There was not much fishing activity this week, as the weather failed to cooperate. Things remain the same; Thrasher, Grande through Whalebone, and Entrance all hold medium amounts of Chinook, but 90% of these fish are undersized and must be released. Try the Killy MaGee spoon, or T-Rex hoochie in 150 to 220 feet of water depth, fishing from downrigger depths of 140 feet to the bottom for best results.
Prawning is good, the ratio of berried prawns has diminished somewhat, and they are lovely sized.
There is some fantastic news concerning our Salish Sea Humpback Whales. 21 new calves were born last year, which is the highest birth rate ever for this area. It is so cool seeing these creatures on a regular basis, locally. It was a banner year for both Humpback and Orca sightings on Gabriola, we even saw Orca ten times from my house. The Humpback are more difficult to track than the Orca, as they descend for a longer duration, and can cover quite a distance between air intakes. They occasionally put on a great show, the most phenomenal being the complete spin move they do while air born. The one very cautionary note for boaters, is that Humpback are not boat aware. If you see them, SLOW DOWN! They have been known to swim right in front of boats, completely unaware of their presence. I even saw one post of a Humpback jumping and landing on a sail boat in the Baja, and actually being temporarily stranded on it. So, slow down, give them lots of room, and enjoy their new found abundance!
Good fishing!