Launching on the Work Channel

[Dark]

Has anyone launched a 22 foot boat on the work channel?
Better yet has anyone loaded a 22 foot boat back on the trailer on the work channel? lol
Heading there in the last week of June, going to stay on the boat at dundas. Heard Goose Bay is the place you otta be.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[SeaWolf]

You need a 4 WD. As far as I remember it is 6-8 inch round beachrock, soft and especially hard to launch on a low tide. If you are planning on going to Dundas, why not just use Prince Rupert, paved roads, fuel, beer and all the amenities.

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by SeaWolf

You need a 4 WD. As far as I remember it is 6-8 inch round beachrock, soft and especially hard to launch on a low tide. If you are planning on going to Dundas, why not just use Prince Rupert, paved roads, fuel, beer and all the amenities.

That would be the best way to go. Just be sure that you have good charts and/or a mapping gps. The route out can be "interesting". I've done it quite a few times, and one time got into some very shallow water.

Yes, Dundas and Goose Bay area is THE place to be. I saw a 70 pound Chinook come out of there in '95. Work the shoreline right into Goose Bay. There are some small islands and another bay just to the east of Goose Bay that can hold lots of Coho as well. Worth checking if things are quiet in Goose Bay. On the outside can be good for Halibut and other rockfish.


Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250

 

[papg5860]

I've watched a 25' bayliner launch and load in the work channel no damage but a divorce probably happened when they got to a town. Realistically it's 25 miles to the mouth of the channel and 30 miles to the mouth from Prince Rupert.

 

[Dark]

Thanks guys, we were hoping to stay in the work for a few days and a few days at dundas.
We will be staying on our boat for 7 days and thought we would try crabing and prawning in the work.Are there any crabbing or prawning areas around dundas?
I all so figured if the big motor quit it would be alot nice going down the work to the truck on the 9.9 than trying to make the run back to rupert at 5 miles an hour

Thanks again for your help, we went to bella bella last year with the help from this board, if anyone needs info about that area or west coast of QCI I would gladly give what ever info I could.

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by Dark

Thanks guys, we were hoping to stay in the work for a few days and a few days at dundas.
We will be staying on our boat for 7 days and thought we would try crabing and prawning in the work.Are there any crabbing or prawning areas around dundas?

I'm not sure if this will help, but here goes anyway...

In '95, when I worked at Eagle Pointe Lodge on Wales Island. We all had Alaska sport licences. The border runs down the canal in front of the lodge and was only a mile or so across. We placed our crab and prawn traps on the far side in Alaska waters.

The Alaska commercial crabbers would not come down this far south - they had no need to. The Canadian commercial crabbers could not fish there - they had to stay on the Canadian side of the canal.

We had enough crab and prawns to feed the entire lodge - guests, staff & guides. Every day! The running joke at the lodge was "Oh, not crab AGAIN!" I think I was the only one there that actually ate crab every day I was there Damn we had a good time there!

I would think that if you dropped traps anywhere around Dundas, you should get crabs and prawns. Hit the usual geography when hunting each of them.


Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250

 

[Dark]

Thanks sushi, did you ever get any king crab?

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by Dark

Thanks sushi, did you ever get any king crab?

Oh, YES!

We didn't get too many in our traps, though we did get some. There was a commercial crabber who used to stay at the lodge when he was in our area. He used to bring us a few, and he allowed us to pull one of his King Crab traps - very heavy.

You have not had KC until you've had it FRESH!

We also got a few Box Crabs. Very tasty.

I got to the lodge at the begining of May to be a cook for the work crew that was getting the lodge set up for the season.

One night, I was making a nice pasta with a cream sauce. I used about 2 Opelio crabs, 4 Dungeness, a Box crab and a King crab in it, plus a bunch of prawns. As I was getting ready to serve it, I just realaized that there was about $300 worth of crab and prawns in this meal!

Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250

 

[Dark]

I know what you mean about fresh, we cooked some dungeness then froze them, ate them at home a week or 2 later,no comparison to fresh.

Now here is the age old question, how deep did you set your traps. we usaully don't set to deep 30 to 60 ft. we like to find fresh water and eel grass

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by Dark


I know what you mean about fresh, we cooked some dungeness then froze them, ate them at home a week or 2 later,no comparison to fresh.

Now here is the age old question, how deep did you set your traps. we usaully don't set to deep 30 to 60 ft. we like to find fresh water and eel grass

I think you are on the right track here.

I'm afraid that I don't know how deep the traps were set. I only pulled them a couple of times.

Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250

 

[tubby]

Hi
I used to live up north and fished the Work many of a time (mostly late summer to fall). Generally the fishing better over at Dundas but Wales Island can be good in June. If I had a your boat, I would not go for the Work launch.........it doalbe but why go through all the potential risks. Launch at Rupert, keep it simple.

King crabs are usually only around until late May/early June......plus you need a hoop trap to fish them.

 

[Dark]

Thanks to all that gave us info
The trip was great, launched at port eddy stayed the night in welcome harbor, fish goble point the next day for springs, one 25lb white spring, caught some bottom fish in a few other areas. Spent the night anchored in port eddy waiting for the other boat( a jet boat) bright and early we headed for the work channel, the trip there was calm, fished the mouth of the work sunday lost a few fish never landed any. Spent the night in trail bay (good crabing) in the work channel, next morning off to Dundas very rough crossing, specially for the jet boat. Fishing around Dundas was great lots of Coho we got 5 springs between 20 to 25 lbs and then the wife crushed us with her fish as seen in the pics. The bugs are bad at Dundas

Again thanks for the help, this was our 2nd trip to the coast to a new area and again the trip was great because of the help from this board

[