Winter Harbour 2013

[SpringFever2359]

Late report but here it is( 14&15 June )
Started out off of Lippy at the 220' we were on springs right off the bat. Had our six in 3 hours, lots of bites and a couple long range releases. Got our limit in Hali's and 8 lings by that time the 20knot SE was getting nasty.
Day 2, limit in springs in 2.5 hours even with those nasty cohos taking are bait. We got back to back Hali's at 150' in 220' of water, weird? We fished 150' to 180' with Anchovies purple haze hoochies and Tomic 6" spoon
Biggest Spring 22lbs Hali 32lbs. Lingcod 16lbs
Probably the best June Spring fishing we've experienced in our 4 years
Will post pictures when I get a day off

Hey nice report. were you up at Mike's cabin with the guys on father's day weekend? Heard it was a slay fest.Im heading up that way July 1-5 going to hit Quatsino 1st then Hardy area after. Then again to Quatsino again July 12 -14th With any luck I'll have a report like yours to offer....cheers and hope to see you around this summer

 

[firelight]

Hey nice report. were you up at Mike's cabin with the guys on father's day weekend? Heard it was a slay fest.Im heading up that way July 1-5 going to hit Quatsino 1st then Hardy area after. Then again to Quatsino again July 12 -14th With any luck I'll have a report like yours to offer....cheers and hope to see you around this summer

I'll be looking for this report, I'm up in wh july 7 to 11.

 

[Pursuit]

Winter Harbour June 22/23/24

The fishing has been ‘crazy good’ for the last few days.June 22/23/24. We fished mostly around Kain Island and limited out on Springs and Coho very quickly then it was catch and release.The best fishing I've had for years! Depth on the down rigger was between 50 and 80 feet, Best performing lure by far was a purple Coho Killer behind a red flasher [ it caught all my Springs largest , a 28lb, as well as Ling Cod and Coho] other lures that seemed to work were a pink plug and a neon green hootchy although there were so many fish around I think they would have taken a hook and a marsh mellow. Weather changed today with a moderate westerly so it was rough fishing and wasn’t quite as productive. Some of the guide boats went offshore but it wasn't anymore productive for salmon but they also found some really nice halibut out there.

 

[Yak]

Headed to winter harbor tommorow night after work (friday 28th), just finished packing the boat! This will be our first trip to the west side with the new boat (23 foot cape cruiser). We will be staying tied up to the gov dock in WH tommorow night and saturday night, probably headed back in sunday, will post up a report when i get back. Weather looks like it should be great both mornings!

Yak

 

[spring fever]

Good Luck and tight lines.

 

[SpringFever2359]

Headed to winter harbor tommorow night after work (friday 28th), just finished packing the boat! This will be our first trip to the west side with the new boat (23 foot cape cruiser). We will be staying tied up to the gov dock in WH tommorow night and saturday night, probably headed back in sunday, will post up a report when i get back. Weather looks like it should be great both mornings!

Yak

Good luck up there.will be eagerly waiting for your report as I'm heading up that way on Monday

 

[Yak]

Late report but figured Id still throw it up.

We launched from Port Alice friday night (they pulled out the dock so luckily we knew some people there who parked my truck after we launched!) and headed out. Beautiful ride into winter harbor and tied up at the municipal dock for the night. Both my wife and I had had a long week so went to bed early with the hopes of rising at 4 am to head offshore. Woke up and it was flat calm in winter harbor so followed a few bigger boats out behind Cains then between cains and van isle through that small pass. Big mistake, crazy weather, enough that i didnt feel comfortable turning around and going back through so quatered into the sswells past Cains and headed to Cliff point where all the other boats were....

Once at cliff (approx 6am) we hit a small spring right away that we released. We then proceeded to catch SFA for almost 2 hours before we started hitting a few coho. The wind kept coming up and there were so many boats fishing that pass that it just wasnt fun so we ran over to mahatta and anchored up for lunch and a nap. The wind stayed up and after the bit of a scare we had earlier my wife didnt feel much like trying to head out in it again so another early night.

The following day was near perfect weather wise, flat flat. We got out to lippy (220ish) and trolled around and again got a quick spring and some coho. (Glow green was the ticket that day) followed by our second spring after we lost a couple. Both were teeners at about 12 an 17 lbs. Now we hope to drop down and find some white meat but all we kept getting were kelp greenlings!? We didnt actually end up getting a halibut unfortunately.... We managed to get 3 more springs of which we kept one and a few more coho an acutally 2 really nice sized pinks (one was 6 lbs!) and that was the day.

Talked to a few people back in port alice who were out fishing also that day and apparantely it was slow for most that day. Sad because I was so pumped to finally get out there when I heard wens and thurs were both crazy days out there with limits the norm...

Oh well, guess its still somewhat early, hopefully get out again 2 weeks from now if we get some decent weather forecasted.

Yak

 

[spring fever]

Thanks for the report-weather is always the problem at WH-glad you finally got out!

 

[firelight]

Ok so not that I want it too but is there any cell service at WH or in the sound, I'd assume some wifi at lodges or maybe the store.

 

[spring fever]

There is cell service up and down the main sound and out about a mile straight out from Kains island. You lose service as you take the winter harbour approaches channel off the main sound.

 

[Yak]

Strong coverage actually around the mahatta camp.

 

[jiggerjim]

First time fishing WH this past Tues, Wed. Son and I two day limit springs at Topknot, two day limit Coho Kaines, also a couple of lings and three red snapper wanted to do some Hali fishing but decided no to as we had more than enough fish, spent the rest of the time relaxing on shore with a couple of wobblys. Weather was good fishable all day.

 

[SpringFever2359]

Was out there also on Tues, took the girlfriend and her 2 boys for their 1st ever WCVI fishing trip, weather was simply "Amazing", never seen it so nice out there before, trolled the normal spots off Lippy,stop did a little bottom fishing,then back to the light to top up on coho, hooked into almost everything that swims, the ARMR2 was a god send for them to play fish on(I knew I kept it for some reason), her 1st ever WCVI spring,which happened to be the largest of the day, was an epic battle,I got the other gear in and out of the way,and with run after run up to the net on more than a few occasions only to take off on another run we finally get it in the boat,by now there's a couple boats around and we hear the whistles and cheers from them....she says"wow is it always like this out here I love it and want to come back again"...most were taken on chovies,111ft on 1 rigger, or just off the bottom with the 2nd, some coho taken in the prop wash, but must say change out the hooks on your new coyote spoons we lost a brute to a broken hook on a new spoon...p.s. I didn't have the guts to tell her whats its usually like(water conditions)

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Fished WH 5,6,7jul, gale force winds all three days. Only day to get out front of Kains with my 17' whaler
was Sunday,6jul and only a couple of hundred yards out. A few larger boats,24-25' made it out to Lippy
but could only troll south with the waves, and only out to 200'. Small springs out there, only in the teens.
My crew only caught limit of cohos and 1 small spring. One large hali, in 45' of water, 30' on the rigger, insides of kains
on blue Minnie and a betsy flasher.

Came home on Monday,8 jul, water flat calm, could of gone to Japan in my Whaler. Saw several schools of pinks
on the run from WH to Coal harbour. Gas at WH is $1.69, Coal harbour $1.36.

spring fever PM sent.

 

[spring fever]

Thanks Bill much appreciated -wish those winds would drop-been a very bad year for it- might have to go anyway-summers slipping away!!!!

 

[spring fever]

Spring Fever Flying Circus and Gong show should be off Kains isl. around 1.30 pm fri. staying in that area until sun pm-listening on ch 6-green and white Orca. We stay on the hook so don't go into WH itself-drop by for a brew and chat if so inclined. We are doing away with the flashers this trip-Teezers only-going to eat salmon or CROW-one or the other-if things aren't going well maybe you could throw us a sandwhich!!LOL

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Have a safe trip. Good gas dock at Coal Harbour, good price on gas and diesel......BB

 

[Yak]

Good Luck!! Hoping I can make it back out the weekend of the 20th! Wont have another chance to until later on in august.....

Heard from the Holberg Locals that cliff point was the spot to be last saturday

Yak

 

[salty-dog]

Best of luck to y'all, SF. Be safe, have fun and bring in the swimmers

 

[sly_karma]

Looking forward to the report. Heading there on a charter next week myself.