Great fishing today with Blair from Swell Time Charters … calm seas, non-stop action.  Chinook up to 25 pounds, halibut up to 30 pounds, plus some coho in the mix.   Super fun day out there.  Frankly, as good as it gets … some fishing guides were calling it the best fishing they’ve seen in 5 years … that’s good!

Port Renfrew fishing is excellent right now, with big chinook salmon caught along the Beach and out on the Swiftsure Bank abundant salmon and halibut.

More details from Port Renfrew Marina‘s report:

“Everywhere from the “chicken ranch” to East Point was on fire with limit catches for most boats. The offshore fishery is seeing bigger average size springs than usual with many Chinook in the 20 pound plus range.  Plugs, hoochies and large spoons, fished deep, are the ticket. The “beach” catches were coming in on a  anchovy or small needle fish spoons on long leaders. Fish seem to be in the 27 foot to 37 foot depth range.”

John from Hindsight Fishing Charters sent in some photos of the Dunn party having a great day out there.

Good times!

Excellent fishing reported in Port Renfrew this past week.   Port Renfrew Marina reports that Camper Creek has been the hotspot for big springs, with 8 “tyees” above 30 pounds caught in the past week.

Halibut fishing has been good off Carmanah and out on Swiftsure Bank.  Lots of coho around on the bank, though smaller — bring your light tackle and have some fun!

Trevor from No Bananas Fishing Charters reported a good day “Fishing in Renny was decent today. Fished springs off Logan for a few hours first thing and hit 3 springs largest was high 20′s also caught lots of coho all4-6lbs, funny thing was every one was a hatchery. Moved down to Bonilla and set the anchor for halibut in 90ft of water and it was boiling with coho — 5 hours of straight coho on the suface so we jigged them up all day while we picked up the odd haly.  Out of about 30 coho’s we had at the side of the boat, every one was a hatchery fish.  The boys that were out at the bank had a good day with limits of springs and haly in short order. Lots of 20 pound plus springs offshore as well as a 40 out there also.  Still tons of crabs. I’d say it’s good fishing on the beach and excellent offshore!”

That sounds like it is worth getting out there for a fish!

Here’s a video of a fishing trip with Blair from Swell Time Charters last week … good times!

A few reports to pass along from the fishing charter folks in Port Renfrew — the last week has been pretty good fishing!

Blair from Swell Time Charters has had some good luck lately.  Here’s a photo of a happy crew from a Swiftsure Bank fishing mission, with their limit of spring salmon and halibut.  The chinooks were pretty steady, in the teens and low 20s.   The halibut were caught on the drift at the Chicken Ranch … with reports of larger halibut on other days caught while at anchor on the north side of the Swiftsure closure.

John from HindSight Charters had a nice report from a happy guest “Big thanks to John and Quinn for the 3 days (one day until sunset ) from the guys at Tunkwa Lake. Fantastic guys who made the best out of each day to find fish from the beach to the ranch, reading tides, current, bait fish, weather and the best part is the way the guides out of Port Renfew work together as a team! Great accommodations next to the beach.  One should see John move to a pulsating rod, WOW, also the half eaten sandwiches all over the place when the bite was on Saturday on the ranch, lol.  A 55 lb chicken and a 33lb Spring sure can smoke a reel! Thank You Port Renfew”

Dan from Pacific Sportsfishing has also been catching a bunch of salmon and halibut on “Knuckle Buster”.

Finally, here’s a youtube video of a Jolly Rogers Fishing expedition for halibut and salmon in early June

Good times to be had in Port Renfrew, come on out and have some fun.

Kelly & friends, from SK, with 1st ever salmon and halibut

Along with the nice weather, has come some nice fishing — some great reports coming out of Port Renfrew this weekend.

Jolly Rogers Fishing Charters had several good days in a row, reporting Chinook salmon up to 25 pounds on Swiftsure Bank, plus halibut up to 80 pounds, with several in the 50s.

Vicious Fish Charters also reports the Bank producing nice salmon and halibut, and also caught some nice Chinook salmon at Camper Creek.

Time to get out to Port Renfrew for some excellent west coast Vancouver Island fishing adventures.

[on another note.... Port Renfrew managed to come in 5th for WFN's Ultimate Fishing Town Challenge....not as good a result as hoped, but still pretty good for a little west coast village.  The town won a $1,000 prize from Bell Canada, which will probably help out with salmon enhancement....every little bit counts]

Fishing in Port Renfrew has been reported to be pretty good this week.  The halibut are on average nice size, from 30-90 pounds, and are in the spots closer to San Juan Harbour.  Salmon is hit and miss depending on the day, but most days anglers are finding chinook salmon up to 20 pounds from Owen Point to the Rockpile — mostly fishing hootchies right near the bottom in 100 feet.  You don’t have to go far this time of year!   Crabbing in the bay is excellent, as it often is this time of year.

Jolly Rogers Fishing Charters sent in a couple of photos of salmon and halibut fishing action.

On another note, the WFN Ultimate Fishing Challenge is on and Port Renfrew has made the top 20 fishing towns in Canada!  Port Renfrew Marina calls it “the little town that could”, with just 400 people vying against much biggers towns and cities.  This would be a great thing for Port Renfrew, so they are asking for your help to make it happen.  With 14 days to go in the voting round, Port Renfrew is quite far behind the two towns in Ontario, but can still catch Port Hardy for 3rd place.  VOTE NOW!!!! And Vote Often!  Please help Port Renfrew get onto the Canadian fishing map.

[you can vote up to 4 times per day, every 6 hours, and from multiple accounts]

Happy fishing!

Steve from Seawind Fishing Charters reports some red hot salmon and halibut fishing over the Easter weekend.

Fishing west of Bonilla Point, he caught a whole bunch of halibut, average weight 30 pounds, with 3 in the 50-70 pound range.

On the way back in, he dropped a line along the Beach, between the Rockpile and Owen Point, and caught 11 salmon in the 15-20 pound range, including 5 double headers!

That should get the fishing blood boiling … time to get out to Port Renfrew!

On another note … Port Renfrew took the lead today on the WFN Ultimate Fishing Town Challenge. It is only Round One, but Port Renfrew is looking like a solid contender to make it into Round Two. Cast your votes!  You can vote up to 4 times a day (every 6 hours) and from as many email addresses as you have access to.  So vote now and vote often, let’s see if we can Port Renfrew’s fishing on the map!

There are limited fishing reports to pass along for Port Renfrew this week. The Marina is closed until May 1, so there is limited ocean access. You can put your boat in at the Pacheedaht ramp in the river, just be VERY CAREFUL about the currents, as the river is flowing pretty strong and you can get your boat pulled up onto the rocks. As well, be cautious about breakers in the river mouth … if there’s a solid west swell running, that could end a fishing day in a hurry … a wet, cold, dangerous, and expensive end!

For the few that have got out there, the report is that the crabbing is excellent, there are feeder salmon out front, and you don’t have to go too far for halibut. Sombrio remains a hot spot … whether the long run west from Sooke or the shorter run east from Port Renfrew.

Image posted to WFN by Bob Parker

In other news, the WFN “Ultimate Fishing Town” contest has closed the nomination round and it appears Port Renfrew led the nomination with 145.  Honey Harbour Ont was next at118.   Pretty good showing for this fishy little west coast village!  Voting starts on Tuesday April 12th — each email address can vote 4 times a day (every 6 hours), so vote it up if you want Port Renfrew to win.  If Port Renfrew makes the cut, the final round of voting starts May 10.

WFN’s Ultimate Fishing Town challenge is on again, and Port Renfrew has been nominated … 60 nominations and climbing!

Check out the nominations to ready why people think Port Renfrew should be Canada’s Ultimate Fishing Town.

Submit your own entry, to get Port Renfrew on the map as a prime Canadian fishing location and also to help with $25,000 for the town’s many needy causes.  Below is my entry.  If you agree, then post your own!

*****

Quite simply, THE.BEST.FISHING.I’VE.EVER.HAD

The fishing in Port Renfrew can be so good that it frankly spoils you for fishing anywhere else.  I have had so many Swiftsure Bank days with non-stop action from start to finish for halibut, spring salmon, and coho salmon …  so good it is all you can do but laugh.  It gets to the point that your boat-mates start begging you to take their turn on the rod, because they are tired of all the reeling.  No lie!

Port Renfrew is known for both quantity AND quality of fishing.  The southern Vancouver Island  fishing leaderboards are inevitably topped by Port Renfrew salmon and halibut … I’d guess 70-80% year-to-year of the top fish caught in this region are from Port Renfrew’s waters.  Have a look at the Port Renfrew Marina’s “Over 40 Pounder” club … if you dream of catching a 40-pound plus salmon, or maybe even a 50-pounder, this is the spot to do it.   Not to mention 25-pound trophy coho, and halibut towards 200-pounds.

Be aware, though, that this is a pretty hardcore fishing town … not really a latte kind of place.  This town is Stanfield sweaters and pick-up trucks, sunburned noses and camp-fires, fish guts and full coolers, big smiles and faraway looks from anglers who‘ve had a fishing day as good as it gets.

But it is also a fantastic place to visit … sandy beaches, great nature watching, excellent fresh water swimming nearby (with rainbow trout too!).  Not to mention some pretty good surfing beaches and windsurfing and kiteboarding too.  And all this a two hour drive from Nanaimo or Victoria, with just a ferry ride in between for the Vancouver folks.

I think Port Renfrew is the ultimate fishing town because there’s nowhere else I can think of that is better!

No fishing reports to pass along this week … but pretty sure they are coming soon!

Meanwhile, a fishing video from Des at Vicious Fish Charters. Some west coast fishing fun to get the blood pumping for the 2011 season, coming very very soon.