Fresh Lulu Island Fishing Reports

Well after some record setting coho fishery in mid summer to another September to remember for large and feisty Chinook Salmon returning to the Fraser River, it's time to layer up and stay on the fish. The "winter fishery" just rolled over without a lull moving away from the Fraser River arms to the more traditional grounds in Howe Sound, the Vancouver Harbour and over across to the Nanaimo side. We've have changed tactics from fishing shallow on the riggers to going deep just off the bottom of the ocean in depths anywhere from 120 feet down to over 250 feet on the riggers. We have been most successful when we let the cannonballs hit the bottom then bring it up a couple feet. Our go to tackle in the winter is glow hootchies and glow 3-3.5" spoons with glow flashers. Notice the key word "glow" as the gear is deep. There is a vast difference in glow qualities amongst the tackle manufacturers. I believe in the adage of you get what you pay for. Westcoast Fishing Tackle is the premium equipment I recommend. Charge up the glow with a UV flashlight, deck light or your cellphone and change up gear every 20-30 minutes. Using bait at these depths is not "fun" as the bait could blow out as it descends as well as any little bite requires a lot of reeling to check the bait. Troll faster than with bait to cover more distance and watch for bait on your plotter/fish finder. This is good time of the year to consider switching to a 50 lb braid mainline with a 30-60 foot topshot of 30 lb monofilament on your reels. It is much easier on you and your rod when tripping the line off the retention clip. Good luck, stay warm and "Let's Go Fishing!"

The salmon season in Vancouver has been spectacular all summer! Good numbers of chinook, coho, and huge numbers of pink salmon have kept the action consistent, and often, hot and heavy! We are now coming into the time of year we catch our biggest chinook of the season! Last September/October was terrific, and with the great season we've had so far, this year promises to be just as good, if not better! Weather has been the only wild card, with many days too windy to get out - but other than that, this has already been a season to remember!

We are enjoying excellent salmon fishing for chinook and coho salmon now. Chinook salmon are catch and release until August 1 but retention of coho salmon is available. Crab fishing has been slow. Book now while as we are filling up fast.

Although we are lucky enough in Vancouver to be able to fish for chinook salmon year round, Spring marks the beginning of our main salmon season, as migrating fish also begin to show up in local waters. And for weather and fishing, Spring came in like a lion this year! May saw hot, summer-like weather, virtually no rain, and the chinook salmon fishing was on fire! In fact, on a lot of days its seemed like double-headers were more common than catching single fish! June has been more seasonable, and the first coho of the year showed up in numbers, adding to the already great chinook fishing! Vancouver area waters will also see a big run of Pink salmon soon, as they are on a two year cycle. This year, Pinks will arrive in the millions starting in July and they always provide lots of action and good fun. Add it all up and we’ve already enjoyed a great start to what promises to be a terrific salmon season this year! Let’s go fishing!

Currently, the chinook fishing is exceptional. Although it is catch and release only we are having amazing catches of chinook salmon. Crab fishing has been decent. This is a great opportunity to create memories. Take some great photos and have a wonderful day perhaps doing something you’ve never done before.

We’ve been having some very good chinook fishing the last month here in local waters around Vancouver. Trolling a variety of artificial spoons and squid patterns have been producing on the Tide changes. Crab fishing has been average and prawn fishing has been good.