Kyuquot fishing

[Brew]

Headed to kyuquot Thursday for some fishing with some work buddy's. This is my first time heading over there. I hear the fishing is great this time of year. Just wondering what guys like to use off the downriggers up there? Planning on taking most of my plugs,spoons and hoochies. What color combos have you guys had luck with? And at what depths are usually fished in that area. I used to fishing rivers inlet where we fish close to the rocks and kelp beds and not very deep but I think we may be fishing deeper in kyuquot.

[Blair]

I have fished there a lot, but always in early August. We use mostly anchovies and spoons - cop cars up to 6" have produced well. I always fish with a flasher on the cannon ball and my line straight to the bait about 5' above the flasher and a bit behind. Lots of the areas in close we fish at 30' to 45' right in close to the kelp. We have got lots of fish up to mid 40's that way. If the cohos are in you can be really busy with them as well. good luck.

[RB2]

Second the cop car spoon, worked well for me last year. Also a pilchard spoon did well. Loved fishing Kyuquot more than Nootka, wish we were going back there this year but its back to Nootka.

[MB_Boy]

Also have spent a lot of time there from June thru August.

Earlier like now...green glow spoons in a 4.0 or blue/glow spoons as well. J55 needlefish Hoochie....or a white glo turd Hoochie on bottom. If the fish are deep.....GLO/UV are great. Very easy to bounce along bottom and get springs, Hali, lings and Rockies.

If the coho aren't thick my favourite is running bait...5 or 6" herring in anchovie teaser head. 602 glo Krippled K teaser head was a killer last year for me.

Definitely try larger plugs and if they are UV....even better. If pilchards are around, plugs and spoons in pilchard patterns work well.

Nootka has big fish showing up already so I would guess they will be in Kyuquot as well.

[Brew]

Thanks for the tips guys. Should be a great time. Think I'll hit up wholesale sports and buy a few new plugs and hootchies.

[.264winmag]

Also have spent a lot of time there from June thru August.

Earlier like now...green glow spoons in a 4.0 or blue/glow spoons as well. J55 needlefish Hoochie....or a white glo turd Hoochie on bottom. If the fish are deep.....GLO/UV are great. Very easy to bounce along bottom and get springs, Hali, lings and Rockies.

If the coho aren't thick my favourite is running bait...5 or 6" herring in anchovie teaser head. 602 glo Krippled K teaser head was a killer last year for me.

Definitely try larger plugs and if they are UV....even better. If pilchards are around, plugs and spoons in pilchard patterns work well.

Nootka has big fish showing up already so I would guess they will be in Kyuquot as well.

Nailed it, cannonballs in the dirt...

[.264winmag]

Lots of sand/gravel just outside red can in either direction, 120-180 feet on the bottom. They'll be eating needlefish/sand lance

[Brew]

Really great tips guys. Fishing the bottom is something I wouldn't have thought about. Dropped 150$ on some gear today so I am all set

[.264winmag]

I have my best luck in the 130+/- ft zone south of the can and usually troll with the tide until pick up a couple, then do doughnuts until dizzy and limited on Hali's and springs. Don't mess with the bait unless you know you're in the springs and they've just went off the bite. And watch the gear like a hawk, it's easy to miss the slightest bite and end up dragging around something small for awhile. I went to braid on the islanders so you can see the slightest twitch. And you have to be able to tell the difference between a bite and the cannonball bouncing bottom. Not rocket science, just a couple tips you may already know. When in doubt just hit the Auto on the rigger and let er come up while keeping up with reel, it'll either pop of from extra resistance, a salmon will hit it on way up or there's nothing there and you send er back down not wondering if your dragging something.

[MB_Boy]

Good advice 264.

Lots of areas to try and actually depths too! When bouncing along bottom out at Kyuquot Reef I have also dragged a shallow line and all of about 20-25 down have hit some nice springs.

Brew....definitely ask what is going on and where it is going on. Hopefully weather let's you get offshore. One thing to bear in mind, punching thru the surf line to get outside can be a bit lumpy but once outside you can fish very easily in rolling swells. Have contemplated turning around many a time and once outside it has been very fish able water. That 1/4 - 1/2 mile or so of punching thru that line can be well worth it to get outside.....but let's hope you get the good days of flat water right out!!

If you like rockfish....black rockfish are among my favourite eating; bring a spinning outfit. You can try all sorts of the pinnacles or along kelp beds with a buzz bomb and pick them up. I always stop on my way back in on some of the pinnacles south/southeast of Spring/Lookout Islands to grab a few to make ceviche for happy hour! Also lots of space as you'll see off to the south as you come out the south entrance to Kyuquot Village. You'll see lots of kelp beds that are in the general direction if you were gonna run south towards Hiast Island. Basically towards the red can that 264 was referring to.

All along the outside of those Islands near the can you'll find all the fishies you are after including Hali's too if you have trouble getting offshore.

Don't forget to take some pics!! Lots of wildlife to see....Humpbacks, Greys, Minke's on occasion, orcas, dolphins and a pile of sea otters!!! The otters are a guarantee but always see some whales both inshore and offshore. If you want to...as running out north of Spring Island and Lookout Island there is a sea lion rookery towards the Barrier Islands. If the wind is blowing the right way.....believe me, you'll smell it!!

[Brew]

Thanks for the tips MB and 264. Really great info. It will make my first time there a lot more productive because of the info you shared. I'll post pics when I return.

[Sitkaspruce]

I fish just above you in Quatsino.

If fishing tight to the beach, anchovies in glow green or purple haze behind a red/silver or purple haze flasher. Fish tight to the kelp and near the bottom.

if you do get off shore, look for pinacles and small humps and fish just of the tops of them, even bouncing off them every once and a while at depths between 175-220'. I will not fish flashers as they produce to much drag, even with 15 lbs balls, makes it tough to keep it near the bottom. Also, I find you get smaller fish with the flashers. And forget bait unless you like to keep brining the gear up evertime you get a hit.

Fish big plugs and spoons from Tomic and Oki in 5-7" size and in glow colours like 600, 602, 232, and 700. Fish them 5-10' above the ball and about 30-50' behind the ball. You will pick up springs, hali and ling off these humps with this gear.

Good luck and post some picts when you get back.

Cheers

SS

[Brew]

Thanks Sitka spruce. I have every plug color you listed in 6-7". Along with the same color spoons. Thanks for the tips and I'll have some pics and a fishing report when I get back. We are staying at the beach house and fishing our own boats.

[Whonnock Boy]

Argghh! Sorry I missed the thread earlier Brew. I was just trying to PM you that you can drop by and pilfer my surplus. Your inbox is full, and just realized you went and got some gear already. Still can if you want.... I might have something for ya.

[Sitkaspruce]

Here is a trip 2 years ago that produced 21 fish for the day, all on a 6" 602 plug and a 6" 232, fished around 190'. The coho came on a 158 spoon with 4oz of weight and 15-20 pulls.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/P8100049.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/P8100049.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/P8100044.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/P8100044.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/P8100039.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/P8100039.jpg.html)

Cheers

SS

[Brew]

Argghh! Sorry I missed the thread earlier Brew. I was just trying to PM you that you can drop by and pilfer my surplus. Your inbox is full, and just realized you went and got some gear already. Still can if you want.... I might have something for ya.
thanks for the offer WB but I think I'm all set. Just finished reorganizing all my gear while drinking some lucky lager. Cleaned up my inbox to. Thanks for letting me know about my inbox.

[Brew]

That's a great haul you pulled in there Sitkaspruce.

[fuzzybiscuit]

Canada day weekend can be some great fishing with little crowds.

We used to hit it every year and had many double digit days on big springs fishing along the kelp beds at Spring Island. Quite often there would only be a few boats around where three weeks later there would be dozens.

We always fished cut plugs straight off the riggers. Bring something to throw at the seals.

Have fun!

[.264winmag]

How was the trip Brew? Heading out to Tahsis for 4 days July 11th, the offshore fishing reports are excellent...

[MB_Boy]

Heard from a buddy who lives in Kyuquot that the springs are there thick right now!

[.264winmag]

Great news, inshore too?

[MB_Boy]

Great news, inshore too?

Not sure but will ask. To quote...."springs are thick now like the coho mobs can be...couldn't keep the lines in the water!!. :-D

[MB_Boy]

Great news, inshore too?

Sorry 264.....meant to update this. It sounds like largely offshore but not far out at all. Just a guess but these could be a lot of Conuma fish rolling thru too.



Uh.....on a side note.....Mr. Brew, where is our report?:wink:

[.264winmag]

Sorry 264.....meant to update this. It sounds like largely offshore but not far out at all. Just a guess but these could be a lot of Conuma fish rolling thru too.



Uh.....on a side note.....Mr. Brew, where is our report?:wink:

thanks bud, we will have the gear in the water first thing Saturday morning. Gonna start on the kelp as it sounds like that's where some bigger fish are hanging. Better numbers offshore but lotsa teeners'. My guess would be mostly southern/hatchery fish just offshore and conuma/local fish on the rocks. I'll let you know how we make out

[.264winmag]

Slayed em, bonked 8 springs everyday before noon and released anything under 15#. Not too many big fish yet, 18-25# average. Just fished the points from Nootka island to Kyuquot. 30-70 ft flasher/chovy worked best, caught some nice fish on 6/7" tomics after we had our limit. Not as many Halibut as usual but got our possession limit while trolling for salmon. Lots of lings/rockfish. Few nice coho around but we managed to keep em off for the most part, damn bait stealers anyway. Most fish I've seen on the coast mid July in years, good mix of local spawners, southern spawners and feeders. Get out there!

[Brew]

Sorry I haven't posted any pics of my trip.ive been in camp since. The first night there I got a 23 and a 18 lb chinook. The second day was rougher than snot and the fishing was horrible. I have guided and spent my whole life on the water and never been sea sick until then. I didn't get sick but sure didn't feel good. Got a few halibut in the boat that day and that it. Our last day the ocean calmed down and we headed outside to the pinnacle and absolutely smashed chinook coho and halibut. Everyone cleaned up that last morning. It was a great time and I can't wait to head back. Would love to be out there right now because the fishing is hot. Will post some pics when I get back from camp