Any tips for first off-shore BC trip with own boat?

[Tyangelo]

A friend and I have a trip planned out for the last week of August. Plan is to utilize the empty house his parent's own in Nanaimo, and spend as much time as possible dragging hooks for whatever we can get our paws on.

Salmon, and maybe halibut (location allowing) being the main targets, we just can't wait to get out there!

I have/will have made sure our 17 ft Legend/115 Merc is good to go, along with a kicker and downriggers. An uncle of mine used to run a charter out of Powell River, across from Comox, and has very generously GIVEN me his electric Scottys, rods, tackle etc.

On the to-do list is:
-Get certification for VHF operation, and acquire radio.
-Buy possible other suggested tackle
-And MAYBE upgrade sonar from my Fisheasy 320C if budget allows.

Looking to obtain any more advice I can on prep, and/or methods/locations to try out. We're likely to fish mostly around the Texada Island area.
Any help is much appreciated.

Ultra Stoked for this trip! Looking forward to a constant diet of fresh seafood!

[Gust]

When zooming about watch the water for logs and deadheads, look for and stay away from debris fields but fish near them. Slower and stteady is safer. Though the straight is wider there get a tide table and find out about tide surges. Also get a good chart on depths and the area, ask locals as many questions about the watwr and things to consider. Brush up on commercial marine traffic do's and donts and right of way. Read up on fog just in case.
And catch some fish.

[avb3]

Great area!

If neither of you have ever been out in the Straight, first of all, listen to the weather. If they say small craft warning... they mean it. This is taken from near Texada Island a couple of years ago.
http://www.sailnet.com/images/content/authors/readerswrite/081904_RW_roughseas.jpg

Hopefully you have charts for the area and have a basic knowledge of how to read them. Get to know tides, as they could be an issue. Currents can impact and cause confused seas, which could be result in rides as in the picture.

Wear your life jackets and know what to do with a Man Over Board situation. Safety is prime.

And catch lots of fish! You will enjoy your trip!

[wildcat111]

i would go to port renfrew, 100 times more productive than off comox

[bardfromedson]

I would have a loo at port alberni. Not too far from nanimo and they get a big run of huge chinook in August.

[browning375]

I would have a loo at port alberni. Not too far from nanimo and they get a big run of huge chinook in August.

X2 on that!

For your make of boat, that would be my choice!

[Speckle55]

I would have a loo at port alberni. Not too far from nanimo and they get a big run of huge chinook in August.

X3 and agree with next post you don't have to go far,,:thinking-006: they have a derby too don,t they

[browning375]

X3 and agree with next post you don't have to go far,,:thinking-006: they have a derby too don,t they

They have the big derby laborday weekend. It gets pretty busy there, to crazy for me!

[browning375]

if you go to Port Alberni launch at China Creek, and run up to the mouth of the inlet if its nice out. You will hook up on some real nice Chinooks near the end of August.

PM me if you want some tips on tackle.

[Dark]

X3 and agree with next post you don't have to go far,,:thinking-006: they have a derby too don,t they

x4 we go every August. No problem fishing with a smaller boat

[Tyangelo]

Sounds good. What other species can I expect to target off Port Alberni?

[bardfromedson]

they have a predicted run of 1 million sockeye this year and are running a little late. not sure if it will still be open when your there or if they will be around but nothing beats bbq sized fresh sox. im not sure about the coho run but i would suspect they have one as well and by august they can get into the upper teens.

[tacklerunner]

Get charts for the area you fish for sure. If you not used to tides they can be tricky.

Port Alberni is perfect for your size of boat at that time of year. You actually fish from the river mouth in a narrow inlet that is almost always protected from weather. The further you go up the inlet, the greater risk of weather and fog. If you see a cluster of boats, the fish are there.

I've caught chinook, coho, pink, sockeye & chum salmon in the Alberni inlet along with many other strange creatures. Since El Nino there were times you couldn't keep the hake, sea bass and mackeral off the hooks. Hopefully you don't run into that. It's fun but you want salmon. Halibut banks are out in the open sea. Nowhere I would venture in a 17 footer.

Since you're staying in Nanaimo you might as well fish there too. Lived there for many years. Just zoom out of the harbour and within minutes you're a 5 finger islands. There's a large reef on the outside of them and the springers hang out in 180+/- FOW in the summer. Not as many 30 - 50 lbers as in Alberni but many fresh springs in the teens-20 lb range. There often coho around too. Sometimes you can't even clip you line to the downrigger and they grab your hoochie 20 feet behind the boat on the surface. Coho are shallower generally.

36+" of leader behind your flasher for springs and slow troll so that the flasher barely turns over or even swings side to side not making a full turn.

30-32" of leader for coho and enough speed to keep the flasher rolling at a good pace.

Anchovies in Alberni.
Hoochies in Nanaimo.

[Who Da Fisherman]

When i lived in Sooke first thing i got was a handheld GPS and paid for the charts for the South, best investment yet and when the fog rolled in you knew how to get home. Good luck and tight lines, Cheers.
WDF

[bardfromedson]

If you want a good book for the island buy " island salmon fisherman". It's got gps coordinates for every area on the island. Gives a good place to start for tackle as well .If u don't have time to pick it up let me know the areas you are planning on fishing and I will email the sections that will help u out. Whatever area you decide on I'm sure the local tackle shop will gladly sell u a chart and mark it up for u and let u know what is working. If you can. Beg, borrow or steal a handheld gps. Will come in handy to mark known hotspots and wherever you hook up so u can repeat what worked.