2021 Prince Rupert Fishing Report
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- Start date
Heading out Aug 1 for a few days. Launching out of Port Ed.
Here is a newbie-type question:
What is the retention limit for chinook in region 4 after July 31?
https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/a-s4-eng.html seems to indicate non-retention.
Fisheries notice seems to indicate a return to 2 daily/4 possession.
What am I missing (besides being partially illiterate?)?
Here is a newbie-type question:
What is the retention limit for chinook in region 4 after July 31?
https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/a-s4-eng.html seems to indicate non-retention.
Fisheries notice seems to indicate a return to 2 daily/4 possession.
What am I missing (besides being partially illiterate?)?
We fished July 11-17. Coho were awesome, smaller springs were plentiful too. Halibut were a little scratchy on the inside, guides heading outside were still doing well. Avery and Cutter/Beaver were all we needed to do to get all the salmon we needed for our group. Highlight for us was my 9 yr old hooking and landing a 35lb spring (with an assist from her grandpa) while jigging for rock cod while crab traps were soaking. On 10lb test on a light casting rod…
wishiniwasfishin1
Well-Known Member
That’s such a great story and memory!
Sitkaspruce
Well-Known Member
Just got back, first time up there.
The good - Fishing was great for all species. No crowds, we fished mostly buy ourselves. Limits of springs, coho and hali. Ling were scratchy. Weather was amazing, whales shows most days,
The Bad - The town is really not set up for sport fishers and is expensive. $10 for a 5 gallon bucket of salt ice or $50 for a large cooler. We pay $10 for a cooler in Hardy. One place for fuel that closes at 6, so you sit for a while floating around, jockeying for position while waiting to get your fuel and some of the guide boats took 450 liters or more to fill up. No cleaning tables, so all cleaning on the boat and we could not find a hatchery marked fish head drop off location.
The Ugly - Dolly's!!!! What a messed up place to get you fish processes. Stood in line for over 2 hours (1830-2045) to drop off a cooler of fish and there was more behind us! And there was a small 6x4" sign on the door saying that all fish had to be gutted (we had the salmon gutted but hali were not), so the hali had to go back the next day along with more salmon and another stand in line. Went back on Tuesday and they had closed their doors and were not taking any more fish, so we had to buy the expensive ice to keep the rest of our salmon, mostly the springs, cold until we got home. When we went to pick up our fish, we had arranged for a pick up at 0930. At approx. 1045, we finally picked up our salmon. The person in front of us had been there since 0900; they had lost his groups 2 springs and 6 Coho from the day before. He was guided and had to catch a flight later that day. He was pretty pissed! After picking up the fish, the real fun began. When we dropped the fish off, the price for processing was $1.25/lbs and bags were $.85; on Wednesday, the price was raised to $2/lbs and $1.75/bag. When we went to pay, they charged us the new price. It became a stand off between the manager and us. We refused to pay the new price because we had dropped the fish off at the old price. We asked when prices changed; they said way back in mid May; we had called in June and were quoted the $1.25. They said that the large board, the ONLY one seen by fishers where you drop fish off was supposed to have been updated back in May, but the staff had forgot......... Must have also forgot the change their web page back then as well as that still shows the original price. Long story short, my buddy suggested we meet in the middle (mainly because we had to get going, already an hour and half behind schedule) and they finally agreed. We asked for 2 lbs bags and we were given whole filets for all the fish we dropped off. So now we have these medium to large whole filets to eat for dinner..... Plus they trimmed off a lot of the belly meat because they sell salmon bellies at $25/bag for hali bait! To be fair, they are very short staffed (rumor's were that the night staff quite on Tuesday), what staff that are working are over whelmed because of the dumb spring closure puts lots of pressure on them when it opened and they are the only show in town because the butcher shop could not find anyone to work processing fish. It still doesn't excuse them from the price gouging! Learned a lot as we always do our own processing.
Great trip all around; but the headaches of the town left a bad taste in our mouth
Cheers
SS
The good - Fishing was great for all species. No crowds, we fished mostly buy ourselves. Limits of springs, coho and hali. Ling were scratchy. Weather was amazing, whales shows most days,
The Bad - The town is really not set up for sport fishers and is expensive. $10 for a 5 gallon bucket of salt ice or $50 for a large cooler. We pay $10 for a cooler in Hardy. One place for fuel that closes at 6, so you sit for a while floating around, jockeying for position while waiting to get your fuel and some of the guide boats took 450 liters or more to fill up. No cleaning tables, so all cleaning on the boat and we could not find a hatchery marked fish head drop off location.
The Ugly - Dolly's!!!! What a messed up place to get you fish processes. Stood in line for over 2 hours (1830-2045) to drop off a cooler of fish and there was more behind us! And there was a small 6x4" sign on the door saying that all fish had to be gutted (we had the salmon gutted but hali were not), so the hali had to go back the next day along with more salmon and another stand in line. Went back on Tuesday and they had closed their doors and were not taking any more fish, so we had to buy the expensive ice to keep the rest of our salmon, mostly the springs, cold until we got home. When we went to pick up our fish, we had arranged for a pick up at 0930. At approx. 1045, we finally picked up our salmon. The person in front of us had been there since 0900; they had lost his groups 2 springs and 6 Coho from the day before. He was guided and had to catch a flight later that day. He was pretty pissed! After picking up the fish, the real fun began. When we dropped the fish off, the price for processing was $1.25/lbs and bags were $.85; on Wednesday, the price was raised to $2/lbs and $1.75/bag. When we went to pay, they charged us the new price. It became a stand off between the manager and us. We refused to pay the new price because we had dropped the fish off at the old price. We asked when prices changed; they said way back in mid May; we had called in June and were quoted the $1.25. They said that the large board, the ONLY one seen by fishers where you drop fish off was supposed to have been updated back in May, but the staff had forgot......... Must have also forgot the change their web page back then as well as that still shows the original price. Long story short, my buddy suggested we meet in the middle (mainly because we had to get going, already an hour and half behind schedule) and they finally agreed. We asked for 2 lbs bags and we were given whole filets for all the fish we dropped off. So now we have these medium to large whole filets to eat for dinner..... Plus they trimmed off a lot of the belly meat because they sell salmon bellies at $25/bag for hali bait! To be fair, they are very short staffed (rumor's were that the night staff quite on Tuesday), what staff that are working are over whelmed because of the dumb spring closure puts lots of pressure on them when it opened and they are the only show in town because the butcher shop could not find anyone to work processing fish. It still doesn't excuse them from the price gouging! Learned a lot as we always do our own processing.
Great trip all around; but the headaches of the town left a bad taste in our mouth
Cheers
SS
Dogbreath
Well-Known Member
So little has changed since I was last there.
X2 on the Dolly’s experience. We’re still waiting for a load of fish to arrive via shipping (I hope) after they lost large portions of two of our orders. Hoping the owner is a stand up guy and makes it right by shipping it out, as right now we’re missing almost 100 lbs of fish. They’re the only game in town but their system is so terrible it almost isn’t worth it.
Thanks for the post.
Any advice on location(s for fishing? Did you launch out of Rupert or PEd?
You are right about the northern towns (Rupert and Kitimat) being less than set up for out of town sport fishers. Nothing has changed (except the prices apparently) over the years. Then they wonder why we try to be as self-sufficient as possible.
Thanks again.
Chasin' Dreams
Well-Known Member
That's awesome! She will remember that day with her grandpa for ever
And landing a 35 on that gear is amazing. Great job and you gotta really know what your doing to do that. Great report thanks for sharing.Prince Rupert is always a giant fart around for pretty much everything you try to do, from getting gas, to parking, to getting food, to hotels, to fish processing, to traffic ….I could go on and on…but I do like to fish so I put up with it.
I made it out of there unscathed this year and i am grateful. There is a reason I only go once every few years even though I have family there. It’s a ship show at the best of times.
I made it out of there unscathed this year and i am grateful. There is a reason I only go once every few years even though I have family there. It’s a ship show at the best of times.
Sitkaspruce
Well-Known Member
Launched out of Rupert and stayed at the Prince Rupert Yacht Club....if you can call it that. That's another story to add to the adventures.....haha
To be honest, any point on any of the islands produced fish. The standbys of Avery and Edye Pass produced, just that you fish with other boats. Coho were everywhere and anywhere and were caught on anything that moved in the water. Springs were tougher; lots of small fish (3-10 lbs.) but finding the teeners + was a bit more work. Hali are where you can find them and the ling were hard to find. Still put 7 in the boat.
It's too bad that the town is such a **** show for tourists and sport fishers; lots of potential there if they would just stop focusing on the docks and look at what the town can attract in other businesses.
A couple tips if you do use Dollys
- Once the fish are entered into the computer, take a picture of the screen as they DON"T give you a receipt or copy......
- make sure the tote they put the fish into has ALL stickers removed. I think that is a big part of the problem; they take your fish, weight it, then add a sticker to the tote with your name on it, but the don't remove the old one, so now that tote has two or more names on it. The confusion now begins......
- make sure you separate your catch into species: coho, chinook etc. and use good quality fish bags.
- Take a picture of the price board every time you drop off fish.....just incase prices went up a few months ago....and they "forgot" to make the changes.
Cheers
SS
RevyFisher
Active Member
I'll be in the area fishing as well August 4-12th in a smokercraft. Happy to share info with others as it sounds like there's a few of us that'll be visiting around the same time. Wife grew up there and been a number of years since we fished it so can't wait to get back out on the water.
Drewski Canuck
Active Member
Well, At least they are not using a "covid excuse" to blockade the town, and at least they are not vandalizing out of province vehicles and tires as had happened last year.
But for Dolly's, you do know that they can get water proof bar codes, and simply zap strap the same onto the fish, and the tote. Then it is a double registry system that is hard to mess up, and easy to identify the individual fish from the bar code which is zap strapped onto the bag, right?
Just blue skying.
Drewski
But for Dolly's, you do know that they can get water proof bar codes, and simply zap strap the same onto the fish, and the tote. Then it is a double registry system that is hard to mess up, and easy to identify the individual fish from the bar code which is zap strapped onto the bag, right?
Just blue skying.
Drewski
Steplift
Well-Known Member
Lots of coho around a few little springs still turning up. Got out side yesterday dropped the anchor twenty minutes and three just on the under size halibut into the boat no lings yet. We could have limited out in two days on salmon but we have a four more days and weather looks fishy.
Tight lines Step
Best part of dolly’s is they share a parking lot with a liquor store that has nice cold beer. Other than that I don’t go near it.
Tight lines Step
Best part of dolly’s is they share a parking lot with a liquor store that has nice cold beer. Other than that I don’t go near it.
Steplift
Well-Known Member
The weather in Rupert has been nothing less than spectacular to say the least this week flat seas and great fishing . Fish being caught everywhere. Still a few nice springs around my dad and son both got one over thirty and I’ve landed two in the mid twenties. Lots of 30-50lbd halibut hanging around outside as well. Three or four more days of playing around then back to reality. I’ll post up a better report and trip pictures next week.
Tight lines
Tight lines
Steplift
Well-Known Member
Alright the yearly trip comes to and end the weather and salmon fishing were one for the ages. Best stretch of weather in over 25 years of coming here.
Day-1
Run over to Avery made a few tacks along the south of the lighthouse only picking up a few nice coho. Once the tide eased up a little we trolled out into the mouth a little chop along the wall but we started picking up really nice coho and two 20lb springs. We tried herring anchovies spoons and skirts. All produced but anchovies were hands down favourites. Killer whales showed up with dolphins playing around them no idea how many whales they kept coming and coming rough guess 50. Run outside treated to flat seas dropped for lings only picking up 1 decided to catch the end of tide change for halibut. Drop anchor on my closest waypoint three nice halies in the bucket in quick order . End the day with 8 plump coho 2 football springs 1 ling 3 halibut and a few big sea bass.
Day-2
Winds say go fish the brain boy was the wind correct. Lost a big spring in the kelp 5 minutes after dropping gear setting up a great trip. We figured out a new to us tack combined with knowledge we’ve gained over the years of structure. The big northern coho everywhere and steady chaos on the deck and toss in a nice spring for every five coho to the boat. Slipped outside with 8 more fatty coho 3 25lb springs and 3 ling. Drop anchor on a halibut spot send my gear down dad and the boy fiddling with there baits boom 45lber to the boat. They drop down kid hooks up another 45lber dad hooks a 88cm just after we finished with Kalums fish. On the trip in a humpback breached 200 yards in front of us going through a narrow pass CRAZY. Pull up full crab pots and a 30 prawns in the traps beer and fresh bugs for supper.
To put a cherry on top we seen the big coast guys fishing and filming an episode. I told kalum look over there it’s the the big coast crew my son loves watching the show dreaming about his trips out here. So kalum immediately runs out on deck yells HI TIM the boys all turn around and give a wave and hello back. Couldn’t get the grin off his face all day.
Thanks guys you made him a very happy boy
Day-3
Back up to the brain the action left off right where it was the day before got two springs over 30 to the boat five over twenty and a bunch in the teens. Coho feeding frenzy enough said there. Highlight of the day both kalum and myself doing battle with a bull sea lion over salmon while trying to net fish. Headed over to a few ling piles pick up three and lost lots due to malfunctioning gear. Had a 40ish pound ling beside the boat for five minutes watching a little rockfish twitch on dads hook. No commitment and away it went unbothered little rockfish got to go home. Treated to more full crab pots and a few more prawns.
Day-4
My wife joined us for the day so back up to the brain the action intensified non stop action all morning what a treat catching salmon shallow water on calm seas we got two more springs over 30lbs 4 in the 20’s and a few teens. I got a monster Black Sea bass while trolling around we got a few more lings.
Day-5
Hungover up at holiday island lots of pinks only a few coho decided breakfast at Moby Dicks and a nap is a better idea.
What a trip we had this year again thank you so very much Mother Nature for the show you out on.
Day-1
Run over to Avery made a few tacks along the south of the lighthouse only picking up a few nice coho. Once the tide eased up a little we trolled out into the mouth a little chop along the wall but we started picking up really nice coho and two 20lb springs. We tried herring anchovies spoons and skirts. All produced but anchovies were hands down favourites. Killer whales showed up with dolphins playing around them no idea how many whales they kept coming and coming rough guess 50. Run outside treated to flat seas dropped for lings only picking up 1 decided to catch the end of tide change for halibut. Drop anchor on my closest waypoint three nice halies in the bucket in quick order . End the day with 8 plump coho 2 football springs 1 ling 3 halibut and a few big sea bass.
Day-2
Winds say go fish the brain boy was the wind correct. Lost a big spring in the kelp 5 minutes after dropping gear setting up a great trip. We figured out a new to us tack combined with knowledge we’ve gained over the years of structure. The big northern coho everywhere and steady chaos on the deck and toss in a nice spring for every five coho to the boat. Slipped outside with 8 more fatty coho 3 25lb springs and 3 ling. Drop anchor on a halibut spot send my gear down dad and the boy fiddling with there baits boom 45lber to the boat. They drop down kid hooks up another 45lber dad hooks a 88cm just after we finished with Kalums fish. On the trip in a humpback breached 200 yards in front of us going through a narrow pass CRAZY. Pull up full crab pots and a 30 prawns in the traps beer and fresh bugs for supper.
To put a cherry on top we seen the big coast guys fishing and filming an episode. I told kalum look over there it’s the the big coast crew my son loves watching the show dreaming about his trips out here. So kalum immediately runs out on deck yells HI TIM the boys all turn around and give a wave and hello back. Couldn’t get the grin off his face all day.
Thanks guys you made him a very happy boy
Day-3
Back up to the brain the action left off right where it was the day before got two springs over 30 to the boat five over twenty and a bunch in the teens. Coho feeding frenzy enough said there. Highlight of the day both kalum and myself doing battle with a bull sea lion over salmon while trying to net fish. Headed over to a few ling piles pick up three and lost lots due to malfunctioning gear. Had a 40ish pound ling beside the boat for five minutes watching a little rockfish twitch on dads hook. No commitment and away it went unbothered little rockfish got to go home. Treated to more full crab pots and a few more prawns.
Day-4
My wife joined us for the day so back up to the brain the action intensified non stop action all morning what a treat catching salmon shallow water on calm seas we got two more springs over 30lbs 4 in the 20’s and a few teens. I got a monster Black Sea bass while trolling around we got a few more lings.
Day-5
Hungover up at holiday island lots of pinks only a few coho decided breakfast at Moby Dicks and a nap is a better idea.
What a trip we had this year again thank you so very much Mother Nature for the show you out on.
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Thanks for the most excellent report.
Where is "The Brain"?
We are loaded to leave tomorrow bright and early: 11 hours to Port Ed.
We will probably stick to Humpback, Edyie, and maybe Avery.
Where the springs the same depth as the coho? We usually set the riggers to 60'-75' on one side and 120ish on the other. Am I in the ballpark?
Where is "The Brain"?
We are loaded to leave tomorrow bright and early: 11 hours to Port Ed.
We will probably stick to Humpback, Edyie, and maybe Avery.
Where the springs the same depth as the coho? We usually set the riggers to 60'-75' on one side and 120ish on the other. Am I in the ballpark?
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