Unfortunately, not much to report … not too many people fishing out of Port Renfrew these days. Coho fishing has remained slow. A few halibut have been brought in lately.
Time to focus your fishing efforts further south, towards Sooke or Victoria. The winter weather is better, with less ocean swell, making for more comfortable and safer fishing. Sooke’s winter spring fishing has been quite good, appears to have started early this year.
DFO has closed halibut for the season early, see the notice below. Better get out in the next week and get some for the winter!
Fishery Notice – Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Subject: FN0806-Halibut: Coastwide Closure
Effective 00:01 hours October 31, 2008 until 23:59 hours December 31, 2008,
fishing for halibut recreationally is closed.
This action is necessary due to the recreational fishery for halibut exceeding
the recreational allowable catch. Although the recreational fishery is
generally managed on the basis of a pre-season plan and post season review,
there are instances in the fishery where in-season changes are required. The
department will continue to manage the recreational fishery in general to meet
opportunity and expectations based on pre-season plans. As those plans
improve, the necessity for in-season management actions will decrease. The
department will be reviewing catch figures and fishing patterns in preparation
for consultation on a pre-season management plan for the 2009 halibut fishery.
Good luck out there.