Victoria Golden Rods and Reels Fishing and Social Club
held at Esquimalt Anglers 1101 Munro St
in Person and Zoom Meeting Minutes,
Dated December 3 2024
Place: Esquimalt Anglers and Zoom
Chaired By: Tony Otten.
Secretary: Bob Comerford
Called to Order: 10:00 AM
Attendees: 29 members. Mike Galbraith, Sandy Mcelroy, Gary florintine, Barry Freeman, Lee Takayanagi, Lyle Freeman, Dale Scheel, Rick Greenhorn, Tony Otten, Pierre Malo, Wayne Lee, Ted Leaker, Ian Cameron, Peter Laugrhen, Gerry Walsh, Danny Larvin, Winston Jackson, Colin Chadwick, Sandy Raven, Tim Witoski, Mohamed Docrat, Barton Bourassa, Grant Mackenzie, Ryan Arsenych, Bob Comerford, Ken Evans Jim Scott, John Pierce.
Members Attending by Zoom: Dave Cooke, Richard Best, Michael Cory, Mick Collins.
Motion to accept the minutes last meeting: moved by: Ian and Hornet.
Items Arising from the Minutes: No items arising from the minutes.
Treasurer: Sandy gave financial report. The club is in good financial shape.
Sunshine Wendy Gedney: Andre Panteleyev has major health concerns, a Card has been sent.
Social Bob, Mike:
1) Christmas Dinner at the club meeting hall on December 19th. This is pot luck and a $5.00 fee per person to cover expenses. Let Mike Galbraith know if you are coming and what dish you bringing.
2) Chinese New Year celebration in New Year, more info to come
3) Haig Brown Christmas dinner Dec 11 at Cedar Hill golf course let Mohamed know if you want to go. Cost is $60.00.
Membership: no report.
Fresh Water:
1) Dale: Fished Prospect Lake, landed 13, 5 were of decent size. Trolling Bunny Haired leach. Fished with blood worms for hour. Fish were not staying on hook.
2) Tim Witoski: Cowichan River fishing trip. His fishing secret is you have to pay to hire a guide. He went drift fishing on the Cowichan from the weir to Skutz Falls. He used salmon egg hooked on weighted line tossing it out in front while you drift. He caught one after another. Tim got 25, 6 double headers Bill Thomas did about the same $550 charge. 7:30 start. 4:30 end. He has business cards of the guide.
Salt Water:
1) Picking gup for springs. Sooke odd big one 14 lb .
2) Beacher bay up to 14 lbs. a lot of small ones.
3) Pedder bay use anchovy and spoons. Crabbing is good in Pedder Bay.
4) Peter crabs by green buoy in front of inner harbour.
5) Waterfront is slow. Peter and Bob fished Constance bank on Saturday and caught a 6lb. Chinook.
Days are unpredictable. Signs of fishermen mooching. Jigging for salmon. 70 feet deep on bank.
6) Island outfitters report is that fishing has slowed down.
7) Ryan. 2 fish off Otter point
FishOuts:
1) Last Thursday at Langford lake. 12 people came out and hot dogs were served at noon. Ian landed 1, Tim 2. fishing was slow.
2) Next fish out in January.
Fly Tying: Nothing this Saturday.
Hatchery Grant: Hatchery has been super busy, taking brood stock, eggs for coho. Fence is out. Stream walks counting salmon required by DFO. 15,000 chum, Coho 1800. Great return. Craigflower 687. 600 Millstream. Returning Coho. Coho can be in creek for a month. School tours at hatchery with local high schools. Eggs are spectacular this year, bright orange. Last year 3,000 chum this year close to 30,000. Suspect some fish returning from last year. Maybe 20 chinook spotted in river. No cutthroat. Large mouth bass spotted in river. These would be Coho returning after two years after the atmospheric river. Coho can spend up to a year and half in river. Spring salmon were traditionally fished in March. Historically in Fraser river. Late 1970s big collapse in chinook fishery happened.
PSS : Spoon bay to Songhees sand lance eggs were found at Esquimalt.
BCWF : upper Island lakes stocked and accessed on gated property.
ACS : this Wednesday. 7:30 at Esquimalt anglers
WFA :
Library:
Legacy Fund:
Gillie Club: .
Speakers Program: Historical background on herring fishery.
Environment: Mick will give report next week in person.
Website: Pictures of club members posted on webpage. See mike Galbraith if your picture has not been taken.
New Business:
1) Lee Taganaqki to resign from coffee making duties. Lee has been doing this for at least six years. We all give him a lot of gratitude for all of his coffee making. Hornet has offered to take over.
2) GRR iron on Patches available $5.00 each.
Meeting Terminated 11.00am Mohamed and hornet.