Lingcod/Rockfish Opening up!

Lingcod and rockfish are scheduled to open in Georgia Straight on May1st!. The last few years have had excellent Ling fishing around Nanaimo and the Straights in general. They are a short lived fish that reaches spawning age between 3-5 years of age and are  prolific breeders. Best lures are swimbaits in colours that mimic rockfish. Reds, oranges and mottled browns will work. The swimbaits with longer tails out produce the paddle tail styles but are much more likely to get snagged.

Remember to always have your rockfish descender on board and ready for use whenever saltwater fishing from a boat.

Prawning is still excellent with bigger (AKA three bite prawns) than normal prawns being reported. There are higher amounts being caught south of Dodds Narrows, but it's relative as everywhere is good.

Chinook fishing is great, and remember there are a few areas that are open in area 17, as well as around Victoria. There have been god sized fish up to the mid 20lbs caught around Tent Island, and the prawning there is productive.

Best chinook lures are still smaller spoons and needlefish hoochies. West Coast Spoons Phat-e series have been working. 

Tips up, Steve Vavrik