Port Renfrew Marina Report April 1/18

For Port Renfrew Marina another season will soon be upon us. We will be opening on May 1st just one month away. For those of you who have been away or not by the marina you will see more changes this year. Rex and Reid have been very busy, weather permitting, doing a lot of work at the marina. More electrical sites have been created with a few more to come hopefully. More areas have been leveled off and the area by the office has had the pilings replaced with a steel wall for a permanent solution to retain the bank. Also, soon you will see a new and updated version of Port Renfrew Marina's website. It is been revised and hopefully everyone will find it to be a better experience and easy to access information wanted. We are hoping it will be ready to launch in about a week or so. We believe people will find it to be a big improvement and long overdue. Please check out our rates page as there are a couple of changes.

For this year 2018, there are again some new regulations regarding fishing limits. Starting today, April 1st 2018 there is no retention of Yelloweye and descending devices are recommended. Halibut retention is 1 per day with possession of two. It is reduced from 133cm (head on) to 115cm (head on) while the second halibut for possession remains 83cm. Rock fish are 3 per day, only 1 can be China Rockfish or a Tiger Rockfish or a Quillback Rockfish. For more detailed information go to the DFO website: (Sorry, couldn't get the link to work)

DFO.OpsCentreFisheryPacific-CentreOpsPechePacifique.MPO@canada.ca

For customers planning on coming out to the marina to check on their sites please call Reid Warren @ 250 483-1486 to be sure the gate is open for you. Please do not bring your units or boats in without previously made arrangements with Reid, Rex or Bud. We all look forward to seeing our returning customers and friends and also to meet our new customers and hope we all enjoy a great year of fishing and camping!

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Marina Report Sept18/17

Well, the 2017 fishing season at Port Renfrew Marina has sadly come to an end. This year will go down as one of the best Chinook years in recent memory. "Just like the old days" "As good as it gets" were phrases heard all summer long! Though we didn't have big fish, we had them in big numbers. Crabbing, like the spring fishing was off the charts. Great catches lasting far longer into the summer than we have ever seen got many people being "crabbed out." If that is possible!!

Coho was very good till the first rains hit, then it slowed down some. The San Juan should get a close to record run judging by how many are already in the river.Hopefully next years fishing will match this years numbers.

As always a big thank you goes out to Odd Johansen, Dave Mills and Dwayne Isaac for their help putting the docks away for the winter. We couldn't do it without their help and it is always appreciated!. Again we want to thank everyone who does help out throughout the year in many different ways, especially those who help with our Labor Day Derby at the day of the event and also the ones who help collect the donations. That is a big job and without their help it surely would not be the success it is.

This year will be remembered as a goodyear for fishing, great weather but a disappointing one with no campfires, they were missed! Three successful and fun derbies and a big one for developing and getting our underground electrical work and running water done. All in all a busy year.

As of October 15th the marina is now closed for the season and will reopen on May 1st 2018. Anyone with a unit or boat still in there will now be accruing winter storage and if that is not what you want to do you must contact us asap to make arrangements to remove them. The front gate is now kept locked 24/7 so if you need to get in to check on your unit you will need to contact our new caretaker, Reid Warren at 250 483-1486 to make arrangements for coming in. If you drive out without contacting him first you will run the risk of not reaching him and be locked out. The office phone is now suspended and you will not reach anyone. If you are interested in a seasonal or monthly spot next year please contact us by email or phone in late April and early May.

As we do each year we at Port Renfrew Marina wish all the best to our customers and may they have a safe and healthy winter and we look forward to seeing you all next year! We are a small and friendly community at the marina and we are always happy to see everyone back the next year.

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Marina Report Oct. 2/17

We at Port Renfrew Marina held our annual Coho Derby, "Winner Take All" this past weekend. Well, weather and fishing leading up to the derby were awesome and all indicators seemed to say it would stay so but unfortunately the week's perfect weather could not last into the derby weekend. Saturday, the first day of the derby was pounded by the infamous Renfrew rain, Sunday was nice, clear and sunny but fishermen had to endure big seas and now on Monday it is sunny and calm. Fishing was also slower on the weekend than during the week but there were still a lot of Coho hitting the docks, numbers were high but the size of most were smaller, most in the 10 to 12 pound range. Small herring and Baitrix seemed to be the best choice of the more successful fishermen. The fishing should remain very good until we close, just keep an eye on the marina reports.

The winner for this years "Winner Take All" derby was  Don Smith  with a 17 pound 10 ounce Coho

First big Coho weighed in by Ian White at 15' 13" next big one to be in first place was Nathan Van Wieren with a 16' 12" Coho which ended up getting beat out by the winner Don Smith. On the Sunday an Ian McKinnon weighed in 17' 6" Coho, close but still second. Two others were weighed in at the 14 pound range. The prize money was presented to Don Smith by Bud Watt on the Sunday about 1o minutes after the 1:00 deadline and he was given a bag donated by Scotty to put his money in.

Notable Catches:

• Neil Hanson  & Gord Porritt  great catch ling cod up to 17'  7 coho up to 12'
• Ian McKinnon  17'6" Coho
• Kerry Rawlick  28 spring

For the 2017 season Port Renfrew Marina raised funds for the local San Juan salmon hatchery as we do each year. Counting monies raised from our donation jar, the Labor Day derby and the Coho derby we were able to raise a total of $16,180.85 to present to Maurice Trembley to help support and maintain the hatchery. A check was presented to Maurice Trembley by Bud Watt. Also the Lake Cowichan Kinsmen presented Mr. Trembley with their donation of $1000.00 to support the hatchery also from their Salmon Derby held each year in July at Port Renfrew Marina.

Important News: Port Renfrew Marina will be closing on Sunday October 15th this year. This season flew by so quickly! It is very important that you make sure you contact the marina regarding removing your boat or unit before closing or make arrangements for winter storage.  Winter storage is to be prepaid, if you do not contact us and do not remove your unit, winter storage rates will apply. We ask that all outstanding accounts be settled up before this date. Once we close if you need to come and check on your unit you will need to contact our caretaker, Reid Warren for access through the gate as it is kept locked. His number is 250 483-1486. Any person storing their unit on the marina property can stay overnight ONE night a month to make sure things are working correctly and your things are in order.

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Marina Report Sept.28/17

For Port Renfrew Marina a very quick update. Coho fishing is off the charts!! Get out here and get some, great weather will make fishing a treat rather than the rain fest we normally see this time of year. Seriously, there are so many Coho and just straight out in front of the bay at 400 to 600 feet of water. On the Chinook front, Shane and Lisa from the local hatchery, report this years return is the best they have ever seen! They already have all their eggs with lots coming from the big five year fish. We took a trip across the lake to the river and even though the blocking fence is open there are still lots of springs schooling in the deep hole, so lots still to spawn. Best news!!!

Good News: The campfire ban has been lifted as of  Sept. 18th so you can now have a fire to enjoy, bring on the weenies! If you want a campfire this weekend bring your own wood as we don't have any.

Upcoming Event: Coming up in two days will be our annual Coho Derby "Winner Take All." This year the derby is on Saturday, September 30th and Sunday, October 1st. Tickets will be available at the Port Renfrew Marina only and are $25.00 a rod with $5.00 of each ticket going to the San Juan Hatchery. This derby is our most popular one we hold and we do get a huge turnout, the prize money is a cash payout to the person who catches the biggest Coho and the pot usually runs around $10,000 or more depending on attendance. We want to reassure everyone that even though we are a first come, first serve business we make sure we find room for all entrants to the derby for camping if needed and moorage. Please remember we are a cash business and come prepared and if possible small bills and change as it can be difficult for us since there is no bank in Renfrew! Come and have a really fun weekend and maybe even go home with a bag of money!!

Closing date: Well, it seems like we were announcing when the marina would be open for the season just a short time ago and now here we are posting the closing date. This year even though Thanksgiving is our usual closing date, the holiday is a week early this year. We were undecided as to whether we should close a bit earlier but our usual time is mid month and so that is when we will close the gate. This year the closing date is Sunday, October 15th. We ask that all our customers please make sure they have contacted us regarding any winter storage they may need for their unit and or boat. Winter storage is to be prepaid, if you do not contact us and do not remove your unit, winter storage rates will apply. We ask that all outstanding accounts be settled up before this date. Once we close if you need to come and check on your unit you will need to contact our caretaker, Reid Warren for access through the gate as it is kept locked. His number is 250 483-1486. Any person storing their unit on the marina property can stay overnight ONE night a month to make sure things are working correctly and your things are in order.

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Marina Report Sept. 25/17

Port Renfrew Marina is seeing the last of this years Chinook. It was one of the best years for spring salmon in probably the last five or six years. Neil Hanson capped his season with a 33 pound spring on Saturday while Coho fishing in 400 feet of water running a hootchy. Coho catches had dropped off right after last weekends rain but are back on track again as of today, Monday. Limits of nice Coho are hitting the docks. Most are fishing 45 feet to 64 feet down in 350 feet to 400 feet of water. That seems to be the key right now. Hootchies and bait are working best.

Don't pass up the river mouth on the high tide as there have been lots of fish jumping in as little as 3 feet of water. Casting or trolling fast with spoons or Baitrix strip seems to be working well.

Notable catches:

• Neil Hanson  33
• Marion Randall  18 Coho

 Marion Randall 18 Coho

Good News: The campfire ban has been lifted as of a week ago so you can now have a fire to enjoy, bring on the weenies!

Upcoming Event: Coming up this weekend will be our annual Coho Derby "Winner Take All." This year the derby is on Saturday, September 30th and Sunday, October 1st. Tickets will be available at the Port Renfrew Marina only and are $25.00 a rod with $5.00 of each ticket going to the San Juan Hatchery. This derby is our most popular one we hold and we do get a huge turnout, the prize money is a cash payout to the person who catches the biggest Coho and the pot usually runs around $10,000 or more depending on attendance. We want to reassure everyone that even though we are a first come, first serve business we make sure we find room for all entrants to the derby for camping if needed and moorage. Please remember we are a cash business and come prepared and if possible small bills and change as it can be difficult for us since there is no bank in Renfrew!

Closing date: Well, it seems like we were announcing when the marina would be open for the season just a short time ago and now here we are posting the closing date. This year even though Thanksgiving is our usual closing date, the holiday is a week early this year. We were undecided as to whether we should close a bit earlier but our usual time is mid month and so that is when we will close the gate. This year the closing date is Sunday, October 15th. We ask that all our customers please make sure they have contacted us regarding any winter storage they may need for their unit and or boat. Winter storage is to be prepaid, if you do not contact us and do not remove your unit, winter storage rates will apply. We ask that all outstanding accounts be settled up before this date. Once we close if you need to come and check on your unit you will need to contact our caretaker, Reid Warren for access through the gate as it is kept locked. His number is 250 483-1486. Any person storing their unit on the marina property can stay overnight ONE night a month to make sure things are working correctly and your things are in order.

Bud & Rex