Trip to Victoria

Angler · #1 09-10-2016, 10:32 AM

Hi there!
Went to Victoria with family for a little vacation, gorgeous place! Should be on everyone's bucket list.
I was hoping to catch a salmon or ling cod from Breakwater, but had no luck...
Been out 3 times, one early morning, nothing... Used different kinds of buzz bombs and heavy spoons, than I tried to jig for ling cod and rock fish - zero...
Then in the end, I got some bait, octopus and herring, I heard they good for cod. I had one bite, my rod bent in half! Holy cow, my heart was beating, but I came to late to set a hook, didn't expect that.

Good, it wasn't only me though, I talked to the other fishermen, they did not have better luck, told me it's kinda slow.

Anyway, wonder how did you guys did over there, if anyone went?
What did you use? What have you caught?

This little video down here of our visit to Fisherman's Wharf, we were lucky there to see bunch of seals, people were feeding them, so we tried too, got some nice footage there, check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDrNbijgWGw

Usually seals grow up to 200 pounds, but those ones in the Wharf, could grow up to 300 pounds, because they always have food. Locals told us that sometimes killer whales would come to the harbor for an easy and fatty meal. Doesn't happen often though.

Well, thank you for your attention, hope you enjoy the video.

hippietrekker · #2 09-11-2016, 08:39 AM

When I lived in Victoria I did a fair bit of shoreline casting; tried the breakwater a few times with no success, I much preferred heading out of the city to fish in solidarity. I fished frequently at East Sooke Park and also did some shoreline fishing on Saltspring Island. I only ever caught rock fish, using both buzz bombs and soft plastics (tried for salmon and lingcod but alas).
It sure is hard to beat the view though: standing on the rocks, salt air rushing past, with the Olympic Mountains in the distance...

Love seeing seals swim underwater too, thanks for the video!

RavYak · #3 09-11-2016, 10:33 AM

Although I do know some bottom fish are caught at the breakwater I don't see how it could possibly be a good spot. If you research bottom fish you will find out that they are not a renewable resource and that they have been fished out of a lot of areas around the island. Even the remote west coast has seen a drop in fish numbers let alone fishing in one of the biggest cities on the island.

As for salmon this was one of the worst years for salmon in decades(according to multiple sources all over the island). I am not sure if the salmon even go by the breakwater but if they do then this was just a bad year to try for them(as we found out on our trip all around the island).

Brandonkop · #4 09-11-2016, 01:05 PM

Yeah those seals a pretty tame around the harbors and notorious in salmon theft... also get your hook and flasher sometimes too. I wish they would thin the population a little bit. Help the salmon and fish stocks a bit. My buddy saw some seals on the upper Vedder river last fall. In the columbia the US Culled the seals eating the river fish and helped the population. Not sure if they'll ever do it here. Usually wait till its too late in Canada as we're seeing with this years salmon run. The resident Killer whales in this area are mainly salmon eaters. We do have some Transients pass through sometimes and those are the ones that will catch a seal. I wish we could train the resident population to enjoy a seal or two a day. I think we just need to strap and few salmon to some seals and they'll get the idea!

As for fishing the shore in a city... yeah it is probably fished out. Rock fish are susceptible to overfishing. Have to go more remote and unfished rocky areas that drop off fast and you'll find some fish. Salmon are not often caught near shore unless you're fishing near a river mouth. Better luck next time. The good fishing is out on a boat!

Sundancefisher · #5 09-11-2016, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandonkop

Yeah those seals a pretty tame around the harbors and notorious in salmon theft... also get your hook and flasher sometimes too. I wish they would thin the population a little bit. Help the salmon and fish stocks a bit. My buddy saw some seals on the upper Vedder river last fall. In the columbia the US Culled the seals eating the river fish and helped the population. Not sure if they'll ever do it here. Usually wait till its too late in Canada as we're seeing with this years salmon run. The resident Killer whales in this area are mainly salmon eaters. We do have some Transients pass through sometimes and those are the ones that will catch a seal. I wish we could train the resident population to enjoy a seal or two a day. I think we just need to strap and few salmon to some seals and they'll get the idea!

As for fishing the shore in a city... yeah it is probably fished out. Rock fish are susceptible to overfishing. Have to go more remote and unfished rocky areas that drop off fast and you'll find some fish. Salmon are not often caught near shore unless you're fishing near a river mouth. Better luck next time. The good fishing is out on a boat!

Seals and sea lions don't eat salmon in diet. They can't catch them. Only time they can is when hooked.

I want to take a blow up orca floaty on my next trip. Drag behind the boat to freak out the seals and sea lions. If they get used to it then maybe they won't bolt when the real ones come around.

Brandonkop · #6 09-11-2016, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Seals and sea lions don't eat salmon in diet. They can't catch them. Only time they can is when hooked.

I want to take a blow up orca floaty on my next trip. Drag behind the boat to freak out the seals and sea lions. If they get used to it then maybe they won't bolt when the real ones come around.

They don't eat salmon in their diet? Really? Then why do they pile up at the fraser river mouth in the fall and enter the rivers all the way up to the upper vedder??? What are they eating? They eat salmon.

https://www.hcn.org/articles/on-the-...ungry-sea-lion

Lots of articles on sea lions and seals eating returning salmon in rivers. So much so that the US had a big cull of seals on the Columbia river.

One of the most well-known examples of this was in the mid-1980s to early 1990s when a small group of California sea lions congregated by a fish ladder at Ballard Locks in Washington State, happily feasting on half of a run of wild steelhead. Some 50 sea lions make an annual spring pilgrimage 146 miles up the Columbia River to the base of Bonneville Dam to feed on the salmon that gang up at the fish ladders. Another 10 or so sea lions pull the same trick on spring Chinook salmon at Willamette Falls on Oregon’s Willamette River. A group of pinnipeds has learned to scoop chum salmon off their spawning beds on a tributary of Washington State’s Hood Canal.

Salmon Slayer Lenny · #7 09-11-2016, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandonkop

They don't eat salmon in their diet? Really? Then why do they pile up at the fraser river mouth in the fall and enter the rivers all the way up to the upper vedder??? What are they eating? They eat salmon.

Valid points Brandon. Seals and sea lions are notorious for stacking up in rivers waiting for migrating salmon.

I got a great video of a huge bull sea lion eating a nice sized salmon this summer. Out in the middle of the Georgia Straight, about 5 km from shore and in 250 feet of water. Typically see seals out there and quite often.

They most definitely eat salmon.

EZM · #8 09-11-2016, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Seals and sea lions don't eat salmon in diet. They can't catch them. Only time they can is when hooked.

I want to take a blow up orca floaty on my next trip. Drag behind the boat to freak out the seals and sea lions. If they get used to it then maybe they won't bolt when the real ones come around.

Perhaps it's not something that's as prevalent throughout the year when they are in open water (and likely harder to catch) but to say they don't Salmon is wrong ............. at least the seals we watched didn't get the memo because they were actively feeding on Salmon.

Angler · #9 09-11-2016, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RavYak

Although I do know some bottom fish are caught at the breakwater I don't see how it could possibly be a good spot. If you research bottom fish you will find out that they are not a renewable resource and that they have been fished out of a lot of areas around the island. Even the remote west coast has seen a drop in fish numbers let alone fishing in one of the biggest cities on the island.

As for salmon this was one of the worst years for salmon in decades(according to multiple sources all over the island). I am not sure if the salmon even go by the breakwater but if they do then this was just a bad year to try for them(as we found out on our trip all around the island).

I talked to a fisherman over there, on the breakwater, he kinda told me that fishing is slow this year, but still, he showed me pics of him holding a decent salmon, maybe 25 pounder he caught 3 weeks ago he said. He also mentioned, that chance to catch a ling is quite big, compare to a salmon. If you gonna spend a day over there you will catch one he stated.
So, there is still a bit of fish left, I think it's more educated now to buzz bombs and stuff.
And there were dozens of boats trolling around breakwater, so that is still a good fishing spot, I guess.
Will see, maybe better luck next time...

spinN'flyfish · #10 09-11-2016, 06:02 PM

I've been out early summer...... The pier produced a few rockfish and flounder. Was using a bottom rig with 2/0 and piece of herring. Worked well for the few hours I was fishing. Salmon hasn't been great this year, better luck by a river mouth later in the season......

Brandonkop · #11 09-11-2016, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angler

I talked to a fisherman over there, on the breakwater, he kinda told me that fishing is slow this year, but still, he showed me pics of him holding a decent salmon, maybe 25 pounder he caught 3 weeks ago he said. He also mentioned, that chance to catch a ling is quite big, compare to a salmon. If you gonna spend a day over there you will catch one he stated.
So, there is still a bit of fish left, I think it's more educated now to buzz bombs and stuff.
And there were dozens of boats trolling around breakwater, so that is still a good fishing spot, I guess.
Will see, maybe better luck next time...

The majority of people trolling on the ocean fish the locations close to marinas and launches. Not the best locations. Just for your information. It's like the herd mentality out there. If I start fishing a small piece of shore back and forth pretty soon there a four other boats on top of me. That's just how it goes. People are a bunch of followers. Catching one salmon in three weeks is not good odds. It's possible but not probable. Big difference. Next time you're there check out going on a half day charter even. You'll have more success.

RavYak · #12 09-11-2016, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angler

I talked to a fisherman over there, on the breakwater, he kinda told me that fishing is slow this year, but still, he showed me pics of him holding a decent salmon, maybe 25 pounder he caught 3 weeks ago he said. He also mentioned, that chance to catch a ling is quite big, compare to a salmon. If you gonna spend a day over there you will catch one he stated.
So, there is still a bit of fish left, I think it's more educated now to buzz bombs and stuff.
And there were dozens of boats trolling around breakwater, so that is still a good fishing spot, I guess.
Will see, maybe better luck next time...

There will always be some fish around as there are minimum size limits allowing some to reproduce as well as some fish moving in. I was just saying if you do your research on bottom fish it is pretty apparent a place like the breakwater although it probably does have some fish is a poor location if you actually expect to have consistent luck.

People fish those spots because they are easy and close not because they are good fishing. It is the same reason people fish the NSR or some of the small ponds in/close to Edmonton. They aren't good fishing but some people don't care and are happy to just catch something rather then putting in a bunch of extra time, effort and money to go and actually find good spots to fish.

Since you are fishing off shore there is going to be very limited options available out there so breakwater might be as good as anything. Using bait will be one of your best options as you are then luring the fish to you. Casting near spots of cover(kelp etc) will probably increase bites but also result in more snags and break offs. One of the most important things might be learning the tide schedule and how to fish on each type of tide.