Both are deadly combos, but my friend Craig Lehtovaara just couldn’t keep them off his Blue Meanie. We fished our lines at 110 to 125 ft over 130-ft bottom, trolling at 2.5 mph with a Blue Meanie hoochie (Yamashita 3.5″ OA84R) trailing 32 inches behind a Gibbs Highliner Green Striper flasher on one side, and a Luhr Jensen 3.5″ Coyote Spoon Sardine Glow Back about 6 feet behind a Big Shooter Purple Gold Embossed flasher. I took a shot at an interesting contour bump that no one seemed to be fishing at about 1.5 miles northwest of the pack, and I got lucky. We decided to try another round at the Red Can, and what can I say, the fish gods were smiling on us. (don’t judge me) with an ebb tide still a few hours ahead of us. Where’s the “fish tale,” right? We powered up my boat at a leisurely 7:30 a.m. “More of this,” I thought, over and over. While you are fishing a derby in paradise, you are giving back. And according to James, “as a result of the funds generated by our four derbies, an additional 180,000 coho and 1,800,000 Chinook are released into the system.” Take a minute and let that sink in. You see, the Conuma River Hatchery is mostly a volunteer effort. James was right I really did have to see it firsthand to understand it. The next day we enjoyed fishing the Red Can and landed a great coho for dinner and a feisty 15-lb Chinook keeper, while Mike educated us about the derby, the fishery, and the Conuma River hatchery. It’s no wonder why they have more than 5,500 guests come through their resorts every year. I quickly learned that whether you fish with a guide or bring your own boat, the guides at Nootka Marine Adventures are going to show you where to fish. I found him updating a newcomer’s boat’s chart-plotter with the RCA (Rockfish Conservation Areas) boundary lines and coaching him on the latest locations of the best fishing grounds. After some long-overdue handshakes and a quick pint of Electric Unicorn IPA (on draft, no less) at the main lodge, I went in search of Mike Beausoleil, head guide and our chaperone for the next day’s adventure. I pictured myself diligently cleaning the day’s catch with the other happy “sporties” all modestly joking about their slow day and full buckets of fish. While carting our gear to the private chalet, my excitement grew as we passed the seemingly never-ending cleaning stations. Yurts line the shore behind a well-planned network of docks, loaded with a fleet of resort and visiting boats. After a gorgeous 40-minute weave through the inlets, we were rewarded with the stunning, protected Moutcha Bay, fed by the Conuma River. It was stressful in three feet of water with my 26-footer most people recommend at least five feet. I got really lucky and found the deeper trough to the starboard side, but be mindful of the shallow bump near the end just before the docks. Just do yourself a favour and launch at high tide. At the boat launch, there’s gated and ungated parking (cash only) and excellent new docks. Just come prepared-there’s no cell service. Talk about a gorgeous drive, and the road is in pretty good shape. OK, the fact that Lee’s Famous Recipes Chicken is there doesn’t hurt the cause, especially ahead of the 2-hour drive west across the island to the Gold River boat launch. Boat in tow, it took us about 80 minutes from Lantzville to make it to my usual gas-up in Campbell River, the Shell station off Willis Rd. When you look at its remote location on a map and hear rave reviews about “world-class fishing,” “float-plane in,” and “five-star meals,” you might think this place is reserved only for the rich and famous. I forgot just how accessible this fishery is for Islanders such as myself. Kicking and screaming, I begrudgingly accepted. When I mentioned that to James Fisher, marketing manager of Nootka Marine Adventures, in our discussion about the 5th Annual Salmon Enhancement Derby, he invited me to see it firsthand, from Moutcha Bay Resort. Have you ever been up to Nootka Sound? It must have been 10 years since I was there last, and then only for a day trip out of Campbell River.
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