South island report

Heck yah t2!  great report.  I gotta say, you are one bad a*s!  that's one sweet fish

Rory--all i gotta say is--it takes one to know one!
T2

Port Renfrew trip report--I've always wanted to try Port Renfrew in the yak so I fished Saturday, launching on the townside of the San Juan River Bridge, where the old docks are moored. You will see the put in--small boats can launch from there. There were 3 young surfers launching their zodiac filled with surfboards to go west to Nitnat while I was getting ready. You want to try the pool inside the bar, especially on a rising tide as fresh coho may be moving in, and first light is always the best bet. I tried the pool but did not mark any fish on the sounder so moved outside the bar into the bay. You have to be careful going around the bar--you don't want to get hulied in the surf. Out in the bay I found fish out from the marina breakwater but I couldn't get them to bite. I later learned this is an area they often like to stage in, so give that a try. I got frustrated by the coho with lockjaw, so I hoisted the sail and trolled out to the mouth of San Juan Bay to fish between East Point and the canbouy. It's more than a couple of miles out so you might want to stick in the bay. i ended up with nothing but undersize spring salmon for the day, nothing keepable. I was pleased that I could make it out to East Point although it was a long peddle back in. During the summer East Point can produce some great spring salmon fishing, and any sunny day produces an onshore breeze in the bay about 1 pm, so I think after I finish fishing in August, I could hoist the sail, put the feet up and sail back to the beach. Sunday I got lazy and went out with my fishing partner in our power boat a couple of miles out of the bay into the Strait and we ended up with 7 coho, for a total of 21 coho between 3 of us for the 3 day trip.
Cheers,
T2

lazy...hahaha.  you are anything but lazy t2!  yeah whenever I am in neah bay I look across the strait to port renfrew and wonder what the fishing must be like there.  I imagine it's like a disneyland of fishing! (not that neah bay isn't)

I bet you are breaking new ground (water) in terms of kayak fishing port renfrew area.  that's good info you posted, will be very valuable for anyone who wants to try it.  you guys sure picked a good weekend to get out there!

21 coho is a NICE haul!  I suspect (and I have no actual knowledge or education to back this up) is that the salmon fishing on the W side of vancouver island is significantly better than our side of the strait (and the fishing has been darn good here).  If I were a salmon coming from the north, bound for a puget sound, skagit or fraser system, I'd take the shortest path. which is right along that coast.  again, that's just a guess. 

Are you guys allowed to keep wild coho that far west?  An interesting tidbit I learned from a fish checker yesterday is...the reason we are not allowed to keep wild coho in the strait (even though they are seemingly plentiful and you can keep them in the sound and skagit headwaters) is because of an agreement with Canada.  I guess because you are trying to get your wild coho numbers up.  In exchange, Canada somehow lays off Columbia-bound kings so that we can get those numbers back up.  which seems to be working!  For us, anyway

I was out by san juan island yesterday and hooked probably 20 coho, but only 2 were hatchery.  And that was lucky, only a few hatchery were landed before me at the boat ramp.  Sure was fun to hook that many fish tho!

Hey Rory--I think I have to spend more time river fishing to figure it all out. You guys have all kinds of rivers to fish but here, not so much. So I probably didn't give the river mouth the shot it deserved. As for the coho regs--we had to release all unclipped coho down by Victoria up to the 1st of October and now we can keep 1 (and 3 clipped--if you can find them). Up in Port Renfrew, for the first time in a long time, you are allowed to keep 4 wild. Apparently the run into the river is very healthy and abundant along with other runs along the strait--good news for all of us, I guess. How's your new pb working out for you?
T2

Hey Rory--I think I have to spend more time river fishing to figure it all out. You guys have all kinds of rivers to fish but here, not so much. So I probably didn't give the river mouth the shot it deserved. As for the coho regs--we had to release all unclipped coho down by Victoria up to the 1st of October and now we can keep 1 (and 3 clipped--if you can find them). Up in Port Renfrew, for the first time in a long time, you are allowed to keep 4 wild. Apparently the run into the river is very healthy and abundant along with other runs along the strait--good news for all of us, I guess. How's your new pb working out for you?
T2

good to hear the wild numbers are on the rebound.  I am *loving* the arima.  it's a very seaworthy craft.  and comfortable!

No springs today at Pedder Bay but 1 nice ling cod (released as season is closed). Calm wind sunshine and 8 degrees. I'll post some pics tomorrow.
T2
First light heading out to the mouth of the bay.


Fishing at the mouth of the bay--you can see the Olympic Mountains south across Juan de Fuca Strait in the background.


I trolled  for spring salmon across the mouth of the bay using a 7 lb ball on the downrigger down as far as 150 feet on the rigger to reach the bottom. I was targeting spring salmon feeding on needlefish right on the sandy bottom--sometimes it can be really hot but the fish were not there yesterday. The rule for fishing winter spring salmon is if you don't get hits--move. These fish are hungry most of the time so if you are not getting bites, it means they are simply not there and you need to go look for them. I moved over to the south side of the bay, close to the rocks and tried a home made jig that my dad made back in the '80's and caught this ling.

I will try a different spot before my xmas holidays are over. Happy New Year kayak fishers!
T2

Water looks gorgeous!

Out today in front of Esquimalt from 1-4pm, launched off the beach at Esquimalt lagoon. Trolled between 90-120 ft depth with a glow coho killer and then a green and white coyote spoon  behind purple haze lashers--nada. The pbers were moaning on the vhf that there was nothing happening for them either. Nice to be out though.
T2

Hey tsquared
   I'm in Victoria too and have retired recently. Used to have a Silver Streak welded aluminum boat but sold it a few years ago and bought the wifey a kayak. Used to live in Burnaby and kept the boat over here, but just not enough use. Then a job came up here and with my seniority, I got it, but no boat, bummer. Now I fish from the kayak on multiday trips but would like to go a lot more for day trips. PM me to let me know when and where and I'll join you. I've just got an ocean kayak which I normally jig from but no downrigger. I did catch a nice 13lb. coho though at Becher trolling 2 september's ago.

I'll keep you in mind, Tyee. I have other commitments for the next couple of weekends but maybe the second weekend in February we could try.
T2

Fished Becher bay today 11-1 got there after the bite after talking to the other boats. But did manage one hit that diddnt stick might try again this Saterday coming up.

Ok, thanks tsquared.

Hillier--pm sent.
T2

I love it when people get together and fish!   One of these days I'll get out your way t2.