Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => Fishing Reports => Members' Fishing Reports => Topic started by: flyrod on January 06, 2007, 12:51:52 PM
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Richard, my son, and I went over to the Murphy's Riverside Lodge on Monday in Port Alberni for a couple of days of guided fishing. Got over there Monday afternoon and the rain was coming down. Went to the Lodge and got settled in. Some guys had been out fishing and said that the Stamp was high, dirty and in the trees. During the night it poured and poured. Not encouraging for us but we were committed to make it happen.
Our guide, Kevin, met us at the Lodge at 7:30 am and said that the rivers, Sproat and the Stamp, were high. We got into the boat and proceeded up to the confluence of the Sproat and Stamp. Fished a little there then went up stream. It was raining hard. There were three other boats on the river fishing too. We started to fish the water against the shore and along the bushes. Tough casting into small holding areas as you are being held in position by the guide battling raging water and waves. Between 9 and 11am we hit 3 steelies, not being able to hold them in the turbulent water conditions. Did land a steelhead smolt of 12 inches.
Moved down a little more on the river and hit a beauty under the bows of trees. Landed her, a 5 lb hatchery doe, and bonked her. A seal lion bite was on her back. Of note: one of the guides last Saturday had a huge male seal lion take a steelie off of his rod right at the boat. First sea lion of that size to be seen in the river. While we were fishing, the Sproat rose 1 1/2 ft in height and was making it tough to fish.
Drifted up and down a couple of more times and hit three more steelies. Released one hatch male of 7 lbs, kept two hatch does 6 & 8 lbs. Fished down at the confluence pool and hit two more steels, lost the one in mid flight and landed the other to release it. Finished our fishing by 2:30 pm. Only one fish was landed by the other boats. We never fished the Stamp because it was so dirty. We were kingfishers for the day. I kept 2, Richard 1. We caught our fish on roe and egg sac.
Next morning, we went out with Rollie, who we had been with before over the years. It had rained all night and the Sproat and Stamp rose some more. We went up to the falls on the Sproat and fished from there down but it was just too hard to position ourselves and the holding water was minimal. The Stamp was actually clearing up even though it was so very high. Rollie said, We are going up to the Falls. So, off we went. At the Bucket, where the river conditions were crazy, he put us on shore and told us to walk upstream to where the path comes back to the river. He was going to take the boat up through the Bucket! Insane but he did it.
We hit the water around the island below the falls and spiked 4 or 5 fish but no holds. Finally, I hit one, a 7 lb wild buck and released him. Then I hit a 6lb Summer Hatch doe and released her. Richard hit two then landed one hatch doe 8 lb and bonked it. I hit a nice wild doe 7 lb and released her. I hit a good size fish fought it for 5 minutes but it took off into heavy water and got hung up on a branch or something in the monstrous waves and lost it. Hit into another another and it did one flip and was gone. Landed 3 steelhead smolts, one about 2 1/2 lbs and released them. Richard hooked into a nice steelie buck of about 8 lbs Hatch, and bonked it. So, our day came to an end. We caught our fish on pink worms and gooey bobs. Coming down the river was a wild ride, a little scary and intimidating. Rollie let us offer to walk down the path as he came through the Bucket again. Richard kept 2 and I kept none.
Back at the Lodge, we found out that we caught all the fish among 4 boats that day. We decided not to fish on Thursday but head home, Richards back was quite sore from all the pounding in the boat (issues from previous car accident).
We enjoyed our stay at the Lodge and catching fish in what I call Turbo Combat Casting in crazy water conditions. Hope to go back in February.
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Sounds like you guys had a nice trip despite the water conditions. I've fished with Rollie before. He's a good guide and knows his stuff.
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I have heard about this Kevin a couple times now. He seems to know his stuff. Great on you guys to be able to get some real action in tough fishing conditions. I would love to get over there this year, maybe not for a guided trip, as I never seem to have the amount of money it requires, but I still may make it over there for some shoreline fishing. Great job guys, you are making me really ansy to get into some action myself!! ;D
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My boss has taken the six of us that work for him to Murphy's Lodge in early Sept.for chuck fishing the last two years.I would have to say Kevin is THE guide to have for the salt and would imagine he has the same concern for detail and focus on the river.I keep dreaming about getting to the Stamp for some steely fishing .Will have to make it come true one day!
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ALLWAYS FISHING AND MY SELF R HEADING UP TO THE STAMP IN A WEEK ! IM PUMPED !
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Me two.... will be a hoot i'm sure. I also was just offerred a fully guided 2 day trip on the Copper in a few more weeks!!! and that just makes me down right fricken giddy ;D ;D
thx for the great report flyguy ;)
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Hey BONK, when you there? I'll be Wed- Sat, hopefully the monsoon will subside. Fishing with Rollie on Thurs. Give us a wave
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ha. i will b there friday with rollie!!!!
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We'll leave you a kelt or two ;)
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WE WILL UP THERE 16TH AND 17TH I BELIEVE !
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nope, 17th and 18th bonk.
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THANX MAN
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maybe you should help Rollie look for rocks... ;) ;) ;)
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u guys going this week have fun. -10 or colder and some snow is going to make it interesting but will keep water levels down(or frozen ;D)
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u guys going this week have fun. -10 or colder and some snow is going to make it interesting but will keep water levels down(or frozen
^ LOL,THATS NOT GONNA KEEP MEOFF THE RIVER, NE WAYS SCROLL UP AND READ THE DATE AGAIN ! ;)
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low of -7 max and sun. 0% chance of rain. What kind of crack you smoking Kellya?
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Gonna be a cold weekend, fishin sat, and sun. full days.
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low of -7 max and sun. 0% chance of rain. What kind of crack you smoking Kellya?
http://www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/city/pages/bc-46_metric_e.html
lol what crack am i smokin? what crack are u guys smokin? i never said itd keep u guys from fishing i said it would be interesting. they changed the forcast a bit but -7 is still danm cold for the south coast. look at the forcast like i said some snow is forcasted. 45mm yesterday and plenty more tommorow means the river will be high. the cold temps and clearer weather will help bring it down faster. prob see you guys out there
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WE'LL B OUT THERE TUES, AND WEDNESDAY !
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snow and -10 ;D
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Isn't it kinda late for the copper??
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4 MORE SLEEPS ;D, BY THEN THE RIVER SHOULD DROP A BIT I HOPE !
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Ill be out on sunday want a report?
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Ill be out on sunday want a report?
^ IS THE POPE CATHOLIC ? HECK YES I WOULD !
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ill poster up sunday night
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I have been up the last couple days and its been quite pleasant a liittle frost in the guides but certainly not -10 perfect January stealhead weather
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-9.7 if you look at the weather there the other day. Hows the fishin? slow?
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;)