Summary
Chinook retention closed on the Kitimat River last weekend unceremoniously as there were no big Chinook in the last hours of the opening.
Chum stocks to date appear to be low this year especially in the lower Kitimat River below Haisla Bridge. The only hole that have produced Chum consistently this week was the gravel bar below the Kitimat Hatchery. The other lower Kitimat River holes produced Pink and Chum sporadically. The upper Kitimat has pockets of Chum and Pinks stacked up but they seem to be a little difficult to entice to take a lure. Fly anglers have reported better success than the lures during the mid afternoon sun.
Pinks stocks on the Kitimat River have been disappointing to many anglers. Those who have experienced the exceptional fishing for Pinks in the last few years have had to hone their fishing skills to catch their share of Pinks this season. The Pink closure may be what is needed to rebuild the stocks. Please release the Pinks with care.
Chum remains open to 2 per day over 30cms. Coho is open to 4 per day, 2 over 50cms. There were 4 more Coho reported this week and many anglers are waiting anxiously for the Kitimat River Coho season. It is still early for Coho on the Kitimat River but with the Gill Net fishery for Chum curtailed we may see more than average numbers of early run Coho in the coming weeks.
DOUGLAS CHANNEL:
Aug 3 Steve and Patsy McGrath reports boating 2 halibut weighing over 100lbs each. It is not very often to land halibut over 100lbs. To have husband and wife land a halibut each over 100lbs is date to record in the family dairy. Congratulations to Patsy and Steve!
Aug 4 Merv aboard his boat the "Fantesea" reports catching Coho and Chinook in Fish Trap Bay down the Douglas Channel. Merv's son also caught a Halibut in Fish Trap. I apologize for not mentioning all the names of the anglers but I did have them at the time of this report. Congratulations on your catch.
Aug 5 Wes Owen caught a 10lb Coho trolling in front of Kitimaat Village in the Kitimat Harbour. Wes is always doing some preclient trips in preparation for clients we have booked for later in the month. Wes was using a Luhr Jensen Abe and Al #1 flasher with an anchovie inserted into a Rhys Davis Anchovie head. Anyone wishing to book a trip with Wes please contact Ron wakita@telus.net
Aug 6th Tony Dunn weighed in a 74lb Halibut into our Instore Derby. Tony caught this halibut just below Coste Rocks in the Kitimat Harbour. This is one of the few times during the year when anglers can catch Halibut in the Kitimat Harbour.
Congratulations Tony!
Aug 6 Todd Haynes of Nautical West Sport Fishing reports, "Last trip out we boated 24 Coho, 40 Rockfish, 12 Lingcod, 4 Halibut, 20 Dungeness Crab". Congratualations to your clients. Great Job Skipper! Any anglers interested in booking a trip with Todd, please contact Ron
wakita@telus.net
Aug 8 Ken Craven reports, ""Ken Craven and Lucy Slykerman introduced Pat and Gill Maloney, guests from Ontario, to the beauty of Kitimat and the Channels. Gill caught her first salmon. Everyone caught coho in Sue Channel, and a mess of crab were harvested." Congratulations on your catch! I hope your quests enjoyed their visit to Kitimat and the Douglas Channel.
Aug 8 John of Blue Heron Charters reports, "I did a little fishing on the Douglas Channel this week with Lawrence and Verle from Alberta and we landed several halibut, salmon, cod and crabs. The weather was sunny and warm and the company was as good as it gets." Congratulations! Well done Skipper. Any anglers wishing to book a trip with John please contact Ron
wakita@telus.net
The outer waters of the Douglas Channel are producing exceptional numbers of Coho. One charter boat reports boating 24 Coho with his clients and their limit of Halibut. Other boaters reported similar results fishing the outer waters of the Douglas Channel. With each tide more Coho will migrate into the Kitimat end of the Douglas Channel. Some boaters have already started to catch Coho at Jesse Falls. It is shaping up to be an outstanding Coho season.
Halibut and Bottomfish catch numbers are also starting to increase in inner waters of the Douglas Channel. It is an exciting time to be fishing the Douglas Channel where you can catch halibut and Coho on the same day.
Aug 8 David Payjack of Sea West Fishing Charters reports, "I had the pleasure of taking out clients Derek and Margret Butt. This is the second time this year that they have come out to Kitimat from Hinton Alberta to fish with us. We had a great day out on the water landing 24 Pacific cod, 3 beautiful chinook salmon, 3 coho salmon,and 2 Pink salmon. We sure had a lot of fun and man did they keep me busy with the fish. Thank god Margret is an master fish cleaner and helped me make some short time of cleaning all of this fish!"
Well done Derek and Margret and family. Good Job Skipper. Any interested anglers wishing to book a trip David please email Ron
wakita@relus.net
Summary
Sue Channel was hot for Coho the last few days yet Money Point was off the bite for Coho. Smart Money says, to fish Sue Channel on the way out and if there are Coho there, then stay on them.
The outer waters of the Douglas Channel are producing exceptional numbers of Coho. One charter boat reports boating 24 Coho with his clients and their limit of Halibut. Other boaters reported similar results fishing the outer waters of the Douglas Channel. With each tide more Coho will migrate into the Kitimat end of the Douglas Channel. Some boaters have already started to catch Coho at Jesse Falls. It is shaping up to be an outstanding Coho season.
Halibut and Bottomfish catch numbers are also starting to increase in inner waters of the Douglas Channel. It is an exciting time to be fishing the Douglas Channel where you can catch halibut and Coho on the same day.
We have plenty of dates available for Drift boat trips, Jet boat trips and Salt Water Charters. Any anglers interested in booking our services, please contact Ron wakita@telus.net
THANK YOU to everyone for providing Info and photos for this Fishing Report.
GOOD HEALTH AND GOOD FISHING!
Sincerely and Cheers
Ron Wakita
Reliable Guide and Charters
380 City Centre
Kitimat B.C
V8C 1T6
bus.250 632-3522 cell.250 632-1275
fax. 250 632-3528
wakita@telus.net
www.reliableguideandcharters.com