The big fish are entering the River for the past few days...no major pushes but enough to target...watch for Poachers and report safely. In recent years we have seen poachers confront fly fishers with aggression...take pictures and report..above enjoy this bounty...I like to use large Bunny leeches to get them tempted to strike..not too much flash..if you want you can put various colour collars on these flies...other good choices are colourful traditional salmon flies tied on Salmon Hooks ......another good option in fly choice is to use a medium size Salmon hook that has been tied with Flesh Coloured Marabou and Bead Chisn..this seems to be a natural item present to Chinook in fresh water..and of course Egg Patterns are always a good choice...simple patterns that entice a strike,especially from what we call Jack Chinook.
August 25th..still waiting for the big fish to enter the rivers..August 20th..
There are good numbers of Chinook prowling about the estuaries of these rivers about to enter the frsh water.I looked last evening and saw no big fish yet in the River.soon...come by to get your hands on the hot flies and some much needed heavy weight fly rods
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August 16th..
Fishing has been good in the Estuaries and to Rathtrevor Park especially in the Mornings...Chinook are now showing off teh Littel Qualicum so we will soon not only see big fish in the River but we will also see the much appreciated Cutthroat Trout slurping eggs.
August 7th/....
Since the Little Qualicum is not known as a Pink Salmon system it might be surprising to many people to know that there are Pinks about...especially in the lower river below the Bridge, a few trickle in and work their way to the Rock pool and the Trestle Pool..not surprising though there are some big schools of fish moving about in the Rathtrevor and Englishman estuaries. SOme Pink Salmon have moved up into the lower River reaches, expect to see some Chinook within 2 weeks also in the Lower Pools...If you are targeting Sea Run Cutties try Dry Flies and Minnow Patetrns..double Bead Nymphs in the deeper pools
July 16th
There have been a few Pink Salmon showing up off the estuarie at the Englishman...night has been the best so far,as the weeks progress we will see more fish appearing..make sure you identify the Pink Salmon,there are a good number of Juvinile Coho about again this year and must be returned to the water ..ALIVE!
July 7th...
As usual ther are some nice trout near grandon creek and Beach Creek.. Don't be a bit shy to wonder along the rocky areas.
Walking to the mouth of the Little Q is a bit far but the rewards can be worth the work. Some very nice Cutties hang about this area and has been a hot spot for years...watch the tides though,some of the gravel bars can be deceivingly deep..and yes minnow patterns and a bit of a twist is to use some egg sucking leech patterns
June 15th..
Good times at Rathtrevor area to the Mouth of the Englishman...lots of fry about and some might fine Cutties spooking these fry
June 5th...
As with most of the local beaches there are some nice Cutties all about..these fish will hang in these parts until the Big Salmon chase them into the Rivers in Late July and August...Hall Road,Grandon Creek,Beach Creek,French Creek,Columbia Beach ,Eaglecrest...all good haunts
April29th...
For those interested in Exercise the effort is worth it...big Cutties off the mouth of the Lillte Q,and of course off Sam Pariel..some blue backs have already been seen...
April 20th....
If you have the energy try walking to the mouth of the Little Q along the beaches during High tides and you will be rewarded with some very nice fish...this year we are going to see some great numbers and good size fish...access is simple off Shoreline road,park near the A frame....or walk down the River and banks..you have to try the new Strawberry Brown Polar Bear Minnows...very nice
April7th..
Some nice trout about especially on the tide change and slight outgoing...try at the mouth of the Little Q and Englishman
MARCH 25th...March 16...Some very nice fish about...nobody fishing them...!!
...the Seals are still here but the Herring eggs are disipating and the fry are migrating
Feb 25th...
Fry are exiting the streams and there are a few Cutties off the beaches but fishing is hampered by the many Sea Lions about and the millions of Herring waiting to Spawn..by mid March things will be in full swing..minnow patterns minnow patterns minnow patterns
February 1st 2010..
The Salmon fry are beginng there annual exodus to the salt water...it is time to get out the fly rod and tempt the Sea Run Cutthroat that are staging for this feast..
December 1st...Beach Season is over...
November 9th...
Both estuaries are receiving much flood waters from these rivers...many dead chum and Chinook are washing out into the salt waters...I wonder why we never target halibut in these flats??
October 19th.....MAny fish about off the beaches all the way to French Creek...be diligent and watch for these great fish off the creek mouths...Try Grandon Creek ,Hall Road, Columbia Beach,Kincade road,EagleCrest even in Parksville Bay..
Sept 11th.....
Many fish to be had allong these estuaries...Chinook...a few Coho as well.a few broken rods have surprisingly(not really) appeared in teh last few days...play these fish on the reel...! less expensive.
Sept 4th..
Lots of Big Fish still holding in the Estuary but a few now moving into the River with the Low Pressure and the Full Moon...Cutthroat Torut Fishing has been good because of the lack of Salmon in teh Little Q...and some very nice sized fish
August 28th...
A few Chinook and Coho have entered the Little Q with some Pinks...but don't expect huge numbers yet...watch for cooler water conditions and a bit of rain...Many of these large fish are holding near the gravel bars at the mouth of the Little Q ...have fun and watch the otters...7 or 8 swinning about waiting for lunch.
August 12th.....
Pinks are off San Pariel, a few Coho have been seen and the trout are also here in fair numbers...the Rivers need water...
Many Chinook have been caught off the mouth of the Little Q as far as 3 weeks ago..
Should be a good year
July 15th...
Cuttie fishing is still fair off the beaches...not many Blue Backs seen this year...
July 8th...
Cuttie fishing has been good off the mouth of the Little Q ,all along the beaches toward town...Flood tides are the best
June 5th 2009 ....
Cutties are about and rarely fished...some of the largest Cutties on the coast roam these great beaches...but be careful if you wonder too far out onto the Gravel Bars...Tides can make getting back difficult.
There have been some Bluebacks roaming off the mouth of the Englishman...this is normal for these waters,the bonus is that these fish can be hooked on the fly...often producing Cutties in the 2-3 lb. range
You can fish all the way to Craig Bay and have a blast or the other way to the point off Parksville
December 24th...Colsed for the winter!
although there are Cutthroat Trout about in small numbers.
Oct 4....
The Englishman beach is producing as is Columbia Beach and French Creek. ...Qualicum Beach as well is showing fish off the Brant Lookout and Kincade Road...Small Green is still the best...Coho Buggers, Small minnow patterns...and there are good numbers of clipped fish about
Sept 30...
Ther are fish in Qualicum Beach at the Shady Rest /Brant lookout area, Judges Row and Eagle Crest...also look at the Columbia Beach /French Creek hot spots. San Pareil/Englishman estuary are also showing some very nice and agressive fish...saw some fish on the north side of the resort area in Parksville....keep an eye on Craig Bay too. GREEN
Sept 15th..
The time is upon us to keep our Eyes peeled...there are Chinook off the beach and a few Coho...
Sept 10th....
There have been a few Coho Spotted off McFeeley..not really worth targetting yet..soon we would say.
Sept..4th...
Chinook have been hanging about the estuaries of both rivers and are catchable from shore...you might also get into a few Coho and Pinks ...
August 16...
The annual arrival of Chinook Salmon off the rive mouths is upon us...there ar a few Pinks in the Rivers and a few Chinook have come in ...for the Trout Fisher fishing is good...Salt and Fresh.
August 10...
There are a few Chinook about and Pinks...some BlueBacks have been spotted near Parksville and that is typical for that area at this time of year. Cutthroat are still about in good numbers...enough to target with Dry Flies and Minnow Patterns.
July 27th...
There are good numbers of Cutties at High Tide off the mouth of the LIttle Q all along the gravel bars. Chinook are begining to mill about and the boat guys are getting a few nice fish...try these on a fly during an almost High Tide...
Blue Backs appear in the Englishman Estuary by late June in small numbers...but catchable off the beach...no Pinks until late
July 5th... Still some nice cutties about