Kitimat River Photo of the week: I had the pleasure of drifting with Donna and Alfred.
We hooked a few fish and managed to land the Photo of the Week. I had a wonderful time drifting but I was exremely touched by Donna’s kind words after our trip,
“Hi Ron , thanks for a wonderful drift … fish included! We are amazed at your skill at handling the drift boat and fishing with 3 rods . It was fun… an adventure that wouldn’t have happened without you. Thanks for being gentle with Alf . Thanks for being patient with both of us . You’re really fantastic. We hope you have a great rest . Alf and Donna”
Thank You for using our Guiding Services. Please know that you and Alfred helped create a page in my history Book of life, I will not forget. The Lucky High Five worked! : )
Kitimat River
July 23 Marc Girard and I had the pleasure of drifting with Shannyn, Sebastiaan, Brayden, Gary and Zara. Our group consisted of the Mom, Dad, Son, Granfather and Grand daughter. It is always refreshing to be a part of 3 generations enjoying their love of fishing. Marc and I take pride in helping create some fond family memories We caught Pinks, Chum, Trout and a Cohit i. Marc and I had a lot of fun fishing with you all..
It was the “Fun Family Fishing Trip!
Thank You for using our services.
Marc and I were especially touched by the comments Shannyn made after our trip.
Shannyn wrote, “Good Morning,
Thank you. The photos were received as well as the fishing report link. Very cool!
Thank you so much for the day and all the expertise you shared with us all. For me, the day was filled with fun and excitement around every corner. I appreciated how Marc really took good care of my Dad and daughter. Marc went the extra mile and made sure my dad was comfortable at all times. Mark also empowered my daughter to participate in the fish cleaning process showing her each step. She loved it.
Ron, you had so much patience and kindness in your time with us. The stories and conversation while waiting for a fish to bite we’re funny and amazing.
Thank you for showing us the area and the fishing holes. Thank you for explaining the hooks, tides, currents, and strategy with the group. You left us feeling more knowledgeable and ready to put all your good teachings to work.
We caught a couple male pinks, a coho, a chum, a dolly garden, a trout (we didn’t keep) and so many memories/on the “family fun fishing trip”.
Thank you for introducing my family to fishing the Kitimat area in a safe and very successful way! Would do this again and send people we know to you for an excellent fishing trip.
Thanks again!
Until next time,
Shannyn and the family.”
July 22, Levi the king of flossing “Landed 4 sockeye and some pinks”
July 19th Desiree and Pat just above where hirsh creek meets the Kitimat, caught on a pink wiggle wart.
July 17 Triple Header. Don Hutchinson sent in these great pictures, looks like you all are having a great time. Keep up the good work boys.
July 15th Desiree and uncle Pats at hatchery island on a pink and pink spin n glow.
This morn
Pinks are in
Hello dolly
First pink
Yesterdays chum
Thank you for the pictures!
July 14 Jason Rainer 77cms lost oversized Chinook landed 2
July 12 Hi Ron. Lyle Jones here. Sending a pic of the Chinook I caught below the Hatchery Wed July 12th. It was 35.5″ or 90cm.
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.
Summary
Firstly. We apologise for not sending out our Newsletters for the past couple of weeks as we have been incredibly busy.
We post to our Fishing Report on our website every day Please visit our website. Reliable Guide and Charters Or you can stop always stop into Ron’s Fishing Mobile Fishing Tackle and Bait Shop.
The catch phrase for this year’s Chinook season on the Kitimat River is “sporatic’.
Depsnding on who you talked to, there were some good days and some not so good days.
Unfortunately there seemed to be more off days than good ones.
In disscussion with many long term Kitimat Chinook anglers, the concesus is that the Kitimat River Chinook, to date is not as good as previous years. The upside is that more Chinook may arrive late to compensate for for hasn’t shown up so far.
The Pinks and Chum have finally started to roll in to the delight of many anglers.
One angler expressed it best, “If I can’t catch big, than I want to catch lots”!
The Kitimat River Pinks and Chum can deliver on that desire!
RON’S BAIT AND TACKLE
STORE SPECIALS
DOUGLAS CHANNEL
July 13 John owner of Eckstein Charters Ltd. put Richard from Prince George onto this beautiful Halibut. Well done Richard! Great Job Skipper. John also commented that it was warm, sunny and good fishing.
Anyone wishing to book a Halibut Trip of a Lifetime, please call Ron. 250 632 1275 or email wakita@telus.net;
2023_July 15; Blue Heron Charters; John and Pearl from Vanderhoof, BC; 60 pound halibut.
Anyone wishing to book a Halibut Trip of a Lifetime, please call Ron. 250 632 1275 or email wakita@telus.net;
July 17 Curtis Nevraumont owner of Fishwestcoast Sportfishing Adventures provided his Daily Report 2023-07-17 “The crew wanted to fish early, first light first bite mentality and it defiantly paid off with quick action for salmon on both the Skinny G spoons and anchovies trolled behind hot spot flashers at 40′ and 80′ on the down riggers. Limits of chinook today up to 12 lbs with some nice coho in the mix as well. Mid morning we changed tactics and dropped the anchor, we managed to find a couple chicken sized halibut caught on large herring and a spreader bar. On the way home we pulled our crab and prawn traps to complete the seafood safari.
Cheers,”
Congratulation Everyone!
Well done Skipper.
Anyone wishin to book a Salt Charter Trip of a Lifetime please call Ron 250 632 1275 or email wakita\@telus.net
2023_July 22; Blue Heron Charter; Jason, Jayde, Kara; five halibut. Better picture.0
Anyone wishing to Book a Saltwater Trip of a Lifetime, please contact Ron 250 632 1275 or email wakita@telus.net
Summary
The Douglas Channel is producing excellent catches of Halibut. The Halibut fishing in the inner waters of the Douglas Channel always improves this time of year when the Pinks start runnung. The Halibut migrate into the inner waters to feed on the spawned out Pinks, Chum and Chinook which will eventually drift out the mouthe of the creeks and rivers of the Douglas Channel.
As the Chinook migrate into their spawning rivers and the Chinook catches decline, Coho fishing starts to heat up. Many boaters are starting to fill their coolers with Coho and are having a lot of fun in the process.
Anyone wishing to Book a Saltwater Trip of a Lifetime, please call Ron 250 632 1275 or email wakita@telus.net
SKEENA RIVER
,.
Category(s):
RECREATIONAL – Salmon
Fishery Notice – Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Subject: FN0711-RECREATIONAL – Salmon – Sockeye – Region 6 – Skeena River watershed – Open Effective July 22, 2023
The following waters of the Skeena River watershed will open for one (1) Sockeye per day as follows:
Effective August 1, 2023 to September 15, 2023
The waters of the Babine Lake, not including tributaries and excluding those waters within a 400 m radius of the following tributary streams: Morrison Creek, Six Mile Creek, Pierre Creek, Pendleton Creek, Hazelwood Creek, Twain Creek, Tachek Creek, Five Mile Creek, Four Mile Creek, Sockeye Creek, Big Loon Creek, Tsezakwa Creek. Also closed east of a line from Gullwing Creek to the south shore of Babine Lake.
Note: Barbed hooks are authorized in Babine Lake.
Effective August 1, 2023 to August 14, 2023
Fulton River.
Effective August 1, 2023 to August 14, 2023
Pinkut Creek, downstream of fishing boundary signs located approx. 25m downstream of fish counting fence.
Effective August 1, 2023 to August 31, 2023
Babine River
Effective July 22, 2023 to September 15, 2023
Skeena River mainstem waters only, upstream of CNR bridge at Terrace to a point above the confluence with the Babine River(Excluding Skeena River mainstem waters near the Kitwanga River mouth, from Mill Creek upstream to the Highway 37 bridge. Also excluding Skeena River mainstem waters within three white triangular fishing boundary signs located at the confluence with the Kispiox River).
Effective July 22 to September 15, 2023
Skeena River mainstem waters only, downstream of CNR Railway bridge at Terrace, B.C.(Excluding the Skeena River mainstem waters near the Kitsumkalum River mouth, from the confluence with the Zymagotitz (also known as the Zymachord River) upstream to the Classified Waters boundary at the top of ‘Hells Gate’ until 23:59 hours Aug 31, 2023).
Variation Oder #: 2023-RCT-263, 2023-RFQ-264
NOTES AND REMINDERS:
Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal and non-tidal waters of British Columbia.
The term “marked”, “hatchery marked”, or “adipose fin clipped” means a fish that has a healed scar in place of the adipose fin.
All anglers must have a licence to fish in tidal waters in BC. Apply for your BC tidal waters recreational fishing licence and salmon conservation stamp at: https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/licence-permis/index-eng.html.
Anglers are advised to check http://bcsportfishguide.ca for fishing closures and other recreational fishing information.
Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) are currently in effect and are closed to all fin-fishing. Descriptions of RCAs and other closures such as finfish closed areas, salmon non-retention areas, and other recreational fishing information, can be found on the internet at: https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/index-eng.html
https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/index-eng.html
Fishers are encouraged to participate in the Salmon Sport Head Recovery program by labelling and submitting heads from hatchery marked Chinook and Coho Salmon to head depots. The head-off measurement can be used by enforcement officers to assess compliance on size limits if you remove the head from Chinook or Coho. Recovery of microscopic coded-wire tags found inside hatchery marked Chinook and Coho heads provide critical information for coast-wide Salmon stock assessment programs. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program toll free at 1-866-483-9994 for further information.
The Government of Canada recognizes that Southern Resident Killer Whales face imminent threats to their survival and recovery. On April 26, 2023, the Government announced a suite of management measures to be implemented this summer that help address the key threats of reduced prey availability (primarily Chinook salmon), and acoustic and physical disturbance. These measures include salmon fishery closures, Interim Sanctuary Zones that restrict vessels from entering (including fishing), Speed Restricted Zones that restrict vessels to a maximum of 10 knots in designated areas (including fishing), minimum approach distances and a number of voluntary measures including to stop fishing (do not haul gear) and reduce speed to less than 7 knots when within 1,000 metres of killer whales and let them pass.
For more information about the 2023 management measures, please visit https://www.canada.ca/southern-resident-killer-whales or contact the Marine Mammal Team at DFO.SRKW-ERS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. For more information on the best ways to help whales while on the water, please visit: bewhalewise.org.
If a marine mammal becomes entangled in fishing gear, fishers should immediately call the Observe, Record, Report (ORR) line at 1-800-465-4336. Fishers are advised not to attempt to free the animal of the fishing gear as this can pose a serious threat to the safety of the fisher and the animal. If your vessel strikes a whale, or if you observe a sick, injured, distressed, or dead marine mammal in B.C. waters, please contact the hotline immediately: 1-800-465-4336 or VHF Channel 16.
If you see a sea turtle, please call this toll-free phone number: 1-866-I SAW ONE (1-866-472-9663). Please include information such as the species of sea turtle seen (i.e. leatherback), the location and time of sighting.
Report suspicious activity or violations by email at DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or by calling the 24-hour, toll-free Observe, Record, and Report line at 1-800-465-4336 or 604-607-4186 in greater Vancouver.
The 24-hour, toll-free information line for fishery notices regarding openings and closures is 1-866-431-3474 or 604-666-2828 in greater Vancouver.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact your local Area office
Or
Darren Chow
North Coast Recreational Fisheries Coordinator
250 627-3441
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center – FN0711
Sent July 21, 2023 at 13:59
Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
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