Vancouver Island trip 2022 - PIC HEAVY

[SNAPFisher]

Back from our annual B.C. trip. Weather was near perfect every day. The heat wave left as we arrived. Each day was 24-28 degrees. Little wind...okay maybe a bit too hot at times but meh!

Started off at a floating lodge in Nootka Sounds called Nootka Sound Resort. The drive in was...well terrible. I kind of expected it. Last 40 Kms on gravel and BC gravel roads suck you know what. So no surprise.
We then boated to the floating lodge which was about a 20 min run. Lodge was all inclusive (booze as well). Been a while since I've done the whole lodge thing and guided. Probably will not do it again but hey, we changed it up and tried a place neither of us have ever been.
We also did the best out off all the groups on both days so really cannot complain. Boated 3 decent Chinook on day 1. Not crazy but all on the inside with lake-like conditions.

Day 2 we spent the morning on the inside but nothing all morning. Headed out to the open ocean side. Fished a place called Wash Rocks. Stuck the fly rod down the middle with my favorite coho fly on. It wasn't long before I had a strike on the fly rod. Great fight and boated a nice 5 lb coho. The fly rod actually outfished the two downriggers on the boat. Managed to limit out on coho in an hour and half. I also got hit twice while stripping the line in. Really aggressive hits! They hit like small freight trains. The final one was the biggest at 7 lbs and could see it hit within 40 feet of the boat, off the surface, before it took off with the fly.. It did a few coho "dances" on the water before slidding into the net. Just a total blast! Too much fun with the fly rod. A highly recommend anyone to bring a fly rod and cover more water.

We didn't do any bottom fishing. Our guide really didn't seem to have great knowledge yet..he was new to guiding. Too bad so sad...

Pics of day 1 and 2:


Fish on!
https://i.postimg.cc/SKwY0FLm/20220801-073145.jpg (https://postimg.cc/nsGh7WwW)

Decent chinook
https://i.postimg.cc/zXFJ8ZNq/20220801-073424.jpg (https://postimg.cc/3dWMFqWq)

https://i.postimg.cc/zvkyRysf/20220801-073503.jpg (https://postimg.cc/zHVzsGXm)

https://i.postimg.cc/2jdbtt1f/20220801-073508.jpg (https://postimg.cc/kD4g6fNj)


Another good chinook
https://i.postimg.cc/768hs1D6/20220801-151529.jpg (https://postimg.cc/qtwpg3NV)


The wife with a decent chinook
https://i.postimg.cc/MphMjJng/IMG-2003.jpg (https://postimg.cc/ZWxK1gFL)


https://i.postimg.cc/cLCvr4Xs/20220801-090027.jpg (https://postimg.cc/zymzQNsM)


https://i.postimg.cc/GmbvmCsK/IMG-1505.jpg (https://postimg.cc/SJtngHdY)



Back at the dock
https://i.postimg.cc/3RL3m2LW/IMG-2015.jpg (https://postimg.cc/k6brdRPd)



DAY 2
Coho on the fly - a complete blast!
https://i.postimg.cc/4x0mtkSp/20220802-113132.jpg (https://postimg.cc/v4WYFjMm)

https://i.postimg.cc/Dy2J3cG4/20220802-113229.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Yjsq1Ybt)

https://i.postimg.cc/XqDkyDSq/20220802-123142.jpg (https://postimg.cc/y3cZMjNC)


Back at the dock
Biggest coho
https://i.postimg.cc/DyGKwVKS/IMG-2024.jpg (https://postimg.cc/XpnPszqW)

Glad I brought the fly rod!
https://i.postimg.cc/zBfrzVJN/IMG-2018.jpg (https://postimg.cc/f31F5Wtq)

https://i.postimg.cc/kgtDCYTs/IMG-2020.jpg (https://postimg.cc/cv0dMhyt)

[SNAPFisher]

Courtney and river fishing

After the lodge we headed back to the East side of the island at Courtney/Comox. Stayed for a full week at a great little place we found privately. Had fresh gardens of fruit and veggies that we could use. And, it was time to hit the rivers for pink salmon!
I was supposed to be on off year I thought but the first trip had about half as many as I saw last year but still a lot. Landed a ton of pinks every day. Lots of great fights and ...too many to count. Made 3 trips to the river and the final day I kept count at 40 landed and then quit. 40 on the fly rod in one day is a lot since they fight so hard. Only foul hooked about 2 of the salmon. Had to get the weight right for each area fishing. Once it was dialed in though... Just loved this part of the trip. The 3rd days also saw the numbers at least double from the 1st day. So really it met the same expectations as last year. I can't say enough how fun it is.
We had a blast for the week. I have to admit I was actually done and tired of catching salmon...well...at that time :)

Casting out
https://i.postimg.cc/7hBmnZ7x/DSCF1462.jpg (https://postimg.cc/zHgCJ50M)


Shot of salmon under the water
https://i.postimg.cc/SK0Vr5Xz/DSCF1465.jpg (https://postimg.cc/nXkvV3GH)


First of many
https://i.postimg.cc/gj0Kjb71/DSCF1477.jpg (https://postimg.cc/sQtWHqsJ)

https://i.postimg.cc/bvjHbtMx/DSCF1479.jpg (https://postimg.cc/ZWVdzCJn)

https://i.postimg.cc/0Q4zGgQT/DSCF1483.jpg (https://postimg.cc/TLr2G4n0)


The spoils of great river fishing
https://i.postimg.cc/VLdRc1nC/20220808-193135.jpg (https://postimg.cc/9rHTG6xm)

https://i.postimg.cc/hv3f0kGF/20220808-193302.jpg (https://postimg.cc/1VwmmY6M)

https://i.postimg.cc/HWKMXM8r/20220808-193346.jpg (https://postimg.cc/pyfytpZv)


Pics of the place we stayed at in Courtney
https://i.postimg.cc/pVnrN6yd/20220806-102815.jpg (https://postimg.cc/fkDDm5c4)

https://i.postimg.cc/59HY4tKb/20220806-102829.jpg (https://postimg.cc/vDsHXGdN)

https://i.postimg.cc/mDnspB7S/20220806-102842.jpg (https://postimg.cc/WF0ChRWD)


The owner put up a humming bird feeder which was a treat.
https://i.postimg.cc/RZzx3PMX/IMG-2032.jpg (https://postimg.cc/N5bzSk2H)

https://i.postimg.cc/Nj7qR1FY/IMG-2059.jpg (https://postimg.cc/9DMnhwyN)

https://i.postimg.cc/g02zJMD1/IMG-2069.jpg (https://postimg.cc/5XDdKSDm)

[SNAPFisher]

Salt Spring Island

The last 3 days we moved down to Salt Spring Island. We stayed at a beautiful place with private key code gates and doors. It was on St. Mary's lake which has small mouth bass and trout. I was surprised to find that the place had a really decent private dock and the deepest part of the lake that dropped to 22 FOW by the end of the dock. I choose a "minnow" style fly. I wasn't long before it was a fish on! Maybe 3 casts in. The bass jumped about 3 times. A decent enough specimen at around 2 ish lbs. Didn't catch any lunkers for sure but did catch my first smallies, on the fly, and enough each day to keep it interesting. Even used their row boat to explore a bit.

Sample of the smallies caught
https://i.postimg.cc/4xwVKS6g/DSCF1499.jpg (https://postimg.cc/cvgr2Tk9)


https://i.postimg.cc/fb9dHR4w/IMG-1508.jpg (https://postimg.cc/R3vqh9V8)


Did lots of shopping as well and eat way too much...drank a lot of ciders and other great local drinks. Really just a spectacular trip!!! So much to see and do. Tough to be back. Already planning for next year!

[AlbertanGP]

Awesome trip. Awesome photos. And it's always nice to put a face tot he name. :happy0180:

[the local angler]

well done snap you da man

[Twisted Canuck]

Sounds like a great trip! Thanks for posting so many great pics too.

[Positrac]

Looks like a great trip!

[tirebob]

Fantastic!!! Looks like it was a heck of a trip!

[Serengeti Charters]

Awesome time you had by the sounds of it! Nice to have a combo of things to do...a couple weeks on the coast, fishing all sorts of species, doesn't get any better!

[Penner]

Sliver rockets. Looks like lots of fun. Well done Snap.

[Lastcast]

Thats looks incredible! Coho on the fly must have been amazing. Too bad the guide didnt know the bottom spots - I love my ling, rockfish and halibut if you're so lucky.

Did you try Trent River for pinks? I was there a few days ago and a saw a ton of cars parked o the highway there. Was wondering if it was for pinks.

[58thecat]

Well done, I was on the island but didn’t wet a line was a visit but made my rounds at a few haunts, told the wife next year we need to venture off maybe September .


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[SNAPFisher]

Thanks all!

Thats looks incredible! Coho on the fly must have been amazing. Too bad the guide didnt know the bottom spots - I love my ling, rockfish and halibut if you're so lucky.

Did you try Trent River for pinks? I was there a few days ago and a saw a ton of cars parked o the highway there. Was wondering if it was for pinks.

Didn't try the Trent. They arrived further North. That said, pinks are likely at the Trent now though as they work their way South.

[curtz]

Wow, looked like a beautiful trip.

[HuyFishin]

such a beautiful place!