West coast Chinook

[SNAPFisher]

Sounds amazing Ken, congrats! I'm sure you mean it doesn't suck to throw back tyees. You can't keep them all
And, a limit of 20-30lb Chinook is a lot of meat! Bedsides, one of the those tyees might be around next year to hit your line with another 10 lbs put on

[SNAPFisher]

Jamie, you can keep that link and keep checking it all you want. Seems to be about as effective as test netting Alberta lakes....

Seriously, seems of the best Chinook years up and down the coast. I talked to a lot of people on my trip and the all say the same. Sounds like Ken also had a stellar trip to Rupert. Like I said earlier, grain of salt best taken...

[Ken07AOVette]

Spring fishing was the craziest I have seen. We watched a guide boat pull out a 44 and he got a 47 at Dundas the next day. Buddy and I were talking about big springs, he caught a huge 1 a d we both said thats it for them for the day, you never bring more than 1 a day. Wow were we wrong.
It is surreal releasing tyee for sure.

[Savage Bacon]

We just got home yesterday from the island. Fished all morning on Thursday. Wow what an amazing time. First salmon was 80cm exactly. Second was 79 3/4cm, and the third was 76cm. We thought we were going to have to throw the first 2 back with the new regs but they were barely legal. I'll bring a bigger cooler next time. It was a good sight seeing 3 tails sticking out of a stuffed cooler. Here's some advice, do some stretches. I don't want to sound like a wimp but holy crap that is a workout on the arms lol.

[Positrac]

Nootka in 4 days. Hopefully it’s half as good as most other areas when we get there. The last 6 years have been some of the worst Chinook fishing in the sound that I’ve seen and it had been getting progressively worse each year. Hopefully we’re not disappointed this year.

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

Jamie, you can keep that link and keep checking it all you want. Seems to be about as effective as test netting Alberta lakes....

Seriously, seems of the best Chinook years up and down the coast. I talked to a lot of people on my trip and the all say the same. Sounds like Ken also had a stellar trip to Rupert. Like I said earlier, grain of salt best taken...

Nope. The Skeena is slow this year. Those fish in Rupert are headed some place else. 50 years of studies are not wrong. Do not deny the science!http://www.noelgyger.ca/H2O/Non-Tida...k2018&2019.pdf

Kens trip would have coincided with the time prior to the big surge on the 20th. What is a bit surprising is how late the surge came through. Something seems to have changed this year. It will be interesting to see if that continues over the next few years.

All that info is pulled directly from the DOF site.

However, the only thing certain is that sitting at home here in Alberta will defiantly be a strike out for this year! We are a little short on Salt water it seems. So disappointed this year didn't work out (YET) for me going out there. I miss it and I miss my Daughter. I wish I could figure out a way to go see her and go fishing with her again. You had a great trip it seems as well!!

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Jamie

Nope. The Skeena is slow this year. Those fish in Rupert are headed some place else. 50 years of studies are not wrong. Do not deny the science!http://www.noelgyger.ca/H2O/Non-Tida...k2018&2019.pdf

Kens trip would have coincided with the time prior to the big surge on the 20th. What is a bit surprising is how late the surge came through. Something seems to have changed this year. It will be interesting to see if that continues over the next few years.

All that info is pulled directly from the DOF site.

All reasonable Jamie. I guess I would be no better than the supposed armchair experts on here when it comes to Alberta. So who am I to argue about B.C. and ignore science.

I hope things turn out better in that area going forwards with the drastic changes this year.

I also hope you still get a chance to get out on the salt yet

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

All reasonable Jamie. I guess I would be no better than the supposed armchair experts on here when it comes to Alberta. So who am I to argue about B.C. and ignore science.

I hope things turn out better in that area going forwards with the drastic changes this year.

I also hope you still get a chance to get out on the salt yet

With her tight time lines I was kinda looking at Vancouver Island towards the end of Sept. But I think that will be nothing but a expensive boat ride... Perhaps look into some river fishing on Vancouver Isle? Thoughts?

[SNAPFisher]

Rivers would be a blast. At that time there should still be some pinks but more coho. I was checking out the Eve river estuary with great interest. The Salmon river estuary would be another on that side.

Back over to the other side, the Stamp should have a lot of coho by then. Maybe even think about the Cowichan...probably busy though.

I'd do it in a second if I could get away that time of year.

If not rivers and you have the salt itch then check out Port Alberni for cohos. They should be staged down the inlet and close to town. Average cost of $600 guided for a 5-6 hour fishing day. The coho will be big by then too.

[MooseRiverTrapper]

We did well west of kitimat near the open water. Halibut was slow though. They closed the Skeena down indefinitely when I was there because the natives don’t want to chew on the chinooks.

[TippyCanoe]

Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - General Information,
RECREATIONAL - Salmon

Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN0731-RECREATIONAL - Salmon - South Coast Chinook Management Measures - August 1, 2019 - Reminder

This Fishery Notice is a reminder of recreational management actions for
Chinook salmon that will come in effect at 00:01 hours on August 1, 2019 in
South Coast marine waters.

West Coast Vancouver Island (WCVI) – Areas 21 to 27, and offshore Areas 121,
123 to 127:

- 00:01 hours August 1 to 23:59 hours December 31, 2019, 2 Chinook per day
- Please refer to FN0657 and FN0652 for further measures on fin-fish closures
and chinook non-retention areas in WCVI waters.

Queen Charlotte and Johnstone Straits (Subareas 12-1 to 12-13, 12-15 to 12-48):

- 00:01 hours August 1 to 23:59 hours August 29, 2019, 1 Chinook per day;
- 00:01 hours August 30 to 23:59 hours December 31, 2 Chinook per day.

Strait of Georgia – North - Areas 13 to 17, Area 28 and Subareas 29-1 and 29-2:

- 00:01 hours August 1 to 23:59 hours August 29, 2019, 1 Chinook per day;
- 00:01 hours August 30 to 23:59 hours December 31, 2 Chinook per day.

Please note that the annual fin-fish closure near Cape Mudge on Quadra Island
and the Chinook non-retention closures near Harwood, Denman, and Hornby Islands
are no longer in effect.

Strait of Georgia – South and Juan de Fuca - Areas 18, 19 and portions of
Subareas 20-1 and 20-2 (excluding those waters north of a line from Owen Point
to the Port San Juan Light/Whistle Buoy, then to Woods Nose), 20-5, 29-3 to 29-
5 and 29-8:

- 00:01 hours August 1 to 23:59 hours August 29, 2019, 1 Chinook per day;
- 00:01 hours August 30 to 23:59 hours December 31, 2019, 2 Chinook per day.
- As per Fishery Notices 0507 and 0696, management measures for Southern
Resident Killer Whales are in place in portions of Areas 18, 20, and 121. These
measures include no salmon fishing in Subareas 20-3, 20-4, 18-9, and portions
of Subareas 18-2, 18-4, and 18-5 and sanctuary closures (vessel prohibition
zones) in portions of Subareas 18-4, 121-1, 121-2. Please refer to FN0507 and
FN0696 for full details.
- Subareas 20-6 and 20-7 are Chinook non-retention August 1, 2019 to October
15, 2019.

Fraser River mouth, tidal and non-tidal waters – Subareas 29-6, 29-7, 29-9 to
29-17 and those waters of the Fraser River upstream from the Highway Bridge at
Mission, BC to the Alexandria Bridge:

- Jan. 1 to Aug. 23, No fishing for salmon.
- Aug. 23 to Dec. 31, Chinook non-retention.

After August 23, dependent on in-season information fisheries may be announced
targeting other species. These will also be subject to any measures required
for other stocks of concern such as Interior Fraser Coho or Steelhead salmon.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastwide Recreational Fisheries:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the recreational fishery, the annual aggregate limit for Chinook salmon is
ten (10) coastwide in all tidal waters.

Further information on specific management actions will be communicated by
separate Fishery Notices. You can view or subscribe to fisheries notices at:
http://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contact your local DFO office
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/contact/reg...fique-eng.html


Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0731
Sent July 31, 2019 at 16:25
Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

If you would like to unsubscribe, please submit your request at: http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fn...e_subscription

If you have any questions, please contact us via e-mail to: DFO.OpsCentreFisheryPacific-CentreOp....MPO@canada.ca

[Dark Wing]

The boats packed and the fishing report is good !!! We're off to Nootka sound and Critter Cove for the next 5 days.

[Ronji]

Heading to Duncanby in 3 weeks, I am like a 6 year old waiting for Christmas.

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by Positrac

Nootka in 4 days. Hopefully it’s half as good as most other areas when we get there. The last 6 years have been some of the worst Chinook fishing in the sound that I’ve seen and it had been getting progressively worse each year. Hopefully we’re not disappointed this year.

Same old story. We just got back from Nootka and fishing was pretty poor. We were told it had been great but the torrential rains of Thursday changed things and it went pretty dead. Out of 24 guests at the lodge we were staying at there were only about 2 dozen springs caught over 10 pounds, with the biggest being a 24 pounder. There were only 6 springs over 20lbs. We fished 3 days.

The plus side was our guide was great and the amenities were top notch, so it was a good trip overall. My only complaint would be that we never got fishing before 7:00am and were off the water by 5:00. So we missed the morning bite and evening bite every day. All guided fishing was based on10 hours a day.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Positrac

Same old story. We just got back from Nootka and fishing was pretty poor. We were told it had been great but the torrential rains of Thursday changed things and it went pretty dead. Out of 24 guests at the lodge we were staying at there were only about 2 dozen springs caught over 10 pounds, with the biggest being a 24 pounder. There were only 6 springs over 20lbs. We fished 3 days.

The plus side was our guide was great and the amenities were top notch, so it was a good trip overall. My only complaint would be that we never got fishing before 7:00am and were off the water by 5:00. So we missed the morning bite and evening bite every day. All guided fishing was based on10 hours a day.

Crappy on the drop off in action. Still sounds like you did okay.

That time for the guides seems typical to me. Most places you can ask to customize a bit and stay out longer. If you did, I would advise on upping the tip so it is encouraging for them to make the extra effort. Hopefully seems reasonable to you as well.

I'm liking the idea of hiring some guiding and some myself - like 50/50. Over time, as I learn an area I'll move onto 100% myself. I have no current plans to get a vessel like Ken has but...I wouldn't count that discussion done either

[35 whelen]

Most places I ever guided at work 8 to 5 then if you went out after supper you paid more are tipped more.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Most places I ever guided at work 8 to 5 then if you went out after supper you paid more are tipped more.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Me too but that wasn’t an option at the place we were staying at.

They have some self-guided options with your own boat or one of theirs that I looked into for next year, but if you use theirs you still need to be off the water by 7:00pm, losing the last couple hours of light at least.

We sold our Whaler this spring so I guess I have to get used to the new reality.

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by Positrac

Me too but that wasn’t an option at the place we were staying at.



They have some self-guided options with your own boat or one of theirs that I looked into for next year, but if you use theirs you still need to be off the water by 7:00pm, losing the last couple hours of light at least.



We sold our Whaler this spring so I guess I have to get used to the new reality.

Yes that's a safety concern unless you're with a guide they probably don't want customers out close the dark ,or where they don't have enough time to rescue them if need be.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[PFKGSP]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Yes that's a safety concern unless you're with a guide they probably don't want customers out close the dark ,or where they don't have enough time to rescue them if need be.

I agree with this. The place we go to used to let you fish until dark. He finally got tired of worrying about where people were. Now its off the water by 8 for everyone. You can start at the crack of dawn so there is no worry about not getting a full day.

I can't imagine going on a guided boat. I like to do it all myself. Bait the hook, set the hook fight the fish. All part of the fun. No downriggers, just manual controls.

Heading to rivers inlet Friday. Not sure how the fishing is but one salmon on the 8wt and I will consider my trip a success.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by PFKGSP

Heading to rivers inlet Friday. Not sure how the fishing is but one salmon on the 8wt and I will consider my trip a success.

Nice! Best of luck. I hope you slay em. A report back would be great.

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by PFKGSP

Heading to rivers inlet Friday. Not sure how the fishing is but one salmon on the 8wt and I will consider my trip a success.

It’s been a few years now but Rivers was my go-to place the second week of August for a lot of years. Back then I towed to Hardy, ran up and stayed on the boat for a week at a time. Not a ton of fish like other places on the coast but the biggest for sure. I definitely miss fishing up there. Good luck and I hope you get into a monster!

[Sea Hawk]

Just got home from a week at rupert. Weather was descent and so was the fishing. We caught 3 springs, largest was 20 pounds and 13 koho. We went one morning for halibut and caught 4 that were 80 to 86cm in an hour. In the end i took 100 pounds of salmon and 61 pounds of halibut to Dollys for processing and a good thing we did. We got checked in Terrace by a conservation officer and all we really had to show was our lisences and the manifest from Dollys and we were on our way. Tried a dummy flasher on one side of the boat this year and it worked at least as well as the rod on the other side of the boat with the flasher on the line. Most of thr springs bit on the rotary dummy flasher side.

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by PFKGSP

I can't imagine going on a guided boat. I like to do it all myself. Bait the hook, set the hook fight the fish. All part of the fun. No downriggers, just manual controls.

I knew I’d have a bit of a tough time with using a guide myself, but it was a trip through our social club at work and a good buddy of mine wanted to go since he’s never fished the West Coast before. In total there was 24 of us. We also sold our Whaler this past spring since my dad hasn’t been in good enough health the last few years to get out and I live 1800 Kim’s away from where it was in Campbell River, so my options are a bit limited now.

The first day out our guide wouldn’t let you look at the rod and he did everything. We also never caught a fish and only had one hit the whole time out. He was also a bit socially awkward.

I asked for a different guide for the next day and we got lucky with getting one that was not only easy to talk with but knew what he was doing. Fishing was slow but by the end of the day I had him letting me run one side of the boat.

The next and last day was our derby for work with the largest Spring taking the prize of $560 split between the guide and the fisherman that got the largest fish. We ended up with 6 springs in the boat and the top 3 spots in the derby with a 23lb winning it followed by a 20 & 19. The other boats did ok but the biggest was 18lbs. Overall 23lbs was the biggest Spring officially weighed all 3 days, so fish were small but in-line with what I’ve seen at Nootka the last 5 years.

I don’t think a guide would normally give up one side of the boat for a customer to run but between the two of us we knew a lot of the same long-term guides in Nootka and I guided there myself each summer in the late 90’s, so he felt comfortable doing so. It made the trip for me and actually made the day a lot easier for him, so it was a win-win.

Would I do it again? Probably not but the lodge itself was great, the staff were excellent and I really enjoyed fishing with our second guide. The boats were also like nothing I’ve ever fished out of before, so that was an experience on its own. It’s tough spending the money to go on a guided trip to Nootka because I don’t value the experience the same as most. After fishing there in my own boat for 25 years where I did everything it’s kind of weird to have someone else run the gear and be in control.

[MooseRiverTrapper]

Originally Posted by Sea Hawk

Just got home from a week at rupert. Weather was descent and so was the fishing. We caught 3 springs, largest was 20 pounds and 13 koho. We went one morning for halibut and caught 4 that were 80 to 86cm in an hour. In the end i took 100 pounds of salmon and 61 pounds of halibut to Dollys for processing and a good thing we did. We got checked in Terrace by a conservation officer and all we really had to show was our lisences and the manifest from Dollys and we were on our way. Tried a dummy flasher on one side of the boat this year and it worked at least as well as the rod on the other side of the boat with the flasher on the line. Most of thr springs bit on the rotary dummy flasher side.

Dummy flasher stays with your downrigger gear and you run the clip behind it? Be nice to fight the fish without the resistance of the flasher.

[Ken07AOVette]

Posi when we went to the Lodge in Rupert the guide was more than happy to have us do everything, he was awesome. Once he saw we knew what we were doing he let us handle everything. If we would have had your first day I would have very likely ended the trip then and there.
The guide was so good in fact that we demanded him the next year. He was the reason I bought my own boat actually, despite him telling me I would regret it lol. 5 seasons later still have not regretted it 1 bit. He guides in Bella Bella now.

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by MooseRiverTrapper

Dummy flasher stays with your downrigger gear and you run the clip behind it? Be nice to fight the fish without the resistance of the flasher.

You clip the flashed to the 2nd eye on the cannonball. I stopped losing fish when I got rid of the inline flasher.

[Sea Hawk]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

You clip the flashed to the 2nd eye on the cannonball. I stopped losing fish when I got rid of the inline flasher.

I bought a bunch of rotary or in line flashers at wholesale when they were selling out. I then hooked 3 of them together in line a hook that rig to the ball. I hook the clip about 3 feet above the ball and ran my teaser head about 10 feet back. It great fighting fish and even when you want to bring it in to check the bait. We caught just as many fish with the dummy setup and almost all of the springs.

[PFKGSP]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

Nice! Best of luck. I hope you slay em. A report back would be great.

Well unfortunately your not going to like it. Undoubtedly the slowest fishing I have ever seen there. And that was year 16 for me.

Virtually no coho around which always provide the action in between the springs. I came home with one spring (19),and one coho (9). My partner 3 coho, 3 ling and a 126cm Hali which made the trip really.

No salmon action on the fly rod trying multiple flies and methods that have worked before.

For those that are familiar with the area we fished from Draney back to the Bluff, Bull Island, Major Brown Wall Cranstown, Dome, Dimsey Rouse reef, Paddle rock and Darby channel. Best action when we had some was Dimsey to Darby. Heard there was a little more at Calvert but not enough to make the run worthwhile.

But as always, there was one interesting happening. Major Brown rock is nothing more than a rock island in the middle of the channel. Probably a km at least from the nearest other island and more from the mainland. It is known to contain many seals and seagulls. On this trip what was there but a Grizzly Bear! Out on this stupid rock in the middle of nowhere. Not sure what possessed him to think that was a good place to swim to to look for a meal but it did. Running around standing up watching the boats. Weird. he was gone the next day so I guess swam off to an adjoining island or back to the mainland.

I have seen them before on the shore of the mainland there with cubs and everything. Had Orca's and humpbacks within fishing pole distance of the boat but you kind of expect that. This was a total surprise.

[coyoteman]

[QUOTE=Ken07AOVette;3996746]They know exactly how to fix it. Just let the nets hang across all the rivers for a couple more years, and there won't be a problem at all. The easiest way to catch fish is to wait until they come to spawn, then indiscriminantly kill everything, ensuring there are no returns. No more disputes, no more whining or fighting. And then the special groups can move onto the next genus to extinct, a win in the bag.
Super easy.[/QU
Recently fished the Kitimat--Natives put a net out just across the pool several fisherman were fishing--in no time flat they had over 200 coho-The fisherman didnt get one only spawned out pinks and chum.Later they came to my door selling the salmon for $10.00ea--The boxes loaded with iced salmon.This was only one group of netters--There great grand children will know the coho only by there pictures---What a shame.In nfld netting was stopped many years ago--Now the greenland fisheries stopped--The rivers filling again with atlantic salmon.