogan River, which migrate through the Columbia and they all had the adipose fin removed.
http://www.fpc.org/hatchery/HatcheryQuery_by_MigrationYear.html

BTW… even though over 50% of those hatchery fish are unclipped, they are still listed for protection under the Endangered Species Act and there is nothing wrong with “catch & release” on those fish! Enjoy, but leave some for my “Grandkids”!

 

[searun]

I'm going to sound like Dr. Evil when I repeat..."1 MILLION SMOLTS, or I meant to say..100 MILLION SMOLTS"...OMG, that is a crap pile of fish production. Can you arrange to have your guys talk to DFO any time soon and give the a swift kick in the pants to get busy and start matching that level of production. I'll be down to the cabin getting it ready early this year to get off shore in March and April to do a little interception. Thanks for sharing your fish.[][]

Searun

 

[spring fever]

If you can get out I have had wonderful spring fishing on the highway off of winter harbour on the last week of April-I always thought they were Columbia's-It has happened 3 times in the last 7 years so I think most years the run is there-whether you can get out to fish it is another problem entirely!!!