What can I expect at the of June in the Douglas Channel?

[Rayp]

My boys and I will be going to Kitimat for a few days June 26th till July 3rd. This dates may be a bit early due to only time we can make this happen but I am hoping to get into some Springs. Anyone fished this area at the same time of the season and what kind of success did you have?
thank you.
Ray

 

[UkeeDreamin]

Its been years since I've fished up there but, if my memory serves, the Kitimat run of chinooks peaks in late June so your timing shouldn't be too bad. Good halibut fishing in Douglas Channel as well. Hopefully a local will chime in.

Ukee

 

[Dogbreath]

Small schools of decent sized Springs moving fast-they stop @ certain places where bait concentrates & then move on-just because you were into a hot bite one evening don't expect to find fish there the next day.

 

[bigdogeh]

I wouldn't think you'll be a bit early... if anything maybe just a bit more on the later end. should be some fish around but may have been more around a week or 2 earlier. but then you could nail the timing of the run. that's fishing. I'm just going by what happens around the skeena and rupert area but I would think conditions might be similar.

 

[Rayp]

Thank you all!
I will give it a world and see how it goes, and I will do my best to report on the forum when I return for future reference as we don't seem to get much news from up there.

Ray

 

[Rayp]

Thank you all!
I will give it a world and see how it goes, and I will do my best to report on the forum when I return for future reference as we don't seem to get much news from up there.

Ray

 

[Rayp]

As promised I want to report on my trip to Kitimat.
We arrived at MK marina on Saturday but quite tired from the long haul from Edmonton, got somewhat set up and went out for a couple of hours to try out equipment and be ready for the morning. Fished Sunday at the mouth of the Sue channel and a few spots of the Douglas around the Sue but not even a bite. Monday we ventured out to Fish Trap, had one fish on briefly but it got away as well as a Hali that got on one of our trolling rods and took off under our boat with our rod being powerless to stop that baby. The area got quite rough by early afternoon and packed up and went back to Sue but nothing there either. We saw quite a few boats leave that day as it seems that not many salmon were to be had. We still had a good feeling about some salmon arriving at the mouth of the Sue so on Wednesday morning after saying goodbye to one of our partner we went back to the same area and within 20 minutes hooked and landed a 10lbs jack, One of my boys grabbed the next hook up but this one got away and then my youngest took his turn but none to the boat, that one felt a lot bigger but would not show his/her face. We had two other on the line but they all got away and ended up coming home with a 10 lbs jack. We where quite frustrated with this new bait set up with the treble hooks as we never had such a bad experience with single hooks. Tuesday was very rough from first thing and stayed rough all day so we did not go out. We did have a great safe time and wishing to have a few more days as we found that a very healthy run of Springs got into the area of the mouth of the Sue, especialy as you go left into the Douglas, oh and my boat was great!

 

[Dogbreath]

Thanks for the report Ray we don't hear nearly enough from the area.

 

[Oly1]

Great report Ray. That sucks on the bad luck out there. I'm sure it will be better next time. I have heard that you have to get lucky sometimes with the timing. Pretty critical out there. When are you heading out there again or was this your only trip of the year out there?

 

[Rayp]

Great report Ray. That sucks on the bad luck out there. I'm sure it will be better next time. I have heard that you have to get lucky sometimes with the timing. Pretty critical out there. When are you heading out there again or was this your only trip of the year out there?

Yes I agree timing is very critical when it comes to salmon fishing. My boys have not fish for springs before and would have been more fun if the landed some fish but we had a great time still, we will work on the timing and go up a bit later in the season next time but this year it was the only time it worked for us.
I was hoping to find decent storage for the boat up there but had to bring her back and it is too long of haul for me to do it twice in the year and if the boat was already there for the year I would probably go back at the end of July or Aug. to try both coho and springs. I am still considering storaging the boat there or Bella Coola at some point but for now I only have plans to do my annual Spey fly fishing for Coho in the Bella Coola river in the Fall.

 

[bigdogeh]

You may want to check out the Prince Rupert area sometime in the future. your a bit closer to the main ocean there and I've found the fishing pretty good. even though your close to the main ocean, it is still fairly sheltered from the large islands and can be like fishing in a large lake in certain areas at times. I can't tell you how it compares to the Douglas channel though as I've never fished there.