Tyee Fishing in Explorer Bay
This fishing tip was first published in the Fall, 2005 edition of the Salmon News, a free publication for all Oak Bay Marine Group guests.
Located in between the better-known Andrews and McPherson Points, Explorer Bay is often passed-up for what people assume to be better locations. But many big fish have been taken at Explorer Bay in recent years, including Roy Castelsky’s 70 pounder in 2004, plus 40 and 50 pounders too numerous to mention.
Tides
Explorer is at its best at the peak of big flood tides, when strong currents from McPherson create a great back eddy running through to the middle of the bay, trapping bait and luring big lunkers.
Depth
Try using 6oz weights and covering depths from 8 pulls (especially on daybreak high slacks) to no deeper than 40 pulls. Most fish seem to be caught between 25 to 35 pulls.
Mooching
When the tide is still flooding, start at the point in the middle of the bay and work a tack keeping you in about 70 to 100 feet of water through to McPherson. Have your gear in the water and working before you start — this is often the hotspot. Don’t start too close to Andrews Point or you’ll be in to black rockfish non-stop.
Work with the current and never try to mooch against a strong tide like the one past McPherson Point. If you can’t get where you want to go at “mooching speed” (with lines no more than 45 degrees in the water) then it’ best to pull your gear, move back in to the bay, and repeat the downstream drift.
— Fishmaster Shawn “Cookie” Pennell
MV Charlotte Princess, Langara Island