Fishing Report
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Freshwater Fishing Saltwater BC, Canada
FISHING REPORT
August 19, 2011
By Ken Shagren, Fishing Pro Staff, Dave's Sports Shop
"Remember to check the official WDFW regulations before going out!"
Welcome to the Dave’s Sports Shop fishing report. Check in with us as we attempt to keep you informed on where the fish are biting and what is working to catch them. We will try to keep the information current so that we can help you decide where the best opportunity for success will be located.
Meanwhile the Skagit River has been good for humpies, but not as good as it will be in early September. So don’t be discouraged by early inconsistent catches because the catch rate will increase in the coming weeks. Plunking #4 Spin ’n Glos, with some pink on them with sand shrimp or cured coon shrimp have provided the most consistent success. However, if you are at the right place when a school moves through, pink spoons and jigs have been working well too. The water is high with many of the usual sand bars still under water, but the clarity is excellent. Look for the Skagit to peak in the next two weeks.
Baker Lake is still a viable option for Sockeye. Even though the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has discontinued transporting fish up to the lake, there were nearly 16,000 sockeye brought to the lake for fishermen to have a shot at catching. A size #0 flasher with a small pink squid on a double red hook setup tipped with shrimp or prawn are still accounting for most of the catches. Early morning from first light until around 10 am provides the best bite. The fish have ranging from 15 to 50 feet in depth. Fishing at Baker should stay good into early September. Baker Lake is designated as Area 825 on the salmon catch record card. Dave’s Sport Shop has all the gear and the latest information you will need for success.
Lake Samish may be fishing as well as it has all year. Experienced kokanee anglers are reporting quick limits of some of the largest fish caught there this year. The fish are being found at 35 to 60 feet and are taking Wedding Ring spinners, pink mini squids, small Apexes, and pink flies behind a Sling Blade or small 4/0 or 3/0 dodger. The lures are being tipped with a live or Gulp maggot.
Pink salmon have now been reported in good numbers within Area 7 and
can be intercepted in a number of places in and around the San Juans.
Deception Pass and the south side of Whidbey Island are popular
areas for bank fishermen using buzz bomb type lures. Boaters are
intercepting pinks along south and west side San Juan Island as well
as the northern end of Orcas Island and around Sucia Island. Sockeye
have also been reported hooked on the west side of San Juan Island.
In addition, reports are coming in of silvers being hooked by shore
anglers using Sand Lance imitation jigs and spinners at Point White
Horn and Birch Point at the south and north ends of Birch bay The
WDFW expects that over 300,000 additional Coho will enter Puget
Sound this year. Also, nearly 6,000,000 Pinks will be coming back to
Puget Sound area rivers not to mention another 17,000,000 returning
to the Fraser River.
Dungeness and Rock crab is now open in all of Area 7. Make certain
that all floats are clearly marked with your name and address. Each
person is allowed two crab pots and each pot must have an escape lid
that is tied down by biodegradable (100% cotton or equivalent) cord.
Crab fishing is limited to Thursdays through Mondays. Check the WDFW
rules pamphlet for additional regulations.
FRESHWATER
The Fraser river opened for sockeye fishing on
Saturday, August 13 and success has been building day by day.
Commercial openings can affect the fishing so it pays to check with
the DFO Fishery Notice Reports before you plan your trip. There have
also been excellent reports of kings being caught as well with one
customer reporting a 36 lb slab. Check with Dave’s Sport Shop for
all the special gear you will need for the Fraser.
The Fraser River is running quite high and fast making bank fishing
difficult. The Peg Leg bar gate is closed at last report. If you
don’t have access to a boat, you can try walking into Scale Bar, St.
Elmo, Agazis Bridge, or Gill Road. Sturgeon fishing has been good
with a lot of fish reported in shallow water out of the main strong
currents.
BC interior lakes continue to fish well. Chironomids, micro leaches,
and shrimp patterns are the choice of fly fishers in this area and
wedding band spinners, small spoons or flatfish type lures are the
choice of trollers. Chironomid fishing at Tunkwa Lake has been very
good and kokanee fishing at Nicola lake continues to be good for
numbers. If you are fly fishing in the BC interior be sure to bring
a wide assortment of flies. It’s a good idea to carry chironomids,
mayflies (dries and nymphs), damsels, dragons, caddis (dries,
nymphs, and pupa), ants, leeches, boatmen, and scud patterns. A good
selection of beaded and non-beaded micro leeches is also
indispensable as they can imitate leeches, scuds, damsels, juvenile
dragons, and mayflies.
SALTWATER
Fishing out of Ucluelet and Bamfield has been very good for migratory Chinook “Kings”. Guides and sportsmen are reporting having success using six and seven inch Tomic plugs or spoons and also T-Rex and purple Haze hootchies with a 42 inch leader behind a glow Hot Spot flasher. Those using anchovies are attaching them to a purple haze, chartreuse, glow army truck or cop car Rhys Davis teaser head. The best action is action is off shore but good fishing can be had in the near shore areas as well.
This Fishing Report is Sponsored by Dave's Sports Shop in Lynden. Check them out for all of your fishing and hunting needs. www.DavesSports.com
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