Water, Water Everywhere!

The heavy rains in British Columbia this past winter will be good for the returning salmon runs in our area. The snowpack in BC is at 150% above normal. This abundance of water in the rivers will create good early season spawning conditions. The first returning Chinook/King salmon of the season are know as “Springs” because of the seasonal timing of their arrival. Trophy Chinook salmon start to show up in Rivers Inlet in late May/early June so they will be well entrenched for our guests when we open in July. We are anticipating another record season of fishing at the Rivers Inlet Sportsman’s Club so if you have not already done so, book your trip today for our last remaining spots. When planning your trip be sure to book your flights to Vancouver (YVR) right away as well as your hotel. Vancouver is becoming more & more popular as a summer travel destination. Just a reminder that our direct 90 minute Seair seaplane flights start to leave at 9:45 AM on your departure day so coming in to Vancouver the night before & staying in a hotel is a must. On your return day our flights arrive back into Vancouver by around 3:00 PM so do not book a flight out of Vancouver before 5:30 PM. This allows time to change from the Seair seaplane terminal to the main YVR terminal & get checked in & clear customs (if going back to the US). However, we encourage our guests not to fly out of Vancouver on their return day after the fishing trip dates to allow for a more relaxed pace of travel. You may even want to stay a few days extra to explore the vibrancy of Vancouver, the “Victorian charm” of Victoria & the wonders of internationally know ski/golf/bike resort Whistler. There is still time to book your summer fishing vacation so contact us today to ensure you have the best choice of our limited available trip dates!
Call 1-800-663-2644 Email: info@riversinlet.com

Barbara’s Report

As many of you know, especially those of you have been coming to the lodge since it was first built by our family & crew in 1984, the Rivers Inlet Sportsman’s Club has been a big part of my life & that of Simon’s & Cathy’s, & continues to be as we approach our 35th fishing season.
Now we have Simon’s wonderful wife Stephanie on the team who has been on board for two years. If you look back at some of our newsletter testimonials on our website, you will see that we have many happy guests who have been coming to fish with us year after year. Our past guests, who haven’t been able to actually visit us each year at the lodge, have kept in touch & come back to fish whenever they have time &/or resources. So many great friendships, adventures, fish stories, & memories have been made that will last a lifetime!
One such guest is Dave H. who contacted us just the other day. For 20 years in a row Dave came as part of a corporate group that booked the entire lodge of 36 & brought clients to entertain. After his retirement, Dave couldn’t stay away & came back on his own with smaller groups many of whom were retired employees & ex-clients. For some of our guests, the most memorable part of their trip is not so much the actual fishing itself but the entire “experience”. Dave always managed to find some “alone time” at the picnic table outside the guest lounge where I can still see him sitting & relaxing in contemplation. Below are two excerpts from past & present emails we received from Dave:

Dave H. in 2012:
“…Quiet time at the picnic table – especially after my colleagues had gone racing off to chase trophies – is an indelible memory for me…So good for the soul, & particularly so last summer after I lost my wife & best friend to cancer. In fact, as I sat there listening to the eagles & ravens & lapping water, I was often reminded of my favourite quote about fishing.
Thoreau said, "Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." I was fortunate enough to learn that truth early on, at your picnic table…"

Dave H. in April 2018
“… As somewhat-elderly, but still computer-savvy gentlemen are inclined to do, I found myself wandering the web today for no particular reason. But suddenly, & without warning, I found myself thrust into the Sportsman’s Club website … where I spent nearly an hour trapped by photos and memories of days gone by.

As a result, I felt compelled to drop you & Simon a note to say "hello”… I’m reminded that one day in the not-distant future, an overpaid & disinterested doctor will probably tell me that my days are numbered. When that time arrives, I want you to know that every dollar I have left will be spent on you … or rather, on what the Sportsman’s Club represents to me: Incomparable memories & the quiet pleasure of being surrounded by the green & watery world, as it was surely meant to be…"

Possession Limits 2018

Our fish possession limits are among some of the most liberal anywhere on the Pacific Coast. The good news is that the limits for this season remain almost the same as in previous years with a couple of recently announced minor changes.

You can still catch & keep 4 salmon/day & the possession/take home limit is 8. Of those 8 up to 4 can be Chinook/King salmon. We feel very lucky to have maintained our ability to retain 4 Chinook to take home as recently announced limits in Alaska have reduced their limit to 1 Chinook/season!

Lingcod limits remains the same at 2/day & the possession/take home limit is 4. The halibut limits remain virtually the same. The maximum length for Halibut is 45 in/115 cm. The daily limit for Halibut is 1 & the possession/take home limit for Halibut is 2 & only 1 of which may be over 32 in/83 cm. Having said all that we also purchase quota of halibut under the Recreational Experimental Halibut Fishery Program. In a nutshell, this allows are guests to catch & keep a halibut over 45 in/115 cm & we will pay for the fish through this program. However, we still enforce for our guests the traditional regulations of a daily limit for Halibut of 1 & the possession/take home limit for Halibut of 2. As for rockfish, due to conservation concerns there is now zero rockfish retention/possession at the Rivers Inlet Sportsman’s Club.
For all the information about possession limits you can visit our website.

Spicy Korean Chili Pepper Salmon

This Spicy Korean Grilled Salmon is a quick and easy way to prepare fish, packed with spice and umami. Perfect for a lazy summer night.

If you’re worried about the fish sticking to your grill, place the fish on a lightly greased piece of foil and put this directly on the grill. You don’t even have to turn the fish over if you cover the grill during cooking time.
There’s no cleanup afterwards either.

Ingredients
-1 pound salmon fillet

Spicy Korean Red Pepper Marinade
-1 tablespoon soy sauce
-2 tablespoons sugar
-1 tablespoon gluten-free Korean hot pepper paste gochujang
-2 teaspoons sesame oil
-1 tablespoon minced onion
-2 teaspoons minced garlic
-1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions
Mix marinade ingredients together. Spread on all sides of salmon fillet. Let marinade for 20 minutes.
Grill until just cooked through.

Recipe Notes
If you are gluten-free, be sure to read the label on the gochujang container. Some brands contain wheat.