Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report
We survived the downpours from last weekend and this weekend it looks like we will be rewarded with some sunny days and decent marine conditions as well. So if you are getting the itch to get out there, this could be a decent weekend to do it.
This time of year we often get asked how the fishing is and I will be the first to tell you that reports in the winter don’t hold as much weight as they do in the summer where fish can be staging. The winter chinook season is a long one, from November to April, as different pushes of feeding chinook salmon come and go, in search of herring and anchovies in our local waters. Here one day and gone the next is the blessing and curse of the winter angler. So the best advice we have is to book a trip and head out there and chances are you are going to get into some fish if there is some bait around. If you have your own boat, pick the days where the weather is good, no need to push it, you have 6 months to pick some nice days.
A nice bait ball from a trip this past week.
Another bonus this time of year is the prawning and crabbing. Prawning has been pretty good lately, so it seems the commercial fleet left some behind for us this year. Remember to release all egg bound females. Crabbing has been decent, about what you would expect for this time of year, a few keepers, but that will pick up in the coming months. If you want to get setup for prawning this year come see our expert staff and we will show you how to do it right. If you are booking a trip we are happy to set crab and prawn traps for you.
There have been a lot of new spoons these past few years but today we are going to look at one of my old favourites for winter chinook, the Coho Killer. Don’t let the name fool you; this spoon is deadly for chinook this time of year that are feeding on smaller herring and anchovies. Fish these spoons on a 4-6 foot leader of 25-pound test line. I like the lighter line as opposed to 30 or 40 as it doesn’t dampen the unique action of this spoon. This is a thin and relatively light spoon the really moves a lot and is perfect for aggressive fish like winter chinook. In terms of productive colours, all your favourites are available, like Herring Aide, Irish Cream, Homeland, Yellow Tail, etc. We have 18 colours in stock at the shop, from UV finishes for clear or shallow water to double glow finishes for down deep. So this winter (or anytime the fish are on small bait) give the Coho Killer, you’ll be glad you did.
Some of my favourite Coho Killers.
See you in the shop or on the water,
Jason Tonelli