Salmon Charters in Ucluelet or Bamfield
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759 Posts
So you wanna book a charter?
Hmmm..let's just say..shop around..and see what the deal is...look for someone that has a good website, LOTS of pictures of fish, and YEARS worth of experience. Look for a boat that is well maintained. Preferably within the last 10 years of age-- If it ain't in the last 10 years, they're probably not all that successful financially and likely some kinda of fly by night guide..someone that is masquerading as a "guide". Ask them if their boat is coast guard inspected. Ask them how many seasons the guide/skipper has been navigating the waters and fishing there. Pick a guide that fished the water 6 to 7 days a week...if they don't, likely they're not your best choice. Ask for the skippers qualifications. Look for boats over 21 to 25 feet in length with newer power..etc...a real guide boat for the west coast has Radar, a Chart Plotter/GPS, auxiliary power, 2 downriggers, 10 foot rods, and likely very nice electronics on board.
To give you an idea, ANY guy can go there and hook more than a few Cohos and Springs fishing the wall...or running out to the bank...etc..however, a GOOD GUIDE should outfish the rest of the sporties by 2 to 1 at a minimum and usually more like a ratio of 3 to 1 or more.
Area knowledge is key--as is a well maintained and properly rigged equipment and EXPERIENCED guides in the area. The best guides have been fishing the area for better than 2 seasons...if they haven't been fishing the area for 2 consecutive seasons, I'd pass and look elsewhere even if they've been fishing for 30 years personally.
I'm a seasoned guide and I'll challenge anyone on this at any time. Your SAFETY should be first and foremost, and he is not going to make you PAY through the nose. Paying more isn't necessarily better.
Seen it more times to know better as someone with many seasons under my belt.
I can think of a more than a few "newbs" that like to pop off about all these fish that they catch as a guide. The best guides don't get on the radio and blab all over the place about how lousy the fishing is or how many fish they catch. They may phone around a bit, that's about it. The best guides NEVER pop off about this fish and that fish etc...so beware of the loud mouths--likewise they don't go calling the entire fleet over to fish when they start catching a few fish.
Hope this helps you out.
Hmmm..let's just say..shop around..and see what the deal is...look for someone that has a good website, LOTS of pictures of fish, and YEARS worth of experience. Look for a boat that is well maintained. Preferably within the last 10 years of age-- If it ain't in the last 10 years, they're probably not all that successful financially and likely some kinda of fly by night guide..someone that is masquerading as a "guide". Ask them if their boat is coast guard inspected. Ask them how many seasons the guide/skipper has been navigating the waters and fishing there. Pick a guide that fished the water 6 to 7 days a week...if they don't, likely they're not your best choice. Ask for the skippers qualifications. Look for boats over 21 to 25 feet in length with newer power..etc...a real guide boat for the west coast has Radar, a Chart Plotter/GPS, auxiliary power, 2 downriggers, 10 foot rods, and likely very nice electronics on board.
To give you an idea, ANY guy can go there and hook more than a few Cohos and Springs fishing the wall...or running out to the bank...etc..however, a GOOD GUIDE should outfish the rest of the sporties by 2 to 1 at a minimum and usually more like a ratio of 3 to 1 or more.
Area knowledge is key--as is a well maintained and properly rigged equipment and EXPERIENCED guides in the area. The best guides have been fishing the area for better than 2 seasons...if they haven't been fishing the area for 2 consecutive seasons, I'd pass and look elsewhere even if they've been fishing for 30 years personally.
I'm a seasoned guide and I'll challenge anyone on this at any time. Your SAFETY should be first and foremost, and he is not going to make you PAY through the nose. Paying more isn't necessarily better.
Seen it more times to know better as someone with many seasons under my belt.
I can think of a more than a few "newbs" that like to pop off about all these fish that they catch as a guide. The best guides don't get on the radio and blab all over the place about how lousy the fishing is or how many fish they catch. They may phone around a bit, that's about it. The best guides NEVER pop off about this fish and that fish etc...so beware of the loud mouths--likewise they don't go calling the entire fleet over to fish when they start catching a few fish.
Hope this helps you out.
Joined
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759 Posts
You're more than welcome!!!
One other thing, if you want to have a good trip when you do find a suitable guide, make sure you act interested in how they fish, why they catch fish the way they do. I wouldn't recommend trying to give the guide advice either. Get along with your guide! Be nice and make the trip a learning experience as well.
If you tick off the guide, they may not fish you where you really need to go and spend the extra effort to do what it takes to get you into the most fish. I will admit a little known secret...if I knew I had a GOOF on my boat, and likewise my comrades in the guiding community, we'll do what we can to make sure we DON'T hook him a trophy or fill up the boat with fish or fish those special places where we know more than a few fish could be holding which could result in a VERY special fish catching experience. I'll personally admit to going OUT of my way to make sure that we catch smaller and fewer fish and I know more than a few guides that will do this. Unprofessional? Perhaps. Unethical? Perhaps. Justified? Yes.
As well, if you find a good guide you intend to use again, make sure you tip him well at the end of the trip...a personal cash tip of 5 to 10% for the day rate. If you don't, don't expect him to want to take you next time or if he does, he may go out of his way to make sure he doesn't have a hold full of fish to fillet and clean at the end of the trip. If you catch fish or not, is irrelevant unless you could have caught more fish yourself..that's fishing in any event.
Oh yeah, if you be a PIG on their boat, don't expect them to want to do much for you. Treat the boat and gear with respect...and be courteous and nice.
Do the above and I promise that the guide will WANT to do everything he can to catch fish for you..especially if you chose the guide correctly as I recommended with a few things to look for in my other post.
Hey, you're more than welcome.Pippen said:fishinmagician.........great advice.......I am looking to head somewhere up North this summer and that info is greatly appreciated and very helpful.
One other thing, if you want to have a good trip when you do find a suitable guide, make sure you act interested in how they fish, why they catch fish the way they do. I wouldn't recommend trying to give the guide advice either. Get along with your guide! Be nice and make the trip a learning experience as well.
If you tick off the guide, they may not fish you where you really need to go and spend the extra effort to do what it takes to get you into the most fish. I will admit a little known secret...if I knew I had a GOOF on my boat, and likewise my comrades in the guiding community, we'll do what we can to make sure we DON'T hook him a trophy or fill up the boat with fish or fish those special places where we know more than a few fish could be holding which could result in a VERY special fish catching experience. I'll personally admit to going OUT of my way to make sure that we catch smaller and fewer fish and I know more than a few guides that will do this. Unprofessional? Perhaps. Unethical? Perhaps. Justified? Yes.
As well, if you find a good guide you intend to use again, make sure you tip him well at the end of the trip...a personal cash tip of 5 to 10% for the day rate. If you don't, don't expect him to want to take you next time or if he does, he may go out of his way to make sure he doesn't have a hold full of fish to fillet and clean at the end of the trip. If you catch fish or not, is irrelevant unless you could have caught more fish yourself..that's fishing in any event.
Oh yeah, if you be a PIG on their boat, don't expect them to want to do much for you. Treat the boat and gear with respect...and be courteous and nice.
Do the above and I promise that the guide will WANT to do everything he can to catch fish for you..especially if you chose the guide correctly as I recommended with a few things to look for in my other post.
Try Tofino
Try the waters around Tofino, as i have had great success in the past. I strongly recommend Jay Mohl as a guide in Tofino, a real standup character and opne of the best in the business.
Here is a website link. http://www.tofinofishing.com/
Best of luck to you!
Try the waters around Tofino, as i have had great success in the past. I strongly recommend Jay Mohl as a guide in Tofino, a real standup character and opne of the best in the business.
Here is a website link. http://www.tofinofishing.com/
Best of luck to you!
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648 Posts
kenny meyers, www.fishmyster.com
check him out
check him out
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1,266 Posts
Another vote for Kenny Myers, the FishMiester!
Another good one is Nick Hnennyj: http://www.westcoastrivercharters.ca/index.php
He also does Salt charters as well as steel.
And if they're both booked, you can always give me a buzz
http://members.shaw.ca/dreamweaversportsfishing/
Cheers,
Nog
Another good one is Nick Hnennyj: http://www.westcoastrivercharters.ca/index.php
He also does Salt charters as well as steel.
And if they're both booked, you can always give me a buzz
http://members.shaw.ca/dreamweaversportsfishing/
Cheers,
Nog
Joined
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475 Posts
Thanks greg, Ogobogo, gneissone and IronNoggin! I appreciate all the links you've posted....gonna make a decision this week coming! Thanks again! -Nathan in NW ps....Should we wait till August for springs around Ucluelet/Bamfield....or is mid July ok?
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