2024-10-01: GRR Weekly Meeting, Minutes

[John Pierce]

Victoria Golden Rods and Reels Fishing and Social Club
held at Esquimalt Anglers 1101 Munro St
in Person and Zoom Meeting Minutes,
Dated October 1, 2024

Place: Esquimalt Anglers and Zoom
 
Chaired By: Bill Thomas
 
Secretary: Tony Otten
 
Called to Order: 10:00 AM
 
Attendees: See Attached sign in sheet (25 plus 4 on Zoom)

Motion to accept the minutes last meeting: Moved by Ian and Barry
 
Items Arising from the Minutes:
1) Bill Thomas put forward a motion to pay Esquimalt anglers $236.25 which is half the cleaning costs for the clubhouse after the renovation – Moved by Bill and seconded by Michael Galbraith – Motion carried
2) A CPR course is available at St Johns Ambulance for $100 pp - Ted

Treasurer Report: Sandy posted report via E Mail – club is in a healthy financial condition. Annual Membership dues are payable on Nov 1st and can be paid by check, E Transfer (preferred) or in cash.
 
Sunshine (Wendy Gedney): Card was sent to Lianne Malo
 
Social (Bob, Mike): Nothing planned – Soup will be in November.
 
Membership: Nothing new to report
 
Fresh Water:
1) Dale reported Carp fishing was poor at Elk Lake
2) Kobus and Tony caught a number of Bass at Elk mainly at the bottom and not the docks but nothing huge – Biggest was 3 lbs
3) Dale reported that Cluxewe there were lots of fish averaging 3 to 4 per hour and Dennis reported lots of Pinks
4) Campbell River was loaded with Pinks but fishing was hard due to slippery large Boulders making it difficult to cast

Salt Water:
1) Peter's took out Bill and Jens – learned a lot about how to rig up and techniques for Halibut fishing and Bill landed one 15lb chicken.  He and Bob C went out and had at least 10 double headers and lots of fish but almost all wild and also 22lb Spring right of Vic Harbour (Oct 1st 1 wild may now be taken)
2) Andre went to Murphys Lodge with the Goldstream Crew and reports a perfect 4 days – lodge was great, Good Food and Staff were superb – everybody limited out on all species Andre took home 115lbs of flash Frozen fish
3) Dave Robison went to Ha Nee Na Lodge with Mohammed – bottom Fishing great 5 Ling Cod and Halibut – (70lbs of Flash Frozen Fish)
4) Ken Evans went to Port Renfrew and has a full Freezer – Lots of Wild Fish and everyone limiting out
 
FishOuts: None Planned.
 
Fly Tying: First Saturday Zoom will be in 3 weeks
 
Hatchery: Bill Thomas reports that the fence is now in and they are taking Fish.
62,000 Coho will be released early – 3,000 with pit tags will be released in Millstream
 
PSS: Volunteer BBQ was well attended last Saturday. Restoration of Coldquitz needs volunteers and Smolt Traps are planned. Unfortunately, green Crab have been found in the Gorge
 
BCWF: Bill Thomas communicated that BCWF is asking for members who have any issues or suggestions to submit a resolution
 
ACS :
 
WFA : 

Legacy Fund: 
 
Gillie Club: Dennis is away
     
Speakers: Lyle is away nothing to report
 
Fund Raising:

Environment (Mick Collin's report):
1/ Mick was pleased to note the high rate of recent fishing success, particularly wild salmon, which is encouraging. Maybe decades of hatchery and restoration work are helping to reverse downward trends. A good antidote to pervasive 'doom and gloom'.
2/ Focus of volunteer effort continues to be on the Craigflower Creek watershed. Thanks to club members for conducting current returning salmonid count at the fish fence. Stephanie Gurney, Gorge Waterway Action Society (GWAS) is preparing an overview summary and Powerpoint on past, present and future restoration activities. This is a volunteer contribution as part of her participation in the Community Action Training School (CATS), Sound Salmon Solutions in Washington State. We would all like to see increased stewardship activity on Craigflower Creek, to support the decades of work by Esquimalt Anglers.
3/ Monitoring of Elk/ Beaver Lake oxygenation and water quality impacts continues with CRD leadership and participation of Mick and the Beaver Elk Environmental Stewards (BEES). Planned meetings have been delayed due to staff constraints. Preliminary data should be available publicly in 2025. Several years of data will be required to support any definitive conclusions on impacts. It is good to see members successfully fishing for bass in Elk Lake in spite of murky water and excessive weeds. We would like to see more Provincial staff involvement in the monitoring program and we have been advocating for that to happen. The Province has jurisdiction.
4/ Mick is attending the Stewardship Centre for B.C. AGM and guest speaker presentation on line Wednesday October 2. The Centre is doing some great work with Green Shores in coastal and estuary areas e.g. Gorge Creek with Esquimalt Municipality, and Coastal Collaborative Sciences division, World Fisheries Trust ( Rebecca is project leader). Further work is planned in Colquitz Estuary area building on the work of Peninsula Streams and Shorelines. https://stewardshipcentrebc.ca/

Website:

New Business: None
 
Executive meeting:  to follow meeting.

Meeting Adjourned.  Colin and Barry