The ClubHouse Reports

August 8 - 16, 2007

Just scrambled up the hill and thought I better let you know what is happening on the fishing front. That hill does get easier as the season goes on but the key is pack light and set a brisk pace. All the guides should be in top physical condition by season end.

Chinook fishing is best described as spotty at the moment, with springs averaging low twenties. We just had a 42.5 weighed in by veteran anglers Tyler Hayden and his father Gary, who has fished with us many years. Kenny was the guide and they jagged that fish at Gunia about 5 pm this afternoon. Very few springs were hit, but I did see a tyee come off Matt Andersons boat from the same area. The pinks are pretty thick in there keeping guides from drinking to much tea and coffee. I witnessed Matt tripled up with pinks and I seemed to get my share too.

I fished Coho Point with Dave Climie and his son, along with John Fader and we scratched a 29 lb chinook along with a 23. Those were our only two chinook takes. I see Al Shankles name on the fish board with a 32, Jay McCauley with a 33 and Ward Tregoning picked up two, 31 and 34, so a couple tyees around but we are in a drier spell the last couple of days. The coho are slow too, although they are now bigger, with several 14 lb ers coming in and 11 to 12 lb coho now the normal. These fish are always a hit with our guests and just the right size fillet for the barbecue.

Chinook fishing for the trip Aug 9th to 12th faired better with top chinook caught by first time angler Norbert Stahl fishing with the Screamer. We were up at McPherson and his fish took a cut plug herring at 110 feet off a Scotty downrigger. What a look on his face when that fish was slipped over the side. The AFG boys were up with Tom Holloran and hit several nice tyees, including Hilton Berger’s 33, Steve Moran’s 32, and Richard Scott’s 33. Ken Black had a 35.5 release fishing with Serge at McPherson as well.
We had a clown wig derby amongst the guides, the guides who did not land a twenty lb fish on changeover day had their names put in a hat, and the name drawn was obliged to wear Rob McAdams’ clown wig for a shift. I am telling you it was a sight seeing Matt strap that wig to his balding head for a morning in the scorching sun. He was a great sport and we have some good photos. Maybe a calendar shot.

On the hali front, the west side of Langara is the good news story, as the weather has been good and the hali biting. Plenty of good stories and the guides with anchors are cleaning up. Especially hot is Bud, along with Pierre and Dan, these guys do not miss weather permitting. Lots of 25 to 55 lbers, and always a 100 plus every trip hits the dock. Checked out the meat on a 40 lb er tonight at the dock and it was perfect, firm, almost translucent, just the right thickness for cooking. The key is to bleed these fish immediately and keep them out the sun. Do not leave the halis or any fish in a tub of bloody water as this just deteriorates the meat. Keep your fish covered and moist, this time of year it is warm on the water!

So if you are heading up here the fish are now moving into the Boulder Bay area and that shallow tack along the reef to Gunia is starting to produce. At lot of boats as you can imagine and competition at it’s finest. We had a bunch of boats in there tonight. When there is fish at Boulder, especially tyees, it will draw a crowd. Shallow fishing and big fights are what makes this area special. The east side of Langara has fish as well at all depths, nothing consistent. So you just have to move around a bit and stay in touch with the radio. We all need help some days!

Look forward to seeing you all soon and on behalf of the guides we can not wait to get you into some fish and show you this special area, here’s hoping for a big week ahead and anticipating a surge of chinook into the Langara area.

Mike Tonnesen - Screamer
Head Guide, The Clubhouse