LINGCOD OPENING - Fishing for lingcod is open in Island waters (Areas 13 to 19, and Subareas 20-5, 20-6, 20-7 and 29-5) until September 30, 2008. You may retain one lingcod per day. Area 28 and most of Area 29 will remain closed due to continued concern for low abundance. For one year only, the minimum size limit for lingcod has been reduced to 60 cm from 65 cm. This one year pilot has been implemented to evaluate the impact on total rockfish mortality. To summarize: - one lingcod per day, minimum size limit is 60 cm; - ten lingcod / year, minimum 60 cm / - hook and line or spear fishing. A recreational fishing mortality of 5,000 pieces has been determined as the allowable catch to ensure continued rebuilding of the lingcod population within the Strait of Georgia.

ROCKFISH OPENING - Rockfish fishery is open until September 30 is the same areas as lingcod. One rockfish per day with -no size limit. 

    Saltwater - Victoria Waterfront - Some of the charter guides managed to find some springs out on Constance Bank and there were also fish caught at Albert Head and the Breakwall. We didn’t hear of any monsters being caught but there were some nice fish in the mid teens to low twenties.

As usual, watch out for those pesky seals that are looking for a free meal! Anchovies or hootchies and squirts are the most popular baits around the waterfront. Good teasers were the red/chrome and the Purple Haze. Good flashers have been the green/silver, and Purple/Glow Hot Spots and various O’ki’s. Plastic baits such as Army Truck, Tiger Prawn or Purple Haze squirts fished behind white glow or Purple Haze flashers have been catching fish too, especially if the fish are deep. Spoons can also be effective at times and the Cop Car, green/glow and Mongoose patterns have been the best.

HALIBUT Constance Bank and Albert Head were good. This time of year, however, the dogfish start to move in and it seems as if they may be here now. Best baits for Halibut were octopus and herring however try Mudraker/Lucky Jigs or Berkley Powerbait if they become too much of a problem.

Oak Bay - The best depths to fish are from 100 to 140 feet – you should fish right on the bottom around the ledges and reefs. If you use bait, try small anchovies in glow teaser heads. Some of the best baits for the Flats are small squirts in Tiger Prawn J-79, Cricket or Purple Haze colours. Smaller Spoons such as 3.5” or 4” Watermelon and Cop Car Coyote spoons are also a favorite in Oak Bay.

Halibut fishing has been slow out on the flats.

Sidney - We didn’t hear of a single legal spring taken from Sidney this last week. Anglers should try fishing a smaller anchovy, herring strip or squirts from 40 feet to 90 feet.

Notable Catches - Tim Randall and a few of his friends got a nice 36 lb. spring off of the Trap Shack Friday fishing the evening bite. Seaghost Charters managed to get into a few nice halibut out of Pedder Bay. Their fish ranged from 46 lb. to 73 lb. If you have any notable catches or tips that you would like to share please email us at info@fishingvictoria.com.

Fresh Water Overview - Trout and bass fishing is good. You are now able to retain a daily limit of 4 bass (smallmouth and largemouth combined).

Local Lakes - The water temperature is rising and the fish will start to become less active soon. Chronimid hatches have stopped on most of the local lakes and leeches and streamer patterns will be the most effective flies now. Anglers fishing Powerbait from shore have been finding a few rainbows in Elk, Prospect and Langford. Sunrise Powerbait Eggs with shrimp scent and orange Powerbait paste have been hot. Gear fishermen have been doing very well with the new Baitrix Trout lures in holographic colours, especially for larger fish. They have also been doing well trolling Luhr Jensen Needlefish spoons in a variety of colours or Tomic Wee-Tads in frog or rainbow. Flatfish and/or Kwikfish have also been effective in sizes 7 and smaller in Frog, Yellow with Red Spots or Blue/Silver. Smaller Rapalas in Rainbow Trout or Brown Trout patterns also work well. Lastly, Willow Leaf Lake trolls with a worm-tipped GIBBS Wedding Band will almost always catch some fish.

Bass Fishing - Bass fishing has been good now that the water temperature is warming. Both smallmouth and largemouth bass have moved off their beds and are actively feeding.

Surface lures are starting to produce, especially early morning and late evenings. By dragging a tube, soft plastic or grub you can coerce some of the more finicky fish as well. Look for structure such as docks and overhanging trees when the weather’s hot, fish will hold in these areas and ambush prey as it goes by.

Shawnigan Lake, Prospect Lake and Elk and Beaver Lakes have been the best spots for bass but St. Mary’s Lake on Saltspring Island would be another good spot to try.

Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas St., Victoria, ph: 475-4969

Saltwater - Salmon fishing was spotty in June, and anglers also had to deal with inclement weather and stronger tides. But, some of the larger migratory chinook salmon started being caught, to 32 lb. Numbers and sizes are increasing, and should continue into July.

The 22nd annual JDF Derby on June 14 and 15 saw 82 chinooks weighed in, with Joe Kadar taking the winning fish on the 15th at 36.8 lb. Second place went to Gary Cooper, landing a 34.2 lb. chinook on the 14th, and 3rd place was awarded to Conrad de Palma, for his 31.8 lb. on the 15th.

The hottest spots for salmon have been the Trap Shack, Secretary, Possession, and the Bedfords; however Cape Calver outside Pedder Bay has been producing for jiggers. The Sooke Bluffs and Muir Creek have produced for anglers trolling 70 to 100 feet. Best baits have been medium to large anchovy and herring, fished with a JDF glow Army truck, Mint Pearl, or Rhys Davis Bloody Nose or Purple Haze teaser heads. Good Flashers are O’Ki Boogey Man, Super Betsy and Purple Haze. Purple Haze and Glow Bud hootchies are working, and LJ Coyote 5.0 Wonderbread and Green/Nickel spoons have been productive. Running a KoneZone flasher system right above your cannonball and 6 feet below your regular setup attracts more fish to your bait.

Halibut fishing is still good, however the dogfish have become prevalent in west Constance and Albert Head. Power Grubs or Gibbs Mudrakers do well when dogfish are a nuisance. The 18 and 27 fathom reef at Race Rocks have been good for halibut. Tailspin Charters weighed in a 79.7 lb hali on June 11 taken off Race Rocks, for 1st place on our leaderboard. Popular baits are still large herring, mackerel, and octopus, fished off a spreader bar with some good scent and skirted with a glow hootchie. Limits are 2 per day, possession limit 2.

Some lings to 15 lb. are being caught. As of June 1 lingcod are open for retention, with a daily limit of 1, yearly total of 10, and minimum size of 60 cm. The rockfish fishery is running concurrently with lingcod, with a daily total of 1 and no size limit.

Freshwater - Trout fishing has been excellent and should hold strong into July. Langford, Durrance, Spectacle, Lookout, were recently stocked. The water is warmer, there is a lot of insect activity, and trout are feeding hard.

Fly anglers on Langford Lake fished sinking line with black, olive and brown Wooly Buggers, and purple and Black Bunny Leetches, running deep just above the weed line. Also floating line with mayflies, Carey Specials, caddis nymphs has been productive.

Kellen Busenius and Steve Sommers fished Langford on June 8 and caught and released 23 nice rainbows and cutties including a 24" 4 lb. cutty.

Fishing off the dock at Langford Lake, anglers are doing well using orange, pink or chartreuse Power Bait eggs, also dew worms off the bottom. Gear anglers report success on Gibbs Willow Leaf and Wedding Bands tipped with a piece of dew worm. Baitrix Trout is hot as well as Tomic Wee-Tads in Skunk, Frog, Chrome, and Rainbow and Kwikfish Cracked Frog. Durrance has lots of fish to 2 lb.

Bass fishing is hot now with bass to 8.5 lb. caught in Langford, Thetis, Prior, Elk and Beaver, Prospect and Shawnigan Lakes. Bass are open for retention, with a 4 per day limit. The bass are more prevalent in weeds in shallower areas and around structure such as fallen logs. Rig a plastic worm with a Carolina or Texas style rig to prevent getting snagged. Michael Peakman and Kyle Schamhart landed an 8.5 and 7 lb. respectively out of Langford Lake using dew worms with a Texas rig. Dew worms, tube worms and plastic craws are working, as well as the Caleko cricket and craw crankbaits with a slow retrieve.

Carl & Craig, WestShore Sportfishing Centre

117-693 Hoffman Ave. (off Veteran's Memorial Parkway in Langford)

298-hook (4665) 

All local hot spots have been very productive, especially Otter Point and Secretary Island on the flood tide.

Seventy five to one hundred feet seems to be the magic fishing depth. Anchovies and herring are your top producers. For teaser heads try chrome Army Truck, chrome Betsy, glow white and green. The best flashers have been glow red and green Hotspots, Betsy silver and Jelly Fish. For spoons try Cop Car, Mongoose, Army Truck, and glow white and green. On the plastic side try J 79, Clover Leaf, Glo-below or white hootchies.

A reminder that sockeye is closed at this time.

Check out our website for weekly fishing reports. Until next time happy faces and tight lines.

Al Kennedy

Reel excitement Fishing Charters  www.salmonexcitement.com

email fishing@salmonexcitement.com

250-642-3410 cell 250-880-1004

Saltwater

Halibut fishing is going strong for those venturing out to the banks. Try spreader bars with a 1-1/2 to 2 lb. of weight bouncing the bottom to attract their attention. Top baits are mackerel, octopus, squid. Best artificials are Storm Paddle Tails or Berkley 8" Power Grubs.

Fish showing at Port Renfrew 8 to 15 lb. chinook. Best Lures Gold Betsy flasher and Purple Haze, or glow or clear teaser heads and anchovy.

Cowichan Bay

Sansun Narrows - Jerkers doing well on Dymara jigs, fish to 25 lb.

Freshwater

Cowichan Lake fishing is going strong. Try trolling creek mouths and paralleling the shore-line, staying within 30 feet. Keep your line back from the boat by at least 150 ft. Top lures of choice are 3" Tomic, best colours right now are 140, 231 or 900. We have over 120 three inch plugs in stock with over 30 different patterns.

Also working well are #2 and #3 Wonderspoons. Also the ever popular gang troll and flat fish. Until November 14, 2008 bait, barbs and trebles are allowed in the lake. Fishing the creek-mouths with bait (single eggs, roe, paste or krill shrimp) and a Corky rig can produce large numbers of fish including the odd lunker. My favourite way to fish the lake.

Kissinger and Lizard Lakes to the west, good rainbow trout fishing, try Corky and single egg rig off the docks and beaches. Trolling with small Spratley's leeches, Wooley Buggers, flatfish and small spoons.

Fuller, Chemainus, Dougan's, Quamichan, and Somenos lakes also producing well. These 7 lakes have been recently stocked.

Cowichan River Trout Fishing:

Fly fishing has been awesome! Work the riffles with bead head nymphs. Prince is the main stay, rubber leg pheasant tails when May flies are hatching, Hare's Ear when caddis hatching. The best dry flies are American March Brown, Adams or caddis in sizes 10, 12 or 14. For larger browns #6 to #10 beadhead rubber legged Golden Stone nymphs dead drifted over shoals into drop offs. Rolled Muddlers or large Wooly Buggers stripped through deeper holes.

Bass Fishing

Bass fishing is hot! Lakes to note: Shawnigan, Fuller, St. Marys, Quesnel, Elk, and every other lake around Greater Victoria.

Try fishing with large Wooly Buggers or Dragon Flies. Target the outside and inside corners of docks, all large rocks, logs, or any other obstructions. Cast in and then strip your fly back slowly, watch for your line to move to the side then set hard and hang on tight. The rest is up to you.

COME JOIN OUR FIRST ANNUAL SALMON DERBY. JUNE 1 TO AUG 31

"May your rod bend to the butt and your smile go from ear to ear"

Stop by the store for complementary refreshments and the current fishing report.

Gord March

Cowichan Fly & Tackle

82 South Shore Road, Lake Cowichan BC

250-749-4964

SALTWATER - We’ve had good fishing off the Fingers, Gabriola and other hot spots.

Eighty to 100 feet has been the productive depth. The springs have been coming in on green glow, Cop Car, and Live Image green and blue Coyote spoons, as well as white, Army Truck, and lemon-lime glow hootchies. Anchovies in green glow teaser head with O’Ki’s new UV green flashers have also worked well.

With the high cost of gas more anglers are fishing locally, proving Nanaimo waters are still productive.

Lingcod opened on June 15. The new minimum size is 60 cm (down from 65 to improve conservation).

In July we expect to see even better salmon fishing with more local chinooks returning. We also expect the pink salmon to come back into Departure Bay providing a great beach fishery. Come in to our store for pink flies, small spinners, spoons, etc.

FRESHWATER - Bass fishing has been good in Quennell, and Westwood lakes. The Triploid trout in Westwood have grown up to 18 inches so far. Green Lake has also been fishing well for trout.

Fly fishers will do well on caddis, Tom Thumbs, and ant flies as the summer brings more insect hatches. Gear fishers on shore are using Pautzke Eggs off the bottom on a Corkie rig. Trollers are doing well with a gang troll and wedding band with a worm (in lakes where bait is allowed).

Gone Fishin’,

600-2980 North Island Hwy. ,Nanaimo,

ph: 250-758-7726

Saltwater - The 2008 forecast is optimistic for chinook and coho salmon. The chinook numbers are back to strong levels, combined increasing numbers of coho. The sockeye fishery remains closed. The run size may be projected upwards to allow a small recreational fishery. Look for updates at the beginning of July.

You are able to catch coho salmon in Barkley Sound now, but by mid- to late-August expect the arrival of huge schools of returning coho to the Alberni Inlet. The Department of Fisheries predicts a strong return of coho salmon to the Stamp/Somass systems well in excess of last year’s numbers.

Right now the salmon fishing has been very productive in Barkley Sound, with fish reaching sizes of 30 plus pounds.

Hot spots include Cree, Swale Rock, and up into Vernon Bay. Try fishing at 80 to 100 feet, but keep a watch for schools of bait on the sounder. Anchovies and Coyote spoons in Cop Car, Nasty Boy, and Lime Twist have been productive. Also, the new “Tune able” Baitrix and True Roll lures have been very effective.

Offshore fishing has recently turned on for both salmon and halibut. Try trolling just off the bottom with a large spoon (Tomic Roadrunner or 6” Coyote) for either species. Braid line on downriggers and trolling snubbers make “bottom bouncing” gear much easier without losing expensive cannonballs.

Check with DFO for updates and details:

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish/Tidal/coastalmap_e.htm, phone 250-720-4440.

Freshwater - Most of the area’s larger lakes will be producing good catches of trout, with the warmer weather. As the snow melts we’ll be able to get up to some of the higher elevation lakes.

Good fishing will continue through July on Sproat and the other larger lakes, especially at the creek mouths. The Taylor Arm and Two Rivers Arm on Sproat are providing good fly fishing for cutthroats. Watch for hatches, and expect good results from leech patterns, Wooly Buggers, etc. You can also do well trolling a gangtroll with a flatfish or with a Wedding Band and a worm, or with a plug (3” Tomic, 231 or 358, or Lyman #16 or #78). Shorecasters can do well with powerbait, worms or roe on the bottom near creekmouths. Good luck.

Gone Fishin’

5069 Johnston, Port Alberni

ph: 250-723-1172

Salmon fishing has been really good around here lately. There have been lots of big springs hooked and lost (broken line), as well as lots of chinooks landed in the teens and into the 20s.

Almost everyone has been running with the good old reliable standard Army Truck hootchies and doing well. Blood and Bones hootchies with a Monkey Puke flasher has also produced results for some anglers. The basic green and white hootchie is still working. The new Rhys Davis - Baitrix Teaser Lure behind a Purple Haze flasher has also been catching fish.

The springs have been moved from the top of Lasquetti Island, near False Bay down toward Sangster Bay. They are heading this way. Around 185 feet on the downrigger (160-165 feet deep) has been a good depth.

Judging by the fishing we’ve had in the last couple of weeks maybe it’s going to be an exceptionally good year for chinook fishing.

We’ve got an opening to catch lingcod, and that fishery has been going well up around Flora Bay and Hornby Island. Fish on the rocky side and you’ll do well on lings and on the rockfish. Try jigging herring or use Buzz-Bombs near rocky drop-offs.

We should be into some good beach fishing for pink salmon by the end of July. Most the beaches and estuaries along this part of the Island are prime pink fishing areas.

Freshwater - Horne Lake is doing very well for rainbow trout up to about a foot-and-a-half long. One customer has been getting good results trolling a Blue Fox spinner with a one ounce weight.

Another promising lure to try on the bigger lakes is the Rhys Davis Baitrix Trout. Troll that one at Horne Lake.

Cameron Lake has been surprisingly quiet lately. It could be the case that the anglers who have been going there decided not to share a secret.

At Spider Lake fly fishers are getting lots of trout action on chirnomids and ant patterns.

French Creek Marina Store

5 - 1025 Lee Rd., Parksville,

ph: 250-248-8912

Larger Springs are starting to show up in the Bates Beach area and the reef. Kitty Coleman is also reporting summer run chinook being taken on Army Truck and White hoochies.

The pink fishing is going to be starting up in the very near future. Make sure to stock up on pink Zzingers, Buzz Bombs, minnows, or flies.

Beach fishing for sea-run cutthroat will really start to pick up in the next couple of weeks. Minnow and Mickey Finn patterns work very well on sea-run Cutties

The lakes have been very active due to the warm weather. Trolling Leo’s gang trolls and wedding bands is a sure bet as well as Cowichan Spoons with a worm.

Kerry Amos, Peter’s Sport Shop, 870 Cliffe Ave., Courtenay

ph: 334-2942

Saltwater Fishing

Cape Mudge: The best few weeks of summer fishing at the Light are here! Some good days and some excellent days being reported. Best tackle bets are glow or haze hootchies trolled behind green silver mylar or haze flashers. Dogfish are showing up at the Light, so if you like to use bait, switch to Baitrix scented artificial anchovies.

The Hump: Good reports coming from the Hump. Most anglers are trolling over and around the hump, but jigging can also be very effective when the water is not moving too fast. The Point Wilson Dart is the best lure for jigging in deep fast moving water. 4 oz., 6 oz. or even 8 oz. are all pretty effective.

Shelter / Willow Point: Anglers fishing in the shelter Bay area are hooking a decent number of fish. Many of the fish being caught are in deep water but it never hurts to run one line shallower than the other. Some fish are coming from as shallow as 60 feet.

Tyee Marine's own Roger Kirk had a good morning recently. He and guests hooked a 25 lb. spring on the first drop, followed by a slightly smaller fish. The morning was capped by a nice 68cm Lingcod.

Prawning continues to be good, but you may have to travel a little further afield to find those prawns.

Freshwater Fishing

Gold River: A few early summer-run steelhead should be showing up in the Gold anytime. These fish are aggressive and will actively chase gear or flies.

Salmon River: Summer steelhead bound for the White River should be appearing soon. These fish are sometimes easier to catch in the Salmon then in the much clearer White River. Once they enter the White River, they must be fished over with care to avoid spooking them. Sea-run cutthroat are available in the estuary of the Salmon.

Campbell River /Quinsam: Trout in the Campbell estuary and up-river. The Quinsam has a good population of resident trout as well. While gear will work, flies are likely most effective at this time.

Oyster River: Still good populations of sea-run cutthroat in the Oyster. June was probably the best month to fish in the estuary with fry flies.

Lake Scene: Lots of inflow into most lakes with resultant increase in levels. This year’s late spring has helped extend the spring season.

Call in your fishing reports 287-2641 or e-mail tyeemarine@telus.net

Tyee Marine, 880 Island Hwy.,

Campbell River Ph: 250-287-2641

July brings lots of great weather and fishing. The 15-50 lb. halibut that congregate on the offshore banks are biting on Power Grubs and tube jigs tipped with octopus which keeps the arriving dogfish at bay.

The chinook salmon heading for upper Fraser tributaries and the Columbia River are migrating through our baitfish-rich offshore areas and are fattening up for their spawning run. We will be using needlefish hootchies and spoons trolling on the bottom, and anchovies on long leaders behind chrome flashers mid-water. There will also be some nice chinooks, cruising the outer surf-line, that will be biting on anchovies and herring in clear and green teaser heads.

Be sure to bring the sunscreen for those bright and sunny fish-full days. Happy fishing.

Shawn Hillierhead guide and owner

Tofino Ospray Lodge

www.tofinolodge.com

Fishing has been very good in late June. A lot of chinooks have moved down from the north. Already we’ve seen one about 40 lb., a few in the mid-30s, and lots of 20+ lb. springs. The first coho have started to show up as well, and we’re catching limits of halibut.

In July look for the big tides, 12 to 14 ft. for the big chinooks. Fish along the kelp using cut-plug or anchovies. Duval will a good spot for chinooks, and the far end of the Gordon group will be both good for chinook and coho salmon. The depth is 65 ft on the downrigger in 80 to 90 ft. of water.

Jim’s Castle Point Charters,

Port Hardy, phone 250-949-9294, cell 250-949-1982, castlept@telus.net

Trout Unlimited’s new report, Healing Troubled Waters, highlights global warming’s affect on trout and salmon, and provides recommendations for what can be done to help fish withstand these changes.

“Salmon and trout are among our most vulnerable species and their protection in the face of a rapidly changing climate demands strong actions. Climate change is not some uncertain future problem it is happening right now and we see evidence in terms of reduced snowpack and earlier spring runoff,” said Jack Williams, Trout Unlimited’s senior scientist and one of the report’s authors.

Though statistics present a discouraging scenario for cold water fish, the report provides ideas for what can be done to help fish resist the effects of climate change. By protecting high quality habitats and healthy fish populations, scientists hope fish will be able to endure warmer water temperatures and additional stress. The report points out that these investments are crucial now, before widespread changes occur.

The complete report is available at www.tu.org/climatechange