At Port Renfrew Marina Coho fishing is the best it has been in ten years! Just like the old days, getting 20, 30, 40 fish on per day is not uncommon. Truly sore arms! Offshore in 250 to 500 feet of water and 50 to 70 feet down is the hot spot. Baitrix, spoons and hoochies are working very well. If you are brave enough put down some strip or anchovies but don't expect to sit down or eat your lunch! The river mouths are giving up fish mostly just after the high tide as it starts to drop. Bait, Baitrix or spoons with no weight, 70 to 80 feet behind the boat in as shallow as 4 feet deep out to 20 feet deep seems to be the ticket. Watch for the jumpers! If you want some of the best fishing you will ever have then come on up in the coming week before we close on October 12th! The water is thick with Coho and then they are gone, you don't want to miss out!
So as most all of you know Port Renfrew Marina held it's annual Coho "Winner Take All" Derby this past weekend. It was a huge success and possibly one of the best derby's we have had. We had 481 entrants fishing for the two days. The weather was fantastic, sunny, warm, calm seas and best of all the fishing was excellent! Everyone was enjoying the weekend even if they didn't bring in the big one, everyone got their limits. Fishing seemed to be a bit hotter on the Saturday and the winning fish was caught on Saturday and held up until the derby was over on Sunday at 1:00 PM. The winners were Gord and Janice Lee weighing in a Coho at 15 pounds and 13 ounces. The grand total for the biggest Coho this year was $9620.00 with a total of $2405.00 to be donated to the local San Juan Hatchery. There was a side bet going on and 63 people chose to enter that and again Gord and Janice Lee won that also! That total amount was $1260.00, giving them a grand total of $10880.00 prize money! You can tell by their happy faces that they were over the top with the winnings and had a great weekend fishing!
Also Port Renfrew Marina held the annual Labor Day Derby on Aug. 30th and 31st, already over a month ago! It also was a success due to all the efforts of the donators and people who pitch in and help. The final totals for that fundraising event and others during the year with a break down of misc. cash $335.00, the Chinook Derby, held in July this year, $710.00 and the 2014 Coho Derby just held $2405.00 and the PRM Labor Day Derby raising $3493.85 for a total of $6973.85 all going to the San Juan Enhancement Society to the local hatchery in Port Renfrew. Also raised was a donation of $5000.00 to the B.C. Wildlife Federation. A big thanks to all that participate and contribute, it wouldn't happen without all of you.
Important News: It is important to know that Port Renfrew Marina will be closing on October 12th this year and if you have a boat or unit on the grounds you must come in and settle your account and make arrangements to with do winter storage or remove your units. By Sunday October 13th the phone in the office will not be working and if you need assistance with anything regarding your unit or boat or have any questions you can call our caretaker at 250 483-1486 or Bud and Tedi at 2590 474-2643. After that weekend the gate will be locked and you will need to call ahead to make sure you can get in.
Bud & Rex