Victoria Golden Rods and Reels Fishing and Social Club
held at Esquimalt Anglers 1101 Munro St
in Person and Zoom Meeting Minutes,
Dated December 12, 2023
Place: Esquimalt Anglers and Zoom 10:00am
Chaired By: Bill Thomas
Secretary: Bob Comerford
Called to Order: 10:00 AM
Attendees: Mike Galbraith, Barry Freeman, Lyle Freeman, Sandy McElroy, Gord Keast, Lee Takayanagi, John Pierce, Colin Chadwick , Norman Kent, Jens Kristensen, Dale Scheel, Ken Evans, Gerry Walsh, Tim W. Dennis Gedney, Jim Scott, Kobus Erasmus, Ryan A., Jochen Moehr, Dave Robinson, Bob Comerford, Bill Thomas, Gary F. , Yan Cameron, Tony Otten, Gunnar Berg, Mick Collins, Andre Panteleyev.
Members Attending by Zoom: Wendy Gedney. Dave Cooke, Rob B.
Motion to accept the minutes last meeting: Moved by Ian and Barry.
Items Arising from the Minutes: Christmas dinner December 19th. There is a meeting next Tuesday. Sandy McElroy brought to people's attention that if they are speaking to the club please use the mike as people on Zoom cannot hear you.
Treasurer: No report.
Sunshine Wendy Gedney: No report
Social Bob, Mike: Christmas Dinner. Dec. 19. Social 5:00pm, Dinner 6:00pm. 30 people are attending. Name tags will be made up for spouses and partners. Label your serving utensils so they will not get misplaced. There will be butter, salt and pepper available. Bring your own plates, cutlery, glasses, napkins. If you have a narrow folding chair, please bring it. Warming trays if have them. There will be a bathroom cleaning detail for next week. Volunteers are needed.
Membership: No report
Fresh Water:
1) Fishing lake of the week "Dougan Lake." Norm Kent gave a report on Dougan Lake. The lake is situated just south of Mill Bay approx. 30 minutes from Victoria. Drive past the lake till your first turn around opportunity. {Koksilah Rd} and drive back to the lake where you will see an off road to the lake. There is a small ramp and parking for one or two vehicles. The road to the left is private Indigenous with no trespassing signs. It is a small lake open only to electric motor, small boat, Tube fishing only. Norm has had good success with dry flies. Deep fishing in middle of lake.
2) Dale. Wednesday Durrance lake. No sign of milfoil. Dale landed 42. Two caught had possible fungus on them. Landed 30 on Monday. He used a Tom Thumb fly early in morning. Creamsicle later on using booby eye. Approx 8ft. Down on full sink line. Dark brown colours, with some red, if the fish stop biting try using something different.
3) Dale's tip of the week: Get to the lake early before daybreak. You get to beat the traffic. Lots of parking. No wind and calm water in the morning. Big fish come up through the night and are catchable in the early morning. The old adage: First light first bite works for Dale.
Salt Water:
1) Dave Cooke reported that fish are still being caught 300 meters off shore at Cambell River. Fish have been caught in Sooke and the waterfront is spotty but there are reports of fish being caught.
Fish outs: Next Jan 17 location to be announced.
Fly Tying:
1) Online 9:00 am for chat, tying starts at 10:00am. Christmas themed flies will be tied. Last Sat people from Alberta joined the group.
2) Jan. 6th. In person fly tying and feather sort of Ron's fly tying stuff. At John Pierce's, more info will be posted on chat line.
Hatchery: School tours of 15 to 30 kids at the hatchery. They get to see the tanks where fry are raised. They also get to see an egg take and kids stirred the eggs and milt together. Next program starts the 9th of January. Hatchery provides eggs for the schools and DFO puts eggs in chilled aquariums in school. At the end off March the fish are released to local streams.
85 fish were counted on millstream. Some large coho.
PSS: Bill will give more
BCWF:
ACS: Bill will send the minutes out later this week.
WFA:
Library:
Legacy Fund:
Gillie Club: Cluxuwe booking in January. See Denis for info on flies to use and general tips for a safe trip.
Speakers Program:
Fund Raising:
Environment:
1) Mick will report next week on meetings with the CRD on the monitoring program for Elk/Beaver Lake oxygenation and with the Provincial Regional hydrologist regarding updating the water balance model for the lake and hydrological analyses of the Colquitz and Craigflower watersheds.
2) Innovative planning work on water supply / fisheries, etc. on the Koksilah watershed has commenced. It is a joint project the Provincial government and Cowichan tribes and the first project newsletter has been distributed to members.
3) Mick also referenced the CRD Water Supply Master Plan which will require major investments over the next 30 years and he expects there will be more opportunities for public input, including on a possible filtration facility as a precautionary measure for potential wild fires in the protected watershed.
Website:
1) Weekly meetings are posted on forum. Open to public. 100 reads from general public.
2) Zoom fly tying on our YouTube channel. 100+ videos. Fly tying get lots of hits.
3) Updated membership will be posted. Gerry will send it out on chat line
New Business:
1) Club sale of fishing equipment will be at the end of January. A small committee needed. Ron's fly tying supplies and general fishing stuff, Club members donations, Colin, Norm, Denis Andre. Jochem, and Ian have volunteered.
2) Fly Swap: Tim, Dave, Dale, Sandy, Tony, Bill. and Florin. More info in January.
3) Photos of people for our website. See Mike Galbraith.
4) The Prospect Lake Boat launch project. Dave and Mike met parks Representative. Mike has list of people to send info for economic benefits of lake fishers at Prospect Lake. This could take up to five years. Mike is looking for help in pursuing this project.
Meeting Adjourned: Moved Ian. 11:15am.