Beat me fishing guide 7 is alot! We only got 3 locally 31,32,40. We did get alot of high 20s.Only able to fish just over a month late july-late august though so we missed that good early fishery. Great year out there. We should throw up a picture thread.

I read the post from Aquaholic with envy! Great day for sure.
I took the boy over to Gabriola, and other than one big one that broke his leader off when he tried to horse the fish all we got were a few shakers and two smaller jacks that were returned to grow. We worked Thrasher to Cannery. Beautiful day on the water though.

Good to hear there are still some fish out there. I need to break free and get out there.

I have been using an anchour lift for years and love them. I fish in a high tide area with four traps on 1000 ft. of line (600 of it 5/16 sinking) and a fair size anchour. It all comes up smooth if I do it right - gentle and patient, One trick to using them is to spiral the traps of the bottom if you don't haul them clear by hand.

I pull them up by hand till I get good resistance, then go round my main bouy (medium size scotchman) in tight, but widening circles to spiral them up. this way you are not dragging the traps. Hard on them especially on rough bottom. Also keeps the footprint of the operation smaller in traffic.

I used a sea anchour for a while to increase the drag but they seem to come up fine witht just the bouy.

Any other tricks to using them out there?

Cheers Kelly,

Yes...7 tyee locally is the most I have ever done. Before that 4 was my record. Getting three in one day didn't hurt! Have a couple guests who 'farmed' some at the boat or that number might be embarassing larger. Our best was in May/June and that is just weird! Biggest was only 44 lbs and is the second year in a row we never broke 50 lbs.

However...I am most pleased to have landed 2 - on seperate occasions - in Nanaimo with DFO on board! One would be fine but two? Might have to invite them on for a few charters! That definately is included in the top 3 hightlights of my season.

The top highlight of my season was a charter out of Ucluelet. Guest brought his daughter and his wife - for a day's charter. His wife has breast and hip cancer which has progressed into her bones. Her previous best was 12 lbs. Her first fish was a 14 lbs coho. Her next was a 18 lbs spring. She was almost done in but, with some physical support and encouragment was persuaded to try again. Her next fish was a heart stopping epic battle with a 31 lbs spring! This required her resting frequently and she was as exhausted as the fish towards the end. I have caught bigger but non as satisfying! At that point my season was complete!

Aquaholic,
Really appreciate the info . Thanks
I drop my traps just off Pipers on abfew occasions. Scored big but a few times but lately not so good . Will try again taking your adise.

Yeah well...don't hold my spot to be some magic ground or anything. Dropped the traps yesterday in the same spot for the same amount of time and got a total of 13 large size as opposed to the day before at 90 large size......guess that's why it ain't called "prawn catching" but prawn fishing

You got that right.
Just being on the water turns my crank.

Cheers All,

The commercial crabbers have been on the water only a few days and their numbers are now about 2500 dungness! I went out for the first time since they started and it was the first time this year I did not limit out! They sure clean out an area in a hurry.

wow my dad, Uncle and I have been fishing ECVI for well over 25 years not saying we have never caught a tyee
but never 7 in one year or 3 in one day

I never seen some of the top anglers on this side bring in a fish over 30 in the last 10 years
I only have personally seen 1 tyee caught this year confirmed!
FG who was on your boat from DFO?

Cheers BC,

I have also been fishing ECVI for well over 25 years and absolutely agree ! This was a wild year and, as I said, more than double my best previous year. Remember that day on "KF" that a certain person gave me grief for catching 20 big fish? I took a lot of criticism during the next 2 week for continuing to fish on a day that turned out to be one of my best 3 in over 25 years of fishing ECVI. That day rocked and did a LOT towards that final total. It also helps that I will probably hit 90 days on the water (hopefully)! I have caught 3 tyee in one day before but that was guiding at Hakai. Thinking most of us can agree this was a very strange year. Big fish came in early and left early too!

As for the last 10 years ... they were not this spectacular. I have had quite a few years when I also never caught one over 30 on the ECVI. However I have had several. Never really kept track as it was usually hit n' miss but this year was outstanding! Makes one curious when the 'outlook' is that next year should be the same.

Our certain friend from DFO was 'BT' and I posted his picture a while back with one of the big fish. Lousy picture but check out the grimace on his face as he lifts the fish. He was complaining that the picture took too long as he had problems keeping it up. And he was there for another one too!

I am sure hoping next year is the same as this year but...that they remain until the end of September rather than disappearing at the end of July!

Speaking of fish...any sign of the elusive coho? I am still not hitting any big ones and they have to be getting close to showing. Any later and the chum will beat them here! Anything in the river?