Vancouver Island Trip

[RavYak]

Buckle up cause this is a long one...

For 2 years I have wanted to do a trip out to Vancouver Island, last month we finally made it a reality.

We started our trip out with a drive out to the Fraser River where we met up with Wilderness Systems prostaff Sandra and her boyfried Braeden who guides with STS Guiding Service. We met Sandra and Braeden at the Eastslope Kayak Tournament in July and when we mentioned that we were passing by were able to hook up again. On Saturday we joined them out on Braeden's boat and went out for a few hours landing 4 sturgeon over 6 ft including my new personal best fish, a 7 footer just as the day was ending.





On Sunday we again joined up with Sandra and this time her fishing partner Laura as we set out in search of sturgeon from our kayaks. There was a big weather change and the wind was howling which turned the bite off but eventually my fishing buddy Wes got his first kayak white sturgeon and shortly after I caught my personal best kayak fish with a 5'8" (~100 lbs). Small by the girls standards but it sure made my day lol.







Then on day 3 we made our way over to the island where we went and checked out some giant trees on our way to a little lake another buddy had recommended where we were able to catch our first smallmouth bass under the close watch of an eagle.

[RavYak]

On day 4 we said enough of the freshwater fish and drove to Winter Harbour, the farthest point on Vancouver Island. The rav4 was pretty heavily loaded which made the rough logging roads a bit interested but we made it leaving only the odd hitch scrape here and there lol. The coast was rugged and there was a navy? boat in the harbour which was kind of neat.













Day 5 was saltwater fishing day. We had to fish inside the harbour due to a strong offshore wind but we still found a bunch of rockfish as well as some kelp greenling, rock sole, a couple undersize ling cod and a few yelloweye.

[RavYak]

On day 6 we were tired and sore due to the long day before and my fishing buddy had got sea sick as well so we decided to go exploring. We walked a trail to a beach, saw a couple interesting tree formations along the way and then checked out a neat little garden with one of the coolest trees I have ever seen(called a monkey puzzle). This part of the island is rainforest and the gardener that used to live there had a crazy collection of interesting trees, bamboo, flowers and other stuff although some of it was in disarray it was still a neat stop.

























We had rented a VHF radio and we could hear that the wind was supposed to get worse off shore so we decided to abandon winter harbour as it was not protected enough for our kayaks. We found a lake to camp at where I tried my luck at for a few minutes before dark and was able to catch my first coastal cutthroat trout although he was pretty small he had cool colouration and we had an awesome sunset to watch.

[RavYak]

Then on day 7 we tried fishing in the protection of a few islands near Port Hardy where we caught a bunch more rockfish, rock sole and a couple sculpin and watched some eagles catching some fish.







At this point the trip went a little sideways. We hadn't been able to fish winter harbour like we wanted to and the reports at Port Hardy and other places online all looked bleak for Salmon as we learned we had somehow picked the worst salmon year in decades to make this trip... To add to that the forecast had changed to rain and cold for the remaining week so we only had one dry day left. We ended up just randomly choosing a spot to fish and surprisingly there were a ton of locals there and when we got out on the water we could see why as there were literally hundreds of salmon jumping around us although that was because they were in spawning mode not feeding mode and we only saw 3 caught all day... Bumbed out by this and the forecast we headed back to Nanaimo where we almost hopped onto a ferry to end our trip early but instead we followed our buddy Daniel who had inspired this trip and who had just arrived at the island. We tried another spot for salmon but no one was catching and there were no signs of them either. Then we tried to go for bottom fish but it was too windy. Then we tried to go to another lake for cutties but the road to the lake was closed due to active logging and then we stopped at another lake and it was too windy again. Then it rained so we finally just found a spot to camp for the night and the next morning I threw out my back... Like I said, the trip went a little sideways lol. This was days 8-13 and it goes to show just how bad it was because I have no pictures...

Then on day 14 we had to head over to Moutcha Bay for the kayak tournament that had inspired this whole trip. We made our way over, set up camp and then hit the water to do a bit of prefishing. A couple of hours in my hobie pedals break...



I pedal back to shore and thankfully was able to get a hold of another buddy on the island making his way to the tournament and he was able to bring an extra mast for me to use. Nobody was catching any fish in the prefish and reports were grim so we gave up and found some more rockfish and I also hooked a dangerous looking sea cucumber.





Day 15 was day 1 for the tournament, 58 anglers hit the water and only 1 salmon was caught... So a bunch of us gave up on the derby and headed to the river mouth where we were told there were some salmon. They weren't actively feeding but they were thick in there so you got the odd one and I finally was able to land a semi decent although darker chinook and a few smaller ones.



Then on day 16 just when we were heading out to start day 2 of the tournament I threw my back out even worse so we decided to pack up and cut our losses since people still weren't catching fish. We heard there was only one more fish caught. Really poor fishing but based on a few reports it sounds like it is normally really good.

We started the 20 hour trip home just before noon and got back to Edmonton around 8 am. Overall we didn't have the successful trip we were hoping for but really it was still an awesome time with a bunch of new cool fish.











I will definitely be back to the island as now I have a score to settle. Trip didn't go as we planned(no big lings, halis or chrome salmon) but it was still a good time and caught a bunch of new neat fish and saw some cool sights along the way.

[fishead]

Thanks for sharing, looks like a lot of fun.

[schmedlap]

is a relative thing. This looks like a very "successful" trip in the adventure sense - most would not have the cojones to be as adventurous, and you are to be congratulated. When you are my age you will look back with significant pride on just doing such things on your own initiative. And thanks for posting all this.

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by schmedlap

is a relative thing. This looks like a very "successful" trip in the adventure sense - most would not have the cojones to be as adventurous, and you are to be congratulated. When you are my age you will look back with significant pride on just doing such things on your own initiative. And thanks for posting all this.

The plan was big lings, halis and limit of salmon so we kind of failed in that regard as we didn't get any of those but yes it was still a good trip and I learned a lot out there so next time the fish better be on the look out lol.

Kayak fishing the island is definitely a bit tricky since most of the good fishing is unprotected and/or a long ways out hence why most people use the big boats they do. I will get her figured out though!

[Brandonkop]

Good job guys thanks for the full detail report. You'll get them another time. Maybe you need to go to Hakai Pass. Or Queen Charlotte or Prince Reupert. The inside passage like telegraph, McNeil, browns bay... might be better for a yak. So many places to try. Maybe rivers inlet.

[EZM]

Sounds like a pretty cool trip. I wish I had the time to do a long adventure fishing trip like that. Enjoy it. I bet you will look back at it years from now and say it was an awesome trip.

[haywaraa]

awesome pictures thanks for sharing!

[coachman]

When I saw the two of you guys in them little boat out beyond the island with nothing but water between you and Japan I though you guys had a few loose screws. You did catch more fish than Lowell, AJ and me. I was a fun place to visit and it is always nice to see new places. I will give it another try also but in a bigger boat. maybe 30ft It was nice meeting you guys.

Bill

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by coachman

When I saw the two of you guys in them little boat out beyond the island with nothing but water between you and Japan I though you guys had a few loose screws. You did catch more fish than Lowell, AJ and me. I was a fun place to visit and it is always nice to see new places. I will give it another try also but in a bigger boat. maybe 30ft It was nice meeting you guys.

Bill

Lol Bill, was good to meet you too. You're probably right about my screws being loose, if the launch was closer I would have tried going out even further lol. After that day I still wanted to go to another spot and try the outside more but from what I could gather on the VHF it was supposed to get windier so we bailed on that idea.

[Red Bullets]

Alberta fishing just isn't going to be the same after such an epic fishing trip.
Thanks for sharing.

[58thecat]

Looks like a great trip, fishing is a battle sometimes, the back thing is a bugger but looks like you had an adventure for sure!

[wildwoods]

Ahhhh now I see why the "Rav-Yak". The yak part was easy hahaha.
Great looking trip!

[waterninja]

Oh my, that is almost too much to take in on one thread. Looks like you had one heck of a trip, and that the weather co-operated. I bet not many anglers target sturgeon from a yak. Excuse me if I missed it, but did you keep count of the different species you caught on this trip?
Anyways, congrats on a great trip. Thanks for the stories and pics. I love fishing/hunting BC.
Your right about the "Monkey Puzzle" tree being neat. O nly tree in the world that a monkey can't climb. My brother has a beautifull on in his backyard.

[Talking moose]

Looks like Rav Canoe had a great trip!

[Type81-1]

what a nice trip, I have been Vancouver Island this summer, too. got some crabs, most are red rock...

[KWO]

Enjoyed the pics. Thanks for posting.

[fluxcore]

Very cool, my family owned the Moutcha Bay resort for ever before selling it and retiring. Heck My sis met her husband working there! Beuatiful area, it's to bad about the weather but it looks like u did an amazing job working around it

[kcward]

Thanks for sharing Rav! Lot's of interesting adventures...maybe not what you set out to do, but non the less still adventures. Next time it will be a new set of adventures. Congrats to many nice fish and experiences!

[coachman]

Lowell and me went back to Campbell River Friday and had a wonderful afternoon. 5 springs, some small greenling + cod and a duck in about 4 hrs. Was to go out Saturday but it was winding so I caught the ferry home. Hit snow just out of Merritt. So now I home hunting for elk planning on going back to Campbell River for the Month of October. Different life style down there and I am beginning to enjoy it. Maybe next time I will take a rig like for a test run.

[Salmon Slayer Lenny]

If you make it out next summer to Courtenay between June 28th and August 6th, I can get you out on the water and hook you up.