from Belgium

Here's Kris, a surgeon from Belgium , with his son and the partners of his daughters. The whole family, eight, are staying at Eric Peterson's Vacation Home near April Point. 

 Yesterday all of them took in a day trip with Campbell River Whale Watching and zoomed way up the straits to take in all the scenery and saw many Orcas. 

 This morning just the men-folk came out, hoping to have a great introduction to local fishing, and bring back fish to cook at the house. Mission accomplished with more to share. 

 Many people like to catch salmon for the thrill, but I know they will also like to eat lingcod for the taste, so I directed some time to that. It is a big year for pink salmon, and we caught one of those, and a 19 pound chinook salmon. There was also the excitement of a chinook that tore most of the line from the reel before the hook came out. 

 There is lots of eating to do now. Jeff, Vincent , Burton, Kris, thanks for coming fishing !  Bon Appetit !  And enjoy the rest of your exploration vacation. 

 

rick@gobrightfish.com

250 830 8680

www.gobrightfish.com

Friends show fishing

Nancy had an exciting introduction to salmon fishing.  Ron and Laura have been coming up to Quadra for summers from California and Arizona for decades.  This time they have their good friend Nancy along. Ron loves to fish but he no longer has a boat, so I've provided the service.  

We started out fishing right in a hot bite. Herring were noisily feeding on the surface.  We hooked two chinooks, lost one, a couple of under size chinooks, and several dogfish. While the bite was on Nancy had a "practice fish" and then landed this beauty. 

 

rick@gobrightfish.com

250 830 8680

www.gobrightfish.com

a working guide

In addition to guests that connect with me directly, I do provide my guiding service as a subcontractor to various lodges and guide businesses.  I don't post those trips here. Sometimes I may make a mention of a guide I work with, or a larger business.  You get the same effort from me.  For example, yesterday I took out two couples from Burbank California, for Coastal Island Fishing Adventures in Campbell River . All four caught a chinook salmon each. They are very pleased, and they will recommend CIFA to their friends. 

rick@gobrightfish.com

250 830 8680

www.gobrightfish.com

This could happen

 Tracey was so enthusiastic to get out on ocean and do it all in a half day trip. They had been out to the west side of Vancouver Island , where it was much too rough and windy to consider boating out there. Richard was keen to catch a salmon, and boys, Cam and Arron were up for anything. We gave a couple of popular spots a go and caught a couple of dogfish sharks, and small lingcod. Then we made a run for  a very scenic spot to try.  Beautiful but no salmon there.

 Back to the known area, and still we couldn't find the fish. After a while I turned the boat and taxied  over to a guiding friend and then another, to get the lowdown. As it appeared , fishing was slow, but a few fish were caught, we just missed out . We gave it a little extra time. Near the end , Cam caught a rockfish that the family can have as an appetizer for dinner. at their RV camp.
So, if a reader is wondering if I have been high- grading to tell just the stories of the successful fishing trips, no, and this is the first of my blog guests with no salmon.
After leaving these folks at the dock, I went to the fuel station, and there I met my friend Eiji, whom I talked to on the water. He had one salmon when we spoke, and just near the end of his fishing time, soon after we talked , his guest caught a big one. The guest and wife have come from Japan for over ten years, and so this is an extra special event.
 Eiji showed the fish in his boat at the gas dock. 42 pounds. Beautiful. And ,notably, the scales are loosely attached and growing, a subject mentioned in a previous post. This fish was still feeding and growing like crazy.
 So, it could happen that you might not catch a salmon. Or, you might get the big one. That's fishing.

 

rick@gobrightfish.com

250 830 8680

www.gobrightfish.com

Michael and Beth bring friends

Michael and Beth are more than regulars. Through fishing we have become friends for years. From Penticton, they are both very, very involved in B.C. tourism and the hotel industry, and travel widely. So, this time they brought their friends Ron and Carol from Arizona, to introduce them to this part of the world, and salmon fishing. 

 I lined up my friend Harley as the other guide, and he also is very involved in BC tourism.  He has been salmon fishing forever. He is an educator by profession, and it shows in his approach to guiding. 

A bonus, unusual sighting today, was a large shark that made two passes close to Harley's boat. Estimated at 5 to 6 feet in length this may have been a Salmon Shark , which is a close relative of the Great White.  And another bonus was a Humpback Whale in our path in the channel on our way back in.  We give it lots of room, to observe , but not disturb it. 

 It was windy this trip , but we worked with it , and although fishing in the stiff breeze was not representative of most fishing trips, a great time was had by all. 

rick@gobrightfish.com

250 830 8680

www.gobrightfish.com 

family cruise

Shaun and Debra, with sons Cole and Wade. Debra got her interest in fishing while growing up with a father who loves fishing.   However, she also wants a scenic trip that will be interesting for the whole family.  We fished in the north channels, close to shore and cliffs,  Shaun caught the big one, which could impress Debra's father. Debra caught the next one, and that was plenty of fish for their needs. Cole and Wade are of that age when sleeping in on vacation is a highlight, but not today, sorry guys. 

 Early in the fishing I got stuck at the back of the boat for a few minutes taking care of a glitch in the rigger. Instructions to Debra : drive up here, parallel to shore, watch the contour, turn out if it gets shallower, and drive to where the fish are. So she did, the rod shook, and Shaun was into his fish. Good driving!!

We watched eagles fishing nearby, soaring out from their perches, snatching fish of some kind from the surface. At a distance, an eagle landed in the water and, doing the breast stroke, towed it's catch to shore. Eagles do that once in a while with loads too heavy to snatch up and carry.

rick@gobrightfish.com

250 830 8680

www.gobrightfish.com

It's my turn

I pretty much brought my fish in all by myself.  Didn't you, too,  Kai ?  

Yes, well, maybe Grandad helped a bit, Kael. 

 And I caught the most fish.  I got a salmon and a lingcod. 

Are you including all the fish we let go ? Like the dogfish sharks ? And the small lingcod ?  And the small salmon that the sharks ate big bites out of ? that was cool. 

But I won the quiz ! 

 No, we were tied for points. 

But, who got in the most pictures ? 

But , who got the biggest one ? 

Thanks, Grandad.  Are we having cod fish and chips for dinner ?  And can we take some salmon home to Edmonton ? 

 That was fun ! 

 

rick@gobrightfish.com

250 830 8680

www.gobrightfish.com