BC Coastal trip to Shearwater 2015

A few shots I found on my Cell phone from our trip. 

Blind Channel Resort @ low tide

Evan using his cast net @ Blind Channel it worked well this time, no bait caught, but a good toss. 

Pulling into Bull Harbour @ Hope Island

You wouldn't think that such a nice place as Bull Harbour would have such crazy ass mosquitoes!

Greg just Chillin after a great morning of fishing, 5 coho in an hour

For more Photos go to Salt Air Photos

Day 9 August 16th 2015 

My Final day

Woke up in Shearwater to this peaceful scene. 

We had 5 more Salmon to catch to limit out at 32, but I had to be at the dock by noon to fly home from Bella Bella. 

And it didn't really bother me either way.  

But the boys wanted to limit out so we headed to Idol and caught 5 - 10+ pound Coho between 9:30 and 10:30 now we had time to drop the Prawn Traps!

Last 5

This Last one gave us 32 salmon in the boat, with Shawn and Greg

Thanks boys, it was an awesome trip, I was able to reconnect with Brian and Robbie, Shawn who I hadn't seen since our last fishing trip a few years back at Winter Harbour, and was able to meet Greg, who was an awesome addition.  Cheers, 

The Final Coho

For more Photos go to Salt Air Photos 

Day 8 August 15th 2015

With all the Jelly fish in the water, these strange creatures were in abundance - in all the years fishing, Evan and I had never seen one, in 2 days we saw Dozens.  Shawn who had spent 7 years in these waters had only seen one before.    What are they???  Here's a clue, they like to stay just under the surface, and can be hundreds of pounds, this one was close to 200 lbs, based on it size. 

So what is it? 

Give up? 

They are Ocean Sunfish

The ocean sunfish or common mola, Mola mola, is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight between 247 and 1,000 kg (545–2,205 lb). The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral finsare extended.

Sunfish live on a diet consisting mainly of jellyfish, but because this diet is nutritionally poor, they consume large amounts to develop and maintain their great bulk. Females of the species can produce more eggs than any other known vertebrate,^[1] up to 300,000,000 at a time.^[2] Sunfish fry resemble miniature pufferfish, with large pectoral fins, a tail fin, and body spines uncharacteristic of adult sunfish.

Ivory Island, very cool lighthouse and good fishing - By 12:15 we had 13 salmon in the boat so we went Halibut hunting. 

Suzanne Rock, we tried our luck slaying some halibut, but got paid out with a very nice Snapper.

The Boys, Shawn, Sandy, Greg and Evan...13 Salmon and a snapper, not a bad day

Shawn filleted all these like the pro he is.

For more Photos go to Salt Air Photos 

Day 7 August 14th 2015

Headed towards St Johns resort, anchored in the bay in front of the resort. 

I believe we caught 5 salmon and some bottom fish this day, no Halibut, unfortunately no Halibut all trip. 

Here is Shawn carefully watching his line, looking for that big spring.    

A rock outcrop which we anchored behind for the night.  The fishing grounds are 7 minutes away in the morning, doesn't get any better then that.  

The sunset colours were crazy, 

I thought it was just the scotch, but....

I knew it was magical

For more Photos go to Salt Air Photos 

Day 6 August 13th 2015

This morning we woke up to 15 keepers, which we were able to keep fresh in the bait-well on the back of the swim grid. I know it isn't the best shot, but there were 3 more traps behind that one.  

Heading back to Shearwater, picking up Shawn and Greg and saying goodbye to Robbie. 

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Shawn and Greg are now with us, Shawn was a guide for years in the area and Greg had Salmon fished once in 25 years.  Greg is fighting the fish while puffing on a Cohiba

Seriously, not 60 seconds after we dropped out lines and we had a 12 pound coho in the boat, 60 seconds later I pulled another nice coho in...

I asked Greg what he thought of Salmon fishing, his smile was ear to ear and said this is $%#^ing incredible! We caught 7 Coho, 4 rock-cod and 2 snapper that afternoon.  

We had crab with garlic butter for an appy and Penne Crab Alfredo for dinner with some awesome Red wine which the boys had brought.   After dinner we sat on the back deck with cigars and scotch, as the sun went down.   Now that is Fishing!

For more Photos go to Salt Air Photos

Day 5 August 12th 2015

I'm sorry, I cannot remember where we woke up this morning, but the sunrise makes the bad memory all okay. 

Good Morning to all.

Which one do I like best...hmmmm

Even the birds were enjoying the calm weather and sunshine.

In the afternoon we dropped Brian off @ Bella Bella and took a 2 hour cruise to my favorite crabbing area.  It became late faster than we had planned, so we anchored in  Burke Channel, okay we had also caught a couple of crabs so we wanted to wait and give them a good overnight soak. 

Just some evening shots, but the sky kept changing...

The water was a bit choppy, which gave us a wee bit of concern as we were not in a sheltered area, but by morning it was calm as calm can be.

For more Photos go to Salt Air Photos

Day 3 August 10th 2015

Leaving Bull Harbour, heading to Hakai Pass, looking forward to fishing...

There won't be as many photos as it is FISH ON Time!

Evan holding the very first fish caught on the Netta Jean, it was a 35 lb Tyee caught by Photographer and Tyee Slayer, Sandy  

It made for a great start to the day. 

Still can't get over how these trees live on the barren rocks. 

1 Tyee (a spring over 30 lbs) 4 coho a ling-cod, a couple rock cod and a nice snapper, Robbie, Evan and Brian...I was too tired to figure out how to increase the the timer so I could join them, but the smiles say it all!

We anchored in a bay of Calvert Island 

For more Photos go to Salt Air Photos 

Day 2 Part 5 August 9th 

It was a long travel day

Bull Harbour @ Hope Island

We had neighbors tonight 

A tough place to  anchour for the night.  

The sky kept changing all night

From blue to yellow/orange to red

We were trying to convince Evan try his cast net, but he just looked concerned that it was a Very bad idea... It will be okay honest, we even put the dingy down, what could possibly go wrong?!?!

He gave it the old college try, but all he got was wet and a couple of jellyfish...

For more Photos go to Salt Air Photos

Day 2 - Part 4 August 9th. 

Just north of Hope Island, where we anchored for the evening in Bull Harbour.

This Humpback only jumped once while I was on the bow.

Please click on the Photo to view the rest of the post. 

I was able to get 3 quick shots off, last one was just a splash

Next stop... Japan

After we tried a little halibut fishing, we were heading to Bull Harbour when we notice some commotion in the water, upon further inspection we found Pod of Sea lions.  

None of us had seen anything like it, they were playing, diving, and jumping in the air, they were entertaining us. These guys were swimming right up to me while I was on the bow, but I waited just a bit too long and they dove under the boat. 

They waited until I was putting the camera away, then they would do somersaults in the air. 

For more Photos go to Salt Air Photos

peaceful orca

Day 2 - Part 3 August 9th 2015

Heading towards Port Hardy to Fuel up, we came across another pod of Orca which were enjoying a peaceful day out, just like we were. 

Looks like mom and little one

Going our separate ways 

Look at the difference in Dorsal Fins 

Heading into Port Hardy, well the fuel dock

For more Photos go to Salt Air Photos

Day 2 Part 2 - August 9th 2015 - Whale watching

Traveling through Johnstone Strait when we are waved down by a conservation officer, letting us know there is a pod of Killer whales just ahead, and to follow protocol of staying below 8 knots and 500 meters away. 

Robbie enjoying the clam weather and looking forward to seeing some wildlife. 

Just a tug, but looked awesome

We found the pod - I believe these were C-pod. 

There are (so far) three races (or maybe they are sub-species) of "Killer Whale" found in British Columbia's coastal waters.

RESIDENT ORCAS- Fish-eaters, who seem to prefer salmon but will eat other fish when salmon are scarce. Seen most often in coastal and near-shore waters, these are the 'killer whales" that are found gathering along the salmon's main migratory paths.

NORTHERN RESIDENTS- Threatened- About 250+ orcas who live year-round between northern Vancouver Island and the BC /Alaska border, and congregate during Spring, Summer and Fall on the Northern BC coast, and during Summer and Fall in Queen Charlotte Strait & Johnstone Strait. There are 17 PODS (extended families) who can be grouped into 3 major CLANS (related PODS)

Robbie looking for more Orcas..

For more Photos go to Salt Air Photos