2025 Port Renfrew Reports

Day two is in the books. Just heading home to give the wife and kid a lot of love! I also have a lot of vacuum sealing do lol. Some of the most insane pictures will be posted either tonight or in the morning.
 
Okay day 2:

Had a better sleep and only 1 cocktail the night before so I woke up feeling much better. You could say I got my mojo back!

Same 26 mile run to the salmon grounds at 05:45. Much better vis today and the waves were quite a bit less. The same amazing guide started us off where we left off yesterday. First fish within a couple of minutes and it didn’t slow down. We are allowed 2 any size per person and getting our 8 were done in less than a couple of hours, including a few that were in the mid 80cm’s and a couple more hatch cohos.

We maxed our possession on Hali yesterday so lings was the name of the game. Off to the new magical spot and we trolled swimbaits. As with everything else this trip it was unheard of. We scooped up 8 lings and a couple of vermillion in another couple of hours. I was on cloud 9.

I’ll show some pics of the harvest. Some may be offended by the number of fish retained here. It’s all on the allowable amount and in my 6 or 7 years of fishing this is my first fresh whitefish caught and kept and the most salmon I’ve had in a single year.

Freezer was empty, but not anymore! Feast your eyes on the totals from 4 guys in 2 INCREDIBLE days.

Not to be forgotten was the orca show, the humpback show, the most jumping salmon I’ve ever seen by a mile and some great times with some great buds.





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Okay day 2:

Had a better sleep and only 1 cocktail the night before so I woke up feeling much better. You could say I got my mojo back!

Same 26 mile run to the salmon grounds at 05:45. Much better vis today and the waves were quite a bit less. The same amazing guide started us off where we left off yesterday. First fish within a couple of minutes and it didn’t slow down. We are allowed 2 any size per person and getting our 8 were done in less than a couple of hours, including a few that were in the mid 80cm’s and a couple more hatch cohos.

We maxed our possession on Hali yesterday so lings was the name of the game. Off to the new magical spot and we trolled swimbaits. As with everything else this trip it was unheard of. We scooped up 8 lings and a couple of vermillion in another couple of hours. I was on cloud 9.

I’ll show some pics of the harvest. Some may be offended by the number of fish retained here. It’s all on the allowable amount and in my 6 or 7 years of fishing this is my first fresh whitefish caught and kept and the most salmon I’ve had in a single year.

Freezer was empty, but not anymore! Feast your eyes on the totals from 4 guys in 2 INCREDIBLE days.

Not to be forgotten was the orca show, the humpback show, the most jumping salmon I’ve ever seen by a mile and some great times with some great buds.





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No fish in port renfrew,its way better in bamfield 🙄😜, Stiz just posted on the wrong report page
 
Okay day 2:

Had a better sleep and only 1 cocktail the night before so I woke up feeling much better. You could say I got my mojo back!

Same 26 mile run to the salmon grounds at 05:45. Much better vis today and the waves were quite a bit less. The same amazing guide started us off where we left off yesterday. First fish within a couple of minutes and it didn’t slow down. We are allowed 2 any size per person and getting our 8 were done in less than a couple of hours, including a few that were in the mid 80cm’s and a couple more hatch cohos.

We maxed our possession on Hali yesterday so lings was the name of the game. Off to the new magical spot and we trolled swimbaits. As with everything else this trip it was unheard of. We scooped up 8 lings and a couple of vermillion in another couple of hours. I was on cloud 9.

I’ll show some pics of the harvest. Some may be offended by the number of fish retained here. It’s all on the allowable amount and in my 6 or 7 years of fishing this is my first fresh whitefish caught and kept and the most salmon I’ve had in a single year.

Freezer was empty, but not anymore! Feast your eyes on the totals from 4 guys in 2 INCREDIBLE days.

Not to be forgotten was the orca show, the humpback show, the most jumping salmon I’ve ever seen by a mile and some great times with some great buds.





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Yah..... Port Renfrew is OK....lol Glad you had a good trip. Can't wait to get back next week.
 
There are some around closer to shore, but the bank is on fire.
Nothing like a remote offshore fishery with a seasoned guide to ruin your fun at home for the rest of the season. I for one love grinding it out on hard days on the inside for that one challenging fish. The spoiled, spare no expense, guide-only fisherman always seems to be the one using freezer burnt salmon for "the best crab bait". Such is life, I guess.

Not poo-pooing your trip or anything. Looks like you had a blast and I'm positive you're not that guy. I just know a few guys like that from the city that rubbed me the wrong way. Clearly I'm triggered lol.
 
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Nothing like a remote offshore fishery with a seasoned guide to ruin your fun at home for the rest of the season. I for one love grinding it out on hard days on the inside for that one challenging fish. The spoiled, spare no expense, guide-only fisherman always seem to be the one using freezer burnt salmon for "the best crab bait". Such is life, I guess.

Not poo-pooing your trip or anything. Looks like you had a blast and I'm positive you're not that guy. I just know a few guys like that from the city that rubbed me the wrong way. Clearly I'm triggered lol.
 

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Just to back up the Stizz report we had a great time in Renfrew. This was a trip we won last year for a day of guided fishing from Wild Coast Wilderness in Port. Would highly recommend this company. With some thinking ahead we booked our days a long time ago trying to go on some slacker currents and decided to add the second day. Somehow it worked out to be opening day as our second day hoping the regs would be in our favour. The excitement on our guides face on day 1 about our 2nd day and the 2 each any size had us extra jacked. The Day1 was 1spring 80 cm.and a plan to get our Hali. As the guide said we’re going to harvest them. It blew our minds how it played out as we pulled into a area with 7 other big boats. Keep it simple with a white grub and a piece of salmon belly, no scent . This was the most intense few mins we’ve all experienced. Robin our guide was absolutely superhuman, Hali’s were slapping the back deck and up the side. I got a video of the mayhem just after the first hit the deck and within 2:34 sec we had our limit of Hali. I’m still shaking my head in disbelief. I’m sure the other boats watched us and wondered as we waved goodbye after 5 mins lol. So many firsts for all of us rookies on this trip in a completely different weather (fog,mist,rain, cool ) pattern only 2 hrs up the bumpy rd. So now it’s back hoping to get 1 back in Victoria trying not to get skunked.
 

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Nothing like a remote offshore fishery with a seasoned guide to ruin your fun at home for the rest of the season. I for one love grinding it out on hard days on the inside for that one challenging fish. The spoiled, spare no expense, guide-only fisherman always seem to be the one using freezer burnt salmon for "the best crab bait". Such is life, I guess.

Not poo-pooing your trip or anything. Looks like you had a blast and I'm positive you're not that guy. I just know a few guys like that from the city that rubbed me the wrong way. Clearly I'm triggered lol.
I will love grinding it at home still.
It’s nice to actually have food in the freezer for the family. I promise not a piece will go to waste. I was up until 11pm filleting and vac sealing it. My daughter gets to be the labeling girl with her best printing.
I will also share with my parents and good friends who love fish but don’t get to go.

@kaelc The tactics are different out there vs Sidney but I learned some great tips on the swim bait trolling for lings. Reel until the clip pops and get tension before pulling it from the rod holder. Hooking rate went way up after that.
Guide was very cool letting us run the gear and part time captain @Original was awesome at steering the boat and finding fish. That’s the best way to learn is by getting hands on!
 
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