I have an annual Canadian license that I never was able to use this year. This bothered me, so I decided to take my boat to Port Angeles, launch, and then motor over to the closest point I could find on Vancouver Island. This turned out to be a place called Whirl Bay (right at the south tip of the island). I got over there and saw a group of about 8 Canadian boats working the shoreline in about 130-170 feet of water. So I dropped in with them and put out my downrigger and coho killer spoon. Ten minutes later I had a fish (5-6 pounds) and 15 minutes after that I had another one about the same size. I saw nets flying on a regular basis and I could see people regularly releasing fish with hopes of catching a bigger one.

I headed back with a very favorable impression of what goes on over there. I had to release my fish because of WDFW's inconsistant regulation prohibiting the bringing back of Canadian caught salmon into a port that is closed for salmon retention.

Sorry, no pictures, but I can report that the Canadians do alot of catching over there this time of year.

I took a trip over there last week on the ferry to visit Victoria, and the equivalent of "The Reel News" there, a little fishing newspaper was in the Hotel, lots of fishing going on, and lots of nice fish coming in. I have been thinking about the same sort of trip! Didn't think I'd have to bring the fish back in my stomach though!

I have been fishing up there for a number of years. Usually one or two trips each spring/summer.

To make landfall, you must clear Customs in Victoria. There are at least 3 easy to reach ports near Whirl Bay.

Pedder Bay, which is operated by OBMG, rents 16 - 18 ft Hourstons for a reasonable rate. You can fish the whole area from Pedder down to Secratary Rock (if conditions allow!)

There are a couple of Marina's inside Becher Bay as well.

Sooke is a great little Port. If the weather was to get foul and you were in the strait, what a joy it would be to come around Whiffen Spit. Good Anchorage just inside as well as a Marina.

Take a look at a few of our pictures here
http://www.fishingnbeer.com

I didn't see the "Can't bring Salmon into a Port if the adjacent waters are closed" Rule in the regs this year. Is it still there?

Gutz,
Yes, a person could get to really like it over there, especially if he likes to fish.

The restriction on Canadian salmon is still there, right in the front, and it has an entire paragraph of thou-shalt-not's.

WDFW likes to make rules. The Canadians happily fish away 365 days per year (at a 2 fish limit) while we are sliced and diced 50 different ways.

PS: I could not open your web-site. Maybe it was me.

I fixed the address to Gutz's site---- he had misspelled fishing. Gutz?

Marvelous web-site. Now I can show my friend how the Canadians do things.

Interesting!

Did the coast-guard check you out when you came back?


Thanks.

Herm

No checks by the CG. The launch had that deserted look and we had to move some debris in order to launch.