2021 Prince Rupert Fishing Report
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RevyFisher
Active Member
Awesome post! Got us so excited for our trip. We head there Monday. Fingers crossed we get seas like you had.
M
mac201
Guest
We will be getting to Prince Rupert on Aug. 18th for a week or so. Will the coho still be around? Any suggestions for locations by then?
Steplift
Well-Known Member
The coho should continue to get bigger as the northern run shows up here. I would expect you’ll find them everywhere. All the typical spots will have them. But if the wind permit and you have enough boat go to the top end of the work channel It should be the spot to be.
Just got back.
My wife and I had an amazing 2 days of fishing.
We launched out of Port Edward (free launch and free parking) early on Sunday morning after sleeping in the boat in the parking lot.
Got lost a bit in the fog Sunday morning but the GPS got us across the channel to Humpback Bay.
Fishing was actually kinda slow on Sunday until my wife MADE ME talk to another fisherman on depth and tackle. (This was totally against my nature as one is suppose to know these details intuitively).
Fished Humpback for a few hours then went to Edye Pass to complete the day. We did catch our limit but it took well into the evening.
A lot of boats out for the North Coast: 3 at Humpback and probably 16 at Edye. Whales did a swim by which is always fun.
We returned to Humpback and anchored for the night in the bay.
The next morning we were fishing before 6 am. As slow as Sunday was, Monday started with an 8 lb coho within two minutes of dropping the first line. For 45 minutes I could not get the second down rigger set and lowered as the first one would hardly settle without a strike. 3 coho to the boat in half an hour and then nothing. A lot of long-line releases as well.
Monday was clear and calm so we decided to try Avery which is about 35 minutes away at cruising speed. Lots of boats at Avery, maybe 12.
Fishing was fast and furious.
We were done by noon with tired arms. We didn't get into the large northerns: the fish we caught were all in the 6-8 lb range. We are rookies so we were happy.
We tried a couple of places for halibut but they outsmarted me again.
Thoughts on North Coast:
1. Talked to one tackle store regarding bait: apparently there is a group of 5 or 6 people who buy all the anchovies from Terrace west. Don't count on buying the right bait. I could not get a strike on herring.
2. Even though Port Edward offers free launch and parking, they are not really set up for out of area sports fishers. Almost all services are geared towards commercial fishers. When I am on "holidays" I don't mind spending some cash on goods and services BUT have the goods and services there. We have learned to go as self-sufficiently as possible. Other then fuel for boat ( burned less than 1/2 tank) and getting there, Ice was our major expense ($30 lol). Port Edward USE TO have an honour box for shaved ice: not any more. We had to buy commercial gas station ice.
3. Diesel for truck was $450 ( about 2000 km return) and probably $200 for boat (haven't topped up yet) so the cost to me is about the same as trailering the boat to Vancouver Island with the ferry costs.
Thanks for all the help and advice.
My wife and I had an amazing 2 days of fishing.
We launched out of Port Edward (free launch and free parking) early on Sunday morning after sleeping in the boat in the parking lot.
Got lost a bit in the fog Sunday morning but the GPS got us across the channel to Humpback Bay.
Fishing was actually kinda slow on Sunday until my wife MADE ME talk to another fisherman on depth and tackle. (This was totally against my nature as one is suppose to know these details intuitively).
Fished Humpback for a few hours then went to Edye Pass to complete the day. We did catch our limit but it took well into the evening.
A lot of boats out for the North Coast: 3 at Humpback and probably 16 at Edye. Whales did a swim by which is always fun.
We returned to Humpback and anchored for the night in the bay.
The next morning we were fishing before 6 am. As slow as Sunday was, Monday started with an 8 lb coho within two minutes of dropping the first line. For 45 minutes I could not get the second down rigger set and lowered as the first one would hardly settle without a strike. 3 coho to the boat in half an hour and then nothing. A lot of long-line releases as well.
Monday was clear and calm so we decided to try Avery which is about 35 minutes away at cruising speed. Lots of boats at Avery, maybe 12.
Fishing was fast and furious.
We were done by noon with tired arms. We didn't get into the large northerns: the fish we caught were all in the 6-8 lb range. We are rookies so we were happy.
We tried a couple of places for halibut but they outsmarted me again.
Thoughts on North Coast:
1. Talked to one tackle store regarding bait: apparently there is a group of 5 or 6 people who buy all the anchovies from Terrace west. Don't count on buying the right bait. I could not get a strike on herring.
2. Even though Port Edward offers free launch and parking, they are not really set up for out of area sports fishers. Almost all services are geared towards commercial fishers. When I am on "holidays" I don't mind spending some cash on goods and services BUT have the goods and services there. We have learned to go as self-sufficiently as possible. Other then fuel for boat ( burned less than 1/2 tank) and getting there, Ice was our major expense ($30 lol). Port Edward USE TO have an honour box for shaved ice: not any more. We had to buy commercial gas station ice.
3. Diesel for truck was $450 ( about 2000 km return) and probably $200 for boat (haven't topped up yet) so the cost to me is about the same as trailering the boat to Vancouver Island with the ferry costs.
Thanks for all the help and advice.
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Is the boat launch at the bottom of Work Channel sufficient for a bunk trailer? I haven't been there for about 8 years but it used to be a bit primitive. With my old aluminum and roller trailer I could launch in quite shallow water. With my new (to me) boat, not so much.
Steplift
Well-Known Member
I'm certain it hasn't changed since you were in there it's been about the same amount of time for me being there. I also wasn't a fan pretty gross actually when I went in for a look people using the bathroom right along the road ect. When I fished the the inlet to the work channel I launched out of Rupert and run up the coast. Bait was tough to get this year we get the local bait shop at home to bring in ours now before we leave. works out good we have them salted and ready for fishing on the way out.
RedFish
New Member
Have a day off fishing due to weather so I have time for a report.
Aug 1 - Fished around Meville. Foggy in the morning, sunny in the afternoon. Fishing was slow for salmon, only caught one pink and did a long line release on a coho. Bottom fishing was a little better, caught 5 under size halibuts, kept a small one for supper since it could not be realsed.
Aug 2 - Weather was good so we made the run to Dundas. Fishing was excellent. Limited out on salmon within two hours for 3 guys. Managed to get two chinooks, 16 and 24 pounds. The rest were coho. Green and white hoochie was the biggest produce. Managed to catch a few on bait and spoons. It was utter pandimonium on the boat for that breif period of time. Bottom fishing was poor. Did not find any concentrations of fish. Kept 3 rock fish.
Aug 3 - Headed back to Dundas. Weather was good for the run out. The bite was not as good as the previous day. We caught 6 glood sized coho, before having to leave as the weather was turing. Tried to duck in by some of the smaller islands on the way back to try some bottom fishing, but the wind would not allow it. So we bagan the slow lumpy ride back. Half way back the winds subsided for a time so we tried bottom fishing on humps. Caught a few yellow eye rockfish, used the seaqualizer to send them home. Quit after we started to drift too fast.
Hopefully the weather cooperates tomorrow.
Aug 1 - Fished around Meville. Foggy in the morning, sunny in the afternoon. Fishing was slow for salmon, only caught one pink and did a long line release on a coho. Bottom fishing was a little better, caught 5 under size halibuts, kept a small one for supper since it could not be realsed.
Aug 2 - Weather was good so we made the run to Dundas. Fishing was excellent. Limited out on salmon within two hours for 3 guys. Managed to get two chinooks, 16 and 24 pounds. The rest were coho. Green and white hoochie was the biggest produce. Managed to catch a few on bait and spoons. It was utter pandimonium on the boat for that breif period of time. Bottom fishing was poor. Did not find any concentrations of fish. Kept 3 rock fish.
Aug 3 - Headed back to Dundas. Weather was good for the run out. The bite was not as good as the previous day. We caught 6 glood sized coho, before having to leave as the weather was turing. Tried to duck in by some of the smaller islands on the way back to try some bottom fishing, but the wind would not allow it. So we bagan the slow lumpy ride back. Half way back the winds subsided for a time so we tried bottom fishing on humps. Caught a few yellow eye rockfish, used the seaqualizer to send them home. Quit after we started to drift too fast.
Hopefully the weather cooperates tomorrow.
RevyFisher
Active Member
Ooops posted this to the archive reports.
Got out for our first day this morning for a couple hours as we wanted a fresh dungy lunch. So we dropped the traps outside Port Ed and trolled along Smith Island while they soaked. Picked up a 7 lbs coho and a 15 lbs Spring in quick order. Coho on purple onion and lime hootchie at 50'. Spring at 30' on a green/silver flasher and army truck hootchie. Lots of small crab but got 5 keepers for lunch. Not sure if it was luck but didn't need to burn any gas running out to Edye pass or Squatterie to get into fish.
Got out for our first day this morning for a couple hours as we wanted a fresh dungy lunch. So we dropped the traps outside Port Ed and trolled along Smith Island while they soaked. Picked up a 7 lbs coho and a 15 lbs Spring in quick order. Coho on purple onion and lime hootchie at 50'. Spring at 30' on a green/silver flasher and army truck hootchie. Lots of small crab but got 5 keepers for lunch. Not sure if it was luck but didn't need to burn any gas running out to Edye pass or Squatterie to get into fish.
Steplift
Well-Known Member
A buddy of mine just got home this morning the run into some weather last week but still managed some nice coho at Avery and the brain. Didn’t do very well at the balls
RedFish
New Member
I was able to get out one last day on Aug 5th. Fished at North end of Dundas. Only took an hour to get our last six salmon. All coho. Hoochies were the most effective. We then concentrated on bottom fishing for the rest of the day. Since current was to strong to jig we trolled with large white hoochies to catch a variety of fish. Trolling depth was any where from 100 - 150 feet depending on structure. Still caught a number of salmon trolling at 0.9 mph.
During the tide change we caught two 84 cm halibut and a 10lb ling using jigs and bait. Also a variety of rock fish. For a last day effort we did ok.
Ride back was slow as the wind picked up and was out of the SW.
During the tide change we caught two 84 cm halibut and a 10lb ling using jigs and bait. Also a variety of rock fish. For a last day effort we did ok.
Ride back was slow as the wind picked up and was out of the SW.
Saskasomebody
Member
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