A few reports to pass along from the fishing charter folks in Port Renfrew — the last week has been pretty good fishing!
Blair from Swell Time Charters has had some good luck lately. Here’s a photo of a happy crew from a Swiftsure Bank fishing mission, with their limit of spring salmon and halibut. The chinooks were pretty steady, in the teens and low 20s. The halibut were caught on the drift at the Chicken Ranch … with reports of larger halibut on other days caught while at anchor on the north side of the Swiftsure closure.
John from HindSight Charters had a nice report from a happy guest “Big thanks to John and Quinn for the 3 days (one day until sunset ) from the guys at Tunkwa Lake. Fantastic guys who made the best out of each day to find fish from the beach to the ranch, reading tides, current, bait fish, weather and the best part is the way the guides out of Port Renfew work together as a team! Great accommodations next to the beach. One should see John move to a pulsating rod, WOW, also the half eaten sandwiches all over the place when the bite was on Saturday on the ranch, lol. A 55 lb chicken and a 33lb Spring sure can smoke a reel! Thank You Port Renfew”
Dan from Pacific Sportsfishing has also been catching a bunch of salmon and halibut on “Knuckle Buster”.
Kelly & friends, from SK, with 1st ever salmon and halibut
Along with the nice weather, has come some nice fishing — some great reports coming out of Port Renfrew this weekend.
Jolly Rogers Fishing Charters had several good days in a row, reporting Chinook salmon up to 25 pounds on Swiftsure Bank, plus halibut up to 80 pounds, with several in the 50s.
Vicious Fish Charters also reports the Bank producing nice salmon and halibut, and also caught some nice Chinook salmon at Camper Creek.
Time to get out to Port Renfrew for some excellent west coast Vancouver Island fishing adventures.
[on another note.... Port Renfrew managed to come in 5th for WFN's Ultimate Fishing Town Challenge....not as good a result as hoped, but still pretty good for a little west coast village. The town won a $1,000 prize from Bell Canada, which will probably help out with salmon enhancement....every little bit counts]
Fishing in Port Renfrew has been reported to be pretty good this week. The halibut are on average nice size, from 30-90 pounds, and are in the spots closer to San Juan Harbour. Salmon is hit and miss depending on the day, but most days anglers are finding chinook salmon up to 20 pounds from Owen Point to the Rockpile — mostly fishing hootchies right near the bottom in 100 feet. You don’t have to go far this time of year! Crabbing in the bay is excellent, as it often is this time of year.
On another note, the WFN Ultimate Fishing Challenge is on and Port Renfrew has made the top 20 fishing towns in Canada! Port Renfrew Marina calls it “the little town that could”, with just 400 people vying against much biggers towns and cities. This would be a great thing for Port Renfrew, so they are asking for your help to make it happen. With 14 days to go in the voting round, Port Renfrew is quite far behind the two towns in Ontario, but can still catch Port Hardy for 3rd place. VOTE NOW!!!! And Vote Often! Please help Port Renfrew get onto the Canadian fishing map.
[you can vote up to 4 times per day, every 6 hours, and from multiple accounts]
Steve from Seawind Fishing Charters reports some red hot salmon and halibut fishing over the Easter weekend.
Fishing west of Bonilla Point, he caught a whole bunch of halibut, average weight 30 pounds, with 3 in the 50-70 pound range.
On the way back in, he dropped a line along the Beach, between the Rockpile and Owen Point, and caught 11 salmon in the 15-20 pound range, including 5 double headers!
That should get the fishing blood boiling … time to get out to Port Renfrew!
On another note … Port Renfrew took the lead today on the WFN Ultimate Fishing Town Challenge. It is only Round One, but Port Renfrew is looking like a solid contender to make it into Round Two. Cast your votes! You can vote up to 4 times a day (every 6 hours) and from as many email addresses as you have access to. So vote now and vote often, let’s see if we can Port Renfrew’s fishing on the map!
There are limited fishing reports to pass along for Port Renfrew this week. The Marina is closed until May 1, so there is limited ocean access. You can put your boat in at the Pacheedaht ramp in the river, just be VERY CAREFUL about the currents, as the river is flowing pretty strong and you can get your boat pulled up onto the rocks. As well, be cautious about breakers in the river mouth … if there’s a solid west swell running, that could end a fishing day in a hurry … a wet, cold, dangerous, and expensive end!
For the few that have got out there, the report is that the crabbing is excellent, there are feeder salmon out front, and you don’t have to go too far for halibut. Sombrio remains a hot spot … whether the long run west from Sooke or the shorter run east from Port Renfrew.
Image posted to WFN by Bob Parker
In other news, the WFN “Ultimate Fishing Town” contest has closed the nomination round and it appears Port Renfrew led the nomination with 145. Honey Harbour Ont was next at118. Pretty good showing for this fishy little west coast village! Voting starts on Tuesday April 12th — each email address can vote 4 times a day (every 6 hours), so vote it up if you want Port Renfrew to win. If Port Renfrew makes the cut, the final round of voting starts May 10.
WFN’s Ultimate Fishing Town challenge is on again, and Port Renfrew has been nominated … 60 nominations and climbing!
Check out the nominations to ready why people think Port Renfrew should be Canada’s Ultimate Fishing Town.
Submit your own entry, to get Port Renfrew on the map as a prime Canadian fishing location and also to help with $25,000 for the town’s many needy causes. Below is my entry. If you agree, then post your own!
*****
Quite simply, THE.BEST.FISHING.I’VE.EVER.HAD
The fishing in Port Renfrew can be so good that it frankly spoils you for fishing anywhere else. I have had so many Swiftsure Bank days with non-stop action from start to finish for halibut, spring salmon, and coho salmon … so good it is all you can do but laugh. It gets to the point that your boat-mates start begging you to take their turn on the rod, because they are tired of all the reeling. No lie!
Port Renfrew is known for both quantity AND quality of fishing. The southern Vancouver Island fishing leaderboards are inevitably topped by Port Renfrew salmon and halibut … I’d guess 70-80% year-to-year of the top fish caught in this region are from Port Renfrew’s waters. Have a look at the Port Renfrew Marina’s “Over 40 Pounder” club … if you dream of catching a 40-pound plus salmon, or maybe even a 50-pounder, this is the spot to do it. Not to mention 25-pound trophy coho, and halibut towards 200-pounds.
Be aware, though, that this is a pretty hardcore fishing town … not really a latte kind of place. This town is Stanfield sweaters and pick-up trucks, sunburned noses and camp-fires, fish guts and full coolers, big smiles and faraway looks from anglers who‘ve had a fishing day as good as it gets.
But it is also a fantastic place to visit … sandy beaches, great nature watching, excellent fresh water swimming nearby (with rainbow trout too!). Not to mention some pretty good surfing beaches and windsurfing and kiteboarding too. And all this a two hour drive from Nanaimo or Victoria, with just a ferry ride in between for the Vancouver folks.
I think Port Renfrew is the ultimate fishing town because there’s nowhere else I can think of that is better!
No fishing reports to pass along this week … but pretty sure they are coming soon!
Meanwhile, a fishing video from Des at Vicious Fish Charters. Some west coast fishing fun to get the blood pumping for the 2011 season, coming very very soon.
Kevin from McKenna Sport Fishing Charters had his boat out yesterday for a shakedown cruise, getting all systems go for very quickly upcoming charter season.
He got a couple of halibut in the 30s. He didn’t fish for salmon, but reported the sounder was thick with bait and what looked to be spring salmon … so it looks like the fish are out there.
Renfrew good times coming soon!
In the meantime, here’s a few videos just put together from last summer’s fishing from Hindsight:
And to get you thinking, John from Hindsight Fishing Charters posted a few videos of last year’s action…
No reports to pass along this week, but with the weather warming up and the winter storms subsiding, there should be more interest in Port Renfrew fishing soon.
In the meantime, here’s a photo sent in by Jody Friday of some summer fishing fun. Jody says: “This photo is of my great nephew Kierce Nelson and my grandson Jake Walters with their big catch of the day. We love to camp at Port Renfrew and while we’re there these boys fish everyday at the mouth of Gordon River.”
Nice one, thanks Jody, and good job Kierce and Jake! Next summer the goal is to get out onto the big water and get yourselves a salmon! Or maybe even a halibut!
Whether little fish or big fish, those are big smiles and great memories … that’s some Port Renfrew summer fun right there. Coming soon…
Well…not really much of a report. It has been too rough to fish, but the crabbing is reported to be excellent!
Here’s an experimental recipe. It is a different taste, not for everyone. But if you like pickled fish, then you will like this. Thanks to SportsfishingBC forum crew for the recipe and inspiration.
Pickled Salmon
1. Fillet fresh and unfrozen salmon – deboned, skinned and chopped into equal square inch cubes or 1/4 inch strips.
2. Layer with pickling salt for 4-6 hours (no water). If salt disappears add more.
3. Rinse off twice in separate fresh water baths. Texture should be kinda hard.
4. Dry completely in paper towel till sticky and set aside in fridge.
Prepare pickling solution. Combine the following-
1 cup water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 level tablespoon pickling spice
Peppercorns 1/2 tsp
Slices of Fresh Garlic and Ginger
Boil 5 Minutes then cool
Layer onions, lemon slices, and salmon in jars until 2/3 full.
Pour COLD brine over fish and refrigerate for at least 5 days for flavours to develop.
A few reports to pass along from the fishing charter folks in Port Renfrew — the last week has been pretty good fishing!
John from HindSight Charters had a nice report from a happy guest “Big thanks to John and Quinn for the 3 days (one day until sunset ) from the guys at Tunkwa Lake. Fantastic guys who made the best out of each day to find fish from the beach to the ranch, reading tides, current, bait fish, weather and the best part is the way the guides out of Port Renfew work together as a team! Great accommodations next to the beach. One should see John move to a pulsating rod, WOW, also the half eaten sandwiches all over the place when the bite was on Saturday on the ranch, lol. A 55 lb chicken and a 33lb Spring sure can smoke a reel! Thank You Port Renfew”
Dan from Pacific Sportsfishing has also been catching a bunch of salmon and halibut on “Knuckle Buster”.
