Port Renfrew Marina Report Sept. 8/14

For Port Renfrew Marina Chinook fishing continues to be very good. Anglers are reporting up to 10 hookups a day right now. Logan Creek and Camper Creek seem to be the hot spots but Owen Point just opened so that  is worth a try. Red/gold flashers with any glow head on a 7 foot leader is working well. Some teaser heads that are getting lots of feedback are the new Snotty Nose, No Bananas both glow and UV and Alligator. Coho fishing is good but the strong easterly winds the last few days has made it hard to get offshore. Hoochies on a very short 2 foot leader fished down 40 to 60 feet seems to be the ticket. Remember as of Sept.7th you are now allowed four Coho per day, 2 of which may be wild.

Notable Catches:

• Lacey Telford  30

Upcoming Event: For Port Renfrew Marina we have one more event before our season ends for 2014. Coming up on October 4th and 5th will be our annual Coho "Winner Take All" Derby. This derby is probably our most popular one of all with anglers from all over coming in the hopes of winning a lot of money bringing in the biggest Coho. Tickets are $25.00 a rod with $5.00 from each ticket going to the local hatchery. Tickets will be sold only at the marina the week of the derby. Winning pots vary depending on the amount of tickets sold but the average pot is around $9,000.0 to $10,000.00. The largest pot one year was $13,800.00. From what we have seen of the Coho fishing so far there should be plenty to catch. We have had a some weighed in at 10 to 13 pounds so far.

Port Renfrew Marina Closing Correction: Port Renfrew marina will be closing on October 12th this year, NOT on October 13th as stated before. We will be closing on the Sunday before Thanksgiving Monday. If you have a boat in storage please make sure you come and settle up your account and have your boat removed. If you are wanting winter storage for your unit please also make arrangements before the office closes for the season. Storage is to be prepaid.

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Marina Report Sept. 2/14

At Port Renfrew Marina Chinook fishing greatly improved for the long weekend and for the Port Renfrew Marina Labor Day Derby. Though the majority of fish from the beach were teenagers there were quite a few limit catches. In the day and a half derby there were 150 fish weighed in making it one of the best derby's, fish wise that we have had in recent memory. The new teaser heads, Snotty nose and No bananas both in glow and UV are producing, also many favor the bloody nose and there is a new one called Alligator. East Point has been good early mornings all the way into Woods Nose boundary sign. Rockpile to Camper remans very good for an afternoon bite. Logan to Walbran can be red hot one day and cold another so if there are no fish being caught a move east is a good idea.

Coho Fishing as expected is picking up nicely, even onshore for the past few days. Offshore in the 400 o 600 foot depth range fishing is very good. Spoons and hoochies trolled 40 to 60 feet on the downrigger are working well. As of September 1st you can keep one wild and one hatchery anywhere but that changes on Sept.7th so please check with your regulation book and the area you are in.

Sockeye fishing was pretty much a bust this year unless you were fishing on the inside of the island. One day the test boats brought in 1100 and we all thought they were coming, then less than a week later they did another test and after a full day they only had 13!!

Halibut daily limits as of September 1st increases to two per day per angler. The size restrictions remain the same. We will supply an inshore halibut report next week. Again please check your regulation book and or call fisheries for clarification on rules and regs as they seem to change faster than a person can keep up with them.

Notable catches:

• Chris Ford    32.5
• Eric Eckdahl   35  neither in derby

As most all of you know Port Renfrew Marina held the 17th annual Labor Day Derby this past weekend. This derby has become a really welcome event for all the loyal attendees and never lets anyone down for a good time and a memorable event. This year we had a few less tickets sold but having said that there were still 272 sold and a wonderful assortment of amazing prizes that seem to get better with each passing year. Almost everyone goes home with a prize. The fishing improved the day before the derby started which helped bring the spirit up for everyone in the derby. The top three winners were:

• Hugh Hamar  31.9
• Arnie Morris   28.10
• Ken Gillard    26.14

This year Port Renfrew Marina made the decision to allocate some of the fundraised monies from the derby to the B.C. Wildlife Federation. On behalf of it Paul Ricard from the Sports Fishing Advisory Board accepted the check in the amount of $5000.00 and it will be used to help cover their legal fees defending the halibut quotas for sports fishermen in B.C. through their efforts they won the court case and were able to retain the 3% in the quota. Scroll across the pictures for details.

Port Renfrew Marina's Labor Day derby was another success, although the money raised was less than the previous year, given the attendance being 30 less tickets everyone made a great effort to help us bring it as much as possible to help the BC Wildlife Federation and also the local hatchery here in Renfrew. After all is said and done we were able to raise $8473.00. The Cusinart BBQ donated by Audie Williams, founder of the Davey Derby raffle made $1360.00 and the Gift Basket donated by the Port General Store raised $630.00. Besides the derby we now have the annual adult bullhead derby on the Sat. night with it bringing in $604.60. A big thanks to Val MacDonald and Gail Kerrone who take the time and effort to put this together. It was discovered that the bullheads are also few and far between as some caught none. They seem to be as scarce as the springs this year! The kids bullhead derby was also a fun event for the little ones who look forward to it for weeks. They also found almost no bullheads but still had fun.  For the first time was a tie for the girls.

Again a derby is only as successful as its donators and the participants and we have a long list of the people and businesses who were generous enough to help out with a donation. As times are tight for many businesses we appreciate it even more and we send out a big thank you to all of them. Please forgive us if we forget to mention anyone and if so please let us know and it will be corrected. A very special thanks go out to Vic Gee, Odd Johansen, Larry DeFrane, Chris Arnold, Sharon Winters, Steve Holgate, Grant Hilliard and Don Colegrave for all their efforts in helping to find donators and doing the thankless job of running around picking up.

Redl     Cabelas    Butler Bros.     Select Mortgage Group    Travel Bea &  Ass.  Coast Capital       Handsome Dan's    Botanical Getaway     Tomi's Restaurant      Port Renfrew General Store    Soule Creek Lodge  Big Fish Lodge    Trailhead Motel   Artisans Well      Three Point Properties   Coastal Kitchen   Island Outfitters   Islander Reel     Monti's Boat Sales    Milroy  Engineering    Gizmo's Computers   MVCC (Marion Randall)  Victoria Harbor Ferry   Ian & Deb McGregor  Darcy's Pub

Best Western Prestige Hotel  Sooke Home Hardware   All Battery  Shoppers Drug Mart (Sooke & Colwood)   Sure Span Structures     Sure Span Ready Mix   Blair Davis    Eagle Eye Sports   Mt. Sicker Lumber     Maple Bay Marina    Tro Tac

Valley View Construction    Nisers   Wise Buys Fishing Supplies   Choice Charters    Dumont Tire    Alpine Marine   Dennis Murray   Gone Fishin'    JV Driver    Parker Marine     Wholesale Sports      Harbor Chandler    N.W. Aluminum      Kal Tire    Mike Smith    Coastal Outboards     Item(Vic Gee)   Buckys Sports    Madil (Jim Hermanson)    RBF Concrete    St. Jeans Cannery     Gerry Murray     Penninsula Co-op      John Sheldrake      Cast Art Studios    Mike Daines   Scotty    Ken Gillard

Home Depot (Lk. Cow)    OK Tire  Diamond Cutting & Sausage   Canadian Tire (Duncan)     Sleggs Lumber (Admirals)    Deans Marine   Tim Hortons (Lk. Cow & Langford)    Cowichan Fly & Tackle    Glenwood Meats    Lakes Marine    Judy Eilertsen ATB Bait & Tackle   Eriks    Langford Cold Beer & Wine Store   Whitespot (Colwood)    Stone Pipe   Village Foods  Western Foods   Thrifty Foods    Starbucks (Colwood Langford)      Gordon n' Gordon   Walker Power Shop    Four Points Sheraton

A&W(Duncan)    Gregs RV   Arbutus RV    Baljet    Horseshoe Bay Inn    The Oak & Carriage Pub   Superior Propane   Lordco (Lk. Cow)     Copper Lane   Ecco Supply     Western Equipment    Fastenall    Irly Home Center    Country Grocer    Subway

Don Colegrave    Grant Hilliard   United Rentals     Ian & Rhonda Robinson     Hugh Hamar   Duncan Auto Parts     Delta Victoria Hotel    Hardie Honey   Out of the Blue Designs    West Bay Mechanical    Buddy's Natural Pet Food

Red Barn Market   Great Canadian Oil Change

Upcoming Event: Coming up on October 4th and 5th Port Renfrew Marina will be having it's annual Coho "Winner Take All" Derby. When it comes to derbys, this one is crazy popular! Every year we get fishermen from everywhere wanting to fish in this derby. The rules are the same, biggest Coho wins the pot. Tickets are $25.00 a rod with $5.00 of each ticket going to the hatchery. This a great way to finish off your fishing season in the Renfrew area. Where can you go for two days and fish your heart out for $25.00 and maybe go home with a huge pile of money? Usual take home wins are around the $10,000. range, the amount depending on tickets sold. Since the Coho fishery seems to be increasing we are again hoping for a great derby with maybe some big ones showing up.

Important Info: This year Port Renfrew Marina will be closing on October 12th. Please remember to come in before closing an settle any outstanding accounts and please remember we are a cash business only. We appreciate the effort to settle things before we close for the season.

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Marina Report Aug.7/14

At Port Renfrew Marina Chinook fishing has improved. Though it is not what it usually is for this time of year and this seems to be the case almost everywhere you ask about. We saw some limit catches of nice springs, mostly from the Walbran Creek area. Fishing was best in the shallower water, close to shore. East Point has improved and should get better as the Botanical RV net pen fish show up to wait for the rains. Sockeye fishing is improving on a daily basis.The run is predicted to peak around the 15th of August. The fish are being caught in the 400 to 500 depth of water, fishing 40 to 80 feet down. Pink and purple haze hoochies are the lures of choice. As of August 12th the Sockeye arriving at the dock is increasing as the days go by.

Coho are being caught on a regular basis now. Hatchery fish up to 12 pounds are being taken by anglers fishing for Sockeye. It should be a great fall Coho year, which could predict great results for our annual Coho "Winner Take All" derby we have each fall. This year the derby falls on October 4th and 5th, a week before the marina closes for the season.

Notable Catches:

• Rob Swanson   32
• Arron Marsden   33
• Chris Ford   32.5
• Glen Clements  34

Upcoming Event:  Coming up on August 30th and 31st Port Renfrew Marina is having it's 17th annual Labor Day Derby. This derby is our biggest one we hold and at the $60.00 ticket (per rod) price you get a Port Renfrew Marina custom t-shirt, dinner, beverages, and a live band on Sunday the 31st. Tickets are only available at the marina in the office and will be available about one week before the derby. This derby has many prizes, raffles, live and silent auctions. We also have a fun bullhead derby for children 12 and under on the Sunday morning at 9:00. The winners, 1 boy and 1 girl, with the most bullheads wins a trophy and prize. Goody bags are given for all who attend. Last year we had an adult bullhead derby for fun and it was a huge success, so plans are in the making for another one. What makes a derby a success, besides the people participating is the generous donations made by people and businesses so please if you are able to consider a donation or know a business you think would be willing, please contact us in the office.

Other event: Also coming up later on Oct. 4th and 5th is our annual Coho "Winner Take All" derby. Tickets for that will be $25.00 a rod with $5.00 of each ticket going to the local hatchery. Where can you go and have two days of fishing, no stress and possibly go home with a large chunk of money for a $25.00 investment?? Previous years have had winnings from $5500.00 to almost $14,000.00 with the average wins about $10,000.00!

Please remember that for any derby or stay with us you will need to know we do NOT take credit cards and you will need to bring cash with you. We are a cash business so we offer the service of an ATM in the office. It is the only one in town. Also a reminder, if you don't already know, Port Renfrew Marina is no longer a vendor for fisheries so we can not sell fishing licenses. For regulars and people that frequent the marina they know this but if you have friends or relatives that you think may be coming to the marina or anywhere to fish it would be best to let them know before they head out.

Regarding the campfire ban, so far Port Renfrew Marina is ok. We are in what they call the fog zone so until we hear differently campfires are allowed. You will need to bring your firewood with you as we are out.

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Marina Report July 31/14

For Port Renfrew Marina and the general area Chinook fishing remains steady. Not red hot consistently but most anglers are returning with fish. Walbran and Logan Creek see most of the action though with the San Juan fish starting to stage for the river, EastPoint to Woods Nose are worth a look. The Bank remains the hot spot but with this hot weather comes the fog! The "chicken ranch" is right in the freighter lane so make sure you monitor your radar.

Great News! Sockeye opens on August 1st! You are allowed 4 of these delicious beauties a day! Of course small pink hoochies or plain black hooks behind a flasher is the package. Note: put down as much gear as possible and don't stop to play your fish, keep them following your gear.

A reminder: Coming up in a month Port Renfrew Marina will be having it's 17th annual Labor Day Derby. The date is August 30th and 31st. Tickets are $60.00 a rod and includes a t-shirt, dinner, beverages and a live band on Sunday the 31st. There will be prizes for first, second and third and others, silent and live auctions, raffles and more. We will have a bullhead derby for children under 12 and since the adult bullhead derby went so went over the last two years we will be holding that as well. At this point Port Renfrew Marina has two items for raffle. One is a beautiful large Cuisinart BBQ with a convection oven heat with the lid down, 3 burners inside, a side burner, a rotisserie and storage below, donated by Audie Williams founder of the Davey Derby. Value: $500.00 tickets are $5.00 each or 3 for $10.00. The other item is a large gift basket FULL of great things, bottle of Baileys, 2 bottles of wine, one red, one white, a bottle of Palm Bay and a new liqueur, Criollo, a salted caramel with hints of chocolate, delicious over ice cream or in coffee. A 1  pound box of Purdy's chocolates, plastic margarita glasses, colorful acrylic plates and condiment dishes, acrylic picture frame, cedar salmon wraps, jams, and many more items. Donated by Port Renfrew General Store. Value $300.00 tickets $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00. Tickets available at the office. Proceeds go to salmon enhancement.

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Marina Report July 27/14

Chinook fishing along "the beach" continues to be fair and generally poor by July standards. The weekend we have seen a few more showing up on the docks. The weather has improved with the fog being higher. We have been experiencing some really low morning tides again so things may improve once they pass. Offshore at the "chicken ranch" spring fishing is on fire! Limit catches are the norm with the average size getting larger on a weekly basis. Spoons and hoochies are the lures of choice. The fish are feeding on herring offshore and needle fish inshore. Coho are getting larger with some if the hatcheries getting up to 8 pounds. Remember hatchery only unless you are fishing area 121, Swiftsure Bank where you are allowed 1 wild Coho per day.

Halibut focus is now at the J Bouy and the "chicken ranch." High slack is the time to put the grubs or herring to the bottom. With the slower currents the NE corner and area 170 will all be fishable.

Notable Catches: 

• Mark Gagen    32
• Roy Flower     36  apologies for the head cut off!!
• Mike Cozart    31
• Manny Gavilan   33  photo not available at this time

Note: Please note Port Renfrew Marina can no longer offer fishing license services.Please make sure you get your license before arriving at the marina. They can be done at home if you have internet and a printer or check around at sporting goods stores for who offers the service.

Upcoming Event: On Aug.30th and 31st of this summer Port Renfrew Marina will be holding it's 17th annual Labor Day Derby. Yes, it's only a little over a month until Labor Day, time is flying by! Tickets will be available at the marina only for about a week ahead of the derby. Tickets are $60.00 a rod and include a t-shirt, dinner, beverages and a live band on the Sunday night and a reminder that we are a cash business so please bring cashfor your ticket and stay.  This derby is to raise funds for salmon enhancement and to help the local hatchery. We have many prizes, raffles, live and silent auctions. This year we have two items so far that we are raffling, one is a large Cuisinart stainless steel BBQ with convection cooking with the lid down, a side burner and its a beauty. Value $500.00 tickets are $5.00 each or 3 for $10.00. Donated by Audie Williams the founder of the Davey Derby. The other raffle item is a large gift basket full of great things, a bottle of red wine, a white wine, a bottle of Baileys, a bottle of Palm Bay pink grapefruit vodka that is a great summer drink which can be mixed with just about any light pop or juice and a bottle of Criollo which a salted caramel liqueur with some chocolate flavors, a one pound box of Purdy's chocolates, two pretty acrylic plates and condiment dishes, an acrylic picture frame, cedar wraps for baking salmon, Kicking Horse coffee beans and an assortment of many other items. Value $300.00 Tickets are $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00. Donated by the Port Renfrew General Store. A derby's success is dependent on the generosity of many different people so at this time we ask that if you or someone or a business you know that may be interested in giving a donation of any kind please contact us in the office or by email and we can supply you with a letter. All donations are recognized at the derby and on the website and we encourage all our customers to show appreciation of donators by patronizing their business.

Other Upcoming Event: Nearing the end of our season Port Renfrew Marina will be also having their annual Coho "Winner Take All" derby. This derby is slated for Oct. 4th and 5th. Tickets are $25.00 a rod with $5.00 a rod going to the hatchery. This derby is very popular also and the winner can be going home with a ton of cash! Winnings often run around $10,000.00 of course the amount won will be based on the number of entrants.

Bud & Rex