Hey everyone, I just had a couple questions about the herring run in the gorge.

- When do they run?
- Best way to catch them? - I have a boat but if just going down to the bridge works just as well, why bother?

Thanks in advance!

Hey Alex,

They should start anytime from now to end of march but the run really hasn't been great in recent years. I've had guys tell me they spent 2-3 hours on the bridge for a dozen herring.

For lure you want to get a Sabiki Jig:
http://sporting-goodsonline.com/images/ ... chers-.jpg

A lot of guys attach a large hookless spoon on the bottom, it act as the weight but also the flash will attract herring.

Once you hook one, leave the jig down, the thrashing fish will attract other fish and you'll get a few at a time.

If you have a boat I'll PM you a better place to jig.

^
Thanks MM!

I've already got a couple of those jigs, the spoon trick sounds like a good idea.

A dozen after 3 hours?! that's ridiculous.

I suppose an incoming tide would also be preferred?

I forgot it was February already.

1. What rod/reel combo would you suggest for catching them.

2. Do you drop all the way down to the bottom then raise it all the way up to the surface. Or just bounce it a foot or so mid column?

3. How would you recommend storing your catch? Ziplock container full of water and a splash of olive oil then freeze it into a block? or bag and freeze? I sort of remember if you add the oil it keeps the fish shine so it doesn't just look dead when you use it.

4. And yeah what time of day would you recommend?

THANK!!!! I'm such a newb.

I'm no herring master but I've just a spinning rod I normally use for trout, you might not want to go ultra light but really a handline would work fine if that's all you had.

For depth you wouldn't want it resting on the bottom, you want that jig fully extended in the water column, if its deeper water you'll need to experiment until you find what level they are at.

No real jigging is needed, maybe a little wiggle if you wanted. With the spoon on the end of the rig it'll impart flash and movement to the rig and that'll be plenty of action.

I haven't heard of the oil but I use bucket or cooler full of water, if you put them into something dry they'll thrash around and lose their scales. With a bunch of herring in water they'll suffocate shortly and keep they're scales intact.

If I'm using them for halibut I just freeze them as a block in bags with enough for a days use. I'll reserve the best of the bunch for salmon and freeze them on cookie sheets, then vacuum pack on Styrofoam meat trays and freeze.

For tide I think the guys on the gorge like a certain but I don't know what that would be.

Let us know if you find em, its that time of year...

We tried fishing for herring in the Gorge Sunday afternoon from a boat anchored downstream of Craigflower bridge without any success. I heard they bite on the ebb tide (which it was all afternoon, but we had no bites and didn't see any caught on the bridge either.

Don't know if it was an off day or maybe suppossed to fish the flood.

I drove across the craigflower bridge last thursday at 2-2:30pm and saw some guys fishing. One of which was pulling up his line and had a fish or two on. or I was just seeing his flasher since I was driving at the time.

I've been told that they had a thing in the news about herring being at an all time high in Nanimo. Any idea if they will come south?

I know in years past the herring have showed up around saanich inlet / sidney a little after they hit Nanaimo.

I would think the herring coming into the gorge though would be from the west coast of the island. If you don't see any better numbers by mid march, I doubt its happening. Gorge just doesn't have a lot of herring anymore IMO