[mountainman]

Hey guys wondering if you might answer a couple questions for me. First I'll give you a quick rundown on whats happening.

Had a trip planned to Terrace as I have done for the last couple years around the middle of July, but with the flooding I don't feel comfortable taking the kids on the river up there this year. So I am planning a trip to the Surrey area. I am running a 16' jetboat, no outriggers, and most of my experience on the salt has been charters out of Prince Rupert.

First question can a guy have any sucess trolling cut plug herring with a 6oz wieght, or better with a dipsy diver or something along those lines with a spoon or flasher and a hoochie?

Would a guy be better off mooching a live herring?

Most of my gear is river gear and I don't think I will have it in my budget to pick up slower action rods, one is a 8' mod-fast action and the other is an 11' bar rod which is a bit slower, am I going to be too heavy on the fish or should I find a couple mooching rods?

Thanks for the input guys and tight lines.

 

[mountainman]

No one has any opinions on this?
Being from Alberta I could use a little guidance from the experts :thumbup:

 

[GOFISH]

Sorry you don't have any replies, If I had the expertise I'd help you out. Mid July should be a great time to fish the Fraser Bars ....... since most of your gear is "river gear" you may want to consider that instead.

As long as you can get down into the "zone" I don't think you would have a problem trolling as you mentioned in your post.


GOFISH 8)

 

[dog]

I think you could get lucky fishing Vancouver Harbour mid July. On a calm day it is a very nice area to fish in a small boat. Cut plug and weight would be a good choice. Some guys like flashers too but I find that you tend to need a pound of weight to get a flasher down. A diver would be a good option too, if you already have one. I cant picture your rods but they should be perfectly fine for a day or two on the chuk. I usually troll running a super stiff 6 ft trolling rod, and a super limp 11 ft moocher on my down rigger. There is no live bait around here that I know of. Most guys troll (prev) frozen herring or anchovies or spoons or a Hot spot flasher and hootchy. Trolling the North Shore along West Van or off Point Grey can be good mid July. Start the trip with some new line and I am sure you will enjoy running the gear you have. Maybe a good start would be cut plug and light weight on the light rod and a bigger weight or dive planer and flasher and something on the heavy one. I bet you will have some beginners luck.

 

[Pippen]

Mountainman......(MB_Boy here from HBC/Hshoot )

I didn't realize you had cancelled the trip to hook up with Steven.

Anyhow, when you say you are heading to Surrey, are you looking at fishing tidal waters in the Fraser River or right out in the chuck?  With your river set ups there is plenty of good fishing on the Fraser for springs around that time of the year and some of the guys in the "lower mainland" forum could lend a hand.  Heck...if you get here early enough there is a fishout on the weekend of July 14th.

If you are running a jet I would be a bit cautious without the deeper-V in the hull as it can blow up pretty quickly in Vancouver harbour.(actually I just looked at a pic of your boat and you should be in decent shape. Not sure how high the sides are in relation to the water line though?)  I would focus on the early morning and if things don't blow up then you can judge your day from there.  There are a couple of spots where you could do a launch of your boat and have a quick run back if the wind started to pick up.  You could work around in English Bay targetting springs, coho and even have a shot at some pinks by then.  If the weather was calm there is Hole in the Wall which you "may" be able to launch your boat somewhere close (not sure about launches in Horseshoe Bay or Sunset Marina).

As for bait/lures.  I don't hear too much of guys cut-plugging in English Bay or mooching for that matter.  We have always used spoons, hoochies (especially with coho's around) and the odd time teaser heads with anchovies or a herring.  You will find by mid-July that most of the concentration in the local waters will be along the North Shore/West Vancouver towards the mouth of the Capilano River and off of Second/third Beach in Stanley Park.  Once the coho's start running it can be a serious gong show with the boats and far too many fools who can't navigate in there. 

As for NOT having riggers, you can get by for Coho's without them.  We have generally have had success for them in the top 15-35'.  A diver would likely help you out, but having a long length of line out behind your boat with a weight may piss off a lot of other boats as it can be pretty tight quarters.  Now having said that there is a lot of water away from the mouth of the Cap where you can have success in English Bay.

I think you may be able to 'improvise' with the rods you have but the bar rod may be a bit too much.  You may be able to pick up for relatively cheap a Shimano mooching rod/reel combination that may just fit the bill.  Hell....if I get over to the Gulf Island where all of my gear is before then you can borrow my rods.  They are nothing fancy but have caught some fish.  Actually, if you are in a bind.....send me a message on here or on HS and I may be able to get you a couple of Mooching set ups to borrow.

Also....hopefully FishingMagician or BigJay see this as they are pretty knowledgable in the local waters.  I know Jay has some experience with mooching.....more so than I do, so he may be able to lend some advice.

MB-Boy/Pippen

 

[Pippen]

moutainman....

One other thing to browse is look through threads on the salt forum here. There are countless posts of good advice about the local Vancouver waters.

Pippen

 

[fishinmagician]

......

 

[mountainman]

Thanks for the replies guys!
Pippen yeah we figured that the Skeena was going to be to full of debris to really get a safe and enjoyable trip in so Steven is headed to the island and I'm heading to Surrey. We'll hook up in Surrey and do some fishing on the Fraser hopefully :thumbup:

 

[Tacheeda]

If i were you, I'd still head to the Skeena.......Its dropping now and most debris is gone and if it does get bad, you always have the Kalum, Lakelse, Kitimat and the Douglas Channel. Im heading out to Terrace/Kitimat in a couple weeks for 10 days :happy:

I much prefer the Skeena.....Bigger fish, More fish, more bars (the river kind :drunk, less anglers.........just way too damn many Grizzlies ( 1 LEH for the area doesnt cut it :wallbash

 

[mountainman]

I would if I didn't have the kids and fiancee with me. This way I can send them out shopping or something while I spend my time fishing. Thing about the Skeena is if there are only 3 fishable spots then there are 300 people per spot!! I don't want to have the headache of fighting guys for good spots. If I can get out on the Fraser or the ocean in around Vancouver then the fiancee can go shop her heart out!!

 

[leaseman]

Joe-
When are you hitting town.....???

Mike

 

[fishortho]

If you want some good basic info on salmon fishing in salt water, go to www.salmonuniversity.com Lots of good, helpful info here to get you started.....And, don,t pay any atention to those who don't use bait....sometimes it is the ONLY way you will have any success locally........Ortho 8)

 

[GOFISH]

Thing about the Skeena is if there are only 3 fishable spots then there are 300 people per spot!!

Damn ......... sounds nice compared to the Fraser ....... only about 1/4 of the people per spot!! :happy: :happy:

Seriously though ...... If you decide to do some river fishing while your down I'm sure there are lots of people around to give you some advice and assistance ..... me included.


GOFISH 8)

 

[mountainman]

Joe-
When are you hitting town.....???

Mike

Mike I'll be there around the 15th of July. I'm pretty sure I can convince you to bring out the new ride for an evening :thumbup: I got to see if I'm faster then you :happy: Oh and of course a little fishing and maybe a :beerchug: If I don't kill the fiancee before we leave :wallbash:
As for the 300 I was talking boats in one spot not people issed: for people its not bad to fish from shore but I like the boat and some places just need to be fished from the boat.