Saltwater Salmon Fishing..the expensive sport....help people out

fishin_magician

Well-Known Member
Recently I came across a fisher who was legitimately wide eyed at the cost of salmon fishing...boat, gear, operating expenses, insurances, safety, maintenance, you name it. He has a young wife who is employed as he is and he has 1 child...a 5 year old who's really liking the whole fishing thing. He's making it, getting by with a small condo in Aldergrove. Going fishing locally in the chuck for him is big deal...Aldergrove is 65 kms from the ocean.

I had some suggestions for him and he's picking items off Craigslist here and there. He's running a good shape older 14' aluminum with an early 80's 18 horse Mercury on a tiller...with a mini wheeled non galvanized trailer. He has manual crank long arm riggers with 15 pound balls. He already has crabbing gear and doing well on crabbing. He hasn't really fished in probably 10 years since his Dad died.

Let's make this thread about "helping people out" who can't necessarily afford it.. not being able to afford certain luxuries doesn't help many people's participation in the sport..and pride may get in the way of people asking for help.

If you spot a good deal on gear...boat, fishing, trailer, whatever, let's post on this thread...and we can help those out who are in need and being denied the enjoyment of saltwater fishing by finances.

I know there are a few among us on this thread who dream of fishing and just looking to get by...and if pride is in the way of asking for help, I encourage those who are in need and participating by reading this post to send a PM or post within and your location as to what you need. Of course, showing up to pick up bargain give away items in a brand new pickup isn't going to get you any reputation points.

The fishing community is a cross section of the best and worst of society unfortunately (including thieves, poachers, lawless polluters) so I encourage everyone to meet in neutral places to exchange gear----just as you would when selling an item on Craigslist.

For those who are in need and affordability is the limiting factor, please post what you want and those who have will take it from there.
 
I think the most important thing we can do the help the less fortunate to enjoy fishing is to help lobby keeping the freshwater locations open to fishing like the Fraser River.

Pink and chinook salmon were closed this summer in the Fraser but remained open in the salt.

Not fair that those who can’t afford to fish in the ocean.

Even trying to budget fish in salt is still exponentially more expensive then grabbing a rod and fishing in the Fraser.

I could not afford to fish in the salt if I did not share expenses with my father.
 
Andrew....I have a fly rod that was given to me on BCFR a few years back when I was looking to get into fly fishing. @Big Green Machine gifted it to me and I would be happy to pay it forward. I may have a reel (although old school) to go with it.
 
I would be willing to donate some new tackle and gear as well....... maybe we all could pitch in a few things that way they start with the essentials and donate to somebody who wants to get out there and learn to fish....but can’t afford it ......
 
We'll just to have wait for those to pipe up on this thread.

The guy I told you about in my opening post to this thread is just one of a few. He has done the river fishing thing and it's not all about the fish...it's about the time and environment.

I gave him a few Silver Hordes to fish with a bucket of Hot Spot Flashers. I don't know how to express the look on his face but I know if was really appreciated. He also has my phone number so I can offer him some tips here and there.

The success of this thread will depend on those needing help asking for it.
 
Great idea. Hopefully someone that can "really" use a bargain will post. I have a ton of extra flashers I will likely never use again.
 
Let me do some digging as I too have stuff that never gets used...some spoons and
flashers more specifically, may have some plastic too.
 
I'm willing to lend out some gear for sure. I have a set of manual downriggers that I'm only keeping now as spares for a tournament or something. Realistically I'll never touch those damn things again lol. I'm sure I could give up some redundant spoons and teaser heads as well. It'd be great to have a depot of sorts that guys in need could borrow gear from for the day and return it when done (if it doesn't end up on bottom). This would involve some work but a great thing for some kids that may never get a chance otherwise.
 
I would gladly donate locally to fisherman in need of quality gear. There should be some focus on donating gear that has had decent success and not the gear we never use. We all have 3-4 of every popular spoon and those one-offs that we all love. Perhaps consider donating some of those and what conditions work best with said gear to increase their chances. I’m happy to donate. Please contact me if you’re in the nanaimo area.

Side note.. for any affordability issues with salmon gear, it can be done relatively cheap. Throw in your tackle box a green/glow flasher, burgundy/glow, Cream Soda, Cop car, purple haze and one or two others on the light end and dark end of the light spectrum. White, army truck, purple haze, green splatter-back, and a Brown turd will check every box in the hootchie category. Kitchen sink, cop car, killy McGee, green glow, nasty boy, and some similar colors will do the same with spoons. Throw a couple Andrew P spoons in the mix and you’ll never buy another piece of tackle. If you plan on fishing bait, keep the colours simple. I’ve yet to see an anchovy with a radioactive green head on it, salmon see millions of baitfish in their lives, your bait doesn’t need to look nuclear or glow, they have great eyes, the roll and hooks are more important.
 
There should be some focus on donating gear that has had decent success and not the gear we never use.
I'm getting really tired of everyone's holier than thou attitudes on this site. FFS man I don't use the manuals because they are MANUALS, not because they don't catch fish. I've cought hundreds of fish on them actually and they're what I learned on. I now own electrics so I use the electrics.
 
I'm getting really tired of everyone's holier than thou attitudes on this site. FFS man I don't use the manuals because they are MANUALS, not because they don't catch fish. I've cought hundreds of fish on them actually and they're what I learned on. I now own electrics so I use the electrics.

I think it was more aimed at donating the hoochies that belong in the huge bargain bin a berry's bait and tackle and not on the end of anyone's fishing line.
 
I think it was more aimed at donating the hoochies that belong in the huge bargain bin a berry's bait and tackle and not on the end of anyone's fishing line.
Alright. Thanks. I kind of flew off the handle there. I think I need to get over this cold and get my gear wet soon.
 
Alright. Thanks. I kind of flew off the handle there. I think I need to get over this cold and get my gear wet soon.

That's not hard to do it seems even for the best and nicest posts there is always a few that feel the need to post contrarian posts. This can get very frusterating
 
I'm getting really tired of everyone's holier than thou attitudes on this site. FFS man I don't use the manuals because they are MANUALS, not because they don't catch fish. I've cought hundreds of fish on them actually and they're what I learned on. I now own electrics so I use the electrics.

Had absolutely nothing to do with electronics, downriggers, rods, or reels. I was speaking to terminal tackle only. Hence the entire body of my post. “Gear” is not equipment. Riggers don’t fish well behind even the fanciest flashers.
 
Had absolutely nothing to do with electronics, downriggers, rods, or reels. I was speaking to terminal tackle only. Hence the entire body of my post. “Gear” is not equipment. Riggers don’t fish well behind even the fanciest flashers.
Now that's funny.
 
Had absolutely nothing to do with electronics, downriggers, rods, or reels. I was speaking to terminal tackle only. Hence the entire body of my post. “Gear” is not equipment. Riggers don’t fish well behind even the fanciest flashers.
More to my point :rolleyes:
 
I'm looking to make the jump to be able to do this in the next couple of years - plan is to have a boat on the Sechelt Inlet and learn my craft there. The big challenges of time and money I am hoping to get better under control as the kids get a bit older, but one thing that would be a huge help is if anyone would be willing to (for $s or beers) take me out for pointers on both techniques and locations. I have read a lot, and I do know that the Inlet is a tougher place for salmon, but I think that with a few pointers I can really get over the hump and not be completely useless all the time. So - anyone know that area and willing to help the next (couple of) generations learn the ropes? As said, can pay or trade for it. I also thank the person starting this thread, as I may well need to come back for tips on "fit for purpose" sounders, riggers, flashers, etc later this year
 
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