Haida Gwaii

I gotta do this..I'd love to know the weight of the slab in your member photo Stoisy. I assume that you didn't think it was OK to release after the hand in the gills photo. Not trying to be too cheeky, but it does look just a wee bit larger than 10 - 20 lbs. You may want to consider changing that if you're going to stay on this tack...

CP

Pretty good point being made - shouldn't throw stones in a glass house. To be honest, I have fished at QCL several times where they like to release the big girls(40 + pounders). However, I have watched guys trying to release a 45lb salmon only to see it go belly up. I think releasing a fish has less to do on size and more on how long it took to get to the side of your boat. If you fight a 50lb salmon for 45 minutes and release it, it will not live. Studies have shown this over and over. It actually means that by releasing a 50lb salmon to go die and harvesting a 25lb one, you are probably killing 2 fish - the exact opposite of what you are trying to accomplish. If you can get a big one to the side of your boat quickly - by all means. Personally, the big ones are not that good to eat but if I have fought a fish for 30 minutes - it goes in the box. Not because of bragging rights but because it is better for the fishery. If a 12lb salmon is bleeding out the gills - it also goes in the box (sure I can release it to swim away and catch a bigger fish, but then I am killing 2). The issue is not as simple as letter the big ones live... Cheers.
 
Please share these studies you speak of below regarding the 'certain' death of released fish after a prolonged fight. In every piece of literature I have read on this topic and with the DFO people and the lodges who participated in these studies I have learned that salmon have a very high % of survival if released... and an extremely high % of survival if proper fishing techniques (hook size, etc) and release techniques (limited fight, limited handling) are used.

Click on this link to one of the research studies done on the topic and you can see that mortality for released coho and chinook salmon in BC is in the range of 10-30% overall. As I've alluded to when proper techinques are used that number is closer to 3-5% mortality.

www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/239756.pdf

If you want to BONK a big fish that is perfectly legal. I have done it in the past but I have not for many years and won't be doing it again. I didn't have a full appreciation for the state of salmon in BC when I did bonk a few big fish but after years of learning more about the conservation efforts and the state of BIG fish I have change my thought process. Just don't bonk a BIG fish by telling yourself that it would have died either way as that is a lame excuse that does NOT hold water based on any credible study I have seen to date.





. However, I have watched guys trying to release a 45lb salmon only to see it go belly up. I think releasing a fish has less to do on size and more on how long it took to get to the side of your boat. If you fight a 50lb salmon for 45 minutes and release it, it will not live. Studies have shown this over and over. It actually means that by releasing a 50lb salmon to go die and harvesting a 25lb one, you are probably killing 2 fish - the exact opposite of what you are trying to accomplish. .
 
Hahahha it's all about angles guys. That was a 31, big fish for sure but not a unicorn, and if I had personally caught that fish... It would have gone back, but as a guide, it's the clients choice...
 
Oh and sounds like good numbers of fish around Langara in the 15 pound range. A couple tyees in the mix (which were released during the Haida Gwaii derby!!)
 
reports ive been getting from my pals working up in the area are saying that fishing has been pretty steady since the first trip of the season on the usual 15 - 20 lb grade fish you find up there at this time of year. Also some larger models mixed in with a few 30+ mixed in, including a 39 first trip of the season. Most fishing has been centered around Bird Rock 2 snake Rock ) and Parker point. Also getting reports of great halibut fishing for medium - large fish on the few typical offshore halibut spots. Cant wait to get back up there to work for the last 12 days of July!
 
Please share these studies you speak of below regarding the 'certain' death of released fish after a prolonged fight. In every piece of literature I have read on this topic and with the DFO people and the lodges who participated in these studies I have learned that salmon have a very high % of survival if released... and an extremely high % of survival if proper fishing techniques (hook size, etc) and release techniques (limited fight, limited handling) are used.

Click on this link to one of the research studies done on the topic and you can see that mortality for released coho and chinook salmon in BC is in the range of 10-30% overall. As I've alluded to when proper techinques are used that number is closer to 3-5% mortality.

www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/239756.pdf

If you want to BONK a big fish that is perfectly legal. I have done it in the past but I have not for many years and won't be doing it again. I didn't have a full appreciation for the state of salmon in BC when I did bonk a few big fish but after years of learning more about the conservation efforts and the state of BIG fish I have change my thought process. Just don't bonk a BIG fish by telling yourself that it would have died either way as that is a lame excuse that does NOT hold water based on any credible study I have seen to date.


What are you talking about Tincan? Did you read this article? What magical non studied technique are you alluding to? What lodges put the fish in pens for 72 hours? This study is really clear - any chinook salmon hooked will have 15% mortality. However, as I stated if you catch a really big salmon and play it for 30+ minutes, it will have a much higher mortality. BTW, in the link you supplied a salmon that is caught mooching (spring) has a mortality of about 70%. You obviously believe that when you release a fish after a long period of playing, you have developed a way of releasing the fish that virtually guarantees survival. Please - you have zero and I mean zero evidence. Read what I wrote before you go off about your vast knowledge and read what is in this summary report.
 
Food for thought in this thread. I'm heading to Haida Gwaii for the first time in a few days. I've chartered at various places on the WCVI over the years and this is a change of plan for us. i decided to pull out of the group I'd been going with for years because I was getting sick of being guided onto teeners all the time. Sounds a bit princessy I know, complaining that the fish are "only" 12-20 lb, but most of the lodges value number of fish in the boat over quality of fishing experience. I can see why, from a business perspective, but with 30 lb line and large flasher setups, there's not much sporting thrill to be had with a 14 lb feeder. The guides for the most part are very reluctant to deliberately target large fish because of the risk of catching none at all. We've explained that we accept the risk but the guide knows the boss doesn't like to see empty fish boxes at the end of the day (aka dock envy). I'd trade all those teeners for one hard running tyee and a screaming reel. So I decided to (a) go somewhere known for larger fish, and (b) seek out a guide less susceptible to dock envy and more supportive of my goals. My friends can continue their meat harvesting ways, freezers in trucks and so on.

So, how to process this in light of the posts in this thread? Will I be willing to release that big fish? Mine is not a storied career. Sum total is three over 30 lbs, this is a rare event to be savoured. I'm prepared to sacrifice quantity for quality, but still there needs to be something in the freezer. I guess we'll see what happens when - and if - I bring a slab to the boat.
 
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Food for thought in this thread. I'm heading to Haida Gwaii for the first time in a few days. I've chartered at various places on the WCVI over the years and this is a change of plan for us. i decided to pull out of the group I'd been going with for years because I was getting sick of being guided onto teeners all the time. Sounds a bit princessy I know, complaining that the fish are "only" 12-20 lb, but most of the lodges value number of fish in the boat over quality of fishing experience. I can see why, from a business perspective, but with 30 lb line and large flasher setups, there's not much sporting thrill to be had with a 14 lb feeder. The guides for the most part are very reluctant to deliberately target large fish because of the risk of catching none at all. We've explained that we accept the risk but the guide knows the boss doesn't like to see empty fish boxes at the end of the day (aka dock envy). I'd trade all those teeners for one hard running tyee and a screaming reel. So I decided to (a) go somewhere known for larger fish, and (b) seek out a guide less susceptible to dock envy and more supportive of my goals. My friends can continue their meat harvesting ways, freezers in trucks and so on.

So, how to process this in light of the posts in this thread? Will I be willing to release that big fish? Mine is not a storied career. Sum total is three over 30 lbs, this is a rare event to be savoured. I'm prepared to sacrifice quantity for quality, but still there needs to be something in the freezer. I guess we'll see what happens when - and if - I bring a slab to the boat.

Doesn't sound like you've been going with the right operator if they won't do what you want.
 
Pay the big bucks for the guide and trip, and then tell them how to do it? I've had lots of clients, both hunting and fishing, who like to do that.

"I've shot lots of deer in Alabama........." "I've caught record carp in Texas and there we do it like ........" and the BIG LIE "we're here for a good time and catching fish is a bonus".

That "kid" guide probably has 1000 hours fishing that spot their way, tell them how to do it if you'd like, but you probably don't know better.
 
One thing to take into account is that the last two years there have been very very few tyees so it's hard to blame a guide for catching teeners when that's all there is. Haida Gwaii isn't much different as even they are struggling to find tyee class fish.

Depending on the area deliberately targeting large fish isn't always different. Sure you can get big fish cut plugging kelp etc but in most cases you're going to get more Tyees when you employ the same techniques that are used targeting mature teeners.

I had to bring it up as I had a guest request the same thing. I explained it to him in the same way as above. To be honest I don't think he understood and probably left with a somewhat similar attitude.

If you really want a crack a trophy fish I would say go to rivers. You won't hit a boatload of teeners but you will likely get A few cracks at tyees if you time it right. As you say some people want a trophy while other prefer a boat of fish.


Food for thought in this thread. I'm heading to Haida Gwaii for the first time in a few days. I've chartered at various places on the WCVI over the years and this is a change of plan for us. i decided to pull out of the group I'd been going with for years because I was getting sick of being guided onto teeners all the time. Sounds a bit princessy I know, complaining that the fish are "only" 12-20 lb, but most of the lodges value number of fish in the boat over quality of fishing experience. I can see why, from a business perspective, but with 30 lb line and large flasher setups, there's not much sporting thrill to be had with a 14 lb feeder. The guides for the most part are very reluctant to deliberately target large fish because of the risk of catching none at all. We've explained that we accept the risk but the guide knows the boss doesn't like to see empty fish boxes at the end of the day (aka dock envy). I'd trade all those teeners for one hard running tyee and a screaming reel. So I decided to (a) go somewhere known for larger fish, and (b) seek out a guide less susceptible to dock envy and more supportive of my goals. My friends can continue their meat harvesting ways, freezers in trucks and so on.

So, how to process this in light of the posts in this thread? Will I be willing to release that big fish? Mine is not a storied career. Sum total is three over 30 lbs, this is a rare event to be savoured. I'm prepared to sacrifice quantity for quality, but still there needs to be something in the freezer. I guess we'll see what happens when - and if - I bring a slab to the boat.
 
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I fished with a charter out of Rennell Sound several years ago in mid-morning, we caught two nice spring salmon in 20's in a few minutes. I was told there was big schools of bait around on each day. water temperature was stable. Right now, with El-Nino current, it may affect the food chain, fish gets smaller...my opinion.
 
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Thanks Kelly, I do know sometimes good fish come with the teeners. Two of those tyees came that way. Anyway this time it's an independent guide nothing to do with the lodges. My friend has had much satisfaction with him so we are confident that he will do his best to put us onto the larger fish.

Still baffled by Tapatalk
 
Recently returned from Langara. Solid action up there. Most fish in the 14-18lb range. Quite a few in the 20s though. Very easy to limit out and there was a lot of catch and release going on with all boats. Bottom fishing is very good as well. Depth is the usual 12-20 feet that fish are caught up there.

Tons of bait around. Humpbacks very busy all around the island. Orcas steamrolled in one morning and put on a bit of show.
 
My trip last week was a blast even though we never hooked onto a tyee. Heard no reports of anything over 30 caught while we there. However everything we did catch was in the 20-25 lb range, no teeners! Guide worked hard targetting big fish by trying full herring in teaser heads, cut plugs, large brass spoons. We were fishing the western entrance to Skidegate Inlet and had excellent weather, warm and dry. We got some good hali too, three over 40 lb and one more released as it was oversized. Based on my tiny sampling I can confidently say the fish really are bigger up in Haida Gwaii!
 
I got back from an 'instructor' gig at a lodges on the west coast. Picked up a Tyee on day 1. there have only been a handful of Tyees. Biggest so far 40.5# during the Salmon Masters. Good size Lings and Halibut with a lot of Yellow Eyes. Most fish are cookie cutter 18-22# bullets. Seems to be a tend....
 
Fished 2 1/2 days out of Prergine Lodge - June 22 to 24th - ( a truly first class operation) and three of us released 47 Springs all in the high teens to mid 20s and came home with our limits. 3 fish in the 30's and a few Coho showing up. One day we fished Andrew P's Sandlance spoon along side of cut plug and even though the troll speed was way lower than we should have gone, and using the spoon without a flasher, at the end of the day it was a dead heat between the Sandlance and cut plug. Amazing.
 
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Fished 2 1/2 days out of Prergine Lodge - June 22 to 24th - ( a truly first class operation) and three of us released 47 Springs all in the high teens to mid 20s and came home with our limits. 3 fish in the 30's and a few Coho showing up. One day we fished Andrew P's Sandlance spoon along side of cut plug and even though the troll speed was way lower than we should have gone with the spoon and without a flasher, at the end of the day it was a dead heat between the Sandlance and cut plug. Amazing.

What colour did you dress Andrews spoon up with? Blues?
 
What colour did you dress Andrews spoon up with? Blues?
Beat me to it RF ;-) I was going to ask the same question.

headed up there in a week, would like to mimic some of my Sitka Sandlances to the colour and pattern used by Pursuit. :)
 
Good to hear about the sandlance. Gonna give that a try as well as the Nog's Needle up there next week (I have a gold one and one I painted; so-so). Got a bunch of stuff to try up there besides cut-plugging while motor mooching. I know green is always a good choice, blue definitely makes sense up there as well. Have a 602 tubby in a 6" I will give a go and some other random stuff! Ya never know what might go off.

Pretty sure I could catch a good fish on a diy tin foil lure though (at times when it's good) up there :eek:
 
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