Goals / plans for 2025 summer / fall season

Looking forward to a good summer on the water. Fish Bamfield, hopefully make a pilgrimage to River's Inlet, and a family trip to Desolation Sound.
 
Put in a solid effort "bucktailing" for Coho in the Strait of Georgia. Not a truly traditional bucktail fishing method, but using a combo of flies, small plugs, apexes, etc... No more than a 4oz ball weight. Trolling fast! Kind of like tuna fishing, but on the inside waters... Hah! Have already seen a decent number of fish jumping offshore Gabriola, hopefully that means there are a decent number of coho around and willing to bite on/near the surface!
 
To continue fishing new areas and new techniques. That has been the highlight to my fishing past few years.
Also to catch squid and go on a successful Tuna trip. My first tuna trip was not so successful with only 3 tuna caught. I'm a free agent!! Call me! LOL!
 
I’d just like to actually get out and fish. I bought a new boat last year that got used once on a lake and didn’t even make it to the coast. Hours and hours and days and months of gathering parts and rigging it up and there it sits loaded and ready to go. But can I actually get away? Noooo not a chance
 
I am going to work on my fish care this year. I bought an ice machine and a yeti 125. The plan is to use the Ike Jime method to kill the fish and immediately ice in the fish hold. Bring fish home and instead of rushing through the fillet and vacuum packing process in the evening keep the fish in the yeti overnight so I can take time to carefully prep the fish for the freezer.
 
I am going to work on my fish care this year. I bought an ice machine and a yeti 125. The plan is to use the Ike Jime method to kill the fish and immediately ice in the fish hold. Bring fish home and instead of rushing through the fillet and vacuum packing process in the evening keep the fish in the yeti overnight so I can take time to carefully prep the fish for the freezer.
I started doing that during sockeye season. I even went as far as grabbing dry ice to flash freeze the fish after processing within 30 minutes of catching it. It made for a mighty fine sushi. No dock water and no fresh water at home. Pure as the Rockies Fraser run-off!

I'm sure it was all overkill, to be honest.
 
My grandkids like jigging for rockfish and I’ve never spent much time trying to find decent spots so this summer we will do a bit of scouting around and see what we can find and maybe get really lucky and get a legal ling.
 
I started doing that during sockeye season. I even went as far as grabbing dry ice to flash freeze the fish after processing within 30 minutes of catching it. It made for a mighty fine sushi. No dock water and no fresh water at home. Pure as the Rockies Fraser run-off!

I'm sure it was all overkill, to be honest.
We’ve eaten our fair share of sashimi and homemade sushi this year, it is soo good and real nice to have confidence in where the fish came from and was handled. I would also like to fine tune my bonk to freezer process.
 
We’ve eaten our fair share of sashimi and homemade sushi this year, it is soo good and real nice to have confidence in where the fish came from and was handled. I would also like to fine tune my bonk to freezer process.

sorry derail of the year but if you have room in your freezer , lay out your salmon filet on parchment paper and a tray or something flat and freeze while spritzing it with water. filet forms a slight glaze if done properly. then, take the now frozen filet and vacuum seal it. it seals waay better and will last longer.
( i don’t ever do this, i don’t have room ) 😂
 
Hoping to go to Toba Inlet salmon fishing end of June. Supposed to be a peak time for Chinook. Have been there twice later in the summer but fishing was pretty much over by then.
Will be staying at Toba Wilderness Marina
Any tips would be appreciated!
 
sorry derail of the year but if you have room in your freezer , lay out your salmon filet on parchment paper and a tray or something flat and freeze while spritzing it with water. filet forms a slight glaze if done properly. then, take the now frozen filet and vacuum seal it. it seals waay better and will last longer.
( i don’t ever do this, i don’t have room ) 😂
lol yeah I should likely start another thread but appreciate the feedback.
I have done this, it did keep fish in good condition but I’m not convinced it was worth the effort.
As for vac sealing, I don’t wash or wet my fish aside from blasting off the scales. Dry it after that, before filleting, and keep relatively dry through the process along with a double bar sealer helps. Not quite as good as when frozen but decent.
 
In the past I've started my season by catching the last ferry, sleep in the truck, fish sox in Alberni, get to Ukee, launch, set up the tent, then leave before 5 every morning to fish multiple species and prawns. Too many rods, too much crap, too much rushing, sometimes too much risk with dark and weather. Get 2 chins, go anchor, stop and jig the rocks, go check the prawns, deal with the catch, fuel up, cook, sleep. Repeat for three or four trips. The goal this year is to slow down and stop caring about limits and just enjoy being there. Maybe stay an extra day or two each trip.
I failed to fully follow my intended plan, but managed a relaxing trip. Caught the last ferry, fished sox in PA, stayed in the motel instead of camping. Got 2 Chins trolling ( white splooch turd/pearly cuttlefish) and 2 one evening on live squid. Didn't try a spoon.
Got one day's limit of prawns. It's too far if I have to pound back into an afternoon nw breeze. 6 lings- 4 trolling a big green halihawg with a 6oz head 20 ft behind the ball which was about 15 feet off bottom.
Didn't fish more than about 6 hours for salmon. Foggy for early July. Didn't try for hali, will wait till I'm already out there on salmon to get 6lbs of fillets.
Had some naps, watched some Jays, good trip.
Two more to come.
 
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