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The PREDATORS PEN
Date: March 21/2006.
An update of the local saltwater fishing scene for Vancouver
By: David Korsch (Predator Charters)
E-mail: davek@dccnet.com
Phone: (604) 329 - 8642 Fax: (604) 886 - 1928
Hello Fellow Anglers
Spring is definitely in the air, and it is time to get out and take advantage of the last couple weeks of the winter Chinook fishery. The fishing has been quite good lately, as the Ambleside/Capilano area, Hole in the Wall, Western Bowen, and Defense Islands have all been producing well in the past couple weeks. The seals have even seemed to let up somewhat over in the QB/Jericho/Bell Buoy area, and catches were very good over that way for the past few days. The Capilano has been extremely consistent (8 to 15 lb fish) if you manage to be there at high or low slack, and Howe Sound has been producing quite a few large fish lately. There have been at least two "tyee" class fish taken in the past few weeks, as well as a few in the 20 to 30 lb range. These larger fish have been turning up more frequently in the past week, as I seem to hear of a new fish in this size range every couple days.
We should continue to see good fishing for the remainder of the winter fishery (a couple more weeks). The beauty of the "winter" fishery is that we generally fish protected locations, so our fishing conditions are always calm - it is a requirement when you are dragging the downriggers along the bottom. Once the "springtime fishery begins out off Southern Bowen, we are exposed to the wind, and choppy conditions are a distinct possibility. There are a few protected locations we will continue to fish as well during April, so we don't have to get "beat-up" if the wind doesn't cooperate.
The Capilano and the rest of Vancouver Harbour could continue to produce well into April, and Hole in the Wall is always a good bet from now through the end of July. Defense Islands will be a good throughout the spring months, and Porteau Cove should begin to produce well in the next few weeks. It will be very interesting to see how this area does this spring. It is now 3 yrs from when I discovered that massive school of Chinook holding there (July 2003), so this is the year for 3 yr old fish (teenagers) to return from that large brood year - it should provide us with some excellent fishing.
During the first few days of April, we will see the springtime plankton blooms occur - the signal that the "winter" Chinook fishery has ended, and the "South Bowen" Chinook fishery will begin. There have been a few guys trying out off South Bowen in the past couple weeks, but it is a bit early, and their results haven't been too good yet. By the first week of April, this area will become more consistent, and this spring I think we will see an excellent fishery out there. There have been far more "just undersized" Chinook around this winter which leads me to believe we will see a very good springtime Chinook fishery.
While it is very hard to predict when this South Bowen fishery will be really hot, it always seems to occur between the 1st and 2nd week of April. Looking ahead at the moon and tides, I see the mid-month full moon phase being the likely time for this fishery's hottest action. Between the 10th and 15th of April, we have good morning ebb tides (the best tide for fishing the "hump" off Southern Bowen), the moon will be full (always a more active time for fish), and the time of the month should be about right (looking at the timing of the best fishing in past years). All we will need is a bit of cooperation from the weather (relatively calm conditions), and I think we should see some excellent Chinook fishing around that time.
Right now the problem isn't where to find some fish.......it is deciding where to go for the day's fishing! All locations are producing well right now, so it can be really hard to make up your mind about where to go on any given day..........it is a good dilema!
As always, feel free to pass this information along to any associates whom may appreciate the report. If you have any questions, or wish to book a charter, e-mail me davek@dccnet.com), or call me at (604) 329 - 8642.
Tight Lines,
David Korsch
Predator Charters
(604) 329 - 8642
davek@dccnet.com
www.predatorcharters.com