Langara

[Tom Gordon]

I’m thinking about a trip next June to Langara. Any tips on best timing, tides, etc would be greatly appreciated. Will be fishing unguided.

 

[Sir Reel]

First week in July has always been good to us. Didn't even worry about tides and such.
Weather is more of a factor determining where you can fish. I get their weekly fishing reports and fishing was very good this year.
Obviously some slower periods but you can't forecast that in advance. Pick the dates that work for you. You'll have a great time!

 

[Dogbreath]

As mentioned don't worry about tides worry about wind.

That being said it's not the place it once was- you'll overpay for generally underwhelming fishing and being harassed by Sea Lions all day.

 

[Tom Gordon]

I’m thinking about a trip next June to Langara. Any tips on best timing, tides, etc would be greatly appreciated. Will be fishing unguided.

First week in July has always been good to us. Didn't even worry about tides and such.
Weather is more of a factor determining where you can fish. I get their weekly fishing reports and fishing was very good this year.
Obviously some slower periods but you can't forecast that in advance. Pick the dates that work for you. You'll have a great time!

View attachment 98889

Thank you

 

[Tom Gordon]

As mentioned don't worry about tides worry about wind.

That being said it's not the place it once was- you'll overpay for generally underwhelming fishing and being harassed by Sea Lions all day.

Thank you. Is it the decline in runs generally or something specific to Langara that makes it underwhelming?

 

[seabeyond]

I'd say you go to Langara for the experience. It's not the best fishery on the coast (although it has it's epic days like all the notable areas do), but it's a quality fishery. It's nice too if you don't like big water, as you generally have a couple fairly flat areas to fish. It's not like fishing Kano where it was more of a boom or bust situation (you can be screwed when it blows hard).
Go earlier than if you were fishing down south (late June to mid Jul).
The sealion issues have left many with a bad taste in their mouth and certainly turned some folks off the area. Is what it is.
Island Lodge, Fishing Lodge, and The Clubhouse all run quality lodges and no how to treat their guests. It's a worthwhile experience for those that can afford the admission.

 

[adanac]

First week in July has always been good to us. Didn't even worry about tides and such.
Weather is more of a factor determining where you can fish. I get their weekly fishing reports and fishing was very good this year.
Obviously some slower periods but you can't forecast that in advance. Pick the dates that work for you. You'll have a great time!

View attachment 98889

Lots of fish around all July , but your chances at the larger grade of fish (that most people head up that way for ) drastically improves last week of July - first week of august .

 

[Dogbreath]

Thank you. Is it the decline in runs generally or something specific to Langara that makes it underwhelming?

Stock declines and being asked to pay hideously prices for a place that is nothing like it was when I first started fishing there in the late 80's.

I've been 9 times and will probably never return even though my last trip had decent results with mixed Coho & Spring action.

Part of it is the **** that lodges there are always shoveling especially the guide boats many of which are run by people who just aren't that good.

 

[chinnok]

If you like to bring fish home June is not the best month for that since there is usually restrictions in place. One chinook per day, 2 in position for the trip.

 

[Tom Gordon]

Stock declines and being asked to pay hideously prices for a place that is nothing like it was when I first started fishing there in the late 80's.

I've been 9 times and will probably never return even though my last trip had decent results with mixed Coho & Spring action.

Part of it is the **** that lodges there are always shoveling especially the guide boats many of which are run by people who just aren't that good.

Thanks for you honest assessment. Any suggestions for other areas to consider?

 

[Tom Gordon]

If you like to bring fish home June is not the best month for that since there is usually restrictions in place. One chinook per day, 2 in position for the trip.

Thanks. Mid June is the only window for my fishing partner. Any suggestions on netter options?

 

[Tom Gordon]

I'd say you go to Langara for the experience. It's not the best fishery on the coast (although it has it's epic days like all the notable areas do), but it's a quality fishery. It's nice too if you don't like big water, as you generally have a couple fairly flat areas to fish. It's not like fishing Kano where it was more of a boom or bust situation (you can be screwed when it blows hard).
Go earlier than if you were fishing down south (late June to mid Jul).
The sealion issues have left many with a bad taste in their mouth and certainly turned some folks off the area. Is what it is.
Island Lodge, Fishing Lodge, and The Clubhouse all run quality lodges and no how to treat their guests. It's a worthwhile experience for those that can afford the admission.

Thanks. Any suggestions for alternative areas in mid June?

 

[chinnok]

Thanks. Mid June is the only window for my fishing partner. Any suggestions on netter options?

Bamfield. @Derby

 

[seabeyond]

Thanks. Any suggestions for alternative areas in mid June?

Depends on what you want to catch and what type of experience you want.

Somewhere like Bam (Chinnok's suggestion) is a good fishery but not the experience of Langara. Bam is also less than half the price (maybe more like a third), but again they are totally different experiences. Many will prefer bam to Langara but they are not an apples to apples comparison (one a five star resort, one beautiful little spot with a more blue collar feel). I'd take Bamfield as the extra 15k to go to Langara is a big chunk to me personally so the decision is an easy one. Good chance Bam is more productive too.

I charter Ukee as I like it here and have made it my home, but it's not right for everyone. If you're a trophy hunter looking for a 40lb plus spring, this ain't your place, nor anywhere on the wcvi really (go see Bryce in the central coast). My boat may see one that size every five years. It's also not the place for you in June if you need the ocean to look like a pond. If calm seas are at the top of your list (you turn a shade of green looking at a storm from shore) maybe rivers inlet is calling you (not in June though, that's to early for up there).

The west side of the Island from Bam up to Winter Harbour offers fantastic fisheries. Ask a room full of guys that have fished them all and you will get a bunch of different answers. Which area is king is subjective. I'd shade south of Estavan Pt in June just from a weather stand point.

If I was going north of Vancouver Island I'd go fish out of Queen Charlotte City. That's just me. It's a cool fishery. The access to the west side of the Charlotte's that QC has makes it top of the list if I'm going north. It's also less pretentious than Langara which suits me well. They can see some garbage weather up there though (but they have more options out of QC then somewhere like The Outpost on the west side of Graeme). Whenever we get bad weather in Ukee, I just remind myself of my years in the Charlottes where half the summer looked like our notable dozen inclement weather days. I wore rain gear pretty much every day. I now spend 100 plus shifts in jeans and a hoodie. It took me ten minutes to find my rain gear in August this summer when I thought I might need it.

So, if you want meaningful suggestions I believe you need to be specific about what it is that you want in a trip. Primary target species of importance. Big corporate style resort, small Lodge, small town? 10k/ day or 10k for a whole 4 day trip?

Pick a reputable shop pretty well anywhere on the coast, take quality company, the right attitude, and you're bound to have a good time.

 

[CBsqrd]

Give Eagle Pointe Lodge a look if you are looking to catch big springs in June and want a North Coast experience. Mix of protected and open waters as well.

 

[Tighthead]

I’m thinking about a trip next June to Langara. Any tips on best timing, tides, etc would be greatly appreciated. Will be fishing unguided.

Peak timing for Kitsum Kalum tyee is around the 24th of June. Was there about a week earlier this year and it was awesome.

 

[Aces]

Tofino/ Ucluelet are great in June. Same as Port Hardy

 

[Tom Gordon]

Depends on what you want to catch and what type of experience you want.

Somewhere like Bam (Chinnok's suggestion) is a good fishery but not the experience of Langara. Bam is also less than half the price (maybe more like a third), but again they are totally different experiences. Many will prefer bam to Langara but they are not an apples to apples comparison (one a five star resort, one beautiful little spot with a more blue collar feel). I'd take Bamfield as the extra 15k to go to Langara is a big chunk to me personally so the decision is an easy one. Good chance Bam is more productive too.

I charter Ukee as I like it here and have made it my home, but it's not right for everyone. If you're a trophy hunter looking for a 40lb plus spring, this ain't your place, nor anywhere on the wcvi really (go see Bryce in the central coast). My boat may see one that size every five years. It's also not the place for you in June if you need the ocean to look like a pond. If calm seas are at the top of your list (you turn a shade of green looking at a storm from shore) maybe rivers inlet is calling you (not in June though, that's to early for up there).

The west side of the Island from Bam up to Winter Harbour offers fantastic fisheries. Ask a room full of guys that have fished them all and you will get a bunch of different answers. Which area is king is subjective. I'd shade south of Estavan Pt in June just from a weather stand point.

If I was going north of Vancouver Island I'd go fish out of Queen Charlotte City. That's just me. It's a cool fishery. The access to the west side of the Charlotte's that QC has makes it top of the list if I'm going north. It's also less pretentious than Langara which suits me well. They can see some garbage weather up there though (but they have more options out of QC then somewhere like The Outpost on the west side of Graeme). Whenever we get bad weather in Ukee, I just remind myself of my years in the Charlottes where half the summer looked like our notable dozen inclement weather days. I wore rain gear pretty much every day. I now spend 100 plus shifts in jeans and a hoodie. It took me ten minutes to find my rain gear in August this summer when I thought I might need it.

So, if you want meaningful suggestions I believe you need to be specific about what it is that you want in a trip. Primary target species of importance. Big corporate style resort, small Lodge, small town? 10k/ day or 10k for a whole 4 day trip?

Pick a reputable shop pretty well anywhere on the coast, take quality company, the right attitude, and you're bound to have a good time.

Thanks for all the thoughtful input. I’ll do some more research.

 

[wildthing]

if not been port hardy then go guided and also option to winter harbour as well ....both great places if you get the weather / fish window right ...

 

[Aces]

if not been port hardy then go guided and also option to winter harbour as well ....both great places if you get the weather / fish window right ...

Only problem with Hardy is you gotta run for an hour to get away from the same salmon regs as the Georgia strait

Tofino and Ucluelet has good chinook fishing fairly close in