West coast Salmon

[.264winmag]

Been seeing all these pictures of great early chinook fishing. Finally made it out fri/sat. First day was beauty out, landed 14 springs and 14 halibut by noon. Took some high grading but ended up with a 21# spring and a 37# Hali.
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/fishin/5E871F2D-F9A8-4E86-8721-E6341F4588DB.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/fishin/5E871F2D-F9A8-4E86-8721-E6341F4588DB.jpg.html)
Sat was great for salmon, better average with biggest just shy of 27#. Wind blew us off the water before noon, no bottom fishing. We were 14 miles offshore Esperanza, 50 fathom edge. There were literally dozens of Humbacks feeding on hoards of good size herring. I suspect they are southern fish as there were a few clipped fish and a white one. Was my huntin partner, his nephew and dad on board. The young fellas first ocean trip, was glad to be part of it. The fish weren't monsters but very feisty, young fella got knuckle busted a couple times:)
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/fishin/D1451D7D-B564-42E6-B192-20FFE842331F.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/fishin/D1451D7D-B564-42E6-B192-20FFE842331F.jpg.html)
All in all an excellent trip for mid June, can't wait to spend a couple weeks in July/aug out there.
The fish are out there so go get em!

[boxhitch]

Nice haul
Where do you put in for that trip ?

[.264winmag]

Tahsis to access Nootka, Esperanza or Kuyuoqut.

[tomahawk]

Nice weekends fishin!!

[.264winmag]

And the pinks have already shown up, better get the big spoons/plugs ready!

[dime]

How long a run is it from Tahsis to 14 miles outside esperanza? How big is your boat, my Dad and I have a 19.5 foot welded aluminum by Northwest, wondering if it would do?

[monasheemountainman]

Nice work! Hoping to get my trip in soon too! Great job

[Brew]

Great haul. I'm headed to kuyuqut Thursday. Launching the boat at gold River. Going to be a blast. There is nothing better than west coast fishing.

[.264winmag]

Just over an hr run out to 14 miles offshore Esperanza. My scow is 21.5ft and only cruises about 27mph. You should be able to fish pretty much same water/conditions in a 19.5ft Aluminum. I roared around the coast years ago in a 15.5ft Hourston, even fished 10miles offshore in it. Just make sure you have a good chart plotter and an anchor with a pile of rope/chain. I like 600ft of rope and 20ft chain just in case you gotta throw the pick out in 300ft water.

Kyuquot is quite a run from GR Brew! Used to drag little boat to fair harbour for years. Hard on trailers! The fishing will be good by the looks of things.

Good luck and safe fishing to all.

[REMINGTON JIM]

Some Nice Fish there ! Wish i was with ya ! :) RJ

[pin_head]

Glad to see you made it out to sea! We had smaller chinook on our trip but no pinks to contend with.

Thanks for posting the report,
Brad

[.264winmag]

Been like this for the past couple weeks, Esperanza had been on fire inshore and offshore. Not much size, good fish just showing up.
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/fishin/B95E0A5A-C93C-491E-8C1D-FBAE5F1FB19B.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/fishin/B95E0A5A-C93C-491E-8C1D-FBAE5F1FB19B.jpg.html)
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/fishin/149133C8-9FB6-47A3-8A7E-C7C1EB2A9DDD.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/fishin/149133C8-9FB6-47A3-8A7E-C7C1EB2A9DDD.jpg.html)
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/fishin/C655A0F7-8A49-4A60-8EC8-637744976B14.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/fishin/C655A0F7-8A49-4A60-8EC8-637744976B14.jpg.html)
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/fishin/53CFD49A-8460-49BA-8BFB-B795F723E526.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/fishin/53CFD49A-8460-49BA-8BFB-B795F723E526.jpg.html)
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/fishin/3AF42015-ED47-43F5-8199-45E2600C511D.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/fishin/3AF42015-ED47-43F5-8199-45E2600C511D.jpg.html)
The women in my life did the best!

[835]

And the pinks have already shown up, better get the big spoons/plugs ready!


AHH HA!
wheres the bait!

lol... i just saw this thread .. great pics,, 50 Fathom edge is about as old school a spot as it gets...... spent my 12-14 years old killing there

[.264winmag]

300ft mark is littered with springs right now. Been pretty windy though. Still running chovy and hootchies as pinks/coho are not to bad. Springs are deep, 180-200. Water column temp maybe?

[.264winmag]

AHH HA!
wheres the bait!

lol... i just saw this thread .. great pics,, 50 Fathom edge is about as old school a spot as it gets...... spent my 12-14 years old killing there

Landed over 20 springs inshore a couple mornings, try that without bait or high slack :)

[835]

We took My lil Baby girl out for pinks the other day.. she is 2.. it was pandamonium! Started with bait and dummie flashers.... lost the bait went to Squirt and flasher on one side and 3.5" pink coyote with a dummi on the other.. then ditched that went no dummi flashers a 3.5" coyote and the 8 weight that had been running the entire time... i watched dad place the 8# in the holder, close the ring,, let go and the rod went off..lol...
Dad is out now with 8# only..... 12 pinks in under an hour! .. they are all smoked in a jar now.

that does sound deep for this time of year,,,, maybe they are staying away dfrom the pinkies! lol...

We were fishing Big bank one year .. Springs were below the coho... buttloads of coho..... had a flasher and a hootchie on just so you could drop it at warp speed to get past the coho..... sometimes they would hit it! BONK! POP! coho!
i love to see the kids on these trips!

[.264winmag]

Will be a big problem soon, coho pounding it off the rigger as fast as a 15# ball will go! Had luck in the past kicking boat out of gear and letting down while drifting, coho love fast...

[Caribou_lou]

Looks like a couple hatchery fish in there. Turn those heads in!

[.264winmag]

Yap lotsa hatchery yank fish
i can't be bothered to send em in anymore I'd be mucking around an extra 1/2hr every day
little hatchery coho heads are perfect Hali bait too
New an older fellow years ago won a trip to the charlottes at a fishing resort, all I ever got was a pin...

[MB_Boy]

264....you're out of Esperanza right?

Will be in Kyuquot in a couple weeks...will either be at K-kwot Reef or the highway but may run down and try the "T" which is more your way? Can't wait to get out....schedules have not allowed the usual number of treks this year.

Any word on how far out the tooners may be? I heard 5 miles out of Winter Harbour earlier in the week from a buddy who owns the Outpost; 64F up there.

[BCHunterFSJ]

We did very well out of Kitimat. Limited out on salmon - both chinooks and cohos!
Not much luck with the halibut...

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y391/BCHunter_photos1/DSC_1064%20645x1024_zpsqa1nhuv2.jpg (http://s1272.photobucket.com/user/BCHunter_photos1/media/DSC_1064%20645x1024_zpsqa1nhuv2.jpg.html)
http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y391/BCHunter_photos1/DSC_1079%201024x683_zpsgdi2vrcd.jpg (http://s1272.photobucket.com/user/BCHunter_photos1/media/DSC_1079%201024x683_zpsgdi2vrcd.jpg.html)
http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y391/BCHunter_photos1/DSC_1070%201024x671_zpsmyigoarv.jpg (http://s1272.photobucket.com/user/BCHunter_photos1/media/DSC_1070%201024x671_zpsmyigoarv.jpg.html)

[.264winmag]

Haven't heard any tuna coming in but water temps are supposed to be close in August?
the "T" has been good, NW corner Esperanza reef 50 fathom edge. Lotsa springs n Hali.

[MB_Boy]

Haven't heard any tuna coming in but water temps are supposed to be close in August?
the "T" has been good, NW corner Esperanza reef 50 fathom edge. Lotsa springs n Hali.

Awesome. May check in with you about the 'T' in a couple of weeks. Weather permitting, hoping to NOT be stuck inshore with the slot limits in place. ;)

[.264winmag]

Awesome. May check in with you about the 'T' in a couple of weeks. Weather permitting, hoping to NOT be stuck inshore with the slot limits in place. ;)
For sure, area 25 is 1 over 1 under, Catala/twins island stuffed with springs, will be till end of August...and of corse ferrer the best salmon hole in the world:)

[MB_Boy]

For sure, area 25 is 1 over 1 under, Catala/twins island stuffed with springs, will be till end of August...and of corse ferrer the best salmon hole in the world:)

Ya....26 is nothing over 77cm's as of July 15. Worst case scenario if weather is the sh*ts offshore I may have to sneak down the coast to Ferrer. Have only had the pleasure of one morning there when in Nootka a few years ago, but it DID produce. :cool: It was like a pancake out on the highway so we were spending our time out there. :wink:

[.264winmag]

Bigger fish offshore these days anyway, and they're pretty easy to talk into biting specially on a tide swing:)
we had one swim away with the hook a few days ago mid 30's, my buddy netted a 36 shortly before. Big whites show up around August 10 usually! Shame you can't bonk a big one at spring isle, decent salmon hole too:)

[.264winmag]

Nice fresh fish bchunter! Good eats...

[MB_Boy]

Shame you can't bonk a big one at spring isle, decent salmon hole too:)

Yup....have been in there before the slot and got some nice ones....and have also released some nice ones n later trips.

First time there a number of years ago ,ran to Spring for a quick evening fish. First fish on was BIG....saw it and its tail a number of times.....before it completely 100% spooled me and broke off at the flasher. :icon_frow

[835]

at least you got a slot there!
Wya was closed down to all fishing... that was where we lived in August.

Dirty slot.

[.264winmag]

Don't have issue with it, until they open the mouth of conuma to the gillnetters! It's a buncha bs

[835]

They do that?
years ago i "Discovered" the Conuma on a road trip to Tasis just mucking around fishing..... we got to the Forest site, hoped out for a beer and it blew my mind the amount of fish in it.... looked like you could walk accross them..

[.264winmag]

Every year they open it up to gillnetters, tens to 100's of thousand of chinooks get netted. We let them go by the points all season just to have them darken up and get netted. We need rain this sept or conuma is gonna be in poor shape, same problem bc wide I guess...

[wideopenthrottle]

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/a-young-deer-showed-up-in-downtown-vancouver-and-leaped-to-fame-over-the-course-of-a-morning
salmon are great but what kind of bait do you use for trolling to get the one in the second vid
I like the city folk saying how they saved the swimming deer..heheheh

[.264winmag]

If say alfalfa in a Rhys Davis chrome bullet roll head, no flasher and a slow troll off a planer board. They're wake shy...

[Caribou_lou]

Yap lotsa hatchery yank fish
i can't be bothered to send em in anymore I'd be mucking around an extra 1/2hr every day
little hatchery coho heads are perfect Hali bait too
New an older fellow years ago won a trip to the charlottes at a fishing resort, all I ever got was a pin...

Every head that is turned in gets your name in draws for Fishing Trips, Rod Reel Combos and More. But if you don't means more chance I will win also...

[.264winmag]

You're welcome Lou:)
I always enjoyed seeing where the fish came from. After 12 years and hundreds of heads later the pin novelty wore off. I usually get more fishing trips in than I'd like, and those convergence/shimano combos are inexpensive. At $900/day the guests can have the heads! I'd rather go get some head from the ole lady:)

[wideopenthrottle]

You're welcome Lou:)
I always enjoyed seeing where the fish came from. After 12 years and hundreds of heads later the pin novelty wore off. I usually get more fishing trips in than I'd like, and those convergence/shimano combos are inexpensive. At $900/day the guests can have the heads! I'd rather go get some head from the ole lady:)

ok ...now that was funny...wish I had that option...heheheheh

[Sitkaspruce]

Some picts from our recent trip to Hardy. We had limits of springs to 26 lb, Coho to 11 lb, Hali to 70 lb and Ling to 38. Only thing we did not limit out on was snapper.....we only brought home 5....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/Hunt%20fish%202015/IMG_20150720_172621_zpsbr6s4thy.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/Hunt%20fish%202015/IMG_20150720_172621_zpsbr6s4thy.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/IMG_1180_zpsoodyclwy.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/IMG_1180_zpsoodyclwy.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/IMG_1192_zpsls6mhbzz.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/IMG_1192_zpsls6mhbzz.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/IMG_1226_zps3higuw6h.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/IMG_1226_zps3higuw6h.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/IMG_1229_zpsuonbuzqe.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/IMG_1229_zpsuonbuzqe.jpg.html)

Cheers

SS

[Sitkaspruce]

A few more

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/IMG_1235_zpstqpyqd1o.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/IMG_1235_zpstqpyqd1o.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/IMG_1233_zpsfc723uos.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/IMG_1233_zpsfc723uos.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/Hunt%20fish%202015/IMG_20150721_163902_zpst6y6xyts.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/Hunt%20fish%202015/IMG_20150721_163902_zpst6y6xyts.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/Hunt%20fish%202015/IMG_20150721_173113_zpspm7yobch.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/Hunt%20fish%202015/IMG_20150721_173113_zpspm7yobch.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/Hunt%20fish%202015/IMG_20150722_185817_zpsih0rncla.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Sitkaspruce/media/Hunt%20fish%202015/IMG_20150722_185817_zpsih0rncla.jpg.html)

Cheers

SS

[.264winmag]

Right on filled the freezer for sure!
Always wanted to do a trip out of Hardy, they usually get some bigger fish roll through there in August. Not as long to run to the hotspots either? Worked in camps along the coast from Seymour inlet to Rivers, Cape Caution always looked like a real fishy spot! I'm running on average 25 miles each way, get tired of the long run to open water. Maybe try Winter Harbour one of these years too!

[Sitkaspruce]

Right on filled the freezer for sure!
Always wanted to do a trip out of Hardy, they usually get some bigger fish roll through there in August. Not as long to run to the hotspots either? Worked in camps along the coast from Seymour inlet to Rivers, Cape Caution always looked like a real fishy spot! I'm running on average 25 miles each way, get tired of the long run to open water. Maybe try Winter Harbour one of these years too!

You can run 25+ miles one way to some of the spots on the top end of the island or over to the mainland or you can run 3 miles to Duval, the choice will depend on the fish. Also depends on the weather......

WH has either a long haul over the roads with the boat, or a 30+ mile run from Coal Harbour or Port Alice, but once there, it is an easy run to the grounds.

Cheers

SS

[MB_Boy]

Looks like a great trip Ken! I'll be in Kyuquot this time next week.....CANNOT wait!!

[MB_Boy]

Hey 264.....what's going on out that way? :smile:

Should have time to sneak out to Kyuquot Reef later Saturday afternoon but are things still happening out on the highway/50 fathom edge?

[.264winmag]

Sorry wasn't on computer much for the last week. Offshore has been spotty but I've been getting them at the 50fathom edge outside the 'T' 150-180 ft and had to run anchovy. No pinks and coho not to much trouble. Just teeners to low 20s. Inshore Esperanza is stuffed with springs...

[.264winmag]

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/32767485-CAAC-4E28-9965-C94DA415D8F3.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/32767485-CAAC-4E28-9965-C94DA415D8F3.jpg.html)

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/8F24C55D-D74A-40AA-9803-35234EAAA611.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/8F24C55D-D74A-40AA-9803-35234EAAA611.jpg.html)

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/B835DF31-F0BC-4F02-9917-698472948887.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/B835DF31-F0BC-4F02-9917-698472948887.jpg.html)

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/2E9F5F7A-6784-4C5F-947D-D77C52B1A029.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/2E9F5F7A-6784-4C5F-947D-D77C52B1A029.jpg.html)

That's it for me this season, got sheep huntin on the brain now. Cheers.

[MB_Boy]

Hey 264.....was a good week for us with great weather and seas out at the 50 fathom line, Monday and Tuesday were like a lake! Lots of springs in that 15-23ish range.....had 2x28ish, and managed a beautiful 34 Springer too. Pretty good size on coho as we were picking and choosing them looking for the bigger ones...I think around 12-13 lbs was the biggest one. Lots of 5-6 pound coho chucked back.

I know a lot of the Kyuquot guide boats seemed to be running your way but I stayed out north almost due west of Kyuquot reef. I figured if they are travelling that line I'd get a first crack at them....hahaha.

Didn't realize until after the lousy quality of the pic that my buddy took....can't really enhance it all. Kind of a piss off!:(


http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee248/scrichton/image.jpg1_zpsgk9mnp5u.jpg (http://s234.photobucket.com/user/scrichton/media/image.jpg1_zpsgk9mnp5u.jpg.html)

[.264winmag]

Good show! Monday/Tuesday was unreal wasn't it! Lucky sob I fished almost 30 days this year with no Tyee lol. Only half dozen that I know of came into Tahsis docks...

[Buck]

Little unrelated but what size boat would you need to get into some fair action in good weather around there?

[Glenny]

Wow thats some serious action. With seeing pics like that I could become an Islander.

[.264winmag]

Well it all depends on the weather obviously Buck. For what I do guiding out in the questionable winds/swell I consider my 21.5ft explorer to be about the minimum with less than seasoned guests. If your knowledge of the water is good, I used to get out there in a 15.5ft hourston on a good day. What you really need to watch are the bad north/east/south winds that come up and want to blow you out to Japan or way down coast. Heading straight into it or even 45 all the way to the inlet for 15 miles in a 30knot+ wind is no fun and potentially unsafe. I'm very cautious of such situation, even in my rig. If it's the same old westerly than I just try to get out as far as I can first thing and let it kick us in the ass all the way home. Generally it doesn't kick up until 11:00-13:00, it's all but over anyways on limits for an average days fishing. If I had to pick a minimum size boat and pick my days to go offshore it would be an 18ft, preferably glass. Always have a good spare motor and a good anchor with as much chain as boat is long plus 600ft of anchor line.

[Buck]

Thanks Mag saves me the trip.Guess my 14 with a 25 won't cut it lol.Fished Bamfield many times with this boat but lots of protected water there.Regards Dan

[.264winmag]

Thanks Mag saves me the trip.Guess my 14 with a 25 won't cut it lol.Fished Bamfield many times with this boat but lots of protected water there.Regards Dan

Plenty of good protected water to fish in Esperanza inlet Buck, if you don't mind one over/under chinook rule. Rosa island, double island, garden point, saltery bay and steamer point have all been producing very well. Should be good for couple more weeks for springs and through to mid/late sept for coho depending on rain. Your boat will suffice for all those spots.
Cheers