Vancouver Island Halibut fishing

[tsquared]

Lo-n-Slo, Victoria Paddler and I went out this afternoon after halibut at Albert Head. This was my first fishing trip in my new revo and it worked great. No luck with the halis but it was a fine afternoon to be on the water. We will be trying again soon and will post results.
T2

[Zee]

Thanks for the report T2. I know the scenery your way, sure it was a real nice pedal/paddle.

Z

[tsquared]

I'm going to give Albert Head another try tomorrow for halibut--good weather and good tides.
T2

[tsquared]

Good hali tides on Easter weekend--23, 24, 25. Anyone want to join me off Albert Head?
T2

[True]

I'm heading out there around the 1st week of July. Hoping to take my kayak and get into some halis and salmon.

True

[deepcolor]

Keep trying guys.  I'd love to see a picture of one of those fiesty barn doors draped over your yak this spring. 

[Rory]

Good hali tides on Easter weekend--23, 24, 25. Anyone want to join me off Albert Head?
T2

I am busy this weekend but I am VERY interested in hooking up with you and trying for Victoria Island hali's.  I am in Bellingham which is pretty close as the crow flies, I can literally almost freakin' SEE it.  But in actuality it's hard to get to.  One sailing a day from Anacortes to Sidney, BC.  I guess there's Tssawassen too. So, it requires advanced planning.  Which I am very willing to do.  Anyway, just putting a bug in your ear.  Keep me posted as to how you do this weekend.  Do you ever go out towards Port Renfrew for Hali's?

[tsquared]

Hey tallman--I plan to go after halis this summer  out of Renfrew --but in my power boat up to Swiftsure bank. Swiftsure is out of reach for kayaking. There are a few places partway to renfew, like Jordan river or Sombrio that are of interest for kayak  halibut fishing. Salmon out of Renfrew in a kayak would be doable--there is a good place to camp on the beach in San Juan bay and great places both east and west of the bay for chinook along the shore.
     I'm not going to make it out tomorrow in time to catch the morning tide but Sunday I will be out in front of my place first thing and I'll let you know how it goes. 
T2

[tsquared]

Went out this AM for the first halibut trip of the year off Albert Head. Here is a pic of the yak loaded up and ready to go  Lines were in shortly after 7 am and I fished from then to 10:30. I forgot my carefully thawed salmon bellies on the kitchen counter so I had to use artificial squid. No nibbles for me today but it felt good to be back on my home territory. Next time.
T2

[Rory]

Hey T2, thanks for sharing. Bummer about leaving the bait at home! 

Hey in regards to renfrew, is it set too far back in the bay? I.e. Is that why its no good for hali fishing from a kayak?  You mentioned some other spots between albert head and renfrew. What are they like?  Very keen on coming over there and hali fishin!  They make it too hard here in WA.

[tsquared]

Tallman--re Renfrewand halibut. There is always a chance you can get halibut wherever you are but the spots most power boaters fish out of Renfrew are out of the bay and to the west. Right now they go past the next couple of points(past Bonilla), several miles and anchor up. Later in the season, the chicken halibut move in out on Swiftsure bank and drifting will get you fish. These spots are all out of range of a yak. There are a few spots east of San Juan Bay towards Sombrio that are doable. What you have to watch for if you go East is the wind. In the summer the prevailing wind is a westerly, which picks up as the day goes on. If you are east of the bay and this wind picks up, you have to buck it to get back home into Renfrew. Rereading this post I sound pretty negative about Renfrew, which is not the case at all. There are great ling and rock cod and sea bass sites just out on the entrances to the bay. East point, which is the eastern point at the entrance can be great to hang for big chinook. Combined with a truly beautiful beach to camp on, it would be a great kayak summer trip place to go. As a matter of fact, i had planned to do some kayak fishing out of there this summer (i go up several times a year to power boat for salmon) and then based on that experience, suggest to NWKA members that we do a get together and camp on the beach there.

T2

[Rory]

Combined with a truly beautiful beach to camp on, it would be a great kayak summer trip place to go. As a matter of fact, i had planned to do some kayak fishing out of there this summer (i go up several times a year to power boat for salmon) and then based on that experience, suggest to NWKA members that we do a get together and camp on the beach there.
T2

I like the sound of that.  I'd like to come spend a few days there and get to know it a bit.  Thanks for the great info!

[polepole]

The very first NWKA hookup was at Sombrio.  And yes, a halibut as caught.

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,2.0.html

-Allen

[tsquared]

Out tomorrow for halibut. The weather forecast sucks but I am going to try in front of my house which is somewhat protected from the westerly. My new Kotatat suit arrived today so i will try that out.
Have a good long weekend!
T2

[tsquared]

Tried for a couple of hours for halibut this AM but no luck. I'm still exploring the area out in front of my place. The new dry suit worked great.
T2