Ebb & Flow Week 13 ~ August 25, 2016

By Deepwater DonTUNA!!!!I was hoping to yell that out some time this month. Even though conditions prevented us from setting out on an offshore Albacore adventure last week at The Outpost, I was sure glad to find out that the last guests of the season at that lovely little lodge got out there and found a school of the gnarly beasts. Tuna fishing, for the record, is a once-in-a-blue moon kind of thing in late summer at The Outpost only. But it sure is fun to yell it out when we can, so here goes one more time - TUNA!!!!That group, which coincidentally included West Coast Fishing Club co-founders Rick Grange and Brian Legge, headed out yesterday on calm, but foggy waters to a point two hours offshore where they trolled hoochies on the surface with Halibut rods at about 8 knots. Between four boats they landed 30 Albacore between 15 and 28 pounds. Now that’s the way to end another glorious summer at Port Louis! Kudos to head guide Sean Hart and his all-star team for using technology and good old saltwater savvy to treat their guests to an experience far beyond the norm. And while we are at it, congratulations and a sincere thank you to Jordan Knight and The Outpost staff for their cheerful and heroic efforts all season long.

* Chef Stephanie Noel posing with a Tuna after a successful offshore adventure. Friends, the fishing is still fabulous up north, and I’m not talking about Tuna here. Guests at all three lodges had the time of their lives this week catching lots of fish, including Tyee-sized Chinooks and Coho that keep getting bigger…and bigger...and…well, you get the picture. Last week I did business with a 17-pound Coho at The Outpost that for the first 30 seconds or so (you lose track of time during such high-adrenalin moments) felt like the biggest fish I had ever encountered, throwing a huge volume of water with each thrash of its tail. Never before have I experienced a fish that punched so far above its weight - amazing.

* Deep Water Don posing with his 17lb Coho on a sunny day at The OP. A total of 11 Tyees were caught last week at The Clubhouse alone, including a 43 for Lindsay Garske, who along with her sisters Lauren and Mckenna have taken rather kindly to accompanying their father Greg on his annual fishing trips. Mckenna made a little personal history of her own by catching and releasing a 250-pound grand piano (Halibut) out west of Langara Island. Too many 12-plus pound Coho to mention once again this week, but Jessie Phillips and Kim Scoville moved into a tie for first place on the season in the Coho category at The Clubhouse, each boating 16.5-pound specimens.

* A nice Tyee release! Other notable catches include Richard Linn with a caught and released fish of 42.5 pounds; Kimberly Knight with a 37.5 also released; Don Burton (35); David Eccott (34.5) David Leof (32); Jean Levenick (31) and even 30’s for Mark Levenick, Albert Yan, Dino Drigo and Eitan Silberman. It was, I am guessing, a particularly memorable trip for Mark Levenick, who in addition to catching a Tyee obtained a deeper appreciation for monster Halibut fishing, having also said hello and goodbye to a 240-pound version.

* Sunny skies and great fishing. Just two special events left for the year, both at The Clubhouse. The 11^th annual Fishing for Kids Tournament gets under way with the traditional kick-off reception at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia this Saturday night, featuring music by former Glass Tiger front man Alan Frew and company. Assuming the lights-out fishing continues next week, the competition for the $200,000 first prize should be more furious than ever, but the real (reel?) winners will be the Canucks Autism Network and BC families living with autism, to whom the tournament proceeds will go. Be sure to follow us on our social media channels to stay up to date

* Flashback to 2015 Fishing For Kids group photo. Speaking of music, there are just 17 more sleeps until the Langara Rocks End Of Season Party, the final special event of the year. It goes September 11-14 at The Clubhouse. Me thinks there may still be a couple of spots available for anyone who wants to experience red hot rock and roll amidst the magic of late summer in the marine wilderness. The house band for The Clubhouse, The Dock Rockers, will once again be kicking it out for the final guests of the season. The Dock Rockers, who coincidentally have played a few dates backing up Alan Frew, are currently on tour with Canadian music legend Randy Bachman. Guitarist and avid cyclist Mick Dalla-Vee, who recently raised $11,500 in the annual Ride to Conquer Cancer, tells me he “can’t wait to get back to Langara Island.” I also spoke briefly on the phone this week to drummer and singer extraordinaire Marc LaFrance who said that he and the boys were just waiting to cross the border into New York state to play a show with ZZ Top. Now why can’t I get a job like that?

* The Dock Rockers bringing the house down. That’s it for this week friends. Until seven more days pass, you know the rules: Stay safe and well, and keep a tight line!