As many of you will recall, as many of you helped so much with the effort (MANY MANY THANKS!), Port Alberni was named as the WFN's "Ultimate Fishing Town" last year! It was cause for Great Celebration around this Town, and we've all been right looking forward to their return to capture the Spirit this little town can offer! That all came together last week, as Mariko Izumi and her sidekick producer "BJ" rolled in for a week of fine hospitality here.

I was lucky enough to be chosen as their guide for the salt-water fishing component of their excursion, so madly raced home from Fishaholic's most excellent wedding, then up to Ukee to launch the new and Beautiful Rig I'll be running for charter work this year...

The run over from Ukee was Fun! Dragged along Brad J and dropped the gear in several spots to ensure we would see fish the next morning. A single sweep of 1/2 hour at Austin produced 5 fine springs, and amazingly enough, I wandered off of that after the first tack!! Couple more sweeps at different spots along our way informed us that the fish were indeed around, and around in rather good numbers!!

Here's a quick shot of the new Grady White "Sailfish" upon arrival in Port Alberni:



This one is a Real Sweetie! 28 feet long, with twin 225 four-strokes, and all of the latest and greatest as far as electronics and gear go!! She is so stable out there it is just like fishing from your living room sofa, and certainly cuts the water in style!! Very much a "Cadillac Ride!!"

Proving they are indeed FisherFolk at heart, there were no grumbles from the Crew about meeting me at Clutesie Marina at the chosen time of 5:00 am! Excellent! The Crew Of The Day consisted of Mariko, BJ, Brad and Shauna Jasken. A quick run-down of the safety gear and amenities on-board, and we raced off for the grounds.



Along the way we passed a couple hundred boats fishing the Famous Alberni Sockeye Run, and a great many of them were engaged in fish proving this year's run is once again in most excellent numbers!!

It was a tad chilly as the weather was cool and drizzly on the ride out, so The Ladies snuggled right in to one of the huge high-end comforters we have aboard for just such occasions:



Upon arrival at our chosen spot, we dropped the gear and began our search. The sounder noted that the bait was very much still there, and so were the springs collected just below those baits balls! After a pass or two though it was obvious that the "Feed Bag" wasn't quite on as of yet, so we took advantage of that to collect a handful of pictures of a nearby Humpback Whale that was feeding in the same area. Shortly thereafter, the first rod of the day went off, and Mariko handled that fish like a PRO! Certainly can tell that Gal has been around a fish or two!!

Just after that a good Buddy radioed me ([size="1"]Thanks Rabbi![/size]) to inform us he was tagging a few just around the corner, so we trolled over to that area and began to work between there and where we had seen the fish the day before. Over the course of the next couple of hours, the fish increased their appetite, and the rods began to go off on a regular basis! We released most of the springs, a few coho, a few lings, and even a dreaded dogfish (which of course was duly captured on camera!). Most of the fish were handled by either Mariko or her sidekick Shauna, and these two Ladies put on a show that would rival the most experienced out there! Certainly was a LOT of FUN getting them into them, and watching the antics as they played those fish!!

Here's The Gals with the first we decided to keep for an impending barbeque, methinks the Smiles say it ALL!



And it wasn't long before a couple others decided to join them!!



More to come...

All too soon our time was getting tight, so we pulled the gear and began the run back towards Port. Good seeing the many Rigs I recognized both on-site and along the way! Was FUN for all methinks!

Arriving at Pill Point, my internal Radar went off, and I suggested we drop the gear for one more sweep. Wasn't at all long before Mariko's rod lit up, and lit up HARD! All of this fish that morning were almost overly feisty, many ripping major line off the Islanders before finally succumbing to the anglers' experienced hands! This one though was BLISTERING line off the MR3 at a rate that had me a little concerned! I even jumped down to have a look, and when I realized there was but 40 yards of mono in front of the backing, decided we had better TURN and give chase! That spring put on the Dance Of The Day, with many many energetic runs, and a serious Battle right up to the end! Sweet! Mariko once again showed her skills well, and stayed with the action like one possessed! Methinks even with all that energy, that fish didn't have a chance! Eventually the net swept under this nickle-bright buck, and we loudly welcomed him aboard with High-Fives all round!!

Here's Mariko with the hardest fighting fish of the day!



What a Smile, and what a way to wind up a near Perfect Day!!

Along the way back into town the weather did it's usual sudden shift as we approached town, and became sunny and almost hot! That made us smile all the harder as can be seen in this picture at the dock:



Kinda unfortunate the fish were hanging so far behind us, as that picture really doesn't do them justice! These were all fine Springs of good size, and certainly of Great Fighting Spirit!

Another showing the Gals with the catch we retained, and the new sign that Shauna (a rather fine Artist) created for the Tyee Club:



So while the Crew went off to take in a few more sights around the Valley, I put the Big Rig to bed and readied her for the next day's performance on sockeye...

More...

Although many insist that the local sockeye fishery is a First-Light only show, when the tide comes along a tad later than that, I often find working the tide to be even better. So we all gathered at the dock nearly and hour later than the previous day, and set off to chase down a few of the most delicious salmon we have. This time Carolyn J came along to ensure we did everything right, and she was a welcome addition to the Crew.

I barely passed China Creek when the sounder started marking "False Bottom" between 12 and 18 feet. They're Here I cried, and we dumped the gear in quickly. Didn't make 50 yards before the madness started, and the Gals were once again quick to the rods and action! Over and over on the course of that morning, singles, doubles, and triples were the rule of the action! The Gals were generous and everyone onboard got in on the action, repeated over and over and over again! VERY Sweet showing and the smiles were Huge!

I was a tad too busy to collect many pictures myself, but the cameras were rolling and I suspect I will be able to add some in of this action before too long.

In a matter of a little better than 2.5 hours, 20 sockeye were landed, and 9 long-line released! Can you say FUN!!! Awesome actually!!

A picture of the Crew just before it all went NUTS once again:



Roomy Boat? You Betcha! Big Smiles!! Why OF COURSE!! :sly:

Again all too soon we had to wander to get the Crew in for a few festivities, which later included a rather fine barbeque at one of our local Buddy's houses out on the Lake. Yet another HIT!!



And of course our shenanigans hit the local papers, front page in fact!



As I said goodbye to the Fine Folks from WFN, I did suggest they return a little later in the season, and collect a Tyee or two for their efforts. Sounds now like that may be a distinct possibility, one to which I am RIGHT Looking Forward!!

On the way back to Ukee I dropped the gear once again for but a single pass through the area we had fished the day before, my Father-In-Law and a Sidekick in tow. Nine in one pass! Suggests to me they are indeed VERY MUCH HERE!!

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Great post(s) Matt. Looks like you all had a great time. I'm guessing once it airs, Port will get a larger dose of fishing tourists than normal. Congrats on showing them a proper time.

Any idea when we'll get to watch the show?

Cheers

Hey, Nog.

As one who has enjoyed a great deal of help from you on the finer points of, well, EVERYTHING related to fishing, know that any chance I have to send guests your way will be taken.

Best of luck this season.

Smiley.

Thanks Smiley! Appreciated!

BadDog - tried you on the radio a couple of times when out there, but either missed the right channel, or you weren't out?

I'll definitely post the dates of the show once I know them!!

Cheers,
Nog

nicely done Nogs! And that sure is a nice rig you're running this year, I'm thinking you'll be enjoying that ride for the next few months!

Our Website is up and Running!! http://www.spiritbearsalmoncharters.com/

The office is rapidly approaching completion over in Ucluelet, the Big Rig is in the water, and the Fish are BITING!!

This year we expect to see some rather large springs passing by! Given the run predictions (US) of FIVE year old fish returning to the Columbia River, we seriously expect to top 50 Pounds of Rolling Anger out there! As an added feature, we are offering charters for FREE to any angler that does capture a spring over 50 pounds while out with us! That's right, catch the Biggie aboard the Spirit Bear, and your day is paid for by us!!

Life on the Big Pond simply doesn't get any better!!

Cheers!
Nog