Loving the stories Kallitype!
In an earlier post, I mentioned Tony Pletcher, some of you old-timers may have known him, he was a BC Fisheries biologist and avid fisherman. He took the pics of the fish for the BC regs pamphlets: They put the fish in glass troughs with some kind of tranquilizer, so they could use live fish and get the colors exactly as they appear in the salt.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/lower-mainland/fisheries/fishing_licensing_regulations/salmon.htm
In 1986, my father passed away, I got a little inheritance and decided to spend part of it on a trip to Langara Lodge, which had just opened. My wife and I
drove to Vancouver, and took a flight to Port Hardy, from which we took a Beaver out to Langara Island. There were 5 staff on the barge that was anchored in a little bay---a Fish-master, 2 female staff who did the food serving, fish cleaning and freezing, maintained the cabins etc, and a Belgian chef from a Vancouver hotel---Olivier, who was a legendary cook having a working holiday.. There were only 4 guests for this maiden event---me and my wife, and Tony and his wife. This was in 1986, the year of Expo 86 in Vancouver. Tony had a unique way of preparing his mooching leaders---he used 4/0 92553-ss hooks, and put a little dab of epoxy where the eye met the shank, so as not to have any sharp edge that might cut the line when the fish rolled. And he used a big rubber snubber, so as to cushion the strike on the 12#, 9 foot leader. The fish-master told me where to go ---it was in a nearby little bay with a gravel bottom, at 80 feet. I went out at dawn in one of the little boats the camp supplied---I think they were 14 feet, with a 15hp kicker. I dropped a plug-cut herring down, and soon had my first tyee----35#. I raced back to the lodge, woke my wife, and she came out and nailed a 30# Spring from that same spot!. When we got back to the dock, Olivier met us with a plate of warm cookies, and Tony was just getting out of his boat with a 42# Spring! What a day! In 4 days we caught springs, silvers, and even a couple pinks. We did no bottom fishing, but I'd do that now, as there were halibut a little deeper out. There were a few humpbacks around, lots of puffins, and bears on the shore. I think it was mid July. If I can figure out how to post pics, I'll enclose some pics of that trips, and our tyee, and friend Tony.. Best part----4 days and 3 nights for the 2 of us for $1100 CAD, meals and boat included!!!