Ucluetlet Trip 2019.
We had and awesome trip this year out to Ukee, everything went so well for us. Lots of fish, had to work a little for them a couple days but they were there. New boat ran well everything worked just like it should, all my set ups worked well, really no adjustments to make.
We spent 4.5 days total on the water a couple quite long 12 hour days but what the heck it was just the boy and I and we didn’t travel 1500km to sit in a room or be tourists, we came to fish and fish we did.
First day was kind of a slow one but no one to blame but myself on that one. This being only my second time to Ukee and the new big boat and all I was a little nervous and on edge. We started out early, in the heavy fog and dark and it was quite rollie, not blowing but it must have been blowing hard over night off shore someplace cause it was sloppy. So no tracks on GPS yet to follow, I had my Radar but first time for me using that as well so yah my mind was a little off on the fishing. But we started out front and it was flopping us around pretty bad and trying to get set up got spun around a couple times but we managed one pass, way to far out as I couldn’t tell where I was anyways lol so I told the boy let’s head out to Startfish. More than anything give it time to settle down and me time to settle down a little. We made our way out and did our thing for a couple hours with no luck, nothing but a few rock fish not worth keeping, so I had a chance to use the new descending device which was cool. From there we went over to Outside South Bank and did a couple long tacks with no luck, other than a couple wild Coho. By this time it was afternoon and we decided to head in back to the Light House for another try. There were a few boats there and we were able to get an idea of the tacks guys were doing. We got in line and did our thing running bait on one side and spoons on the other. Didn’t take long and big fish on and peeling line, 1 nice 18# spring to the boat, kept on doing our thing and figuring out the lay of the land and the current and maybe a half hour later bang another runner on, this time a nice 16# spring in the boat. By this time it was 6:00 pm and we had had enough and called it a day with two nice springs in the tub.
Day two found us back in front at first light and first boat on tack. And what a beauty day for us. No lures all bait running at 50’ and 75’ and hugging the right rod to shore on the inside tack and rolling around about 100 yards out from that tack on the back tack. Steady morning for us, after the first two hits and misses I quickly tied up two teaser heads with stingers and we dropped those on and it paid off. No more losses that morning, 4 hits and 4 springs to the boat and done in 2.5 hrs with a 18, 22, 22 and the whopper of the trip and nice 25# fish. We spooled our gear and headed out for Halibut. Got on the spot and dropped lines and started our drift. Wasn’t long and we got a hit with a small maybe 10# Hali up that we carefully let go to grow. Didn’t take long for the dogs to roll in and after the 4th 4’ fish we had enough and pulled up and went in and called it a day.
Day three again found us out front this time though we worked a little harder we did about 2 hours with not even a hit and decided to pull up and take a run to Wya. When we got to Wya it was busy, looked like mostly the charter boys were in there doing their thing, we set up and did one long tack staying on the out side of the fleet watching how it’s done in there but it was too tight and too busy the last thing those boys needed in there was another boat and a new boat that doesn’t know the tack so I told the boy let’s leave it to the charter boys and stay out of their way and let them make their living we will only screw them up. So back to the Light House we went for the tide change. Didn’t take long and we had 2 springs on. But if your counting by this time all we needed two more springs and both fish were smaller in the 10 - 12# range and we let both go at the side of the boat figuring we’ll hold out for bigger and better things. But I’ll tell you, we worked for those two fish lol. We worked late that night until 5:00 for another decent spring but it came and we boated a nice 20# fish. A few more tacks and we were beat and called it a night around 6:00.
Day Four found us needing 1 more spring and hopefully some coho and a chance for some Hali. Out in front we were again working our buts off for that last spring, but no way, I’m sure we put in close to two hours with out a spring, one dandy Ling hit and came into the boat so that was a bonus but no springs. Rumour had it that there were some Coho getting hit down at Cree and Effingham so I told the boy let’s go check it out, so down we went. Nice run down there through some beautiful surroundings. When we showed up there were quite a few boats in the mix but lots of room on long tacks so we got in line and did our thing running two lines up high for Coho and one at 75’ with bait still looking for our last spring. We did manage a nice wild coho and a pink and all went in the tub. On the second tack the bait rod went off and a nice runner on, finally our last spring was on. After a nice little battle a 16# fish hit the tub, our springs were done. We spooled up and headed back to the Hali hole. Lines down and some new bait we picked up and it wasn’t long maybe a half hour and bang rod bounces and sure enough Halibut on. I knew it wasn’t big but knew it would be a keeper. Sure enough on coming to surface it was a decent little 15# fish in the tub. We kept at them for another couple hours with nothing but a couple hits and then the dogs moved in again. After the 2nd dog we spooled up and headed to inside waters for some more Coho. This time we did a long tack off the front and back side of Big Bear and managed 2 Coho to the boat. Again another late evening and we packed it in around 6:00.
Day four last day and planned only half day. We headed straight out to Big Bear for some early morning Coho action only needing 4 Coho to limit out on salmon. We did a long tack along the back side and out front and towards the outside picking up 3 Coho on the tack but by this time we were close to the line and still wanted a chance at a couple Halibut for the day so we spooled up and headed to the hole. On the way there we came across the birds and bait so we decided to drop the lines and just see if we can’t hit the last Coho. Not long after we started a tack the Humpbacks showed up and what a show. We pulled our lines and shut down the engine and just watched and soaked it all in. What a spectacular show they put on for us. After a good half hour they worked their way off and we spooled our lines with no coho and went to the Hali hole. Lines down and set. I was busy getting things put away in the boat and cleaning up and Sam was tending lines. Didn’t take long and he was on and a nice fish too, we could feel it had some weight. I was super stoked for Sam as I believe this was his first Halibut. It gave him a decent fight with a couple good runs when it got close to the boat after the second run it came in and we boated a nice 25# 95cm fish. We gave it another couple hours with no luck by this time it was time to pack in and call it a trip. After putting the gear away and getting ready for our run in we took a few minutes to soak up our trip and just be thankful for our surroundings and blessings in our life. I gave Sam a good old Dad hug and thanked him for coming with the old man and for being such a good fishing partner.
Bait was the ticket for us, I’m just not a hardware fisherman I have no faith in it. I tried this year as I said I was going to but when the tin doesn’t produce and the bait has 3 fish in the boat and no hits on the tin, you change. Chartreuse glow flasher with Chartreuse glow teaser head was the meat stick for springs with a couple picked up on moon jelly on black flasher with bloody nose teaser head. 50’ and 75’ produced evenly I would say. Trolled at 1.95 - 2.20 mph speed over ground. Small anchovies cured in glow green Pro Cure and salt mixer,, they loved it. For Coho a small pink coho killer spoon 36” behind pink/ purple glow flasher at 36’ was the hot one with a few picked up on a pink hootchie 36” behind a white glow flasher ran at 25’ trolled at 2.50 - 3.00 mph speed over ground.
