Whether
you call them springs or kings, the bottom line is that chinook
salmon are powerful, aggressive brutes. Out on the open water
far from shore, a chinook will tease you, tap-tapping ever so
gently on the starboard rod, and then, while you hover intently
waiting for it to come back, it will hammer the port rod, ripping
off 25 yards of line before you can even react. Set your hook
in that first rooster-tailing run, and the chinook sets a hook
of its own. In you. And just look at a chinook straight out
of big water. Depending
on the river system it was spawned in, it might be football-shaped,
or sleek and slender. But beneath those silvery scales, they
all have tremendous power and bulldog determination, traits
that stay with them even after they nose their way into their
natal rivers. At sea or in rivers, perhaps the greatest thrill
is not knowing for the first few mighty runs just how big the
fish on the other end of the line might be. It could be 20 pounds,
or it could just as easily weigh five times that. After all,
chinook tipping the scales at close to the century mark have,
over the years, been brought to net. Small wonder some anglers
call them kings.
BAMFIELD/UCLUELET/TOFINO, B.C.
 |
| LOCAL
BUZZ |
| For
home-cooked suppers and awesome breakfasts, visit
Tide and Currents restaurant in Bamfield. |
| GETTING
THERE |
| From
the ferry terminus, follow Highway 19 to Parksville,
then take Highway 4. At Port Alberni, Highway 4
continues on to Tofino and Ucluelet, or you can
take the turnoff to Bamfield. |
| LEARN
MORE |
Bamfield
Chamber of Commerce, (250) 728-3006;
www.bamfieldchamber.com
Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce, (250) 726-4641; www.uclueletinfo.com |
|
The promise
This area offers some of the hottest saltwater chinook fishing
that’s accessible by road. Powerful and hefty, the chinooks
tarry here before heading for their spawning rivers, such as
the Fraser and the Columbia.
Top tackle & tactics
From late July through August, head for La Perouse Bank, some
30 kilometres offshore, where ocean currents create a rich soup
of nutrients that attract baitfish and, in turn, feeding salmon.
Trolling Tomic plugs 50 feet behind downriggers in 40 to 200
feet of water is deadly. Watch for birds wheeling to indicate
baitfish, then work the perimeter. Near-shore areas, particularly
Barkley Sound, also hold plenty of springs. Jigging with leadheads
is also productive.
SKEENA
RIVER, B.C.
The
promise
The
Skeena is the place for anglers looking to test their mettle
against a 50-pound-plus chinook in a river. How big? On record
is a 92-pound eight-ounce specimen, although biologists say
even bigger fish are out there.
| LOCAL
BUZZ |
| The
place to go for fishing permits, tackle, up-to-date
reports on conditions and advice is Northcoast Anglers
in Terrace. The spectacular scenery surrounding
B.C.’s second largest river is also a draw. |
| GETTING
THERE |
| Roughly
965 kilometres as the crow flies north of Vancouver,
Terrace is the gateway to the Skeena River. Access
is by scheduled air service or by road via the Yellowhead
Highway. |
| LEARN
MORE |
Northern
B.C. Tourism Association, 1-800-663-8843; www.nbctourism.com
Terrace Travel InfoCentre, (250) 635-2063
Fish and Wildlife Recreation and Allocation Branch,
www.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish |
|
Top tackle
& tactics
Early July after the spring runoff to late August is prime time.
The most common tactic is bar fishing, which entails using a
size 00 Worden Spin-N-Glo with an eight-ounce pyramid sinker
attached a couple of feet up the line. Just place the rod in
a holder, sit back and wait for a hit. Working a Luhr Jensen
Krocodile or Gibbs Kit-A-Mat through the runs is another effective
technique, as is backtrolling plugs such as the Hot Shot.
|
