PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Desiree, team member of Rons’ Tackle and Bait shop, caught this Kitimat River coho float fishing with roe. I was lucky enough to go out with my good friend Michael who showed me yet another amazing spot, that really produced this morning.
KITIMAT RIVER
Sept 11 I had the pleasure of drifting with Eric, Terry, and Cam (etc) We hooked and.Landed 3 Coho during our last minute Driftboat trip. We had a lot of fun during our drift.and did pretty good considering the amount of time we had. Daylight is getting shorter and shorter.
Thank You for using our services Guys.
Anyone wishing to Book a Trip of a Lifetime, please call Ron 250 632 1275
2022-sept-11-Ron Wilda and Bill Burke Landed 3 Coho 3 released themselves
Sept 10 I had the pleasure of drifting with my very good friend and UBC Buddy, Brett Ferguson. We hooked 4 Coho landed.these 2 Beauties and a couple of Pinks. Drifting the Kitimat River was on Brett’s Bucker List. Mission Accomplished! Bret and I did this last minute evening drift. We had a lot of laughs and caught up on all our good friends from years gone by. A Big Thank You to Princess, Iron Chef, Mermaid Bev for doing our shuttle.
It was awesome fishing you Brett and nice meeting Bev.
Safe Travels
Ron
Sept 5-10 “Hey Ron it’s Jeremy here, not sure if you’d recognize me but I always stop in every year when I’m in town and appreciate all you do to help me out, my cousin, wife and I fished with a few of your employees just above the bridge a couple days ago and they were awesome to fish with, here’s some pics if you ever want to use them, there all from between the in town bridge and cable car in the last week”
It was a blast fishing with you guys ! Hope to catch you next year. Thank you for sending in the pictures, looks like ya’ll had a great time !
Sept 11 Ron had the pleasure of drifting with Camille and Steve Christiansen.
Anyone wishing to Book a Driftboat Trip of a Lifetime please call Ron 250 632 1275 or email wakita@telus.net
Sept 9 I had the pleasure of drifting with Des, Christie and Jacob. We hooked 8 Coho during our drift and landed 6. We were using Hots shots and Jigs.
Desiree and Jacob are aspiring to become Guides for Reliable Guide and Charters. I think they are both progressing just fine. Christie is just Fun to fish with and even more fun to pick on..The proof is in the pictures! Thanks everyone. It was fun to fish with you all!
Anyone wishing to Book a Driftboat Trip of a Lifetime please call Ron 250 632 1275 or email wakita@telus.net
Sept 8 Micheal and Desiree fishing the upper Kitimat River, hooked 11 landed 7.Great way to spend a morning !
Mike is one the most talented and knowledgeable anglers on the Kitimat River. Desiree is aspiring to become a Guide for Reliable Guide and Charters on the Kitimat River. Desiree is learning from one of the best and progressing fast. The proof is in the pictures! Congratulations to both of your catch! Well done!
Anyone wishing to Book a Driftboat Trip of a Lifetime please call Ron 250 632 1275 or email wakita@telus.net
Sept 8 Stuart McFadden hooked 10 plus Coho landing 6 fishing with Keaton Demelo, Pro Guide for Reliable Guide and Charters. Stu promised his hosts at Minette Bay Lodge, Dr. Howard and Ruth Mills that he would catch dinner for them. Mission Accomplished!
Congratulations Stu! Great Job Keaton!
Thank You using our Guide Services Stu and Travel Safe with your catch.
Anyone wishing to Book a Driftboat Trip of a Lifetime with Keaton, please call Ron 250 632 1275 or email wakita@telus.net.
Sept 8 Brandon Paul, Pro Guide for Reliable Guide and Charters fishing with Brenda Kelly and Brian Williams hit 5 Coho, landed 3. Congratulations Brenda and Brian! Great Job Brandon!
Thank You for using our Guide Services!
Anyone wishing to Book a Driftboat Trip of a Lifetime, please call Ron 250 632 1275 or email wakita@telus.net
Sept 7 Mel and Terri Gilchrist fishing with Brandon Paul landed 6 Coho and lost 5 on their Driftboat Trip.
Congratulations on your catch Terri and Mel. Great Job Brandon!
Thank You for using our Guide Services.
Anyone wishing to Book a Driftboat Trips of a Lifetime with Brandon, please call Ron 250 632 1275 or email wakita@telus.net
SUMMARY
The Kitimat River Coho return this year appears to be one of the better returns in recent years. Early indicators in late July and early Aug showed signs of an early return or a higher than normal return. The Coho season with higher returns usually starts earlier and ends later with more Coho in the middle of the catch curve. This is clearly what we are seeing now on the Kitimat River now..
Despite drastic changes in the Kitimat River levels many Coho anglers are having their best season ever. Koho Copper and Blus Scale 35 and 45 lures and 1/2 oz light Pink and Scoopy Doo Thunder Jigs have been productive when the river is low. The Kitimat River has been exceptionally most of this week. There is link to the Kitimat River Height website on our Home page Float fishing Roe has also been very productive.
As the River comes up and it will. The Best lures are 3/4 oz Jigs in brighter colours, 55 and 65 Koho lures Blue Scale with Red Strip or all Red back. Float fishing Roe is best even when the river is dirty.
During the lower than normal river levels, it is best to fish early mornings and in the evenings.
The more experienced Coho anglers have learned to adjust to the drastic changes in river levels and continue to catch Coho despite the conditions.
We are always happy to help at Ron’s Mobile Fishing Tackle and Bait Shop.
Please feel free to talk to Ron, Kody, Des, Mathias, Aiden, Mason, Julie, Michelle, Keaton or Corey.
Gibbs Kitimat and Koho Lures
Buy 6 Get ONE for FREE
Buy 12 Get TWO for FREE
Buy 12 Copper 45 or 55 and get THREE for FREE
Would you like to drift down the Kitimat river for FREE ? To enter the draw, place this contract on your fridge door and send wakita@telus.net a picture with the subject line NICK. With the help of many others we are hoping to change the culture of safety on the river. Draw will be Oct 31st. Pick up the contracts at 380 City Center, open 8am-9pm.
And please remember NICK
I will NEVER wear chest waders without a belt.
I will INCLUDE a knife to cut waders and remove trapped water.
I will stay CLOSER to shore.
I will KEEP my PDF on at all times.
SALMON QUOTAS AND REGULATIONS FOR THE KITIMAT RIVER
Please note: The Kitimat River is open for Bait including Roe Sept 1st 12:01am
| (including tributaries) | All | May 15 to Aug 31 | Bait ban. | |
| on west bank between signs at Kitimat hatchery outfall. | All | Apr 1 to Mar 31 | No fishing for salmon. | |
| downstream of Highway # 37 bridge. | Chinook | Apr 1 to Jul 31 | 1 per day, 80 cm or less. | |
| Aug 1 to Dec 31 | No fishing for chinook. | |||
| Coho | Apr 1 to Oct 31 | 4 per day, only 2 over 50 cm. | ||
| Nov 1 to Dec 31 | No fishing for coho. | |||
| Chum | Apr 1 to Aug 31 | 2 per day. | ||
| Pink | Apr 1 to Aug 31 | 2 per day. | ||
| upstream of Highway # 37 bridge. | All | Apr 1 to Mar 31 | No fishing for Salmon.
|
Total Salmon Daily Quota is 4 Per Day with each Daily Species Quota applying.
Total Possession Limit to transport is 8 salmon Fresh and Salt combined.
DOUGLAS CHANNEL
Sept 10 Jim Monk holding 2 127 cm Halibut
SUMMARY
The Douglas Channel continues to produce excellent returns of Halibut ans the new increases Quotas for Halibut has been well received by the Saltwater anglers out of Kitimat and Prince Rupert.
Coho catch numbers will continue to decline in the Saltwater as most of the Coho have and are migrating into their parent Rivers and creeks.
Anyone wishing to Book a Saltwater Trip of a Lifetime, please call Ron 250 632 1275 or email wakita@telus.net
LINK TO DOUGLAS CHANNEL TIDAL WATER REGULATIONS AREA 6
BC tidal areas 6 and 106 – Kitimat, Kemano Bay: Recreational fishing limits, openings and closures | Pacific Region | Fisheries and Oceans Canada (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)
NEW HALIBUT QUOTAS
Category(s): RECREATIONAL – Fin Fish (Other than Salmon) Fishery Notice – Fisheries and Oceans Canada Subject: FN0919-Recreational – Fin Fish (Other than Salmon) – Halibut – In-season Update on Daily Limit This Fishery Notice supersedes FN0251 to announce an increase to daily limit for halibut measuring under 90 cm in length. The updated Fishery Notice reads as follows: For 2022, the recreational Halibut fishery allocation is 1,011,750 pounds. The recreational Halibut fishery is actively managed to stay within sector’s allocation and fishers should watch for subsequent Fishery Notices to announce potential in-season changes. The following measures are in effect coast-wide as noted below: Open time:Effective at 00:01 hours February 1, 2022, fishing for Halibut was opened coast-wide until further notice (See 2022 Fishery Notice FN0067 and FN0251). Effective 00:01 hours on August 20, 2022 until 23:59 hours on December 31, 2022:The daily and possession limit for Halibut is EITHER of: —one (1) Halibut measuring 90 cm to 133 cm in length (69 cm to 102 cm head-off), OR —three (3) Halibut, each measuring under 90 cm in length (69 cm head-off). No person shall retain a Halibut greater than 133 cm head-on length (102 cm head-off). Head-off measurements are made from the base of the pectoral fin at its most forward point to the extreme end of the middle of the tail.Annual Limit:No person shall catch and retain more than ten (10) Halibut in the aggregate from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023. Licensing: The 2022/23 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence and Conditions of Licence will be in effect from April 1, 2022 until March 31, 2023. All Halibut retained by the licence holder between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023 shall be immediately recorded on the 2022/2023 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence, or, if mobile access is immediately available, the licence holder may record catch in the National Recreational Licensing System. The area from which each Halibut is caught and its head-on length shall immediately be recorded. The exceptions to these openings are:Areas 121: No person shall fish for or retain Halibut, rockfish and lingcod in Area 121 outside the 12 nautical mile limit seaward of a line that begins at 48 degrees 34.000 minutes and 125 degrees 17.386 minutes W and continues south easterly at a bearing of 116 degrees True to a point at 48 degrees 28.327 minutes and 125 degrees 01.687 minutes W. Areas 121: Closed to all finfish, year round in the waters of Swiftsure Bank. Those portions of Subareas 121-1 and 121-2 inside a line that begins at 48 degrees 34.000 minutes N and 125 degrees 06.000 minutes W, then true east to 48 degrees 34.000 minutes N and 124 degrees 54.200 minutes W, then southeasterly to the International Boundary, outer perimeter at 48 degrees 29.618 minutes N and 124 degrees 43.553 minutes W, then westerly following the International Boundary perimeter to 48 degrees 29.605 minutes N and 124 degrees 56.190 minutes W, then northwesterly to the beginning point. Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) and Glass Sponge Reef (GSR) closures remain in effect – refer to the following web pages for descriptions:1)RCAs- http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint-eng.html#rca2)GSRs- http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint-eng.html#sponge Variation Orders: 2022-RFQ-352 is in effect. Anglers are reminded of the mandatory condition of licence for the release of rockfish; all anglers in vessels shall immediately return all rockfish that are not being retained to the water and to a similar depth from which they were caught by use of an inverted weighted barbless hook or other purpose-built descender device. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Greg Hornby (Regional Manager Recreational Fisheries) – Greg.Hornby@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center – FN0919Sent August 19, 2022 at 10:11Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca If you would like to unsubscribe, please submit your request at: http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=manage_subscription If you have any questions, please contact us via e-mail to: DFO.PACOpsCentre-CentredesOpsPAC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
PRINCE RUPERT
