May Update

Well gang, since the last time we talked the weather, the Salmon, and the Halibut fishing have really picked up. Halibut in the 40 to 60lb range have become common and the Chinook are starting to hit the docks in the high 20’s.

All the regular hotspots like Christopher Point, William Head, RCN Blasting, and Church Rock are starting to produce again. The bait of choice seems to be large Anchovy with a glow head for Salmon. Depths are all over the board right now but a common depth that seems to come up most often is 90ft.

If the weather is crummy don’t fret it because the Can Buoy in Pedder Bay is still showing well. This week’s biggest Chinook tipped the scales at 25lbs. GOOD JOB EARL!.

If you are a person who likes to jig for Salmon we have great news, the biggest Spring jigged up out at the mouth of Pedder was 18lbs. Now that’s decent for the first week in May.

Tides for Halibut in May look like this:

• Friday the 13^th from around 1 till 4pm
• Saturday the 14^th from 1:30 to 5pm
• Sunday the 15^th all afternoon till 6pm
• Monday the 16^th slow ebb all morning with a long slack starting around 3pm
• Tuesday is the same only add 20minutes
• Wednesday the 18^th cardiac flat line from 6am until 1pm
• Thursday the 19^th gives you 3 tides, starting with a slow flood from 7am till 12 or 1 then after high slack you’ll get a ebb that will take you through to past dinner time.
• Friday and Saturday afternoon should be good also.
• Your last good days in May will be the 30^th and 31^st.

For all boaters in the area watch the tide drops in the week of the 23^rd through to the 29^th both Victoria’s and Sooke’s tide graphs show extreme lows around midday and on 3 of the days we will see negative tides. The old saying of who pulled the plug on the bathtub will come true. For all you boaters, be extra careful when moving thru some of your secret short cuts no body wants to see an engine leg get mashed up.

Remember Ling Cod opens June 1^st in area 20-5 which is William Head west. Limits are 1 a day and that fish has to be 65cm or to be safe 26 inches.

Also on June 1^st, Coho is open to retention of 2 hatchery fin clipped fish per day. The length on these is a minimum 12 inches.

There will be good news coming later in the year when we will be allowed 1 wild and 1 hatchery per day, I’ll keep you posted on when that will be happening.

Tight Lines and Safe Boating

Sean Moore; General Manager
Pedder Bay Marina & R.V. Park