Swiftsure Bank GPS Weigh Points

[magoo]

Hi,

Does anyone have any good weigh points for halibut on Swiftsure Bank.
We are fishing out of Renfrew next week and I am new to fishing this area off shore. How long of a trip is it from Renfrew? I have a 20 ft Thunderjet with a 350.

Any info would be appreciated .

 

[TenMile]

The run takes about 45-60 minutes from Renfrew at 20-ish knots. Best plan is to head to the western edge of the bank and look for the crowd of boats. Note that the fog is often present and very thick and assume you are completely invisible to the traffic around you.

Isn't a ThunderJet a river-oriented boat? I'd be careful taking it out onto the bank if that's the case -- be sure you know what the weather and ocean is going to do that day as you are a long way from shore if things go bad out there.

 

[Striper Sniper]

Hey TenMile, if your boat is indeed a "river boat" might I suggest that you try to "buddy boat" with another boat..... If you don't have radar and the fog moves in, they don't call it Fogust for nothing, it is easy to lose sight of the other boats that might be out there. SS

 

[Charlie]

quote:Originally posted by magoo

Hi,

Does anyone have any good weigh points for halibut on Swiftsure Bank.
We are fishing out of Renfrew next week and I am new to fishing this area off shore. How long of a trip is it from Renfrew? I have a 20 ft Thunderjet with a 350.

Any info would be appreciated .

Just go to the "J" bouy! But have to agree, you have "radar" ?

 

[eaglemaniac]

http://www.thunderjet.com/index.html eman

 

[bee15]

heres a good spot for some big hallies.12450.341 4834.271not to far from carmanah nice spot to anchor or try drifting around it with bait. a buddy gave it to me he said he got big fish around there.il get some numbers atswiftsure soon.buddy said thatthis spot hasnt been fished in awhile.

 

[juandesooka]

GPS coordinates might be hard to come by, not too many people will share them.

Here's a swiftsure map: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish/Tidal/swiftsuremap_e.htm

And details of the closure: OFFSHORE (Swiftsure Bank)
The waters of Swiftsure Bank, inside a line from 48°34.00'N and 125°06.00'W, thence to 48°34.00'N and 124°54.20'W, thence to 48°29.62'N and 124°43.40'W, thence following the International Boundary between Canada and the U.S. to 48°29.55'N and 124°56.20'W, thence in a straight line to the point of commencement, are closed to all finfish, all year.

There were probably 30 boats on the west side the weekend before last, so pretty clear where the popular spot was!

Definitely be cautious if you don't have radar...can be pea soup fog out there, and you're fishing right in shipping lanes. A friend suggested at least put up a radar reflector, so they can see you. Not that they can stop, those big freighters move FAST, but maybe they can honk the horn in time for you to get out the way. And monitor Channel 6, Tofino Coast Guard was giving warnings about incoming freighters.

Have fun...be safe!

*************************
http://fishingportrenfrew.ca
http://fishingsooke.ca

 

[chris73]

Don't go in a Thunderjet! Nice boats in the river but not suitable for off-shore adventures. Not worth to risk you life...

 

[bee15]

or risk the people who go to rescue you. mabe hire an experienced guide would be safer

 

[TenMile]

quote:Originally posted by Striper Sniper

Hey TenMile, if your boat is indeed a "river boat" might I suggest that you try to "buddy boat" with another boat.....

Magoo has the Thunderjet, I'm a Striper fan like you

 

[Cuba Libre]

Before some of you dump all over the ThunderJet, do a little more research. he didnt say it was a flat bottomed jet.(althought the 350 inboard may indicate that) TJ makes some nice day boats that can handle the salt as well as other 20fters

http://www.boats.com/listing/boat_d...h=Ns=PAll_modelYear%7C1&slim=builder&mid=6036

Also have a look at the larger "offshore" line. They are GREAT fishing machines.
My 20 ft Alumaweld has a slightly deeper "V" (18 degrees, rather than a 16 degree deadrise)than ThunderJet and I can tell you I would have no qualms about running it in JDF with the normal "caveats"




20ft Alumaweld Intruder

 

[chris73]

CL; I have been on a Thunderjet with a 350Hp jet engine and I tell you it's not an off-shore toy.

 

[happy hooker]

What are the downfalls, if any, of having a jet versus a prop in the chuck? (besides the flat bottom hull on most jet boats) In big water would the jet actually come out of the water therefore limiting propultion due to the rocking of the hull in bigger waves?

 

[happy hooker]

quote:Originally posted by happy hooker

What are the downfalls, if any, of having a jet versus a prop in the chuck? (besides the flat bottom hull on most jet boats) In big water would the jet actually come out of the water therefore limiting propultion due to the rocking of the hull in bigger waves?

 

[CobraSE]

I just got home from fishing swifture for 5 days..and the us side for two days. I fished from a 20'Custom Weld Cobra SE. it has a jet drive a 12 degree deadrise. we did encounter one day of really bad seas but the boat handled it well I might add I was not out there fishing alone I am crazy but not foolish. we had a great trip caught lots of fish. m2cents

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by happy hooker

What are the downfalls, if any, of having a jet versus a prop in the chuck? (besides the flat bottom hull on most jet boats) In big water would the jet actually come out of the water therefore limiting propultion due to the rocking of the hull in bigger waves?

My very limited experience with a jet boat was last year for a couple of days when I guided a couple of fellows on their "Oregon River Jet Boat". It was an interesting experience.

We went out to the Highway one day and the wind blew up pretty good. We had, easily, 6 to 8 foot swells with wind chop on top. The boat handled it wonderfully!

The only downside was the Jet itself. They do not like weeds! If you suck weeds into the jet, it will cavitate badly and you lose any power. You can sometimes hit reverse gear and clear it, but mostly you have to haul out and clean out the jet on land.

There is a quick clip of one guest playing a 39 pound Chinook from this boat on one of my YouTube videos

Check the scene that starts at 1:53 and ends at 2:03

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=i3co2TfR1aY

The only other thing I noticed was trying to drive the boat in a straight line - couldn't do it. It was real loose in the back end and you had to constantly correct as the boat swung back and forth.

I came away from the trip with a new found faith in River Boats for ability to handle off-shore weather on the West Coast.

Oh, and you can roll right over a log with no damage! [)]





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