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[Rodney]

I know it's only January, but these things need planning.

Is anyone interested in doing a St Mary's Lake trip on Salt Spring Island this year? We will be fishing for smallmouth bass, yellow perch and some cutthroat trout. The bass are generally between 12 to 20 inches and the yellow perch are 6 to 12 inches. The fishing is usually fast, over 50 bass per day is the norm.

I was thinking June 23rd to 25th, or June 30th to July 2nd (but Canada weekend, bad traffic).

You need a boat, a pontoon boat, or float tube. Fishing from shore is possible and you can certainly catch some nice fish, but a floating device can take you to many better spots.

Last year a group of 20 went, and everyone caught fish.

Accommodation will be at Lakeside Gardens. I haven't talked to Mark the owner recently, but I'm pretty sure we will be getting a FWR discount once again. Three types of accommodation are available - camping, cabanas or cottages.

I'm not looking for solid commitment right now, but just to see who are interested. Once everyone has expresses interest, I'll finalize the details.

[David]

I'll certainly be considering it!  Sounds like a blast.

 

[IamCanadian]

Darn...stupid tests on the 23rd and 24th. Argh!! Oh well...good thing i'm goin at May!!! HAHA . But i'll be looking forward to the tips. Cause the year before, man oh man, of two days of lake fishing there, all i got was a perch!!! Lol, cant catch those stupid fish!  lol

[DionJL]

I'd love to go. but Exams for school might be in the earlier time you said. and normally the longweekend i'm tied up. Plus i do enough bass fishing in the summer lol. Once dates are set i'll make a decision.

[BwiBwi]

Planning to go again this year (last year my family went a week before the group)
But don't know how the time is until boss okays my holiday application. 

[McWhackit]

I've never targeted bass before but I would very much like too. I'm assumeing  that flyfishing is the prefered method. If so what type of flies are effective? Also is the accomadation right at the lake and is it kid friendly?

[keithr]

Last year I caught bass on just about everything I threw at them, including some pretty stange and crazy looking stuff.  It was some of the best fishing I've done.

If you rent one of the cabins, it comes with access to any of several boats or canoes, and my suspicion is that you could arrange to use (rent?) one pretty reasonably even if you were just in the campground.

It is a beautiful spot.  I'll be there in May, and this time I plan on doing more fly fishing and figuring out how to catch some of those trout.  I'll be making some reports about what patterns work for me.

[Rodney]

Flyfishing will get you into fish for sure, a 4wt or less is more than enough for these fish. Both poppers and leeches work well for them by casting into the reeds, however we find bigger fish are generally further down in the deep.

Last year we had great success by fishing with tube bait, grub or any plastic jigs near the bottom at depth around 20 feet or more. The fish would grab onto them when these are jigged and rested on the botom. I'm putting up a video clip on the website next week on this so you'll get a chance to see how fun it is.

The resort is kids friendly. There is a float dock and a couple of offshore floating platforms where they can dive around and swim. Fishing can also be done on the floating dock, in fact some of our biggest bass were caught from the dock. There is a private beach where they can also swim as well. There are also various games etc available on the main lawn. The sea is nearby too, only about 10 minute drive. For FWR members last year, Mark had limited number of boats and canoes that can be used free of charge during our trip, they are however not the most fishing friendly boats, but good enough if you do not have one.

[David]

Fishing can also be done on the floating dock, in fact some of our biggest bass were caught from the dock.

So if this is the case, why the urgency for a boat?  Sorry Rodney, I don't mean to sound like an idiot, as I understand that you can cover more water with a boat.  However I know I'm not alone in not having one and I was worried if it was worth going at all without one, now it certainly sounds like it is worth it!

Tight lines

David

[Rodney]

Because fish get educated. Last year, Nina and I spent about 30 minutes one morning catching about 6 large bass. After that, it was rather quiet. You can catch yellow perch throughout the day on the dock, but only the odd bass. In the middle of the day, the kids are out swimming around the dock too, making fishing difficult. On the boat, we usually spend about 30 minutes or less at one spot, or until whenever fishing gets slow.

[keithr]

David:  You can fish off the dock as well as along the beach beside it.  And once there you can also probably get offered a ride or you can arrange something so you can get out on the lake.  Go!

Rodney says they did well jigging on the bottom, but I caught just about all my fish in shallow water, either on the surface or just below it.  I'm planning to concentrate on flies that mimic minnows (in large sizes) next time.

[THE_ROE_SLINGER]

hmmm that could be possibility

[David]

Thanks Rodney and Keith, hopefully I'll be able to go.  Last year I did a bit of Bass fishing in Elk Lake, Victoria and it was great fun.  I had one Smallmouth that went 3 1/2lb - what a fight!

[David]

Caught it on an air injected Dew Worm.

[IamCanadian]

Um...why do u have to inject it with air? Does it make it float? thanx.