In our last report we talked about the slower start to the chinook fishery this late April and hoped that perhaps the fish were just a few weeks behind, just like the rest of mother nature this year. Well it looks like that was the case as the fish showed up a few weeks back and the fishing has been solid to on fire ever since. There has been some great days had around the Bell Buoy, QA, and S end of Bowen. When the weather has allowed a comfortable crossing, we have headed over to Thrasher and have had some good to amazing days over there as well. Some of our best days for chinook last season were in the first 2 weeks of June, so I am looking forward to some great fishing in the next 4 weeks!
We have had good success on this side using bait and some spoons. There has been some days where the bait has really made a difference. We have been using anchovies and some herring as well. The teaser heads that have been working for us are the glow, glow green, and UV purple. For spoons we have done well on the Luhr Jensen Coyote 4.0 in Glow Green, Night Rider, and Kitchen Sink. For the Silver Horde Kingfisher 4.0 spoons, try Irish Cream, and the Glow Spatter Back series of spoons in green or chartreuse. Around the Bell Buoy we have done well from 93-127 on the riggers in about 120 feet of water and the QA and S end of Bowen the fish have been anywhere from 90-150 on the riggers.
When on the other side, aka Gabriola and Nanaimo, we tend to leave the bait in the freezer and use spoons and hootchies. In particular the Glow Spatter Back series of hootchies from Yamashita seem to work particularly well.
We have a good selection of the most productive spoons and hootchies at the shop right now, so come down, grab some anchovies, herring, spoons, hootchies, get the latest report and go get some chrome!
Productive Spoons & Hootchies this time of year.
Bell Buoy May Chinook
Chrome May Chinook
A nice trio of chinook: one white, one marbled, and one red
We have some openings in late May and into the beginning of June so if you want to head out on a charter give Dave Fauquier a call at Pacific Angler 604-872-2204 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 604-872-2204 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email him at dfauquier@pacificangler.ca
See you on the water,
Jason Tonelli