2014 Port Renfrew & Swiftsure Reports

[Stair Guy]

First Time to Canada

I'm new here. I'm thinking of launching out of Neah bay and going for halibut somewhere towards Ucluelet. I caught a few chickens in the US this year on some cod jigs. My family loves Ling cod and Halibut so trying to broaden my area for fishing. I fish with my two sons 8 & 11, this will be our fourth trip to Neah and first time across the border by sea. Any way cut to the chase, any help is greatly appreciated gear or general vicinity. I know the knowledge will come with experience, just thought I'd put it out there. Is it more common to catch Halibut trolling or bottom fishing?

Thanks
Jason "The Stair Guy"

 

[Rum Buddies]

I'm new here. I'm thinking of launching out of Neah bay and going for halibut somewhere towards Ucluelet. I caught a few chickens in the US this year on some cod jigs. My family loves Ling cod and Halibut so trying to broaden my area for fishing. I fish with my two sons 8 & 11, this will be our fourth trip to Neah and first time across the border by sea. Any way cut to the chase, any help is greatly appreciated gear or general vicinity. I know the knowledge will come with experience, just thought I'd put it out there. Is it more common to catch Halibut trolling or bottom fishing?

Thanks
Jason "The Stair Guy"

Just remember you can't fish halibut in Canadian waters unless you buy your liscence on Canadian soil, so come spend some money in Canada if you're going to catch our Hali.

 

[Stair Guy]

Just remember you can't fish halibut in Canadian waters unless you buy your liscence on Canadian soil, so come spend some money in Canada if you're going to catch our Hali.

I drove to Canada and bought 10 licences in June. I hope it was a good investment.

 

[merrittboy1]

You bought ten licensees?

 

[bigdogeh]

to reply to stairguys question...

I think you would do better bottom fishing and targetting hali's then trolling. jmho. some guys like to anchor but i usually drift and cover more area. start an hour or 2 before tide changes and fish an hr or 2 after... until the tide becomes too strong to keep the presentation on the bottom easily. if targetting hali's i usually fish in 160' to 225' of water but some of my best and largest hali's have been caught in 65 to 90 feet of water.
any large jig will work. I prefer a spreader bar, 1.5 to 2 lbs of weight, and a salmon belly. pink salmon works great but any salmon (or herring) will work... main thing is to keep contact with the bottom. bounce it on the bottom alot to stir up the sand. the vibrations of the bouncing helps the halibut home in on the bait. that and the scent of course.

 

[Adler]

I'll echo bigdogeh - but where I'm fishing closer to Victoria, it's usually much more productive to anchor most of the time for hali. Otherwise, the gear set-up he described is what I use as well. I have also added the LED lights to our latest rigs, and it does seem to be more productive. Good luck!

 

[bigdogeh]

as Adler mentioned, anchoring may be more productive and i like doing that at times also. just really make sure you know what you're doing when it comes to anchoring for hali's... there are a few good threads on this forum that mention how to do it properly. one small mistake and it could be your and your crews last.

 

[Stair Guy]

Merrittboy1 Yes, my wife and 2 sons and my buddy with his family. bigdogeh, I really appreciate the help and the words of caution regarding anchoring. I will be saving my anchor for emergency use, although it would be nice. I got my Grady 272 six months ago and have never fished swiftsure witch seems to be a good bet for hali's, however the run to Ucluelet seems very dooable as well (only about 45 mi) and I have a friend fishing out of Ucluelet thur and fri who will report how he is doing. I don't want to burn more fuel than necessary but definitely want to put the kids on the fish. I'm looking at the south west corner outside the closure as a good spot for lings but don't know if hali's like the top of humps or in a depression or a desert. Do you just find your preferred depth and fish. My buddy Randy who bought licences with me and won't go with me swears the hali's migrate to deeper water this time of year. Is he correct or is he just taking advantage of WA loose drug law's. Sounds like it's not to hard to get hali's right now.

Thanks again for the input
Jason "Stair Guy"

 

[Rum Buddies]

Ukie not that far from Neah Bay? It sounds like you aren't respecting the body of water your talking about. This sounds like a coast guard call waiting to happen.

 

[Stair Guy]

Ukie not that far from Neah Bay? It sounds like you aren't respecting the body of water your talking about. This sounds like a coast guard call waiting to happen.

Maybe you know something I don't, wouldn't be the first time. I've become comfortable running 60 mi offshore for albacore out of westport, is this much different? The weather sure looks appropriate for a first trip. My boat is a 27' Grady White with a 9'6" beam twin four stroke Honda 225's. Obviously I'm here to get help Poppa.

 

[firelight]

I'd be surprised if you had to go past swiftsure to get fish. Plot the closed area on your gps and fish between the line and the j buoy. That's where you would start anyway coming from the US side.

 

[bigdogeh]

most guys prefer to fish the humps or edges of humps...tops of underwater mountains or hills rising up from the depths. especially if anchoring.. even drifting along the side or top of a hump is good. think of what the tide is doing and try to drift on the backside of where it starts to drop off where the tide might push the baitfish over a ledge... if its not too rough you can use your motor or engine to try to "backtroll" to try to keep the lines fairly vertical and keep them on the bottom. but hali's can also be caught where it's perfectly flat along the bottom. like out on the banks... main thing is to get your gear on the bottom and try to keep it there, regardless where you are.

 

[Rum Buddies]

Maybe you know something I don't, wouldn't be the first time. I've become comfortable running 60 mi offshore for albacore out of westport, is this much different? The weather sure looks appropriate for a first trip. My boat is a 27' Grady White with a 9'6" beam twin four stroke Honda 225's. Obviously I'm here to get help Poppa.

Do you drove 10 people to Canada to buy liscenses and now you want to take those 10 people from neah bay to Ukie on a day trip?

Do you know how many 1000's of halibut you would run over on your way to Ukie? And really you're going to run 90 miles round trip with 10 people on board?


Something doesn't add up...

 

[Stair Guy]

most guys prefer to fish the humps or edges of humps...tops of underwater mountains or hills rising up from the depths. especially if anchoring.. even drifting along the side or top of a hump is good. think of what the tide is doing and try to drift on the backside of where it starts to drop off where the tide might push the baitfish over a ledge... if its not too rough you can use your motor or engine to try to "backtroll" to try to keep the lines fairly vertical and keep them on the bottom. but hali's can also be caught where it's perfectly flat along the bottom. like out on the banks... main thing is to get your gear on the bottom and try to keep it there, regardless where you are.

Thank you so much, and thanks from my boy's as well. I'll post results if I make it this weekend.

 

[Stair Guy]

Do you drove 10 people to Canada to buy liscenses and now you want to take those 10 people from neah bay to Ukie on a day trip?

Do you know how many 1000's of halibut you would run over on your way to Ukie? And really you're going to run 90 miles round trip with 10 people on board?


Something doesn't add up...

Poppa Swiss,
Let me explain, it is not necessary to bring ten people to Canada in order to purchase ten licences so it was me and my buddy who went to Canada for licences. As for the number of people on my boat, it will be me my wife and my two sons. My buddy has a big Grady as well and would fish on his boat. I hope this alleviates your concern and enables you to "add it up". Do you have nothing constructive to add about the water between Neah Bay and Ucluelet. Have you been there? I don't know how many 1000's of halibut I would run over on my way, please enlighten me and others who may gain from your profound remarks.

 

[fogged in]

Poppa Swiss,
Let me explain, it is not necessary to bring ten people to Canada in order to purchase ten licences so it was me and my buddy who went to Canada for licences. As for the number of people on my boat, it will be me my wife and my two sons. My buddy has a big Grady as well and would fish on his boat. I hope this alleviates your concern and enables you to "add it up". Do you have nothing constructive to add about the water between Neah Bay and Ucluelet. Have you been there? I don't know how many 1000's of halibut I would run over on my way, please enlighten me and others who may gain from your profound remarks.

welcome to fishing in Canada
you certainly could try the beach off Renfrew from Camper Creek to Walbran there could be some big springs coming thru.
Renfrew pen fish should be around that come in to the south side of the bay.
Coho should be everywhere off Swiftsure...check where the closed area is!
Halibut off Carmanah Light 48.35524 124 46.492 or on Swiftsure 48 30.649 124 58.310 or coho and springs at 48 29.60 125 00.000
these are spots we have fished, but I don't go out there anymore (hopefully I have got them right)...don't like the long trip, fog and swells!!
I certainly would not go any further North from Neah Bay.
Gas can be problematic as the only place I know that you can get it is at the Marina up the River, but that's probably changed in the last few years....someone on this site can certainly tell you.
Lots of Gas at Bamfield if you go up that far.
If you do, you could also try Suzette falls and Hole in the wall for big Nitnat Springs, but they should be in the lake by now.
Thanks for all the good work you guys do down your way for Spring (King) and Coho hatcheries. Don't know where the fishery would be without them!
Please let us know how the your trip goes...weekend weather looks great.

 

[scott craven]

I think he's saying you really don't need to run all the way to Ukie to catch halibut.
check out Swiftsure bank on a chart, lots of good spots to fish Halibut there and its probably a 20 mile run at best

 

[Rum Buddies]

"Let me explain, it is not necessary to bring ten people to Canada in order to purchase ten licences so it was me and my buddy who went to Canada for licences."

How do buy a liscence for someone else?

That I dont' get? The whole point of making you come to Canada to purchase a liscence is so you spend money, not just run across and catch our TAC then head back. If you could purchase a bunch of liscences for other people it would defeat the whole purpose -- what am I missing?


This is the reason I'm giving you a hard time....

 

[Stair Guy]

Wow this internet thing is pretty cool. Poppa my boys are 8&11 and don't need to be there and you are allowed to buy one for your spouse as well. My buddy has more kids. The bad news is that five of the six kids were free due to their age, but my buddy bought a pack of Canadian smokes while we were there if that makes you feel any better.

 

[ReelSlim]

There is also gas at Pacific Gateway Marina in the bay in Refrew if you don't want to navigate the river as well as moorage. There have been a few suggestions of spots to try.....all of which are fishy at times throughout the year.