2023 Port McNeill, Telegragh Cove Reports

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Had to wait out the fog / wait for the fam to wake up and get going.

Had a bit of an afternoon at Devils bath brewery which carried on back to home, and we the let the kids stay up so it was to be expected.

Coffee did the trick. Launched at alder bay, and waltzed into the throngs off the backside around rhe corner from Doneagle. Didn’t take long for the first coho to be a flopping on deck.

Last fish of the tack was a way over slot size Chinook. And of course half way through the battle our last coho of the day decided to join the party.

Managed it all with the help from the crew. Released the Chinook and then headed to flower which was as busy as it can be but no afternoon bite. Humpbacks put on a show.

And that was about it. Didn’t head to CP. Kids were at the end of their rope/ we ran low on snacks.

The pack off doneagle seemed to really spread out in the late afternoon so not sure if there was a bite or if people were getting desperate. Figured the morning bite in the fog musta been decent, so gonna give it another shot tomorrow and then bail by lunch.

Morning slack is at a civilized hour. Then see if the flood fishes for Hali.

Bait was small. That red algae bloom was in. UV seemed to be the ticket - one flasher got all the coho. Small cop car on the end. But the spring came on the Gold Betsy and a 3 1/2” spoon. Not fishing too deep, just the same depths I always fish. Coho liked 52 on the rigger in nearly any depth from 50-150 of water. The Chinook was a little deeper.
 
Had to wait out the fog / wait for the fam to wake up and get going.

Had a bit of an afternoon at Devils bath brewery which carried on back to home, and we the let the kids stay up so it was to be expected.

Coffee did the trick. Launched at alder bay, and waltzed into the throngs off the backside around rhe corner from Doneagle. Didn’t take long for the first coho to be a flopping on deck.

Last fish of the tack was a way over slot size Chinook. And of course half way through the battle our last coho of the day decided to join the party.

Managed it all with the help from the crew. Released the Chinook and then headed to flower which was as busy as it can be but no afternoon bite. Humpbacks put on a show.

And that was about it. Didn’t head to CP. Kids were at the end of their rope/ we ran low on snacks.

The pack off doneagle seemed to really spread out in the late afternoon so not sure if there was a bite or if people were getting desperate. Figured the morning bite in the fog musta been decent, so gonna give it another shot tomorrow and then bail by lunch.

Morning slack is at a civilized hour. Then see if the flood fishes for Hali.

Bait was small. That red algae bloom was in. UV seemed to be the ticket - one flasher got all the coho. Small cop car on the end. But the spring came on the Gold Betsy and a 3 1/2” spoon. Not fishing too deep, just the same depths I always fish. Coho liked 52 on the rigger in nearly any depth from 50-150 of water. The Chinook was a little deeper.
We were up a week ago. Very few coho around at that time - a few at Bere and Malcolm Pts - but we were hearing there were a lot more around Hardy, so I guess they're making their way south.. We were catching chinook - over and under the 80 cm limit, and Purple Haze outfished Betsy but both caught fish - mostly 50-70 ft. Heading up on the 18th when we can keep those over 80s, but only keep wild coho on the mainland side.
 
Yep lots of springs today. Circumnavigated Malcolm and fished a few spots. Pack of boats from ledge to Lady Ellen. No one at Malcolm point. Bere did not produce despite trying pretty hard with the pack for the first hour. Lots of bait but no bite. Doneagle was better. First half and last half of the flood worked for our crew.

Not nearly as many coho as yesterday. Pinks pinks pinks. Probably 25 to the boat and released.

Got the limit of slot springs. Two smallish coho. A 82 cm chinook is a fun size fish, and probably the max size for the BBQ as far as I’m concerned.

Same same small bait like yesterday. 3” cop car did the damage behind UV flashers and in the afternoon switched to the mini flasher- that made every fish fun! Well except for the pinks 🤦🏻‍♂️

Got a funny Chinook during a gear check- it took when the rigger hit rhe stop and I was reaching for the clip. Now for some down time- clean the boat a bit more, service some gear, smoke some fish- white spring so gonna try a bit of that. My first one.
 
No hali on this trip but salmon fishing was unbelievable, fish every where. Though wish the coho showed up in greater number. Overall was a very good trip, nice and cooler weather👍🏼
We're heading back on the 18th, hoping to catch halibut tides the next week. And maybe pick up some over 80 cm springs.
 
Have you tried Wells passage for hali?
Yes - on the ~130-150' deep moraine near Kenneth Bay. Several salmon over the years including a 20 lb spring and a 70 lb halibut on the same tide - back in 2010 when that was legal.
 
Any of you anchovy fishermen brine before using for bait, I always have…but talking to another guy he says they never do but just keep their bait frozen until using, seems to me that the anchovies would get sloppy pretty quick. Any thoughts?
 
Any of you anchovy fishermen brine before using for bait, I always have…but talking to another guy he says they never do but just keep their bait frozen until using, seems to me that the anchovies would get sloppy pretty quick. Any thoughts?
We're out for a week or more, cruising and fishing without onboard refrigeration - using a cooler and ice for food. We brine our anchovies and they keep well - and look good enough to eat.
 
We're out for a week or more, cruising and fishing without onboard refrigeration - using a cooler and ice for food. We brine our anchovies and they keep well - and look good enough to eat.
I have over salted on occasion and end up with wrinkled anchovies… do you have a specific ratio for brine
 
I have over salted on occasion and end up with wrinkled anchovies… do you have a specific ratio for brine
I haven't had the wrnkling issue even with excess salt at the bottom of the brine - except once or twice years ago. An oldtimer told me to put the anchovies into brine when they were still just a bit frozen - and that seems to have avoided wrinkling or blown bellies, both of which I had a few times before that.
 
Every year at least once I have to go down and fish the wall inside Cracroft Point. I got interested in the spot years back after reading one of Billy Proctor's books, in years long past it was a big spot for the troll fleet and called the "the breadline". Trollers would line up for a tack down the wall to pick up springs holding on the ebb. I love the spot, but I have never caught a decent spring there (have in the area just not this wall)--seems to me like something changed over time and springs just don't hold there anymore. Curious if anybody has found different.
 
Every year at least once I have to go down and fish the wall inside Cracroft Point. I got interested in the spot years back after reading one of Billy Proctor's books, in years long past it was a big spot for the troll fleet and called the "the breadline". Trollers would line up for a tack down the wall to pick up springs holding on the ebb. I love the spot, but I have never caught a decent spring there (have in the area just not this wall)--seems to me like something changed over time and springs just don't hold there anymore. Curious if anybody has found different.
We picked up a couple ~15 lb springs there around this time of year about six years ago when we spent a few days in the area. Can’t remember what the tide was doing at the time. Have also caught coho there.

We have stopped a quick fish there a couple more times while passing through but haven’t caught anymore since.
 
We picked up a couple ~15 lb springs there around this time of year about six years ago when we spent a few days in the area. Can’t remember what the tide was doing at the time. Have also caught coho there.

We have stopped a quick fish there a couple more times while passing through but haven’t caught anymore since.
It fishes well on a sunny
afternoon ebb tide.
Straight fron Yoda himself.
 
Every year at least once I have to go down and fish the wall inside Cracroft Point. I got interested in the spot years back after reading one of Billy Proctor's books, in years long past it was a big spot for the troll fleet and called the "the breadline". Trollers would line up for a tack down the wall to pick up springs holding on the ebb. I love the spot, but I have never caught a decent spring there (have in the area just not this wall)--seems to me like something changed over time and springs just don't hold there anymore. Curious if anybody has found different.
My co-worker just got back from the area and they almost exclusively fish Cracoft and the wall in years past. They seemed to always do quite well except this year…caught most of their fish around flower. I’ve caught lots of coho there except the last two years. Never hooked into any springs. I’ll be up in about two weeks and might give it a try again..not sure. I’ll be in a campion 622 “Allure” if any of you see me out there swing by and give a hello
 
Aug 9. Fished Sutil but nada, moved offshore lots of wild coho deep, 1 86cm spring.
Aug 10. Fished Duval, couple low teen springs.
Aug 11. Malcom island, slow, released 3 wild coho, all very very nice fat fish. Pinks all over.
 
Spring fishing is still unreal at TC. Fish out front , fish at Malcolmn, most below the pinks 120 is. More springs than I have ever seen here.
 
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