British Columbia Fishing Blog

After bagging several chinook salmon from Barkley Sound on day one, this trip was already a success and we still had day two to look forward to. We spent the remaining afternoon resting up at the Whiskey Landing Lodge before heading to the Ucluelet Aquarium for a brief visit. Last year, we were able to donate two Pacific halibut to the aquarium so I was eager to catch up with curator Laura on their status. It turned out both fish have been transferred to the Vancouver aquarium and another facility in Toronto.

While we were there, a few volunteers returned from a day of collection so our timing was bang on. The collected specimen included lingcod, kelp greenling, and rockfish. The star of the transfer was a giant Pacific octopus which took awhile to make its way into the holding tank.

Ucluelet Aquarium is a community aquarium and all specimen are caught in nearby waters and released back to their habitat at the end of the summer season. The exhibits reflect the West Coast marine habitat and its inhabitants. If you decide to do a fishing charter with Big Bear Salmon Charters and stay at the Whiskey Landing Lodge, then this is a must visit as it is right next door to the lodge.

Our goal on day two was to possibly give halibut a try if weather permitted. The marine forecast did not look promising, but Darren thought we may have a two hour window at first light. We motored out of the inlet at 6:30am and the swells were already looking fairly intimidating. The ride to the halibut ground was very fun, but it did not look good for fishing. Once we arrived at the chosen spot, Darren assessed the condition and decided that it was worsening so we had to turn around. A little disappointed about missing the halibut fishing, but one has to trust the skipper as he knows best and always puts his clients’ safety in priority. The offshore fishing is always a gamble, especially early in the season when weather is still unstable.

With one option scratched, we decided to make our way back to the sound for more chinook salmon hunting. Instead of returning to the same spot where the fishing was a little inconsistent, Darren took us to Swale Rock, another well known spot for productive chinook salmon fishing. The condition in the sound was much more desirable. Swale Rock is further inside the sound so the water was almost flat calm. Light rain was drizzling down from the sky and the nearby islands were blanketed by thick fog. The boat was filled with anticipation as we dropped both rods down. Could we bump into some good fish?

Since I did not manage to bring in a keeper yesterday, the gang decided that I should have the first go. The bite was almost immediate, right after Darren was having second thought as scattered kelp pieces drifted by us. I dove for the rod and set the hook on my own while Dan began filming with the camera. The hook-set was good and the fish gained some line before approaching the surface in the far horizon. Unfortunately, the dreadful pop could be felt when the flasher surfaced. It is not uncommon to have fish being lost when they surface, because the sudden pop of the flasher on the surface can change the tension of the line.

Slightly embarrassed, I said Iwan should have the next go as he had the smallest fish on the day before. I was not about to lose two fish in a row for the team! The action could be considered non-stop, because as soon as Darren dropped the rig down to the depth and turned around, I saw the line popping out of the downrigger clip right away. “Fish!”, I screamed, making Darren doing a 180 and setting the hook. Iwan grabbed the rod and played the fish carefully while I made the comment of not losing the fish. Just as I finished the words, his fish also popped off as it neared the surface!

Zero for two, Iwan and I were now scared to touch the rods. We decided to give Kitty a go at the next fish. Once we finished trolling the rest of the path, Darren drove the boat back to the starting point to repeat the troll. Instead of trolling back, he believed that trolling in the same direction where we were heading against the current was more effective. Previous two fish were caught in the same area, so we were hoping for the same results.

Sure enough, like magic, the bite came again when we reached the “hot spot”. There clearly was a school of fish feeding in the area. Darren handed the rod to Kitty, who seemed a bit hesitant after the hard fight on the day before. This fish took a good run and the reel handle injured one of her knuckles in the process. These reels are known as knuckle busters for a good reason. With her injured right hand which she used to reel with, this was turning into a struggle.

Darren gave her a hand by lifting the rod as she could barely do it on her own. The fight must have taken at least 5 minutes before the fish surfaced. Kitty walked back, kept the rod as high as possible so Darren could reach the fish with the landing net. The fish was not particularly long, but it was thick. Although it was smaller than her first fish on the previous day, Kitty thought it put up a more exhausting fight.

The knuckle was quite cut up from the reel handle during the fight so Dan took care of the battle would in the cabin while the rest of us waited for another bite. Dan and I thought Iwan should have another go because this was his one and only West Coast trip for the year. When the bite finally came, he was glad that we gave him that chance!

This fish took the longest run of the day. Once it stopped moving, it really stopped moving. For awhile, Iwan could not move the fish at all and it was a waiting game. Once there was some movement, he was able to gain some line and the fish started approaching the surface. It felt like a much bigger fish than all others, and it was. Once the fish zipped across the surface from one side of the boat to the other, the challenge was to bring it closer to the boat. Somehow that became an impossible task. Whenever Iwan pulled it closer, it dove down and took out some more line.

This tug of war went on several times while we nervously watched on. I was quite certain that the fish was going to come loose but finally Darren gave the landing net one long reach and precisely scooped up what could be considered as a trophy fish for early spring. To everyone’s surprise, this fish must have been close to 20lb! Iwan could not have been happier because it was possibly his biggest chinook salmon ever.

The bites were very steady for three hours as we made the same trolling paths repeatedly. Dan picked up a small legal fish next and it was my turn to redeem myself. The next bite came literally seconds after Dan’s fish once Darren dropped the rig down. I grabbed the rod once again and gave it a firm hook-set. It felt like another good fish which also took a long run. As the fish approached the surface, I made sure the flasher did not jeopardize the line tension by preventing it from popping in and out of the water. The flat sea made that task easier.

This fish cooperated once it was near the surface. I was confident that it would be landed. I was gaining line at a steady pace when out of no where, a big patch of kelp came floating past the boat. With only seconds to react, Darren and I did our best to keep the fish out of the patch but it floated directly over the line. I held on and hoped the fish would stay on but it was not meant to be. The pressure from the kelp patch kept the fish under it , which eventually snapped the leader! Talk about bad luck! Perhaps the guide needed to set the hook for me to improve the landing ratio.

A little disappointed but we were still hopeful that the bites would carry on. We quickly motored back to the starting point, retied and sent the rigs down again. Just like that, the bites turned off like a switch. It was the only troll that did not produce a fish when we went through the same spot. I found it more comical than frustrating, as anyone who fishes frequently understands how common this can be.

Seeing that the bites had turned off just after Noon, we decided to call it a day so we could enjoy a bit of down time back in town before heading home. Once we docked the boat and Darren started cleaning our fish, the local visitors came.

At first, a harbour seal circled by the cleaning station looking for goodies, then a group of sea lions took over the spot. They barked and chased each other around, selectively grabbing the best part of the salmon carcasses we discarded while leaving the guts behind.

Just like that, our annual visit to Ucluelet came to an end. This quiet seaside town has become one of many spots in this province where I look forward to visiting each year. It’s not just the fishing, but the atmosphere, friendly people and wildlife make this a fabulous fishing retreat. Beside the hot fishing between June and August, it is worth considering a visit to Ucluelet in April and May.

For more information on West Coast salmon and halibut fishing charter trips offered by Big Bear Salmon Charters, please check out their website at bigbearsalmoncharters.com. For more information on accommodation at Whiskey Landing Lodge, please visit their website at whiskeylanding.com. Both offer early season fishing and accommodation packages in April and May!

In the past couple of years, thanks to our supporter Big Bear Salmon Charters, I have visited Ucluelet and discovered its hidden gems. Last year, we returned in April and were blown away by the non-stop halibut action. After retaining our limit of halibut and transferring two additional live fish to the Ucluelet Aquarium, the guys went out for some early season chinook salmon fishing without me. They were able to pick up one prized fish each in the short outing. Since I missed the action, I was determined to come back this spring. When head guide and manager Darren Dickenson reported hot salmon fishing last week, I booked my dates with no hesitation.

I invited my friends Iwan, Dan and Kitty along for the trip. Iwan and I have known each other for over ten years through his wife Kira. Currently residing in the UK, he travels here each year to visit his in-laws and always takes advantage of it by doing a couple of fishing trips. Catching a salmon in the ocean back home is rare so he was thrilled to tag along. To say Dan and Kitty enjoy fishing is an understatement. When not at school, both spend their free time catching as many fish as possible from every stream. Both have just been accepted as summer staffs at Go Fish BC, so this was kind of a celebration prior to the start of their jobs. This was Kitty’s first saltwater trip, so it was filled with both excitement and anxiety.

Our accommodation for the trip was Whiskey Landing Lodge, which just opened last July. Located by Ucluelet Harbour, the lodge is just a short walk to our charter boat. Available rooms range from studios to two-bedroom suites. Our one-bedroom suites had a spectacular view of the entire harbour. I sat and watched playful sea lions until the sun set on the day of our arrival. This was better than television!

Our game plan for the two-day fishing trip was to hop on the boat at 6:30am and attempt to find chinook salmon around the islands of Broken Group on the first day. The weather was not exactly appealing. After a week of sunshine, the rain returned upon our arrival. Sky water was not our biggest concern of course, the wind is always the biggest challenge when fishing on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

Darren greeted us at the office by the entrance of the lodge where we could change into the suits and boots supplied by the charter. Proper marine wear is important to keep the moisture and wind away from the guests, who need to endure eight hours of fishing in the Pacific. Our boat was the 30ft custom built Weldcraft, which is a new addition to Big Bear’s fleet since last year. This boat accommodates up to six people and has a spacious heated cabin, a fridge and a stand-up washroom. If comfort is important when going on a charter trip, then this is the boat for you.

As we made our way out to the Broken Group, the waves were getting bigger so heading offshore was definitely out of the question. Darren picked the outer edge of Barkley Sound as our starting point where he had some success lately. To catch early winter chinook salmon, we trolled the lures at approximately 150ft deep where they fed on Pacific sand lance and other baitfish.

We decided that Kitty should have the first go because she had never caught one. It did not take long for the first bite to come after both rods were dropped to the chosen depths. Darren set the hook firmly as soon as I called out the the bite and Kitty was in for a surprise once the rod was passed onto her.

“What do I do?”, she held on as the line peeled off the Islander MR2 while the boat rocked from side to side. She struggled to hold on and realized this was a lot tougher than fighting a coho salmon in the river. The rain and wind did not make it easier for her either, which were numbing the fingers and keeping the reel handle slick.

A minute after the hook-up, this fish decided to approach the boat fast like they almost always do. Kitty had to pick up the slack line and keep the tension on. As it reached the surface, Darren was ready with the landing net. The fish could easily be lost during this crucial period. The waves constantly changed the line tension, giving the fish many chances to free itself. The line could have easily broken off if it decided to take another dive while the reel was palmed too hard.

After a short tense moment, the relief came when Darren made the precise scoop under this fine silver chinook salmon. Kitty was exhausted and could barely give Dan a high five. “Another item off the bucket list!”, she said.

Having a fish on board so quickly is always a good feeling. It meant there should be more down there! The following bite came shortly after the first fish. It was Iwan’s turn and this fish pulled just as hard as the first one. To our surprise, it was considerably smaller when it reached the surface. It was still a keeper, as it was over the minimum length of 45cm in Area 23.

Both fish were caught roughly in the same spot, indicating that a school of fish may be lurking beneath. Although the sound may seem like one giant puddle where fish can be swimming anywhere, Darren explained that tide, weather pattern and bottom contour can all influence the bites. Local guides such as himself use their years of experience to locate these fish. Most days the decisions pay off, while the lack of bites on some days can be rather baffling.

Our third take occurred in the same area again, but the hook-up came up empty. Unlike what many might assume, trolling does not always result in the fish hooking themselves. The bites are often hard to spot when the trolling depth is over 100ft deep. Setting the hook needs to be firm and precise, by reeling down the slack line before the single motion hard set.

We originally expected the bites to improve around Noon when the tide peaked, but the theory did not pan out. The rain fell heavily while we watched the rods intently. It is early spring in British Columbia after all.

By late morning, Dan and I both managed to bring in an undersized chinook salmon which we released promptly. A couple of other fish brought in were canary rockfish, which are not unusual encounters when trolling close to the bottom.

I can never get tired of the scenery around the Broken Group. While I enjoy the tranquility of a lake, the ever changing open ocean takes my breath away. Where else can you catch a fine salmon while the waves break along the rocky ledges and eagles perched high above the coniferous forest? The experience is truly world class and British Columbians are lucky to have a diverse selection of terrains where we can spend our holidays.

Seeing how the bites had sharply turned off, Darren decided that we should give another spot a try so we motored over to the Great Bear, which is a well known productive spot. The first pass after the lures were dropped produced a bite immediately. I screamed out as usual while Darren ran for the rod, which was handed to Dan.

“That ain’t a rockfish!”, Darren remarked while the reel screamed in Dan’s hand. The run lasted around 20 seconds before the line went completely slack. This fish had made a complete U turn and ran toward the boat. Dan frantically picked up the slack but Darren believed the fish was long gone. To our surprise, the fish remained on and took another short run before popping up on the surface. Dan and Darren demonstrated great team work as one guided the ten pounder into the net. Everyone clapped to celebrate after enduring a few hours of down time.

With a little bit of time left for this trip, we quickly dropped the gear and made the same pass to see if we could pick up one more fish for me. It was not meant to be, despite of trying for another 30 minutes. It is fishing after all, and I was extremely pleased that my friends were able to experience the thrill which I have enjoyed many times in the past! We headed back to the harbour at 3:00pm to rest up at the lodge so we could be prepared for day two.

For more information on West Coast salmon and halibut fishing charter trips offered by Big Bear Salmon Charters, please check out their website at bigbearsalmoncharters.com. For more information on accommodation at Whiskey Landing Lodge, please visit their website at whiskeylanding.com. Both offer early season fishing and accommodation packages in April and May!

If you live and fish in British Columbia, you most likely do not consider Vancouver as a destination saltwater fishery. We often look forward to travelling to other coastal communities in this province to catch salmon, but most do not realize that year-round saltwater fishing opportunities are found right at our doorsteps. With the production increase of local hatchery chinook salmon, rebound of Georgia Strait coho salmon stocks and this year’s exceptionally large forecasted return of sockeye salmon, fishing in Burrard Inlet and Howe Sound is making a comeback.

Two years ago, Nina and I had a taste of this when we hopped into Bon Chovy Fishing Charters‘ boat and experienced the winter fishery just outside of Vancouver. We were lucky enough to catch some beautiful chinook salmon and crabs. This year, charter co-owner and operator Jason Assonitis invited me back to check out prawning opportunities which are available in their full-day charters.

To make the trip more interesting, I asked Scotty Fishing Products‘ promotion coordinator Alexandra Dardengo and project manager Jeff Lewis to tag along so they can demonstrate their new line puller. Based on Vancouver Island, Scotty Fishing Products manufactures a variety of boating and fishing related products such as downriggers and rod holders. Rick Clark, Gibbs-Delta Tackle’s new pro staff also joined us as our tackle consultant and second camera man.

The weather could not have worked out better for our trip. After a rather unpredictable winter, my expectation was pretty low. A week prior to our trip, the weatherman forecasted sunshine, which turned into 70% chance of shower on the day before the trip, so this fair-weather fisherman was rather delighted to see the slightly overcast but dry sky on our way out from Granville Island.

Our first pit stop was not too far from English Bay where we dropped our crab traps for the day before heading toward Howe Sound. Along the route, a small pod of Pacific white-sided dolphin playfully swam near our boat.

Our second quick stop was at a spot where our guide Jason had dropped a prawn trap overnight. We first retrieved the set trap by using Scotty’s line puller, which can simply be installed on the mount for the downrigger. Because the traps were set at the depth of more than 200 feet, pulling them up by hand would have been rather time and energy consuming. The electric puller did all the manual work, while we just had to pick up the slack line.

The first trap reached the surface with dozens of spot prawns inside it. I’ve bought these many times at the local fishing docks, but never seen live ones being harvested. The second trap on the line also had a few dozen prawns in it. This was an exciting start of our trip!

Once the prawns were poured into our tubs, the traps were set again before we headed to our fishing ground. Although the sun was starting to make an appearance, there was a fairly strong Northerly outflow from Squamish so water was getting a bit choppy. We navigated our way around several islands and arrived at a protected spot where the wind was tolerable.

The choice of weapon was of course Gibbs-Delta Tackle‘s flashers and spoons. Its Guide Series flashers have been heavily tested by and named after pro staffs like Bon Chovy and STS Guiding, so anglers can fish with confidence when using them in local BC waters.

Once the gear was dropped to the trolling depth at 140ft near the bottom, the waiting game began. These feeders are mainly found near the bottom for two reasons, feeding on bait balls and avoiding surface predators. I proceeded to set up a camera on a mount which our Scotty guests brought so every hook-up could be caught on film. Soon after the record button was pressed, the first bite came on the rod which Rick predicted earlier. Alex grabbed the rod as Jason screamed “Bite!”

The fight was pretty lively, but the fish turned out to be undersized. The minimum size of chinook salmon which can be retained is 62cm. Encountering smaller fish in the winter is not unusual, because many fish are feeders and still at least one year before maturing. Prior to releasing this fish, Jason took a DNA sample. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has requested these samples to determine what stocks these fish are from. By having more accurate data, managers can make better decisions when it comes to protecting vulnerable stocks.

Alex’s fish was actually the largest fish of the day. Despite of trying numerous spots for six hours, all of the chinook salmon hooked were undersized. Jason was eager to fish one spot where it produced on the day before, but the wind and strong outgoing tide made it impossible to troll through the area. Although the 10+ lb fish was elusive on this day, everyone was entertained by the five fish we brought in, including the double header which created some exciting chaos.

By 4:00pm, we had soaked up enough sun so the salmon rods were packed up. We headed back to our prawn traps. The retrieve was successful once again, every trap except one had more prawns for us to bring home. Of course, the prawning experience was only complete after each of us ate one raw.

The crab traps were also pretty full when they were pulled up, but finding keepers was a little more challenging. Beside the daily quota of four each licences angler can keep, all dungeness crabs need to have their carapace width measured at 165mm or more and only males can be kept.

The first trap had over 15 in it, but none met the legal width! The second trap was a bit more productive, giving us five keepers. When the third trap reached the surface, Jason said, “That’s more like it!” because just about every single crab met the legal requirement. In total, we were able to retain 13 for the crab feast.

When we pulled up to our dock at Granville Island at 6:00pm, the sun was still beaming down and all of us had our jackets off. After a rather harsh winter for Vancouverites’ standard, this early balmy spring weather was quite a treat! we unloaded the boat and had a look at our catches of the day while Jason took care of them.

Although most in Vancouver think the spot prawn season only starts in late spring when they become available at your local markets, spot prawns are actually available throughout the year for those who wish to catch them. The winter months are the best due to the absence of commercial traps, so Bon Chovy Fishing Charters offers this option for their full-day charter trips between December and April. Vancouver is not Tofino or Haida Gwaii, but this is a fishing trip ideal for both local residents and visitors who have a day to spare for fishing in this beautiful city.

• Watch Part One of Vancouver Ocean Safari
• Watch Part Two of Vancouver Ocean Safari

The river fishing has been awfully slow this winter. In contrast to the spectacular returns of steelhead in the past three seasons, most rivers in the Fraser Valley have been void of fish. Since I consider myself a fair weather fisherman, this certainly does not motivate me to get out and hunt for these elusive ironheads. At the same time, the cabin fever is brewing up nicely and I needed to find an alternative to cure it before spring arrives.

British Columbian anglers take pride of our Pacific salmon fishing, both in salt and freshwater. In Vancouver, salmon can be caught almost year round. In the winter months, chinook salmon are caught in the ocean just outside of Downtown Vancouver by trolling. The availability of productive salmon fishing means most people are unaware of what other species can be caught when the salmon are not biting. Alternative species are in fact widely available, and they make up an introductory fishery which anyone can find it enjoyable.

Before coming to Canada in the mid 90’s, I was able to enjoy a variety of fisheries available in Asia and Australia. Unlike BC’s recreational fisheries, most of these fisheries focus on catching smaller species with bait. Whiting, trevally, snapper, flounder are just some of these species which will never hesitate to peck on a baited hook. After focusing so much on catching salmonids in the past decade, I seem to have forgotten these bread and butter species.

Earlier this week, I was invited by Rick Clark to hop into his boat for a morning outing. Rick is an avid angler in Vancouver, who focuses on the local saltwater salmon fishery as well as the freshwater fisheries in the Fraser Valley such as sturgeon, salmon and steelhead. As a regular blogger on World Fishing Network, he also produces a variety of videos on YouTube to share his experience with other anglers. Before heading out, I pitched the idea of fishing for some of the underrated saltwater species instead of the usual salmon trolling to him. With an open mind, we spent the morning exploring what sit on the bottom of Burrard Inlet.

Like most other January days, Vancouver was blanketed by dense fog as we launched the boat from Ambleside Beach. The fog makes trolling for salmon almost impossible, but it was not a concern for us because the fish we wanted to catch are closer to shore. We had one minor setback at the start.

Because bottom fish are generally not very mobile, fishing from an anchored boat is required to keep the bait stationary. I made the mistake by assuming that Rick was aware of this. When I arrived at the boat launch, the first thing I asked was, “So you brought an anchor right?” The answer was of course, “No.”, which could have changed our plans but some improvisation saved the morning. Rick used his cannon balls for trolling to slow our drift down and the weak incoming tide also assisted.

We first dropped the crab traps at Rick’s favourite spots. For our crab bait, I marinated some old salmon fillets with Pautzke Bait’s Crab & Shrimp Fuel™ for 24 hours. The extra scent should draw in more crabs during the soak time. Winter crabbing is excellent due to the absence of commercial openings.

Once the traps were dropped, it was time to fish. The target species which I had on my mind were starry flounder, English sole, Pacific sanddab, Pacific tomcod, greenling, spiny dogfish, sculpin and possibly the odd perch. All of these species can be found from the sub-tidal zone down to the depth of 100 feet where the bottom is sandy and covered in Kelp at places.

They are not too big, so I chose rods which are light enough for them to put up a fight, but heavy enough to handle the weight needed to reach the bottom. Shimano Clarus rated 8 to 12lb were my choices. The tip of these rods is sensitive so bite detection was not compromised.

The bait of choice were herring strips and shrimp which I purchased from a commercial harvester in Steveston prior to the trip. The strong scent being released from these baits brought on the bites almost immediately. I think Rick was a little surprised when he felt the first taps. After a few misses and some adjustment on the bait presentation, he had the first hook-up. It was a large starry flounder, which we decided to dispatch for dinner.

The second fish, which was also brought in by Rick, was an English sole. Despite of its name, an English sole is in fact a flounder. True soles are only found in Europe and they are identified by the absence of a pronounced tail. Starry flounder and English sole, are two of the most common flounder species found in the inshore waters of British Columbia.

After a couple more small starry flounders were brought in, Rick connected with something slightly bigger. The line peeled off the reel slowly, almost made us believe a salmon was on the end of the line. The fish surfaced a minute later, it was a spiny dogfish, which is another common encounter when fishing with herring strips.

While Rick was hauling them in, I seemed to be attracting the wrong attention. The shrimp on the hook brought nothing up except one dungeness crab after another. Eventually I was able to find a starry flounder or two, plus a lonely sculpin.

The bites was not consistent throughout the morning as I had first anticipated, instead they came in waves which suggested the fish were perhaps moving a bit with the tide.

The fog never lifted in the morning and we decided to end the trip by Noon instead of spending some time to troll for winter chinook salmon. Before departing, we retrieved our crab traps and it was a pretty bountiful haul.

Each trap had up to a dozen crabs, but only a few were over the legal size limit so the rest were quickly sent back to the water. In total, we were able to harvest six crabs, which were more than enough for a good feed.

Many thanks to Rick for this very enjoyable outing, which was a test run of some videos which we plan to collaborate in the near future. In the meantime, be sure to check out his blog and YouTube channel!

2013 was yet another memorable year on Fishing with Rod. The arrival of our son meant we had to change our work pace completely to accommodate the new lifestyle. The biggest challenge was to ensure that our website content, particular video content, continued to grow. We managed to do that and the result was yet another year of growth beyond our expectation.

Our YouTube channel gained over 10,000 new subscribers and the videos were viewed over 2 million times. This kind of support motivates me to keep bringing quality content to our audience so you can enjoy, learn and experience the fisheries British Columbia has to offer.

We’ll once again continue the momentum in 2014. With the support from GoFishBC and several other returning and new sponsors, we’ll take you to some new fisheries which we have not covered in the past. This year will also see more collaboration in instructional videos between myself and other fishing guides who are much more knowledgable when it comes to some fishing techniques.

Many thanks to all of you for continuously supporting! Stay tuned for new content coming up in February. If you have any questions or feedbacks, you are always welcome to contact us.