well I got my little boat out in the inlet for a few weeks or at least until it really starts to rain and get cold, then it'll be in the driveway while I sip scotch by the fire.

Dropped the prawn traps for about 1.5 hours and got maybe 200 prawns in 3 traps. Only a handful of real big ones but not bad for 5 minutes from my dock.

While I was waiting around I went for a cruise to see if any chums were jumping, instead shot a few pics of the sea lions up in pat bay - big suckers when you see them right out of the water!

Fellow I know was telling me a similar story this morning. Prawning up near the Coast Guard Base. Got lots, but they were very small. Go figure

Hopefully the weather will be good enough to get out this weekend. Got everything cleaned up from the summer and it's time to get some fresh prawns & crab. Maybee even a chum for the smoker.

Those are my plans exactly - didn't see any chums jumping or on the sounder today, I think at least another week before there will be enough to get frustrated with.

I'm out tomorrow morning to check prawn and crab traps after a proper soak, I'll post if I find some big ones

checked the traps today after a good overnight soak, about the same amount as 1.5hour soak yesterday and about the same size. I did throw back a couple of monsters but they were full of eggs and I try not to take those girls. Hopefully they beef up before nov. 1st.

Good on you for not taking the ladies home. Got to keep the brood stock.
What's with the 1st, closure? I'm a Nanaimo boy and we don't get bothered by prawn closures up here. At least not yet.

Good point about the short and long soaks. I'm starting to think a body does better with short soaks of 2 - 3 hours and resetting than leaving them in for the long haul. Happend consistently in the canal. We would get as many on a shorter day soak than on an overnighter. Also around Nanaimo, I'm pretty leary about leaving them out overnight, if a boom doesn't get them, the strong current and waves do. There have been quite a few reports of theft, but I can't honestly say it has happened to me.

well I set a little deeper yesterday around 200' and got some really nice big ones today. The kind that fill up the palm of your hand and only one had eggs, which went back of course.

Not full limits of big ones by any means but enough for good feed of big and mediums.

Mmmmm prawns. Must get out soon.

had to leave the traps out there for 2 days cause I couldn't get to them yesterday. Not great when I pulled them today but not horrible. About 20 giants, but all full of eggs so back they went, the others were pretty small actually.

One trap had 4 rock crab in it that had themselves a good meal as there was nothing but shells left in that one.

One trap had a P-cod in it, which I didn't know were around the inlet.

Also saw one the local lions tearing apart a good sized chum, so there must be some moving through but I haven't seen any jumpers lately.

I might hit cape keppel for chum tomorrow...

tried a new spot yesterday and got a whopping 3 prawns in three traps, so that was a bust! I did hit 3 nice crab in the crab traps, which will be good today.

Lots of chum jumping up by wain rock, trolled for a bit but no takers - awesome day out there for late October.

Question though, I had a bucket of pellets that got wet, do you guys think they are any good or will they be washed out?

re: wet bait

Try dividing up into bait can sized portions in baggies and freezing.
Should stop them from washing out or turning into mush.