The first plunge into freezing temperatures. The inaugural wintry snowfall of the season. Changing colours. Hockey season. Frozen tundra and cold, wet seasonal storms.
These are all telltale signs that prime fishing season is over in Northern latitudes….especially those of Northern US and Canada confines.
On the West Coast, salmon have long entered their natal rivers to spawn and Albacore tuna have made their way back out to the open Pacific Ocean. It’s that strange in-between time when the wait for winter fisheries is on.
There are a few exceptions like the Fraser River White Sturgeon. The age-old dinosaur fishery targeting these river monsters is in full swing come November and December. Countless angling opportunities, guides and guiding outfits help make catching these prehistoric fish a real possibility.
While fall coho fisheries and late Chinook action are just a memory now, the Halibut fishing in places like Juan de Fuca and even Prince Rupert can be strong…albeit given good weather! The Hali fishery in Victoria has come back a long way and is now an integral part of season for many Island guides.
The wait for Winter Springs is on as this exciting “off-season” fishery gets kicking off in mid-November. For the past several seasons the Winter Spring fishery has sustained anglers from Vancouver and Howe Sound to Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island and all the way north to the harbour in Prince Rupert.
If you haven’t tackled Winter Spring fishing yet, we’ll give that one it’s own attention in a blog headed your way soon. Suffice to say the fishing can be a blast and 12-pound winter springs may be the best eating of all salmon!
While many in British Columbia and Pacific Northwest get their Fall Steelhead trips or blustery chironomid expeditions lakeside, it would be remiss not to touch on Points South down our beautiful and wild West Coast.
Washington and Oregon fare much like British Columbia with Columbia River salmon runs done and offshore weather turned to the gnarly. The salt chuck game really starts taking off in California. With warmer water temperatures pushing further North each season, pelagic species like billfish and tuna are travelling further than ever.
Numerous billfish and bluefin tuna have been caught around the Oregon/Washington border and the California deep drop swordfish scene is literally taking off.. Southbound to San Diego and the big pelagic fish are all in play and the 1000-mile run from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas provides all the fishing vacation one needs to stave off winter.
It’s a crazy time of year for the committed fisherman and the experts at Pacific Net and Twine have all the info and gear you need to get the job done. And if it’s Mexico you crave…go hit up Derik at the Steveston store for a few of his off-the-beaten-track Baja fishing holes!