Finished Business
Well-Known Member
As a few may have read, I recently spent a day on the water with a couple good friends, one member, ComfortZone, on our first guided ocean fishing experience. Needless to say it exceeded my expectations from the get go. From the outset, Todd kept me informed on the areas fishing, approaching my scheduled date of May 16th. Unfortunately (or later to be revealed fortunately!) his latest report of the prior two days was anything everything but good. The weather was crap and the fishing had died off since the weekend. I became a little worried but, with a flexible schedule between our group and Todd, he offered the chance to re-book on another available day. We chose the following week and went back to waiting.
Wed the 23rd finally rolled around, and we were on route to the ferry, walking across to save a few bucks. To our disappointment, scheduling had changed a few days prior, to 10 minutes earlier. 6:20 rather than 6:30. It was a 10 minutes we couldn't spare and we watched the ferry sail off.
A quick, early call to Todd, and 3.5hours later we were boarding his sweet 88 Pursuit I/O. Solid as a gatdamn rock and a layout built for slaughter...We started to get pretty excited, even with our greatly delayed start. Our guide saw the glass half full, and noted the bite only really came on at 11am the previous morning, so we could be in for it he figured. Our lines were wet by 10:30, with a quick run 1-2miles off Neck Point. It was a short run, maybe 10 minutes, and Todd went to work setting tackle and getting things going. It wasn't short of a beer later that the first rod popped off, a savage first bite to start the day! The reel started heating up, and Matt (CZ) locked on. It was a quick fight, with the victor staying state-bound (he lost it lol)...not to worry, a quick start indeed and we were hungry for more.
I was waiting for my chance, with the times I've chased chinook, the bigger fish always seem to go the others on the boat, and I miss out with shakers and skunks. I figured today we would change that so I told the boys if shes screaming. I'm on.....
Another Lucky to the liver and SMASH, Todd, with suprising cat-like quickness, Springs (pun intended!) into action. With a quick eye he caught the bite, and set the hook before I knew what had happened. Like a good breakfast, the reel was BACON! I locked the butt into my hip and let it spin, and spin. What seemed forever, but was likely a dozen or so seconds, the fish hammered hard away from the boat. I charged up and and joined the fight once she gave me the chance. With a couple good hard runs and dives, the fish was boat side, with our guide and his gaff at the ready. CRACK! one in the cooler! It wasn't the monster I hoped, but still my biggest spring to date at around 13-14 lbs. I was stoked and appreciated her efforts!
With meat in the cooler, tensions, what little there were, eased and we set into our troll. A few good stories and another Lucky or two, and the fish were ready for more. The clip popped, the tip dropped and we had another. My buddy Mike, in his first fishing experience, ever, Grabbed a hold of the rod. And shes running, and running....and RUNNING. Oh ****, Todd's checking the spool! It getting close to the backing!! He's got a pig! Likely, and what turned out to be the biggest fish of the day. It was bittersweet for me, but I couldn't be happier with what he was into! He on the other hand, looked as though he didn't know what the hell was happening at the end of that tackle. It was priceless! What turned out to be a thorough 11 minute battle, with over a half dozen solid runs and dives, ended at the end of Todd's gaff, once again, and into the bucket the fish went. We were HIGH ROLLIN!
Time passed, a few more great stories with the odd tip and tricks I managed to pry from the pro, and we were into the 4th for the day, of the first few hours. Matt was back on, and this time he would not be bested. Much the same as my fish....pluuuus a few pounds haha..it put up a great fight, ending up cooler bound as well, marking in well above 15 lbs.
The following few hours saw a few hake/pcod, a pair of released 8 lbers, and another fish or two lost. Long before that the day was made and we were smiling ear to ear.
Aside from the awesome fishing Cpt. Todd put us on, his professionalism and friendly, positive attitude was quickly appreciated, and only added ten-fold to our spectacular day. With not many boats on the water, and the weather doing its best to throw us some sun, along with the odd downpour to cool our jets, we felt blessed to be part of such a great day on the water. We greatly thank Todd for his hard work. He, along with the fish of course, made our day and I look forward to the next chance I have to fish with him, weather in Nanaimo for the early season fishery, or on the coast, with him through his Ukee charter operation. I would recommend anyone to a boat that Todd is running, as they are in for a good time!
Great guy, great fishing!
Todd Jennings
http://www.highrollercharters.com / http://highrollercharters.com/reservations-contact-us/
(250) 266-1614 or (250) 585-6715
Heres a few shots of the larger fish we caught.
Dated May 23, 2012, @ Brechin Point Launch, Nanaimo, BC
Cheers!
Nick -FB-
Wed the 23rd finally rolled around, and we were on route to the ferry, walking across to save a few bucks. To our disappointment, scheduling had changed a few days prior, to 10 minutes earlier. 6:20 rather than 6:30. It was a 10 minutes we couldn't spare and we watched the ferry sail off.
A quick, early call to Todd, and 3.5hours later we were boarding his sweet 88 Pursuit I/O. Solid as a gatdamn rock and a layout built for slaughter...We started to get pretty excited, even with our greatly delayed start. Our guide saw the glass half full, and noted the bite only really came on at 11am the previous morning, so we could be in for it he figured. Our lines were wet by 10:30, with a quick run 1-2miles off Neck Point. It was a short run, maybe 10 minutes, and Todd went to work setting tackle and getting things going. It wasn't short of a beer later that the first rod popped off, a savage first bite to start the day! The reel started heating up, and Matt (CZ) locked on. It was a quick fight, with the victor staying state-bound (he lost it lol)...not to worry, a quick start indeed and we were hungry for more.
I was waiting for my chance, with the times I've chased chinook, the bigger fish always seem to go the others on the boat, and I miss out with shakers and skunks. I figured today we would change that so I told the boys if shes screaming. I'm on.....
Another Lucky to the liver and SMASH, Todd, with suprising cat-like quickness, Springs (pun intended!) into action. With a quick eye he caught the bite, and set the hook before I knew what had happened. Like a good breakfast, the reel was BACON! I locked the butt into my hip and let it spin, and spin. What seemed forever, but was likely a dozen or so seconds, the fish hammered hard away from the boat. I charged up and and joined the fight once she gave me the chance. With a couple good hard runs and dives, the fish was boat side, with our guide and his gaff at the ready. CRACK! one in the cooler! It wasn't the monster I hoped, but still my biggest spring to date at around 13-14 lbs. I was stoked and appreciated her efforts!
With meat in the cooler, tensions, what little there were, eased and we set into our troll. A few good stories and another Lucky or two, and the fish were ready for more. The clip popped, the tip dropped and we had another. My buddy Mike, in his first fishing experience, ever, Grabbed a hold of the rod. And shes running, and running....and RUNNING. Oh ****, Todd's checking the spool! It getting close to the backing!! He's got a pig! Likely, and what turned out to be the biggest fish of the day. It was bittersweet for me, but I couldn't be happier with what he was into! He on the other hand, looked as though he didn't know what the hell was happening at the end of that tackle. It was priceless! What turned out to be a thorough 11 minute battle, with over a half dozen solid runs and dives, ended at the end of Todd's gaff, once again, and into the bucket the fish went. We were HIGH ROLLIN!
Time passed, a few more great stories with the odd tip and tricks I managed to pry from the pro, and we were into the 4th for the day, of the first few hours. Matt was back on, and this time he would not be bested. Much the same as my fish....pluuuus a few pounds haha..it put up a great fight, ending up cooler bound as well, marking in well above 15 lbs.
The following few hours saw a few hake/pcod, a pair of released 8 lbers, and another fish or two lost. Long before that the day was made and we were smiling ear to ear.
Aside from the awesome fishing Cpt. Todd put us on, his professionalism and friendly, positive attitude was quickly appreciated, and only added ten-fold to our spectacular day. With not many boats on the water, and the weather doing its best to throw us some sun, along with the odd downpour to cool our jets, we felt blessed to be part of such a great day on the water. We greatly thank Todd for his hard work. He, along with the fish of course, made our day and I look forward to the next chance I have to fish with him, weather in Nanaimo for the early season fishery, or on the coast, with him through his Ukee charter operation. I would recommend anyone to a boat that Todd is running, as they are in for a good time!
Great guy, great fishing!
Todd Jennings
http://www.highrollercharters.com / http://highrollercharters.com/reservations-contact-us/
(250) 266-1614 or (250) 585-6715
Heres a few shots of the larger fish we caught.
Dated May 23, 2012, @ Brechin Point Launch, Nanaimo, BC
Cheers!
Nick -FB-
![052312_1702[01].jpg](/data/attachments/14/14765-305f3e42499b2471726fee5a1f6b769a.jpg)
