May in the Charlottes!

[Hoochiebob]

Just got the word!26th to 28th at the Westcoast Fishing Club.All expenses paid!
Now all I have to do is some serious praying to the fish gods for a few springs.Never fished up there before so dont know what to expect.Anyone been up there this time of year?
Trying not to expect much but I could use some encouraging words of wisdom.
Who's got the skinny?
Hooch

 

[highlights]

Guided up there. You can count on some great fishing. I would say that it is the finest of the season. Ironic but true, not too many guests to have to worry about yet.

Have fun

 

[Dogbreath]

I'm there the 20th through the 25th @ Langara.

Very little showing yet from what I've heard, when lodges talk about all the bait/whales they're seeing it means they aren't seeing any Salmon.

With record low returns predicted for this season I'm expecting very little in the way of Salmon but do expect to pick up a few Halibut and am taking light and ultralight gear for Rockfish.

 

[OneWay]

WCFC has electric downriggers on their whalers. You can work all the hot spots Cohoe, Andrew Point, etc from 30 to 150 feet in any kind of tide flow. Glow hoochies with a Purple Haze flasher deep, or up shallower with cut plug herring or whole in a teaser head (30 to 90 feet). Work the flats off Pillar Rock in 200 feet of water for chicken halis, or off the light house for bigger halis and lings. Work the nooks and crannies off the north end of Graham too. Try to keep your weight gain to less than 40 pounds...food is terrific....and the beer tap is self-serve....

 

[Dogbreath]

I'm on the phone to Buddy up there now and fish are coming through in waves, one day lots fish one day very little looks promising.

 

[Mortician]

quote:Originally posted by OneWay

WCFC has electric downriggers on their whalers. You can work all the hot spots Cohoe, Andrew Point, etc from 30 to 150 feet in any kind of tide flow. Glow hoochies with a Purple Haze flasher deep, or up shallower with cut plug herring or whole in a teaser head (30 to 90 feet). Work the flats off Pillar Rock in 200 feet of water for chicken halis, or off the light house for bigger halis and lings. Work the nooks and crannies off the north end of Graham too. Try to keep your weight gain to less than 40 pounds...food is terrific....and the beer tap is self-serve....

I've never fished Langara before. Is it primarily a bait fishery or a tackle fishery? What tackle do most people use?

I've heard some fabulous stories from my dad who fished there in the mid 90's. He said it used to be bait only.

 

[Hoochiebob]

Thanks guys,excitement building!
9 days to go and it seems like forever!
Anybody know what sizes are showing up?

 

[OneWay]

Bait, drift jigs, hardware, hoochies...almost everything works there when fish move in. If bait shows up thick, magic depth is 36 feet, then you can motor mooch or troll right next to kelp beds and rock faces.
A little trick about mooching at Langara Island is to check for trips with small tides, otherwise it's really hard to hold fishy spots even with 10-ounce ball sinkers. With downriggers you don't need to worry about tidal flows and can plumb the deeper waters.
Most guys use big cut plug herring, especially during the early season.
First thing in the morning and during slacks are best. As all the fishing spots are only a short run away, you can go sightseeing, go bottom fishing or just enjoy the lodge until you hear a bite is on (and they last a long time) then race to the hot spot with loads of time to still hit fish.
Get lazy and head off to the "o-zone" way out to the northwest, put a big plug or whole herring behind eight ounce of weight, let out 100 pulls of line and drift with the wind and tide with motor off...watch the whale show or dolphins etc...until some big fish swallows your bait....
Remember the fish come in waves, so you may not hit anything then all hell breaks loose...always be ready when bait shows up so thick that your sounder screen turns black!

 

[Seabass]

Just returned from the Charlottes today from Englefield Lodge. Salmon fishing was slow with biggest wieghed in for the trip being a 31 pounder. Bottom fishing was good. Lots of Yelloweye, Lingcod and a few Hali's. Biggest wieghed in by a guest was a 230 pounder. Also there was a few salmon sharks caught,one weighed 130 pounds. Weather the first couple of days was rainy and windy which keeped anglers from fishing on the outside where catching is much better at this time of year. Also the lodge is first class which makes the trip.

 

[TheRock]

quote:Originally posted by Seabass

Just returned from the Charlottes today from Englefield Lodge. Salmon fishing was slow with biggest wieghed in for the trip being a 31 pounder. Bottom fishing was good. Lots of Yelloweye, Lingcod and a few Hali's. Biggest wieghed in by a guest was a 230 pounder. Also there was a few salmon sharks caught,one weighed 130 pounds. Weather the first couple of days was rainy and windy which keeped anglers from fishing on the outside where catching is much better at this time of year. Also the lodge is first class which makes the trip.

Seabass, I just returned today from Englefield as well, we must of been in the same group. I agree, Yes Salmon fishing was very slow. 49 of us in our group, got to fish 2 1/2 days on the out side and maybe 5 springs were caught? 1 st. day I got two springs 16lb. and 11 lb. on the inside at Hastings, probably were local/winter springs. Our buddy boat had no springs for the entire trip as did many others. The 31 was caught on the out side, next to our boat and our buddy boat, as they were cutting us off across the tac. in front of us where they hooked the 31 lber. Our guide was not impressed by that stunt. Either way, fishing was SLOW. ! Even Halibut was off .! very few halibut were caught. there was that one big one 230. then one in the 60's I think it was then a couple mid range ones a few smaller ones.. .that was it... we did allot of hali fishing all we got was one hali 14lbs. in 4 1/2 days fishing for them with two boats, 4 + the guide. We got one other hali 20lbs. by mistake trolling for salmon. Spring and Halli Fishing was more than slow.. it was HORRIBLE. The Yellow Eye snapper made it up for it a bit.. never seen Yellow eye that big before, we had one that was 19lbs. Fishing aside, the resort was 5 stars ! I would do it again next year, but not in May. If I were to go again it has to be at least in June. Catching fish is just a bonus when your up there... Its playing in paradise. Having a hot lunch (hot fish burgers and hot chili in a thermos and re stock on pop, water, beer if you wanted ) motor out to you on the fishing grounds every day was just priceless !

 

[Bent-Rail]

My husband and I just got back from Englefield and the fishing was slow especially for salmon, they were just starting to show up as we were leaving, so hope there will be more for you. My suggestion to you is TAKE YOUR WIFE OR GIRLFRIEND. There were 3 women in our group of 8. The women caught the majority of the large fish. 31 lb Spring, 59lb halibut, 40lb halibut, 24lb yellow eye and some really nice lings. Even with the salmon being slow the trip was well worth it. The only thing you do is get dressed, raise your hand to your mouth (eating and drinking) and fish. We couldn't of asked for a better group of people to live with (staff) during our stay. We will definitly go back.

 

[Hoochiebob]

Hats off to the women! My wife cant take anything over a four foot sea!Know any that want to go?Prefer brunettes myself