The winter Chinook Salmon have arrived in good numbers. A few hours of fishing yesterday between Pedder Bay and Sooke, generated numerous hits, broken leaders, three fish lost to seals and four fish in the boat to 13 lbs. Given that the tides were some of the highest of the year, that was excellent fishing.
Halibut and Salmon fishing has been excellent through out the summer months. Limits of Halibut and Salmon have been the norm instead of the exception. Halibut fishing today Produced a 75 lb and a 115 lb fish, both in the first hour of fishing, unbelievable. Our Halibut fishing season ends at midnight on Sept 05th and we are hopeful that we can have a longer season next year. Chinook salmon fishing will continue to be strong until mid September and Wild Coho will be open on October 01st. If Coho fishing in 2011 is anything like last season, we should be in for quite a treat.
Halibut fishing this spring has been excellent. Over the last four trips we boated 21 halibut. Chinook fishing has been good with a number of fish being landed and released in the 30 plus pound range. The restriction on the retention of Chinooks over 67 centimeters ends at midnight on June 17th. An excellent Chinook return is anticipated this year.
Winter fishing for Chinook salmon has been very good to excellent this year so far. We are currently waiting for DFO to announce what restrictions will be imposed through the “slot program” that will most likely be imposed this month, for the early season Chinook salmon runs. Last season allowed for one Hatchery Chinook salmon any size, and one Wild Chinook salmon between 45 centimeters and 67 centimeters (approximately 3 to 8 lbs).
The Halibut fishing season opened on March 01st, with a limit of one fish per day per person and a two day possession limit. The first week of the season has produced a number of halibut and it appears that 2011 will be a productive season. How long the season will remain open has yet to be determined, although with the one fish per day retention limit, it will hopefully last into October, as it did last season.
Halibut fishing as been excellent through the first half of the season and is expected to continue for the remainder of the season, which will be in October.
Chinook salmon fishing has been spotty, but that changed yesterday, with consistent fishing throughout the area with fish being caught into the mid 30′s. Hopefully this is the beginning of a large Chinook salmon run.
The weather this spring has been unpredictable, but Halibut and Salmon fishing to date, has been excellent. Halibut limits for the boat is frequently achieved, with sizes ranging from 20 to 60 lbs.
The season for halibut opened on February 01st and it is already clear that the halibut are here. We were out fishing yesterday and limited out (4 fish) in a few hours. The warm weather, good tides and excellent fishing are making the the beginning of this fishing season a special treat. This is the best start to the halibut fishing season that I have seen in my 20 years of fishing this area.
I recently learned that the Halibut fishing season for our area opens on February 01st. That may change, but at this time that is what’s happening. The limit for Halibut will be one fish per day per person with a two day limit. Rumors suggest that this limit may remain in effect for the entire season as a result of a halibut quota reduction for both the Canadian commercial fishery and sport fishery this year.
The weather over the past while has been unpredictable, but when we have been able to get on the water, the fishing for winter Chinooks has been excellent. Reasonable size, 7 to 20 lbs with lots of action.
Halibut fishing continues to be exceptional. On recent trips we have had one hali but over 100 lbs, one 70 and numerous in the 20 to 60 lb range. It doesn’t get much better.
Chinook Salmon fishing catches are now more consistent, with fish up to 40 lbs. While the economic turn down is having a slow down effect on travelers, it would appear, at least in the early stages, that this year could be one of our best seasons for both Halibut and Salmon fishing in recent years.
Halibut fishing continues to be excellent, fifteen Halibut in the last three trips. The average size of the fish are a bit smaller than past years, but there are more fish.
Salmon fishing has really started to pick up in the last ten days with a number of Chinooks being caught weighing up to 30 pounds. With it being a year for Pink Salmon and rumors that a decent Sockeye run will be returning through the Strait of Juan De Fuca this year, the season is begining to look very promising.
