Hey all, was lucky enough to get into a fishing trip with a couple good friends that took us from Rivers all the way to Vancouver. My friend had chartered his boat the Pai Lolo a 33 blacking to a group who had it up the central coast. Our plan was to switch off in Port Hardy and take the boat back home and fish Hardy and others spots along the way. Upon arrival in Hardy we were met with 35 knot winds and 4 meter swells. We met up with Wade from Bear Cove cottages and wicked salmon charters at the dock who had just got in from a charter and he confirmed the gnarly conditions. He had some nice springs regardless though. We quickly got a call via satellite phone from the crew with the boat informing us they were weatherd out and stuck in rivers. The forecast was horrible for the next few days also.
We quickly formulated a plan to float plane in to Rivers Inlet and get into some protected waters to get fishing. We spent the night at Bear Cove Cottages, where we had a fantastic bbq prepared by Wade and his wife and a few beverages of course. The cabin we had was very comfortable with a great view of Port Hardy harbor.
The next morning we flew out of Cole Harbor and into Duncanby where the boat awaited. The flight was amazing with blue bird weather and no fog the whole way. We got to fishing right away after a quick hand off. We went fishing just out from the lodge and started to hook up with in a half hour. First fish hit a chovy with no flasher. It was a nice 15 lbs spring that faught like crazy, thinking back now it was the most playful fish of the entire trip. Trolling along the wall just out from duncanby was great, pure rugged coast line to stare at, calm water sunny skies and not busy for boats at all. The fishing was active with springs in the 15 to 20 range with coho mixed in also. We were feeling pretty good having some salmon on board and decided to run out off Calvert Island to try for some bottom fish. We drifted bottom for a most of the afternoon, weather was great and picked up a yellow eye and small chicken Hali. Not super active bottom fishing but a great afternoon, before switching back up to salmon in close to Calvert. Action was hood here for coho and springs into the lower 20 pound range. I caught a sweet mid teens coho which in turn caught me, manged to put the hook right through my finger. Hook slid right between my nail and skin poking out through the side of my finger. You can imagine the scene of this one hook still in the mid teen coho going nuts on the deck while my finger is attached to the 2nd hook on the hootchy. Some good entertainment any how. It was worth it. A little first aid and laughter and we were back at it getting pretty good action. Landed on good low 20 spring before running back into the Inlet. Thought we would try the wall in tight again for a big monster spring, no monster buy another mice high teens spring before calling it.
Back at the dock we saw a nice 30 and 33 at the cleaning station. We has a lot of fish to clean up which went pretty late. A few of the guides, who mostly all younger 20 sonething amped up guys came in with stories of some big hogs rolling in. One of them was wearing a snapped flasher around his neck from a big fish he said. They had a couple higher 20's fish. The sun stays out forever up there, before we knew it it was 1030 pm. We hit the restaurant and they still served us. The food was good and capped off a great day fishing Rivers Inlet. The fishing was good, consistent and easy to figure out with nice senery in protected waters.
The next morning we wake up early and plan to run to Port Hardy. The forecast was calling for some big winds along the way and we were hoping to fish some spots. When we got out into the open water it was calm, we were pleasantly surprised so down went the Hali gear. We hit a few spots with no luck on the Hali, but kept getting attacked by these big orange cods about 15 pounds. We tried to troll in close to Cape caution as we heard a 51 pound spring was caught there 2 days earlier. No luck there for us but it was loaded with ling cod which kept hitting the salmon gear. We limit on them before running to Point Sutil I think it was called an hour north west of Hardy.
We get close to the point and set up off shore a little and start to troll around. It's not long before my rod hammers off, I grab it and it's heavy and going for a long run, it stops and just stays down dead weight style. It's a big Hali after a good fight I get it boat side and we get ready for some rowdy behavior as Mac grabs the gaff. Jeremy is sleeping and I am super stoked. Mac swings sticks the beast all one motion into the boat onto the deck, not a peep or or out of control action from the Hali as it slid right into the hold. It was a good 45 pounds. After resetting we slide in tight to the point where most of the Hardy guide boats are working. We start to get busy. I lose 4 good springs in row wtf. I let up on the drag and start to get them lots of doubles and goid action right off this point like clock work. We land a couple low twenties on a double. Mine comes in feeling like a small fish and I almost sacrifice it to land to other of the double. We get the one fish in then mine goes nuts, thought I was getting sealed on a small fish but Mac spotted the tail from the command bridge. Got it in and it was a good 20. We fished here until the the guides all left and the bite turned off. It was non stop when it was on. Really fun.
It was time to go. Along run in to Hardy to fuel and ice up before running down to coast. We were going to spend the night in Hardy but ran to Telegraph Cove for the night instead. The run was rough but doable in the blackfin. Telegraph was a welcome sight, really nice in there, very peaceful, picturesque. Lots of sweet fishing rigs to look at. We hit the pub of course and the food was excellent, so good. The next morning we wake and make the push further down the coast. Johnstone was a little savage with 5 to 7 foot standing waves. Discovery got a little rough before landing Campbell River for a rest. It was super hot on land so we hit the green can and trolled for an hour with no bites before making the run to grants reef. We picked up a beauty 24 pound red on our favorite chautruse hootchy which killed the whole coast. We were stoked on grants and it seemed fishy but started to blow, so we ran for Pender Harbor.
The Pai Lolo settled nicely into Pender Harbor resort and marina, only a few lifted eye browsers from the stuck up sail boat crowd lol.we met up with some friends and had a good entertaining night.
