Fishing Reports for April 4
Washington
Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco)
no report this week
Marine Area 2 (Westport)
no report this week
no report this week
Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay)
no report this week
Marine Area 5
no report this week
Marine Area 6
no report this week
Marine Area 7
Chinook fishing has been fair in the Islands. There are some larger Spring fish around. Try the banks for numbers. Silver Horde Kingfisher spoons in 3″ and Coho Killers have been the hot ticket for us. Remember to get those new licenses before you head out.
Submitted by Kevin Klein, Team Parker Boats NW. The cover image of this week’s fishing reports was also contributed by Klein. It shows Mitch Chevalier with his top fish in the 2018 Frank Wilson Memorial Blackmouth derby. This 20 pounder took top prize in the 8 week long tournament. This derby is put on by King’s Marine in Friday Harbor. Proceeds go to San Juan Island EMS.
Marine Area 8.1
no report this week
Marine Area 8.2
no report this week
Marine Area 9 (Admirality Inlet)
TWO FACE … we are having some good luck with the new two faced 3.5 spoons on the outside banks. The big RED eye looks a lot like a “wounded” herring.
The larger fish are still suspended 15 to 20 feet off the bottom in 140 – 150 feet of water. Long 50 to 60 inch leaders (25 lb) are producing the best. Hopefully this weekend we can find a
Twenty pound hungry freight train! See you on the water!
Report submitted by Nelson “Spud” Goodsell – Salmon for Soldiers, IGFA Life Member, FISHTALE2.
Marine Area 10
no report this week
Marine Area 11
The fishing for Immature Chinook/Black mouth has slowed a little but still pretty good, most of the salmon are being caught from the Slag area on down to the Clay Banks, out onto the shelf area between Pt. Defiance to Pt. Dalco. The salmon are weighing in at 4lb to 8lb for the most part with a few larger to 15lb. being caught the last week or so.
The fishermen have been using a variety of gear to catch the salmon, those who like to troll are using mostly flasher and spoon combinations and fishing in about 140’ to 160’ of water and near bottom. Jigging and mooching has been best at the tide changes at the Clay Banks and shelf area in the same depths of water I mentioned for the fishermen trolling.
Good Luck. Call for a more updated report at (253)404-3960.
Basic Fishing Classes –Adults (Ages 15+) May 26, 2018 from 10 am to 12 pm. Learn local freshwater and saltwater skills, regulations, and safety. Cost $15. Youth Ages 8+ April 7, 2018 from 10 am to 12 pm Cost $15
Trailering Class – April 14, 2018 Saturday 10 am to 12 pm Cost $20 including Launch pass to practice skills learned. Learn the basic fundamentals of trailering including: care, safe hookups, towing, launching, docking, maintenance, and more. Register at MetroParksTacoma.org/GO, or via phone at (253)404-3960.
Report submitted by Point Defiance Marina. For more information contact: Gene Anderson, Boathouse Marina Technician, 253.591.5325 genea@tacomaparks.com www.pointdefiancemarina.com.
Marine Area 12
no report this week
Freshwater – Lake Chelan
no report this week
Freshwater – Potholes Reservoir
no report this week
British Columbia
Vancouver
Our chinook fishery is in a period of transition…in a good way! We have seen some very good numbers of 8 to 15 pound chinook salmon in the deeper waters off Bowen Island and the outer reaches of English Bay. The plankton bloom has started and this has pulled a lot of the bait fish out into the offshore waters to feed. The chinook salmon are right behind them. We have had some very good days on suspended fish, with some fish hitting as shallow as 40 feet on the downigger. We have had good luck fishing smaller Silver Horde Irish Cream and Herring Aide Spoons as well as Gibbs Delta G Force spoons in the Bon Chovy and Trailhead patterns.
April is typically a very good month to fish for feeding chinook. We will likely see our deep water fisheries pick up in Georgia Strait and the east of the Gulf Island’s even more as the month progresses.
Prawning has been excellent on our full day trips and crabbing has been average. If you are looking at doing a trip, April is a good bet to mix up salmon fishing, prawning and crabbing!
For more info call Jeff or Jason at Bon Chovy Fishing Charters (604) 763-5460,bonchovy.com email: info@bonchovy.com. The cover image of this week’s report was also contributed by Bon Chovy. It shows Francis and Danielle with a Gulf Island Chinook from the weekend.
Alberni Inlet, Barkley Sound, and Ucluelet
no report this week
Bamfield
no report this week
Becher Bay
Salmon fishing was FAIR. Anglers have been having the most success on the top of the flood tide in Whirl Bay. It’s been slower inside the bay and near the marina. Most anglers are fishing close to the bottom in 100 to 140 depths. We haven’t heard of any salmon over 10 lbs here this past week. The majority of anglers are using spoons with Coho Killers, Gibbs Skinny G’s in green/glow and green/silver colors the favorites. The GIBBS Highliner Guide Series Outfitters, Madi, Lemon Lime and Red/Glow Hot Spot flashers have been working well. Hootchies in White, Glow/Green and Purple Haze are the top choices in plastic baits.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Oak Bay
Salmon fishing was FAIR in Oak Bay this past week. There are salmon coming in from the Gap and from the Flats but they were mostly small. The salmon are feeding on needle fish and have been close to the bottom where the feed is located. Most of the anglers have been either bottom bouncing or jigging close to the bottom. Best bets for Oak Bay lures are needlefish spoon and squirts.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Pedder Bay
Pedder Bay Marina reports FAIR fishing in Whirl Bay. It’s been slower near the Green Can and at Whirl Bay. Most of the fish have been caught close to the bottom in 100 to 140 feet of water. The majority of the salmon have been from 3 to 6 lbs in size but a couple of 12 lb springs were caught, one at Whirl and the other in Pedder Bay. Spoons have been producing the best and the Skinny G’s, AP Tackleworks and Coho Killers are the top choices. Green with either silver or glow has been the color choice in spoons. Hoochies and squirts with a green and glow, or UV white have been popular color choices for plastic baits. Flashers that are popular include the Guide Series Madi, Outfitters and Lemon Lime.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Sidney
Salmon fishing was FAIR in the Sidney area. We have heard that there were some keeper springs being caught near Coal Island and in the Sidney channel. Some of the springs were over 10 lbs but most salmon are still smaller than that. Anglers using spoons found that APT Sandlance spoons, Coho Killers and Gibbs and Needle G spoons the most productive this past week. Suggested colours are Kitchen Sink and Irish Cream. Anchovies and Tiny Strip were also good producers of fish with teaser heads in Glow or UV Purple.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Sooke
The salmon fishing has been FAIR over the last few weeks. Most of the fish are from 3 to 8 lbs in size with the occasional larger one. The best location to fish for winter springs was from the Bluffs to Muir Creek. Most of the salmon are close to the bottom in 100 – 140 feet of water but there are some at mid water depths. The most productive lure combo has been a white hootchy fished behind a Red/Gold flasher. Hootchies in White, Glow/Green and Purple Haze are the top choices in plastic baits. Spoons such as Skinny G’s, Coho Killers and 3.5″ G Force spoons have been good. Anchovies are still the most popular choice for those fishing bait. Good choices for teaser head colors are Army Truck, Bloody Nose and Purple Haze. For flashers, Red/Glow Hot Spots, the Delta Guide Series UV Moon Jelly, Madi and the Lemon Lime Chartreuse are popular. There were very few halibut caught this past week.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Victoria
Fishing for salmon was FAIR off the waterfront this past week when the winds weren’t too blustery. Most of the fish are still small, from 3 to 7 lbs in size, but some larger ones have been caught. It was best out at Constance Bank. Wade Moore caught 10.6 lb spring out at Constance Bank on Wednesday on a Driftwood Brewing Fat Tug lure. In closer, there were springs from the Flagpole to Trial Island. In most locations the best depths to fish were 90-140 feet but we’ve heard of some larger fish being caught at mid-water depths. Spoons have been successful in getting hook ups with Irish Cream Skinny G’s, Green/Glow AP Tackleworks Anchovy 4” spoons and Green/Glow Coyote spoons popular choices. Most of the boats out fishing were not after salmon this past weekend as the emphasis was on halibut.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Lakes and Rivers
Fishing was SLOW in most lakes for trout and bass and GOOD in the rivers for steelhead.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com
Oregon
Lake Michigan
no report this week
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