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Adventure in Winter Harbour

 
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Jazzmanic



Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 2231
City/Region: Seattle
State or Province: WA
Photos: C-Dancer
PostPosted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 10:38 pm    Post subject: Adventure in Winter Harbour Reply with quote

The C-Dancer crew just returned from our grand fishing adventure to Winter Harbour with our gracious host Dwight (aka Chromer), skipper of Checkpoint II.

Caryn and I were joined by my cousin from California, Pat in search of Salmon, Lings, Halibut and assorted bottom fish. Winter Harbour is a long haul all the way to the northwest corner of Vancouver Island. It's in a very remote wilderness area and is very beautiful. There are several "inside" fishing spots, meaning not "outside" in open ocean but I was surprised that we first had to enter into the entrance of the ocean in order to get inside. This was C-Dancer's very first experience in open ocean and she handled like a champ. The water conditions were very nice except for our first full day which was pretty sloppy along with rainy weather. The rest of the week was nice. The wildlife and scenery was spectacular. We sighted sea otters, eagles, a black bear, a humpback whale, deer amongst others. Winter Harbour is really beautiful, rustic remote and scenic.

As for the fishing we were hoping for a big haul of big Chinook salmon, called "Springs" in Canada, which is to be expected in Winter Harbour but alas, we must have come a week or two too early as they were just not around, inside or out. Fisherman who have been returning to WH for years were equally dumbfounded and had to work very long and hard to scratch out a single Spring or two. As first me, I was able to catch a nice 9 lb coho but no Springs. We salvaged our trip by focusing on bottom fish the last day. We found an enticing looking pinnacle and we're lucky to catch 3 Lings including a cool looking blue ling caught by Pat, as well as 5 rockfish. Our total haul was 10 fish brought home, 1 pink salmon released and 1 coho lost. Not bad considering there were no salmon in sight. It was too bad about the salmon but as they say, "that's fishing".

Thanks Dwight for getting us out there, it was nice meeting your buddy Brandon and it was a grand adventure for the C-Dancer crew.

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C-Dancer - 2005 22' Cruiser 2005-2017
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Salmon Fisher



Joined: 07 Aug 2009
Posts: 799
City/Region: Arlington
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2004
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Kim Christine
Photos: Kim Christine
PostPosted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds like a great trip, Peter! I am envious. The older I get the more I appreciate the beauty of the place and the adventure. I still like to catch fish and it doesn't really matter what kind so bottom fish are great, too.

Sometimes it's like that, the "where did the salmon go?" Go back next year and it will be a totally different deal with the salmon.

Hope you post some pictures.

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Patrick and Kim Walker

2004 25 Cruiser-Present

2000 22 Cruiser 2009-2014 (Sold)
2006 25 Cruiser 2014-2019 (Sold)
1985 22 Classic -2019 (Sold)
1991 19 Arima Sea Ranger-2019-2021 (Sold)
2015 27 Ranger Tug-2019-2023 (Sold)
1987 22 Cruiser -2021-2023 (Sold)

Honey, this REALLY will be my last boat, honest!
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chromer



Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Posts: 952
City/Region: Anacortes
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 19 Angler
Photos: Checkpoint II
PostPosted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

C-Dancer working the Cliffe Pointe



One highlight was Arima 21 with a treble hook in his leg. They had to push it through, cut the barb, and pull it back through. It was a big treble hook associated with a pipe jig !!!

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C-Dawg



Joined: 31 Aug 2007
Posts: 509
City/Region: Spanaway
State or Province: WA
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 17, 2016 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds like a great trip, Peter. Sorry to hear you didn't find any Chinook, but bottom fish are some great groceries.

I leave for Nootka this coming Friday. I hope to find some lings up there, along with halibut and salmon. A lot of people have been pretty worried about the late run. Even out at Westport they've just this weekend started limiting charter boats with Chinook. Usually they're catching quite a few as early as late June.

From reports at Nootka the fish are finally arriving. We'll be up there fishing 24-28 July.

It truly is beautiful country up there.

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Go Dawgs!

C-Dawg sold November 2018
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Jazzmanic



Joined: 07 Feb 2005
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City/Region: Seattle
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Photos: C-Dancer
PostPosted: Sun Jul 17, 2016 11:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Salmon Fisher wrote:
Sounds like a great trip, Peter! I am envious. The older I get the more I appreciate the beauty of the place and the adventure. I still like to catch fish and it doesn't really matter what kind so bottom fish are great, too.

Sometimes it's like that, the "where did the salmon go?" Go back next year and it will be a totally different deal with the salmon.

Hope you post some pictures.

Thanks Patrick. Yes the lesson I took away from.the trip.is to go for the fish that are available. Oh well maybe next time we'll get some Springs. I'll post pics either tonight or tomorrow.
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Jazzmanic



Joined: 07 Feb 2005
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Photos: C-Dancer
PostPosted: Sun Jul 17, 2016 11:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

C-Dawg wrote:
Sounds like a great trip, Peter. Sorry to hear you didn't find any Chinook, but bottom fish are some great groceries.

I leave for Nootka this coming Friday. I hope to find some lings up there, along with halibut and salmon. A lot of people have been pretty worried about the late run. Even out at Westport they've just this weekend started limiting charter boats with Chinook. Usually they're catching quite a few as early as late June.

From reports at Nootka the fish are finally arriving. We'll be up there fishing 24-28 July.

It truly is beautiful country up there.

Yeah Rick, I talked to some guys in the ferry line coming back from Nootka. They were telling me they really had to work to scratch out some springs. Hopefully your timing is right. Good luck and give us a report when you get back. I'm thinking of bringing Caryn to Nootka next summer, stay in a cabin at Critter Cove.
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Pat Anderson



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 8551
City/Region: Birch Bay, WA
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C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Daydream
Photos: Daydream and Crabby Lou
PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We saw C-Dancer on I-5 in south Bellingham on Friday, we were headed up to Birch Bay on our PCX150 scooters after a week riding on Vancouver Island, and C-Dancer was coming down after this great fishing adventure!
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http://daydreamsloop.blogspot.com

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Jazzmanic



Joined: 07 Feb 2005
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry we missed you Pat and Patty. Too busy trying to get home after 5 days in the wilderness.

As promised, here are some pics:
















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localboy



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
Posts: 4656
City/Region: Lake Stevens via Honolulu
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Vessel Name: 'Au Kai (Ocean Traveler)
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 7:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice fish, Peter. Never caught a ling, but I have eaten them. Wink
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Marco Flamingo



Joined: 09 Jul 2015
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City/Region: Seattle
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Vessel Name: Limpet
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 8:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just got back from Winter Harbor today, after first spending a week in the Broughtons. I put in at Port Alice and went all over Quatsino Sound. Winter Harbor, Quatsino Narrows, Coal Harbor, even Holberg. Met a C-Dory (Swell Time) and talked fishing for a moment.

I caught a nice silver. First salmon on board the Limpet. The seas outside were freakishly calm, as was Queen Charlotte Straight when I was in the Broughtons. There were places inside Quatsino Sound that were really rough from wind and current at times. Outside by Winter Harbor was generally smoother than inside in the afternoons.

The most tiring part was the drive. Canada 1 has a speed limit of 120 kph in places (75 mph) and stop lights. Who came up with that idea? Stopping every two miles dropped my gas mileage to 14. Drive time from Port Alice to Victoria was over 6 hours. Still, I'm sure that I'll do it again.

I'll post some pictures when my butt recovers from the drive.

Mark
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chromer



Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Posts: 952
City/Region: Anacortes
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C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 19 Angler
Photos: Checkpoint II
PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Marco Flamingo wrote:
I Stopping every two miles dropped my gas mileage to 14. Drive time from Port Alice to Victoria was over 6 hours.

Mark



If you take take the ferry at Nanaiamo, you cut out 90% of those lights.

Peter it looks like that T-bar bar gaff was put to use. I see it deployed in 2 pics Idea
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Jazzmanic



Joined: 07 Feb 2005
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

localboy wrote:
Nice fish, Peter. Never caught a ling, but I have eaten them. Wink

Thanks Mark. Yeah I think I figured out a good way to rig live sand dabs on a 2 hook rig. We were successful in hooking the Lings in the lip rather than them just clenching onto the live bait. And yes, very good eating! Thumbs Up
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Jazzmanic



Joined: 07 Feb 2005
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Marco we must have just missed you. I have a feeling we were about a week to 10 days early this year for Springs. Sad

Yes that is one long drive but I think Port Alice was a good jumping off point. Dwight was right. Next time take the Tswassen to Nanaimo ferry. It will save you about 2 hours drive time and lots of stop lights. Of course you'll have to drive at least that long if not more from Seattle but at least it will be freeway driving.
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Marco Flamingo



Joined: 09 Jul 2015
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unfortunately for me, I would have to drive through Tacoma, and Seattle, and then Blaine customs. And I would do that on the way back as well. That would take longer and more gas even if I was able to miss rush hours (about 7 am to 7 pm in Seattle). I crunched the numbers and the Black Ball is actually the cheapest and fastest way, but it's neither cheap or fast. I thought seriously about leaving my boat in locked storage in Campbell River. That would save $100 for every ferry ride, plus less gas.

I bought an annual Canadian fishing license, so I'm intending on going back. A license really works well for cruising. I'm not too interested in a salmon when it takes about 2 minutes to catch a rockfish or kelp greenling. We had ceviche several times (no cooking!) and added fish to our shrimp flavored ramen a few times (quick and easy). We also beached and dug clams a few times (shellfish in included in the fishing license).

Having now visited the Quatsino Sound marina grocery stores, I found Winter Harbor to be surprisingly well stocked. The grocery store in Coal Harbor is out of business. There is a gas station with junk food about a mile (uphill) from the Holberg "marina" (which itself is miles and miles from anywhere that you would want to fish or cruise). Port Alice has an actual IGA grocery store 1/2 mile from the marina.

Mark
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