Nootka Report

[blindpig69]

Just back from Nootka (7-12). Great trip although it started off slow. Fished the inside from Birdwood to Camel and few spots in between for 3.5 days with zip (3 shakers)in the way of salmon (our other boat got 2 in this time). During this time we only saw maybe 6 other fish landed. To be fair, it seemed as though we always guessed wrong as we heard of fish being caught at some of the other spots just not when we were there. Kept missing the bite. Hali's made up for the slow salmon. Limited on 40-44 lbs in about 5 hours total fishing time over 2 days. Other boat got a 90 and a couple other 30-40 lbs with a few chickens to round out the limit. Finally got into the salmon on day 4 on the outside. Couldn't keep the dang pinks and silvers off to catch the springs but managed to get into enough to limit. Kept a 10 right off the bat(first keeper in 4 days!!!) then got into some nicer fish. Finished with 10,19,20,20,22,25 in the box over 2 days released several smaller ones and got one clipped 12 lb coho. Last day in the boat was a blast. All by myself(too rainy for old man). Released 15 pinks, 25 coho(tough to have to throw back the 15+ lb natives), 10 springs and got the one coho and the 22 and 25lb springs. 8 double headers. I must have looked like a dang Octopus out there. Totally crazy but I loved every minute of it. Other boat managed a 36 and a 38 on last day lucky bastards. Finished the day off with the 44 lb hali. Can't wait for next year.

 

[saltydog]

Hey blindpig, do you mind me asking roughly where you had success with the halibut and the method .. ie trolling, jigging, drift bouncing. I have never been to nootka but I am going on the 26th for 4 days and i am too excited. I have NEVER halibut fished. any info would be appreciated, i would love to catch my first halibut on this trip.

 

[Tight Roll]

Hey Blindpig69:

Heading out to Nootka tomorrow - could you fill me in on where you and your other boat finally got into all those fish? Sounds like it may be the Highway. Also, any depths or gear that seemed to work best?

Thanks for any advice.

Tight Roll

 

[dman]

Tubber, I saw that double header!! Burgundy jet sled right next to you, I was the one said nice job! 32 eh, nice. I nailed a 30 same spot two days later. Our group did well though I've never lost so many fish, we must have had at least two dozen hook ups. Our group of three boats did end up with 17 fish, though we worked hard for them. I had best luck at 40-55 feet with all purple gear. I also saw a 36lb boated at Burdwood right next to us. Great trip, congrats to you also Tubber.

 

[tubber]

Hey dman, nice to meet you. Nice boat! I love my boat, but as you saw, it's on the small side. 5 more years my kid will be done college I hope. Then maybe I'll be able to upgrade. It seemed to work anywhere inside in Nootka. $45.00 in gas for 4 days which included 3 runs to Burdwood.
It's like a lake in there usually. Calm then choppy, but nothing too crazy. Biggest waves were from other boats. Maybe we'll meet there next year. I'm on trip tomorrow to Uki on a friend's 28 footer. I won't know what to do with all that leg room.

 

[tomictime]

here is a Nootka N report w pic

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?p=1633369#post1633369

 

[Klob]

Lets see, 4 guys and 21 "kings" equals 5.25 fish per guy? Am I missing something here?????

 

[Charter Tofino]

"you rained springs on local friends"................ nice

 

[finaddict]

quote:Originally posted by kelly

"you rained springs on local friends"................ nice

Not impressed at all. As a visitor to my country, you need to learn to follow the rules. Poaching includes the giving of fish to others in order to pad your quota.

 

[chromechaser]

I second that finaddict.

 

[SUDS]

I cannot see anything wrong with giving someone a fish as long as you didn't exceed your daily posession quota. I live a distance from the ocean and have given fish to neighbors who for whatever reason are unable to ocean fish but enjoy eating fresh fish.

 

[Gone Fishn]

Yes I too give fish to neighbors and friends who don't get out, but giving fish to people when you get home is different than giving a bunch of fish to people while on a trip so you can continue to 'load up' and aid in depleating a resource!

 

[tortuga]

Apparently the Hardy smokehouses are so backed up they can't deliver until Christmas now. Hardy Boys are turning back some "foreign" guys for bringing in 2 day limits every day and offering extra cash. And then acting like *holes when they get refused.

 

[tomictime]

wow, your right, the 50+ year old couple struggling to raise twins with a dead mother should not have a few fish rained on them. But then I guess the local grocery has everything they need. Local for them is 3 hours to C-River.

as to the other trip, you can read into it what you want. A total of 9 people all w BC liscs were on the boat or the buddy boat at various points in those 5 days. Followed all the rules.

Watch my rig like a hawk, I am legal - always.

 

[finaddict]

quote:Originally posted by tomictime

wow, your right, the 50+ year old couple struggling to raise twins with a dead mother should not have a few fish rained on them. But then I guess the local grocery has everything they need. Local for them is 3 hours to C-River.

that's great that you were willing to share your catch Tomictime. but what you fail to understand is that this does not allow you to kill more fish than your limit which is twice the daily limit. read the regs.

quote:as to the other trip, you can read into it what you want. A total of 9 people all w BC liscs were on the boat or the buddy boat at various points in those 5 days. Followed all the rules.

Watch my rig like a hawk, I am legal - always.

Actually you are not.

 

[dman]

quote:Originally posted by hsu harar

Good try newb, but you still admitted to being way over your limit of halis and springs regaurdless.

Not taking any sides here, but according to the regs (any person may transport another person's catch if appropriately marked and with consent) -if you were transporting the catch of all nine people. You probably should have stated you fished nine people for those 20 plus fish originally though.

 

[finaddict]

Directly from the DFO website:

"Fish caught by a sportfisher that is being prepared, cooked, or consumed away from the sportfisher’s ordinary residence ( i.e. while staying at a camp ground, overnighting on a boat, residing at a hotel, etc.) is included as part of the fisher’s possession limit. "

This includes fish given away to friends while at camp or anywhere other than your ordinary place of residence. Sorry Tomictime, but you DO need to read the regs and understand that you are contravening them. I am pretty sure that if I, as a non-resident alien, was poaching in the US, there would be less leniency than a non-resident alien poaching in Canada. I am not trying to stir it up too much (just a little) but please, if you are coming to my country, follow our rules.

Thanks

 

[ItchyScratchy]

I was going to sit this one out as I am starting to feel that dark cloud of doom and gloom move in like the fog banks on the "highway", however, I just can't leave this alone.
The concern shouldn't be about giving a fish to someone you know but it should be about limits. A really nice quote to remember is "LIMIT YOUR CATCH, DON'T CATCH YOUR LIMIT". I have friends who use the regulations like a Chinese menu, that is, oh, look what I caught, how many of these can I keep (and I will also have 3 of those and 4 of those and 2 of those). If you read this thread from page one to this page it is all about limits, "It was great fishing, we caught our limit of salmon and still had time to catch our limit of ling, halis, yelloweye, etc.".
I'm sorry, it's not like years ago when we ate fish on every Friday, how many fish do we really need to "limit out on". Add up the numbers of pounds that some of the posters have said they caught for their "limits" and you will see that we are commercial fishermen with just smaller quotas. Unfortunately, we all scream about commercial openings however, "I think I found the enemy, it is I".
Before you think that I am on a pulpit, I used to throw away trout, salmon, elk, deer and moose every spring from my freezer as it was freezer burnt and I had to make way for the next "harvest". It took alot of convincing from a few friend before I realized what they were saying about "Limiting your harvest". Trust me, every neighbour thought I was the local butcher who just delivered for free. Now I get together with those that I share and we have the meals together. I still can and freeze my catch from the ocean, however, I brought back two fish from Nootka this year and the household brought back a total of 4. This will keep us in fish right up to next year.
Do we really need to always catch our limit, I don't think so as the limits are way to generous. Alaska has a one salmon per day limit for non-residents and a slot limit on halibut, doesn't seem to stop the fishing there. This is from the state who has the most opportunities for fish.
I know I may be questioned about this "tirade" however, those that post on this site or I meet on the docks and all they tell me is that they caught their limits and then break it down numerically, you are part of the problem. Yes, you stayed within your "limits" but don't complain about the diminishing resource, commercial fishing, poaching, gear restrictions, area closures, guding practices, global warming, 2 stroke engines, barbed hooks, etc., because these are all just "limits" that are interpreted within our own set of guidelines.
I know the next decrease in "limits" by the authorities will not be because it is common sense, but because the stocks have decreased again.
I'm sorry I can still see that gloom coming, hopefully we can slow it down or stop it.
Cheers
Itchy Scratchy

 

[dman]

I have to point something out as someone who's worked with fisheries in the past and as an avid fisherman that I think is a misconception. In my fishing in the US, I have never; heard of a non US Citizen being issues a fishing citation, cared to differentiate on non-resident fishing in our water's from a resident, nor have a ever known an officer or fisherman in the US who has done so with excess scrutiny. I have honestly never given a second thought to who fish's here and frankly don't care. Most fish migrate to some extent and are a shared resource, shared by State's, Province's, Country's, etc.. and need to be managed that way, not on a strictly local basis, that's completely ineffective. Just my two cent's based on many year's experience. Everyone needs to follow the rules however and yes, I agree sometime's the limit's are too important to some people, I myself have taken home 1/2 a limit the last two year's in a row on my single fishing trip to BC. I don't need more than that, so I quit fishing after I get what I need, regardless of how much I spent to go fish. That being said there are only two in my household and if a person has twice as many to feed a full limit would be probably just fine to retain.

 

[oguard]

got to chime in.I used to be like Itchy and clean my freezer out every spring.This year my wife and two sons all had salmon stamps we could have brought 16 chinook home,we only brought home 8 and that is more than enough.Big bbq with friends,can and smoke the rest.By the time next season comes around I should have two jars left and the freezer will not need cleaning out.I used to be the guy fishing his butt off to bag my limit,Now I enjoy just being on the boat with family and look forward to the stories back at camp with a few cold beer[8D].I look at it this way I want to fish with my grandchildren and I am a ways from that,so it is better to limit my catch now so there will be fish for the next generation of my family.

Mike