Tales From The Tyee Pool........2018

[Dave H]

Home after a night of heavy exercise but little fish action and discovered that young Doug Ellis rowed Joe Boutilier into a 32 pounder tonight, perhaps after we left.

Good going guys and under bad conditions too.

Here's the photo of the old Hippy rower and his happy rod-holder with their nice Tyee last night.

Ugly night tonight and a big disappointment given our high hopes for even a semblance of last year's happening, but that's fishing.

Tomorrow........






Take care.

 

[Dave H]

After last night.





Take care.

 

[Dave H]

Finally, we had a windless evening which made for much nicer rowing conditions, plus a decent number of fish rolling in the pool and what should have been a very small tide change, at least on paper.

On almost any flood tide one needs be wary of getting caught up in the shallower water just opposite and south of the playground on the Spit, as it's there things speed up and it can be a tough row getting free from that situation, but it can also hold fish and I've hit a few in that area so I always check it out.

We were surprised at the velocity of the water flowing past the mooring buoy when we got there, and my heart sank at the rowing effort I knew was about to begin.

I should explain that my trusty and experienced rod-holder last night was a very large man last year, perhaps one of the bigger men I've rowed, but he assured me he was a changed man this year and indeed he was, having lost five belt notches worth of weight and at the same time growing out his hair and beard. He looked good and definitely much lighter than last year.

Then he produced his young daughter, perhaps 100 pounds soaking wet, and proclaimed he didn't want me to have to make any adjustments to my rowing this year so he'd arranged to keep the load consistent.

We finally cleared away from the fast-water trap I had cunningly managed to get us into and enjoyed a peaceful row the rest of the evening, not being bothered by any strikes or hook-ups or anything like that, although I did manage to have Owen hit the bottom once or twice in my never-ending search for a trophy Cabezon.

A couple of anglers hooked up and we watched as Steve Spiers and rod-holder Gary Soles took a fish in to be weighed.
And then the bell rang three times and we knew it was a Tyee, and a beauty too.

After we'd called it a night I checked at the clubhouse and saw the 35 pounder and a couple of high 20's that had been boated last night, all very positive signs.

This morning, as I lay abed, I heard the bell ring three times again, and shortly thereafter discovered that Mike Stutzel had rowed himself to a nice 31 pounder, Tyee number 13 for the season to date. I believe that's him on the left. Note the old trick of making yourself small next to your fish to make it look bigger. BWAHAHAHAHA. Nice try boys.

A few of the boys are hanging off the bar right now on the flood, dangling spoons, and we'll see if they produced anything shortly.

That's about all for now but stay tuned. I've got a newbie in my boat tonight and I've been known to catch fish with newbies before. LOL





Take care.

 

[Dave H]

Sadly, I have no new Tyee to report as at an hour or so ago, but three unders were caught and released this morning I'm told.

Much less fish activity last night although rowing conditions were much nicer than they have been. We saw Jimmy C hook one but apparently lost it or released it as they returned to the pool fishless.

Also heard things have gotten quiet off the fishing pier and not much activity south of town either, so perhaps we need a day or so for stocks to arrive after the large net fishery that took place recently. Always seems to slow for a day or two post net fishery, but we're always hopeful they didn't incidentally take a lot of Chinook in the Sockeye fishery.

Out tonight with the gal who hooked up last year and had her fish run into her sister's line which turned into a lost fish but saved the plug scenario, one I'm too darn familiar with recently.

Wish us luck.




Take care.

 

[Bob Main]

Sadly, I have no new Tyee to report as at an hour or so ago, but three unders were caught and released this morning I'm told.

Much less fish activity last night although rowing conditions were much nicer than they have been. We saw Jimmy C hook one but apparently lost it or released it as they returned to the pool fishless.

Also heard things have gotten quiet off the fishing pier and not much activity south of town either, so perhaps we need a day or so for stocks to arrive after the large net fishery that took place recently. Always seems to slow for a day or two post net fishery, but we're always hopeful they didn't incidentally take a lot of Chinook in the Sockeye fishery.

Out tonight with the gal who hooked up last year and had her fish run into her sister's line which turned into a lost fish but saved the plug scenario, one I'm too darn familiar with recently.

Wish us luck.




Take care.

Good luck on your Cabezon adventure tonight, King David!!!!

 

[Rockymtns]

Good luck, put those expertise rowing skills to use tonight’s a good night for a tyee!

 

[dallasroad]

I am lucky in my lifetime to have caught 2 fish over 50 pounds, 5 over 40 pounds and many over 30 pounds but I still have not had the privilege of catching a tyee in the tyee pool even though I have tried for the past several years. In my humble opinion, this fishery represents the ultimate salmon angling challenge. I am headed to Campbell River early next week to fish 4 tides with a friend who has rowed one tyee this year as well as five undersized fish. Hopefully, luck will be on my side this year.

 

[fish brain]

Sadly, I have no new Tyee to report as at an hour or so ago, but three unders were caught and released this morning I'm told.

Much less fish activity last night although rowing conditions were much nicer than they have been. We saw Jimmy C hook one but apparently lost it or released it as they returned to the pool fishless.

Also heard things have gotten quiet off the fishing pier and not much activity south of town either, so perhaps we need a day or so for stocks to arrive after the large net fishery that took place recently. Always seems to slow for a day or two post net fishery, but we're always hopeful they didn't incidentally take a lot of Chinook in the Sockeye fishery.

Out tonight with the gal who hooked up last year and had her fish run into her sister's line which turned into a lost fish but saved the plug scenario, one I'm too darn familiar with recently.

Wish us luck.




Take care.

Thanks again for the tour around the Tyee Pool last night. It was something I had always heard about growing up as a kid in Campbell River, but never thought I would be able to do. It was a most enjoyable evening and a real education on the history and workings of the tyee pool.

 

[Dave H]

Thanks for the kind words and encouragements, right now I really need them. #nofishagain

Last night was the annual Potluck get-together and many anglers young and old were seen chowing down on burgers and other delicious goodies at the Clubhouse and the wind was neither felt nor seen.

Could we have another wind-free night I wondered.

Three in a row would be most welcome after several days of adverse conditions with a flood tide and following wind combo that nobody loves to row in, but alas, it was not to be.

Just before 7:00 PM, as I waited for my rod-holder de jour to arrive, I saw the trees near the end of the spit start to rustle. Almost immediately thereafter I felt the fresh breeze on my face.

Just in time to greet the rowing fleet about to descend on the pool the wind sprang to life and we had another wallowing adventure with nothing to show for it.

Nothing has been registered the past two days now and visible fish activity in the pool seemed less last night than previously noted and I saw only a couple of strikes and one boat outside playing a fish off the river-mouth, north of the pool, so we are definitely in a dry spell, pun intended.

I'll be out with Fish Assassin again tonight and I'm hoping this change in weather and the clearing of the skies might influence the fish somewhat and they'll get "bitey" again.

Got my crew from down island arriving Saturday and they'll fish morning, noon, and night and give a good account of what's happening for sure.

And in response to that pretender to my throne, one Bob Main, casting aspersions on my Cabezon catching abilities along with making sly asides about my ancestry, I post the following:










Take care.

 

[Dave H]

Friday morning brought us zero Tyee so we are still at 13 total with young Landon's 36 1/2 the largest.

Windy last night with barely half the fleet out and my rod-holder took pity on me and let me stay ashore.

On a brighter note, yesterday a guy in waders and carrying a fly-rod along with a dead Chinook asked Bob if he would weigh the fish for him.

It weighed 23 lbs. and was caught on a fly from a float-tube by the intrepid angler.

I don't know his name or I'd share it as catching a Chinook on a fly from a float-tube in the Tyee Pool deserves some recognition and props.

Apparently he'd hooked three the day before but lost them all.

I'm told the fly was large and mostly pink, so make of that what you will, but I know guys often catch Chinook on "pink" gear so..............................

Good going from me for sure.

Hoping for the wind to stay away and some new fish show up in the pool.

Others elsewhere have more than the wind to worry about at times it would appear.

(Old pic I know)





Take care.

 

[Dave H]

Last night was one of those outings that's a real pleasure to rowand except for the lack of Tyee sized fish one to relish and hope for a repeat of.

No wind to speak of and a gentle ebb with lots of fish showing around the bar means I like to fish in that area.

It seems to work as my gal-pal hooked up again last night but alas, it came loose after a long run.

She's developed into an excellent rod-holder which made it easy to read the action on the plugs, (we tried two) and the one that hooked four fish last year hooked another this year, so it's hard to not swim it a lot.

She's three hook-ups in five outings but yet to boat a fish, but that will change one of these days.

Three or four unders last night and five weighed in this morning, but none over 30 lbs.

Nice bright fish too so obviously new arrivals.

Hopefully the fat fish are still enroute. LOL






Take care.

 

[Dave H]

Sunday's half-shot and it's been one of those Murphy's Law kind of days starting at 4:00 AM when pal Karl rousted me from my bed to row him in the pool.

Faithful fans will know I rarely fish first light but when two pals visit and one refuses to get up I have no choice.

So away we went, stoked, as there are new fish in the pool and Saturday night brought us quite a display to demonstrate this as gal-pal and I witnessed one school of Chinook with perhaps 15-20 showing almost all at once.

They drive you crazy when it's like that.

We motored out to the pool, selected the area I wanted to start in, turned the boat off and shut off the engine.

And then it wouldn't tilt up. Karl tried. I tried. We used all the best words we knew but it would not budge.

We motored back to the dock, eventually removed the outboard, hauled it to the truck and brought it home.

After solving that problem we retraced our path and put the engine back on the boat, where it tilted up just fine.

Karl started it up, revved it a bit, let it idle a bit..........................and then it died.

It wouldn't start unless the choke was pulled and it wouldn't stay running after you pushed the choke in.

It also wouldn't start at all unless the choke was pulled.

I am not an outboard mechanic nor is my pal, so we were somewhat stymied by this situation to say the least.

My neighbor is an accomplished outboard mechanic so when I caught up to him and explained things he explained what most likely had happened then described exactly the way things should happen if he was right.

He was right.

Somewhere in man-handling the engine from the boat to the truck then back again, the idle adjustment on the front of the engine had been knocked off kilter which was why it wouldn't run properly.

Simple when you are knowledgeable, but dumb-founding when you're not.

Anyway, we will be at it hot and heavy tonight, using an engine that will hopefully both run and tilt properly and featuring all new hooks on my plugs and spoons.

Finally................ on but her sixth time as rod-holder, my gal-pal hooked up again last night. Alas, it came off after a short run and nothing else liked us after that so we are still fishless.

But four strikes in six outings is not too shabby.

We'll boat one someday.

Speaking of not too shabby, that most excellent rower known as Jeremy Maynard rowed a new member into the Tyee Club this morning with a nice 31 1/2 pounder.

Congratulations to Robi Gareau, the lucky angler who boated his Tyee on a spoon.

Pic to follow.








Take care.

 

[Rockymtns]

Wow I’m really not sure if your gal pal has really good luck (4 for 6 outings with hits) or really bad luck by not able to boat any of them lol. Either way I’m still jealous! Great job with the updates good luck out there

 

[Dave H]

Wow I’m really not sure if your gal pal has really good luck (4 for 6 outings with hits) or really bad luck by not able to boat any of them lol. Either way I’m still jealous! Great job with the updates good luck out there

If only she had a decent rower with good line and sharp hooks. lol






Take care.

 

[wildmanyeah]

Historic Tyee Club at Campbell River keeps the dream of 30-pound chinook salmon alive

https://vancouversun.com/news/local...ps-the-dream-of-30-pound-chinook-salmon-alive

 

[Dave H]

Midweek finds us with no new Tyee and the number still at 14 on the board.

Lots of fish showing the last couple of days and a few "biters" but all small so far, most released.

Been a bad week here personally, between losing a fish Saturday, a misunderstanding with an old pal who is now estranged, a missing/stolen dinghy, another pal hitting bottom with the prop on my outboard, damaging it, no strikes since Saturday and then when I returned home yesterday I discovered my hot water tank had sprung a bad leak and needs replacing. They cost about 700 bucks plus installation.

Fortunately, I am not only good-looking but also able to pay for such things, thank goodness, and aside from losing the dinghy I'm most upset I rowed like a moron last night and lost some opportunity to get Angie into a fish on her Birthday. I really really wanted her to have a Birthday treat from the Tyee Pool, but alas, no joy.

She's obviously been a bad girl. LOL



Take care.

 

[paguy]

Keep your head up Dave, Good things come to those that wait. This is all just a test.

 

[Dave H]

Finally, a couple of new Tyee to report and a couple of new members of the Tyee Club.

First, we have a 30 1/2 pounder rowed by Dave Lavigne, a Rookie Rower, and handled deftly on the rod by one Montagu Lee, a new member.

This fish came in last night and was fooled by a plug.

Well done men.

This morning we had a nice 31 pounder registered by happy angler Nathon Miller who was rowed by Yari Ivanisko.

Their fish fell for a plug also and made Nathon the newest member of the club, unless another has made the grade the past four hours.

I'll let you know.






Take care.

 

[dallasroad]

Well I am back home in Victoria after fishing 6 straight tides in the pool. I did not land a single fish but my fellow rod holder, Tim, managed to hook a pair of fish and landed one of them (a 26 pounder) on Tuesday morning. There is always a story behind every fish landed in the pool and this one is no exception. It was 530 a.m. when we started to fish in very low light conditions. Tim was a bit quicker than me and had his plug working while i was fiddling with my slip weight in the dark. I asked Tim to help me with my weight and he obliged. He was passing me his rod and was about to take my weight just as the fish struck. We both had hands on the rod, so it would have been DQ if it was a tyee. The fight was over quickly and the fish was in the boat by 535. A fine way to start the day.

 

[lazoman]

Midweek finds us with no new Tyee and the number still at 14 on the board.

Lots of fish showing the last couple of days and a few "biters" but all small so far, most released.

Been a bad week here personally, between losing a fish Saturday, a misunderstanding with an old pal who is now estranged, a missing/stolen dinghy, another pal hitting bottom with the prop on my outboard, damaging it, no strikes since Saturday and then when I returned home yesterday I discovered my hot water tank had sprung a bad leak and needs replacing. They cost about 700 bucks plus installation.

Fortunately, I am not only good-looking but also able to pay for such things, thank goodness, and aside from losing the dinghy I'm most upset I rowed like a moron last night and lost some opportunity to get Angie into a fish on her Birthday. I really really wanted her to have a Birthday treat from the Tyee Pool, but alas, no joy.

She's obviously been a bad girl. LOL



Take care.

Hope your days are going better Dave! We weren’t the only boat sitting in that spot and the fish were showing around us, so I think the weeds gave us more grief than your rowing!

Angie had a strike a few years ago lol, now it’s my turn