The ClubHouse Reports

July 29, 2008

Wow, the wind has been screaming from the south east for the last two days, I am talking up to 50 knots.  Was out at Lacy  Island yesterday hiding behind the rock, all alone, catching nothing haha. I could barely  keep the boat tucked in a straight holding pattern, trying to mooch a couple rods. Thankfully my guest Mike Throne pulled the plug after three hours of punishment. We hit the dock at 10 am, last boat in....no  other  boats out at that point. The wind was so strong we could not plane the boat with 400 horsepower full tilt bucking the wind into Parry Pass!
 
We snuck out at 5PM last night, fished three hours at Gunia, as the wind dropped to 30 knots, with a vicious chop. We snuck a 26 lb spring out of the hole in tight, only bite. The grin on our faces was huge though, we pounded hard for that one, very rewarding. Same thing today weather wise, vicious south easters again! Today we pounded Cohoe Point with no results, then snuck back to Gunia for our only bite. Mike lunged for the rod, as his son John and I  all saw it at the same time. Mike made short work of another  26 lb chinook, I have to say, very satisfying, after a long day of nothing.
A couple other great catch and release fish to mention, two 45 lb chinooks released on Sunday, the first day of the current trip. Both fish from Cohoe Point, Stan Jackson and James Keller! Kory Fletcher, scored first with James, grabbing the 45 at 80 feet on the rigger, then Brian Henry possibly grabbed the same fish a short time later and again released it, the photos indicate the same fish, same measurement. Well done, those releases are what its all about.
 
McCain visited us again from the U.S. during the July 24 to 27th trip and found some reasonable fishing and good times. I had Chris Behmer along with Rob Simmelink out the first afternoon, and we ended up at Gunia Point after a dry early afternoon at Cohoe Point.  Rob, a veteran lake Michigan salmon fisherman put the hammer down on a lovely 40 lb chinook which we released. What a fight that was, and what a excellent job on the rod. No instructions necessary, Rob can fish. We gently released the fish, hooked gingerly in the corner of the mouth. What a way to start the trip. Chris and I were equally excited. The same afternoon, Bud Stafford tripped over a 40.5 in Boulder Bay, with his guest Tim Taylor. Talk about happy, Bud looked like he discovered plutonium!  He was caught posing for photos all over the dock, big grin, even took his hat off!
Andrew Wong grabbed a 42 with Kuiama up at Cohoe Point, two days later. This was a spoon caught fish, in tighter to the Point, well done. Rob Weiss also grabbed a 40.5, so some nice fish for sure, eight tyees on the trip. The coho fishing was crazy out at the Cabbage Patch. For those that partake, I recommend not releasing a bunch of fish here as coho salmon do not fare as well as chinook when released. Studies indicate a higher percentage of these fish will not survive catch and release, so get a few to take home then move on and find some chinook.
 
Halibut fishing has ground to a halt because of the weather....so not much to report here. The south west swells are huge tonight, approaching five meters on the west side of Langara.
 
Tomorrow promises to be a better weather day, North West winds and a  break from the rain. I might actually have a cup of tea out at Cohoe  in the AM, if the water does calm, then head over to Gunia for a look on the high water. We are seeing some fish at the reef as well, as bait is finally tucked into the shallows. Diving ducks are the key here, see them and you might be in business. Look forward to seeing you all soon, and hope to give you an exciting report next week.

Screamer, Mike Tonnesen
Head Guide, The Clubhouse