January 28, 2014 – Positive Fishing Outlook for 2014
There is nothing like catching these chrome bright, ocean going, hard fighting, acrobatic coho (silvers) on light tackle. And as a bonus they taste delicious!
Positive Fishing Outlook for 2014
Our trip bookings for summer 2014 are yet again stronger than they have been the past few years at this time so we are already getting excited about next season. The economy is definitely getting stronger but one of the big reasons for all the bookings is the amazing fishing we had again last summer. Most guests left with their limit of salmon and halibut. If they spent some additional time bottom fishing they left with their lingcod limits as well. This made for lots of heavy boxes and happy families & friends on their return home!
Further, the Department of Oceans and Fisheries (DFO) are predicting strong returns of salmon for the 2014 season. As a result, DFO says that the catch limits link: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/a-s9-eng.html) will remain the same as in 2014. These limits are 8 salmon to take home (in possession), of which up to 4 can be chinook (king).* Halibut 1/day 2 in possession. Lingcod 3/day, 6 in possession. Rock cod 5/day, 10 in possession.
There are still dates available throughout our 6 week mid-July until the end of August season at the peak of the salmon running through our area. If you have not already done so, plan your 2014 trip now as we are filling up fast!
Contact us today. Call Simon: 604-938-0505, Cathy: 1-800-663 2644 Email: info@riversinlet.com.
 |
 |
 |
||
| Once the float planes hit the docks on changeover day the "madness" begins. |
Barbara catching up with "the girls" who are all coming back next summer. | Our fleet of boats sitting on the float at our winter moorage in Sunshine Bay. |
LODGE NEWS
STAFF – If you have visited us at the Sportsman’s Club, you will agree that one of our biggest assets, and what sets us apart from the rest, is our amazing staff. Most of our staff have been with us for a number of years now and we have recently confirmed that almost all of them are returning to work with us again next summer. This makes for a cohesive group and as a result an even better experience for our guests as the staff are familiar with the customers and fantastic at their jobs.
Every year around this time without placing an Ad we are bombarded with applicants for a summer job with us. Every year we have to say there are no jobs available. It is a nice position to be in to have such loyal staff. So what are they all doing this winter? Everything from working at remote heli-skiing lodges to travelling and school. Your generous gratuities go a long way to helping support them through the winter. As you see pictured, lodge owner Barbara recently met with "the girls" for a lunch in Victoria.
FLIGHTS – For the 2013 fishing season, we switched airlines and began using Seair to fly float planes directly from Vancouver to the lodge. It was without a doubt the biggest change we have made in years and by all accounts it was a resounding success. According to our guests it was a huge upgrade to the experience of getting to the lodge. No more plane changes in Port Hardy where you had to switch from a wheel plane to a float plane. This cut travel down to 2 hrs. from 3 hrs. or sometimes longer.
The biggest issue we were able to avoid was the fog which often plagues Port Hardy. On the rare occasion that there was fog near the lodge, the pilots were able to fly over the fog bank and then go back up Rivers Inlet where they typically always found a hole in the fog and then fly back down to the lodge. The result was virtually no airline delays last summer. The good news is that just this week we have signed on again for another season with Seair. it is much more expensive but by all accounts totally worth it. Just a reminder that the the flights do leave earlier now at 9:45 AM. Here are the flight details.
WEATHER – The weather in North America has been strange this winter. However, there is no need to worry about the salmon in British Columbia. We had lots of rain in the fall so the salmon were able to get safely home to their birth rivers and spawn without issue.
As for what is happening in Rivers Inlet this winter so far, rain rain rain and more rain. The ocean moderates the temperatures so the water does not freeze in Rivers Inlet. In fact we are milder than most parts of Canada and the US that are not right on the ocean. However, it does snow occasionally when the temperatures are low enough (which is rare) and when it does snow it dumps! You see our fleet of boats that we store up on a float for the winter pictured with a healthy blanket of fluff on them!
Farmer’s Alamnac Weather forcast for 2014.
"We had the trip of a lifetime at the Sportsman’s Club. My two sons (25 &23) and I have memories, pictures and stories to fill an album.Being from Alabama, we are a world away from your scenery, cold water, whales, salmon and the funny way Y’all talk, (Ay).
The service and accommodations from the moment you step off the float plane were incredible. I guess the season is only seven weeks because the crew, even in their youth, would not last much longer. They worked so hard and long to insure we had a great time. It was our first time to catch salmon. We caught all but one of our limit, saving the last fish for the last morning, perhaps to catch the biggest fish of the trip. As fishing goes, we hooked three fish at the same time then argued as we fought the fish as to who’s was bigger and who’s had to go back. I would recommend Barbara and Simon’s trip to anyone wanting to enjoy BC ‘s beauty, superb fishing, great food, and an effortless get away. We can’t wait to get back there!"
BIRD COUNT
For the first time ever our winter care-takers at the Sportsman’s Club took part in the continent wide Audubon Christmas Bird Count. 27 species were observed and 409 individual birds including one of my favourites, the Common Murre. These are amazing birds that we see fishing along side us and on occasion they get hooked up on our herring. They have been documented diving as deep as 500 ft. for up to 2 minutes in search of food.
The species observed were: Barrows Goldeneye, Common & Hooded Merganzer, Double Crested & Brant Cormorant, Red Necked Grebe, Western Grebe, Pigeon Guillemot, Bald Eagle, Black Turnstone, Buffleheads, Marbled Murrelets, Black Oystercatchers, Mallard, Raven, Gulls, Blue Heron, Kingfisher, Long Tailed Duck (Old Squaw), Pacific Loon, Surf Scoter, Stellar Jay, Crow, Harlequin Duck, Winter Wren and Common Grebe.
http://www.hww.ca/en/species/birds/shorebirds.html
RECIPE – THAI RED CURRY SALMON
Most of our guest last year brought home their limit of 8 salmon which no doubt made for lots of yummy salmon dinners. Do you still have some salmon left in the freezer and are maybe a bit bored of your regular recipes and preparations? Here is a Thai Red Curry recipe that is guaranteed to "spice" things up a bit .
FLY FISHING FOR SALMON
It seems more and more the past few years we are getting requests to fly fish for salmon.
There is definitely an opportunity to catch salmon in Rivers Inlet on a fly when the top water bite is on. The salmon tend to feed from the surface down to about 10 feet so sinking line is best. As for the flies … casting anything with purple or green in it works best but when the bite is on it doesn’t really matter.
You can also "buck-tail" where you use a larger fly on the surface and do a fast troll with the fly skipping in the wash of the boat. The other set up we use is with a 6-8 ft leader and a herring either with no weight or a 1-2 oz lead. When you can’t entice them casting a fly this is actually the most productive way to catch salmon while still using a fly rod. Obviously this is not fly fishing per say, but you do get the excitement of catching a salmon on light tackle.
You can also attach your fly rod to our down-riggers when the surface bite is off and you want to get down deeper to catch the bite.
http://www.sportfishingbc.com/articles/tackle_techniques/saltwater_fly_fishing2.htm
