The Fish Report August 2008

August offers solid fishing on the West Coast!

August fishing didn't disappoint. From solid catch rates of Chinook, Coho, Lingcod and Halibut to diverse weather and conditions, and great times out on the water, August was a busy time at Long Beach Charters! LBC Guides Mike, Bob & Trent, and their guests, fished a lot of different areas this month depending on where the fish were and where the best spots were to benefit from the weather conditions – from near the rocks at Little Beach to the calm waters of the Deer Group Islands to the classic Halibut grounds at the Big Bank.

Dennis Ebner has great stories to tell after landing an 18lb hatchery Coho on his flyrod (pictured above). “I brought my fly rod on the trip and Bob didn't mind that I wanted to give it a try, and it paid off,” explained Dennis, whose 18lb Coho held the LBC 2008 season Coho record for much of the month. Missy Rorrer, on her first fishing trip, snagged a 20lb wild Coho in late August and is the current season Coho record holder. Longtime LBC guest Randy Cowan had some of the most diverse fishing conditions of the season. The first afternoon charter of his vacation, Randy fished the waters near Little Beach with Mike. With loads of bait churned up by an August storm, reams of sea birds followed the boat throughout the afternoon diving to catch the teaming herring below the surface. Not once, but twice, thinking he'd nailed a feisty Chinook or Coho, Randy reeled in (and kindly released) a rather surprised Muir seabird.

“It was like being on a tilt-a-whirl,” explains Mike of Randy's morning charter the next day. With a fish on, Mike recalls looking over his shoulder from the boat cabin to see Randy, determinedly reeling in the catch while scrambling to find footing as his cooler/seat slid up and around and back down the back of the boat to the rhythm of the churning waves. Despite two line breaks that day, Randy headed back to Alberta with a load of Chinook and Coho for family and friends.

Bear watching ... up close!

On his way to prepare for an early morning fish, LBC guide Bob “The Sage” had to look twice as he stood at the top of the gangplank leading down to the LBC dock. Peering from inside the cabin of Mike's boat, a young black bear sat contently munching lunch leftovers. A few surprised words from Bob had the bear climb off the boat, amble back up the gangplank and down the dock ... in search of a more quiet location to enjoy breakfast. While our encounters with bears aren't often so “up close”, our guests often see bears hunting crab on the shore of the harbour during low tide in the summer months. If you're interested in doing some bear watching during your fishing charter, let us know!

Some recent guest photos...

And the season isn't over yet!

You can fish with LBC anytime throughout the year! While July and August are usually considered the peak fishing seasons, September and October continue to offer great opportunities for feeder Chinook, big Coho near the rocks, Halibut, Lingcod and crab. On September 1, 2008, Coho retention limits in Barkley Sounds increased from two wild Coho to four and offshore from two to four hatchery Coho! Chinook limits remain at two per day and Halibut limits remain at two per day.

As many of you know, September often features some of the year's best weather and sea conditions on the West Coast. As we speak, our guides have been noticing that the shoreline fishery through early September is as good if not better than August fishing with Chinook ranging from 17 to 32lbs. Of note, as of September 16, many accommodation and adventure companies on the West coast switch to their discounted off-season rates.

While September is starting to book up, there's still some morning and afternoon charter availability.

We'd love to see next year!

We're starting to take reservations for the 2009 fishing season. Until December 31, 2008, you can hold dates in the LBC 2009 schedule at no cost. Mike will contact you in the new year to reconfirm you fishing plans and to process trip deposits. Drop us an email at longbeachcharters@telus.net or give us a call at 1-877-726-2878 and let us know when you would like to fish.

For more details on charter rates, accommodation and travel suggestions, and to check out great fish photos from the season so far, visit www.longbeachcharters.com.

Tight Lines,
Robin Irving, Office Assistant
Long Beach Charters ~ PO Box 191, Ucluelet BC V0R 3A0 ~ 1-877-726-2878 www.longbeachcharters.com ~ longbeachcharters@telus.net

Note from Mike: Many of you have met Robin over the past summer in our office. She has been a great asset to our team! She will be leaving to volunteer in Pakistan for eight months, and is planning to return to the LBC office for the 2009 season. Best wishes!