Bathtubs and Baby Herring

It is the weekend of Nanaimo's great bathtub race so the launch ramps will be busy.  But if you can get your boat in the water the fishing is picking up again. The baby herring from this years spawn have moved out of the bays and into deeper water. There are large schools of them around Entrance Island, and the salmon are following. There are larger than average Chinook in the mix. I know of quite a few fish in the 20's caught there in the last few days (when ever the wind let us out). The salmon are moving around with the bait and specific depths and locations vary. Try East of Entrance on either side of the long reef. Best lure are small spoons like Gibbs Wee G in Bon Chovy, Coho Killers in Irish Cream and Herring Aid, or the new 3.0 Mini Big Eye spoons in Tofino Sunrise and Blue Blazer. Needle fish hootchies in chartreuse, and small anchovies are also working. If you spot a bait ball, and the wind allows you, stop and jig. If the drift is too fast, just keep trolling. The usual jigs like Delta Half jig, and Lil' Nib are your go to lures for salmon jigging. Prawning is picking up all over, with some very large prawns being taken. I call them three bight prawns. Crabbing on the other hand is fairly poor. I've been mostly getting red rocks, in my dungeness locations. And I've heard similar reports from other fisherman. I was told by an experienced commercial fisherman that told me they are on the low end of their 7 year life cycle, and that they are in deep water right now. Its anecdotal, but its the best theory I've heard so far. So get out there if the wind lets, but watch out for speeding bath tubs! Tips up, Steve Vavrik