Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[ray]

Heading over to Horne Lake on the 13th of July and was wondering how the fishing was. I don't have access to a boat right now and was wondering if it was worth while fishing from the shore or if there was anywhere else that would be worth wile checking out. Thanks.

[island boy]

don't know what part of the lake you will be at but we usally bottom fish with roe. bobber and worm in the eve.

[ray]

How is Spider Lake for shore access for bass. Any tips would be appreciated having never fished either of them.

[RalphH]

I haven't fished Horne but it isn't known as much of a fishing lake. There are fish in there.

Spider, I fished once. It is possible to fish from shore though I fished from a tube. I was skunked. Spider is an old gravel pit lake so it drops off fast. Walking along the shore isn't easy so prospect will be limited. Generaly summer isn't a time to fish lake or rivers on the Island. The Big Q might be an option. There are good trails along the length of the river and the flow control out of Horne Lake provides for decent water flows and temperatures. If weather is ok (not really hot and dry) the Little Q may be better.

[ByteMe]

From July on, we islanders usually stay away from the Little and Big Q as the high water temps can really affect fish survival, lakes are not much different. You should focus your efforts on the beaches as the first run of pinks should be in by then in a typical year, or drive up to The Campbell for pinks as it's a large river keeping temps acceptable . Lots of access points along the entire river

[RalphH]

The Big Q has stayed open during the South island summer closures of the last few years. Best I know the Horne Lake dam has alternate water release ducts and during summer cooler water from deeper in the reservoir keep temperatures down.

July 13th might be a week or 3 early for returning pinks.

[ByteMe]

The Big Q has stayed open during the South island summer closures of the last few years. Best I know the Horne Lake dam has alternate water release ducts and during summer cooler water from deeper in the reservoir keep temperatures down.

July 13th might be a week or 3 early for returning pinks.

Wow!!........tks for the heads up Ralph. We, mid-islanders have decided to call an emergency Town Hall meeting to try and figure out what we have been catching off the beaches and The Campbell for the past two decades from July 8 onwards and where the warm water was coming from in The Big Q two years ago as we thought the trout mortality was just a virus.........as usual your knowledge in EVERYTHING  is always helpful

[Every Day]

Ralph, I believe the reason rivers like Big Q, Puntledge, and Campbell have been left open during closures is because they are heavily hatchery augmented flows/have kill fisheries. It's the same reason the Vedder was left open for the last summer closure (along with the Thompson). The reasoning behind keeping systems open was not due to water temperature. If it was, leaving rivers like the Stamp open would have been a drastic failure, as they often reached into the mid 20's (the Stamp was 24C and still open).

That being said, I do believe the Big Q does draw water from deep in the lake. It should stay relatively cool. I've never gone there in the summer to take water temperatures to confirm however, and ByteMe above would have a much better understanding of that.

Horne lake, although I've never fished it, does have very large cutthroat. My buddies who fish it say they are often hard to find as they move lots. If you're limited to shore, I'd target creek mouths in the evening. The creek out by the caves is a large one and may be a good starting point. As ByteMe said, the lakes will be getting warm by then. I'd advise to fish in the morning or evenings, and don't hold fish too long in the shallow/warm surface water for pics, etc.

Cameron lake may be another one you check out. I know people do well there from shore along the campsite end, and at the creek mouths. Again, Cameron will be warm, so keep that in mind if catch and releasing.

[RalphH]

Well thanks Byteme I didn't realize you were literally all Islanders. Your Crown wears heavy no doubt. 

Campbell I don't know about. Beaches to the south don't usually see pinks in numbers until late July - at least in my experience.

Everyday - and sorry if I insult byteme's voluminous intelligence - the Chilliwack etc have diurnal temperature patterns and while they can be very warm in late afternoon (over 20C) they may be 5 or 6 degrees lower in the morning or late evening.

[ByteMe]

Ralph, anytime anyone says Black you will say White, but appreciate your afar knowledge as usual

[Every Day]

Everyday - and sorry if I insult byteme's voluminous intelligence - the Chilliwack etc have diurnal temperature patterns and while they can be very warm in late afternoon (over 20C) they may be 5 or 6 degrees lower in the morning or late evening.

I could care less who you insult, Ralph.

I'm well aware that a number of rivers have diurnal temperature fluctuations. The Vedder in that 2015 summer often fell to 15C overnight, but rose as high as the low 20's in the afternoon/evening. The Vedder is headed by a notoriously cold, high elevation, glacial fed lake, and it still had LOWS of 15C. The Big Q and Little Q are headed by lakes that get MUCH warmer, are at lower elevations without snow melt contributions, and are in a region of the island that is a known heat trap in the summers - so believe him when he says the rivers get HOT with the surface water run-off. Regardless of the overnight fall in temps, the highs of the day will stress the hell out of the fish, and angling for ANY salmonid fish in those temperatures, without the intention of killing them, is completely unethical and unnecessary. Catching a fish in the morning when the water is just barely within acceptable survival limits, with the knowledge that it will climb to near lethal levels (even without angling involved) in just a few hours while the fish is recovering is absurd, and recommending it is worse yet.

[RalphH]

The Vedder in that 2015 summer often fell to 15C overnight, but rose as high as the low 20's in the afternoon/evening

.

Well that's very interesting but so what? I think I said that.

The river level gauge at the crossing captures those temperatures and they are archived and freely available.

I didn't suggest anyone fish the Vedder or any river either during a summer closure or when temperatures are that high.

Perhaps the best advice for Ray is he drive to Courtney and catch a plane to Alaska to avoid insulting 'we Islanders'.

Troll on.

[ByteMe]

Perhaps the best advice for Ray is he drive to Courtney and catch a plane to Alaska to avoid insulting 'we Islanders'.

Troll on.

And it's Comox, Ralph..........Courtenay doesn't have an airport, Ray will be waiting forever for a flight to Alaska
Sorry for hijacking your thread Ray, have fun wherever you decide to go

[RalphH]

Nile Creek Fly Shop in Bowser is nearby. Give them a call or drop by the shop to see if they have any suggestions.

The website has some report info and descriptions of many nearby waters:

http://www.nilecreekflyshop.com/index.html

[Every Day]

.

Well that's very interesting but so what? I think I said that.

The river level gauge at the crossing captures those temperatures and they are archived and freely available.

I didn't suggest anyone fish the Vedder or any river either during a summer closure or when temperatures are that high.

Perhaps the best advice for Ray is he drive to Courtney and catch a plane to Alaska to avoid insulting 'we Islanders'.

Troll on.

Trolling? Pardon?

Earlier this thread that's exactly what you said to do - fish the Little Q and Big Q on the premise that they have acceptable water. Byteme suggested that the Q's would likely be too warm, and you preceded to out him. Then you tried stating that rivers have diurnal temperatures, for some reason - I'm assuming to justify fishing certain times of day, or that he was wrong on saying the rivers were warm (maybe he took a temp at the "wrong time" of day for your satisfaction)? What was your point in making that comment then? To call him an idiot in an indirect way?

I gave the original poster suggestions for creek mouths and for both cameron and horne lake, keeping in mind warm water and the fact fish should be released quickly. Never once did I recommend not fishing or going to Alaska. I don't think anyone said they'd be insulted if he did choose to fish - the point of these forums however, is to provide information that angling in warm temps can and does kill fish. Those are two rivers where temps often do get high enough to kill fish. It's a simple fact that you seem to have issues with.

Regardless, I'm siding with ByteMe on this one. The past few months of reading threads on this forum have been you telling everyone they are wrong on every post and every reply. Apparently your crown wears mighty heavy too.