The Clubhouse Fishing Reports

CH Report: The Fishing Has Turned On! – August 5, 2021

August 5, 2021 | 1944 Views

A rainbow has arrived over the deck here at The CLUBHOUSE! The showers have finally subsided here at Langara, a blustery spring like pattern of strong south winds and rain changing to steady rain throughout the day. We might be in the best place in the world right now to escape the blistering British Columbia Temps, no forest fires here…ever!

Fishing has turned on this trip for chinook and coho, with the ever present halibut always available weather permitting. We had a half dozen tyee this trip that I know of off hand, and some I’ve missed no doubt.

Guide Brent and guest Marshall Peters with a 38 lb tyee release!

The fishing has turned on out West, with the West Bank, Lacy, and the Lighthouse all producing. The largest fish seem to be on the West Bank, Cape Knox for sure, but there are tyee at Lacy as well.

Most of the fish are hitting shallow cut plug herring, although D.J. in his North West Aluminum, is hitting with the spoons. This trip he has long-time fan and North Island guest, Geoff Wilcox along. Below is a pic of them fishing alongside me this am at Lacy in a torrential downpour playing chinook after chinook. We found a school at 11 am on the flood, just before the tide peaked.

Past North Island Lodge guest, Geoff Wilcox and D.J. on the Chinook.

This trip we were happy to have returning group Peterbilt, from Ontario. This group has been coming up here for 25 years or more, lead by John Fader and his gang of anglers. I was fishing with Steve Parkinson, and Tyler Szigatti, and this am we hit them good at Lacy. Below is a picture of our best fish, which we released, a 32 lb chinook. Pouring rain, wind, swells, perfect conditions for me and Steve, lol. We hit many chinook, and coho, our best session of the trip.

The perfect tyee release! 32 lbs for guest, Steve Parkinson.

Steve’s tyee sent on her way.

Top fish, top angler goes to Dave Golton, who calmly reeled in a 40 fish, and promptly released it with guide Brent providing the pictures and coaching.

Guide Brent and guest, Dave Golton with the top fish as of late – a beautiful 40lb tyee release.

Another tyee for guide Brent. Here is his guest, Brian Moffat with a very impressive 37 lb tyee release.

Dave had Geoff Cowell in the boat with him, and Geoff grabbed a 37 lb tyee which he promptly released as well! Thanks guys, awesome to have those genetics heading back to the rivers.

John Fader always has a nice fish on these trips, his best effort was a 35 lb chinook guided by Korey. This was on the West Bank as well.

Bud Stafford had a tyee in the boat as well, fishing with Bob Biddle, this tyee went 33 lbs, out on the West Bank.

Wow, the week was great, for the group. We all went and did the Halibut thing of course, and top halibut was reeled in by Steve Parkinson, on the salmon rod, fishing 50 fathoms deep with 8 ounces of lead, oh….of course on my boat lol. We had a 45 lber and a 49 to take the top of the podium lol. Below is a picture of the boys, happy the halibut are over and done with for the trip.

Steve Parkinson and Tyler Szigatti with the award-winning halibut.

Of note and just in, there was a nice fish in Jackson Jane’s boat, a 39 lber taken by angler Real Huet, out of Montreal. Here is the picture below, a fat tyee, promptly released. Nice job guys.

Guest Real Huet and guide Jackson with a beautiful 39 lb tyee!

Real’s fishing partner, Jean-Claude pictured with his first-ever salmon! Congratulations to Jean-Claude.

Of course we are all targeting the chinook right now, the coho are here though, quite easily found, in the 9 lb range out in 30 to 50 Fathoms of water. Same gear, although some guides throw out spoons and plugs. A big coho right now is 12 lbs.

Long-time guest, Darby Kreitz with a 36 lb tyee guided by Danny.

Happy guest, Jordan representing the Edmonton firemen, last trip out in the Bowel.

More than the production and what we are catching, it is awesome to see the many new and older faces returning this year. Some of these trips clients have been out with me personally more than 25 years….John and Bob! It reminds me that yes, we are here to fish but spending time like this together at Langara is a very special deal, a lot of laughs and stories, and memories we all pack away forever.

Below is a very tired Lucy. She fished a full ten hours a day for the last seven days, in extreme weather conditions, including 3 meter seas, and torrential rains. She deserved a nap and a extra portion of pig belly lol. Thank you all for spending time with her here at the Clubhouse.