I have found on years where it’s a damp, crappy spring the chinooks run a little earlier
Looks like my fishing buddy and I won a charity bid to langara lodge! From what I understand we will be self guided, which I am stoked for. I‘m sure they will give us a low down on gear and spots when when we are there, but I want to know what I’m doing way before that. So I know some of you have some advice and spots to share, so please share some good advice. Spots,gear to bring ect?
Thanks in advance everyone!
I live on Haida Gwaii, and considering the lateness of everything this year, I'd try for the last couple of weeks of June. The last three years or so have been all over the place, though. In over 40 years of fishing salmon here, my rule of thumb was always to fish in Skidegate Inlet in March and April when the herring came in there, while there were just a few feeders on the West Side. As May progressed, the East Coast fishery died out and the West Side heated up, but it usually peaked around the end of June, followed by a 3-week lull after the first week in July. The big runs followed, and August and the first two weeks of September were pretty much guaranteed.
But after we had two hot-drought summers featuring warm water, followed by last non-summer, followed by this wintry spring, everything is rearranged. Last summer, fishing stayed great right through typically-slow July, but then got spotty in typically-hot early to mid-August, before picking up big time through September. There were still lots of springs around in early October, if you got a break in the weather.
I'd echo the advice to take a guide the first day. You'll be in a spectacular place for a limited time at no cost to yourselves, so why not rent a clue about what you're doing, and where to do it? You'll probably be steered toward mooching plug-cut herring, which is a lot more enjoyable than downrigger or especially diving-plane trolling in any case. As far as jigging goes, the later in the season, the more they've been hit, which again makes late June a desirable option.