My 2014 (grab a beer)

[two-feet]

So here is a non-linear smattering of some of my fishing adventures this year.

The Boat

The father-in-law went ahead and sold his house so he could by the boat of his (and my) dreams. It is a 1979 Island Gypsy, Taiwanese trawler style yacht, 36' 3 berth 2 bed wooden beauty, well maintained. Twin Ford Leehman 120hp diesel for power. He rigged it right up for fishing with downriggers, nets, gaffs, coolers, margarita maker, etc etc. So when he invited me to take it from Van to Prince Rupert with him I jumped at the chance.


http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/boattrip2014007_zpsb76a3620.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/boattrip2014007_zpsb76a3620.jpg.html)

It was an amazing trip, a life experience. Here is a few random shots.

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/boattrip2014017_zpsa177fb83.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/boattrip2014017_zpsa177fb83.jpg.html)

Porpoises in the bow wake

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/boattrip2014027_zpsce100acb.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/boattrip2014027_zpsce100acb.jpg.html)

nice weather for our crossing of Queen Charlotte Sound from the Island up to the mainland

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/boattrip2014039_zps95ec24aa.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/boattrip2014039_zps95ec24aa.jpg.html)

[Rattler]

Nice pics, keep em coming....

[two-feet]

We mostly motored 12 hours a day and only stopped to fish for about 1/2 an hour in a spot that I had been to previously and I was lucky enough to jig this handsome devil up with a 16oz lead squid

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/boattrip2014011_zps1ac142d4.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/boattrip2014011_zps1ac142d4.jpg.html)

Once the boat was in Rupert it did not take me long to drag the wife and kids out there

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/fishingpapaboat2014014_zps8e26e638.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/fishingpapaboat2014014_zps8e26e638.jpg.html)

She always catches the big ones!

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/fishingpapaboat2014081_zps71ec2994.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/fishingpapaboat2014081_zps71ec2994.jpg.html)

Teaching the young fella. He likes when we catch crabs the best.

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/fishingpapaboat2014011_zps3665ac34.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/fishingpapaboat2014011_zps3665ac34.jpg.html)

I caught this Hali off of a wharf we were tied to for the night in an inlet not really known for fishing. I was using a small piece of herring for bait and thinking I might catch a flounder or sole. It was over 100lbs by the length measurement and took us 6 tries to successfully net it because we knew it was over the legal retention size and we did not want to injure it with a gaff. That is the 2nd Hali over 100lbs I have caught and both have been hooked on a small piece of herring! Word to the wise!

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/fish2_zpsed2c5150.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/fish2_zpsed2c5150.jpg.html)

[two-feet]

Stringer of snapper, feed of prawn

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/fishingpapaboat2014066_zps3f13f787.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/fishingpapaboat2014066_zps3f13f787.jpg.html)

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/fishingpapaboat2014089_zpsb6c5b297.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/fishingpapaboat2014089_zpsb6c5b297.jpg.html)

Here is a nice Chinook my buddy dragged out of the Skeena in between ocean trips

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/fish1_zpsf2299772.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/fish1_zpsf2299772.jpg.html)

And a spring caught on the troll

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/fishingpapaboat2014098_zps9d5e18e6.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/fishingpapaboat2014098_zps9d5e18e6.jpg.html)

Did I mention we have a 2 year old and an eight month old? This can be a challenge on a 4 day trip in a 36 foot boat. And did I mention that our boy has an allergy to fish? Not the most practical on an extended fishing trip but we make it all work. And obviously the kids are growing up right out there and learning things that are not taught in school.

I am headed back out in August for a boys only trip! Get ready margarita machine! Will update the thread after.

[kilometers]

Nice. Hali off the dock that is cool.
We want to do the trip from Rupert to the charlottes one day.

[Ovis17]

Looks like you had a blast!

[BimmerBob]

Awesome memories you have shared, congrats on having a great father-in-law. Thanks for taking us along.

[markomoose]

Awesome looking yacht.Very similar to a Grand Banks.My Dad built a 28 foot boat in our backyard.It was made of strip planking over oak ribs designed for rough water taxi service.Fond memories of spending a month every summer doing as you are two feet.Seen more of the coast than most.Would kill to do it again!

[Ride Red]

Great pics and nice boat, an adventure to remember for sure. I've only been around Sandspit to Mosquito Lake, I do want to venture further up the islands.

[Philcott]

I love the second picture. Everyone should go back up to that one and just look at it for a while and say to yourself, "I live here".

Never tire of this beautiful place we call home. Whether it's the everchanging beauty of the inland waters, the grass lands around the loops, the cold crisp fall mornings in the Cariboo high country, the majesty and colours of sunrise in the continental divide, the vastness expanse of wilderness and wildlife from Kitwanga up to Dease lake and beyond or all the magical secret places you love in between. This is one hell of a place to call home.

Thanks for posting the pics and the story.

[Salty]

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/boattrip2014007_zpsb76a3620.jpg

Nice cruiser. I really like that kind of layout spent a couple years in cahoots with a buddy with a 60s commercial troller converted for pleasure with the a rear cabin like that down below in the old fish hold. Gives great visibility all around from the wheelhouse and it can take a ton of side wind without any fuss compared to boxier upright cabin designs. Looks in great shape. Thanks for the pics and story. ..

[markt308]

sweet pictures! looks like you guys had a hoot

[Sofa King]

two words.
wick
ed

[mikethemilkman]

way to go thx for sharing

[835]

Really nice looking boat.... that is my Dream too ..... I spent a large part of my life fishing this coast... i miss all the fun!

[ElliotMoose]

Agreed, that is a beauty of a boat! Looks like a fantastic trip. Thanks for sharing

[two-feet]

So...just got back from a sweet 4 days at sea for the purpose of collecting fish flesh. The last few times out have been family affairs with the wife and kids, but not this time! I brought out a couple of friends for a boys only trip and the capt said we broke 2 boat records- most beer brought on board and most fish. Not too shabby.

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/aug2014fishing002_zps113e816c.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/aug2014fishing002_zps113e816c.jpg.html)

We got into Rupert in the evening and stayed the night on the boat after a great meal at Breakers. The Ice shack opens at 5am so we hit that bright and early, topped up the water tanks and were off. The sun was in full effect and the wind was fairly light but the water was just coming down from a gale that died down the day before, the inside waters were flat but we headed to the outside for some jigging and the swells and chop made it possible to fish, barely. We hooked a few yellow eye but the halibut was elusive. Both of my friends started to look pale, then green, and then the vigorous regurgitation started. As the fishing wasn't great we decided to head back into the islands to let them recover. The capt and I put down some prawn pots while the boys had a lay down. We fished the inside waters for the rest of the day and caught some bottom nice bottom fish including our daily limit of chicken halibut.
The next day dawned bright and calm so after a quick breakfast of bacon and eggs we headed back to the outside to try the jigging again. The water was damn near flat and the sun was shining, my one buddy cracked a beer at 7am, drank 1\2, had a little barfy and was golden the rest of the day. They were both fine for the rest of the trip.

nice morning

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/aug2014fishing017_zpse73cb54a.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/aug2014fishing017_zpse73cb54a.jpg.html)

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/aug2014fishing016_zps7da4a123.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/aug2014fishing016_zps7da4a123.jpg.html)

[two-feet]

On the way out we checked the prawn pots but came up with a big Zero.

here is the pullerhttp://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/aug2014fishing010_zps2a0a95b4.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/aug2014fishing010_zps2a0a95b4.jpg.html)

we scooted back out to our fishing hole and started looking for the fish. The spot is a series of benches starting at about 75' deep and going down as deep as you want to fish, we started fishing about 115' and started catching arrow-tooth flounders (commonly called turbot or witch fish) as well as the odd dog shark so we moved around a bit. We moved up to a bench about 80' deep and I had my rod in the rod holder so I could drink some beers with my back turned to it when the first good one hit, nothing like a hali stripping line off your reel in the holder. I brought it in, about a 30lb fish, and after that it was game on. The capt was running around like a fool releasing fish, harpooning others and helping the other guys with their riggin. We were targeting fish in the 20-30lb range for our keepers as they taste the best and we already had our small ones on board.

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/aug2014fishing020_zps3017fd60.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/aug2014fishing020_zps3017fd60.jpg.html)

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/aug2014fishing021_zpsdc87146b.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/aug2014fishing021_zpsdc87146b.jpg.html)

[two-feet]

We played around there for a bit and decided to head north to put ourselves in good position to be out early trolling the next day. On the way was a nice reef that we wanted to try for ling cod (my favorite!) so we baited up again. It was a rock pinnacle about 50yds across, with sheer sides and a boulder garden at the base. The top is about 170' deep. We dropped down and as is so often the case I immediately hooked up with a big fish. I dragged the sucker to the surface and it was a 30lb ling but it spit the hook just as we were about to gaff it and it swam away. Damn! About 5 mins later I hooked another one and it dragged my tackle into the rocks and cut me off. Damn! So on my third try I hooked a really good fish and fought that sucker hard because I didn't want it to drag me into a cave again and I was pleasantly surprised to see a 50lb Hali come up. We had kept 1 hali shy of our limit for just this kind of thing so the capt speared it and we dragged it into the boat and hog tied it before it could thrash around too much

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/aug2014fishing033_zps0f6e37c9.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/aug2014fishing033_zps0f6e37c9.jpg.html)

here is a stringer of good eaters

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/aug2014fishing029_zpsf3393925.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/aug2014fishing029_zpsf3393925.jpg.html)

After that we headed to anchor and fired up the margarita maker while we cut fish.
The next day was flat as a pancake and overcast which was super as we were all sunburned and worn out from 2 days of bright sun on the water. We did our morning routine and headed out to troll for coho. The first hour had no action but then we kicked things up with a double header and it was fairly steady for the rest of the day. Coho are fun because they keep you so busy, you lose 2 or 3 for every one you land.

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/aug2014fishing053_zps109a0160.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/aug2014fishing053_zps109a0160.jpg.html)

We trolled all day and for an hour in the morning and ended up with 15 in the boat.

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/20140815_201116_zpseb3a7419.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/20140815_201116_zpseb3a7419.jpg.html)

[two-feet]

So after all that it was time to motor home

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/aug2014fishing055_zps6ff09538.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/aug2014fishing055_zps6ff09538.jpg.html)

here is the catch, minus what we cooked on the boat

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/aug2014fishing059_zpsa30d3059.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/aug2014fishing059_zpsa30d3059.jpg.html)

We figure about 300lbs of fish, live weight. Good eating for 3 family's over the winter, now I have to get busy smoking and canning. Canned halibut? Yum!

Now just 8 days in moose camp and I can start to relax...

[two-feet]

Fishing stories! How come moved to ML BC?

[Colinofthewoods]

Thank you for keeping the dream alive ! Great pics.