A New Season Begins ….
Continuing the fishing adventures of Chris Tucker in Vancouver Island
April 22nd, 2025
A few pictures from the Quinsam River today.
Hooked and landed a stunning 1.5lb cutthroat on a size 18 black nymph.
I moved downstream afterwards and found a lovely run below a fallen tree. I sat on the tree and swung muddler minnows and fry patterns in the current. On several occasions I could see the trout chase the swinging fly. A few aggressive hits but didn’t connect. It was still very exciting just to watch them!
A few photographs of the Quinsam River
October 13th 2025
It has been a mixed bag for me this season.
In September, I made the annual pilgrimage to the Campbell River in search of those chinook. Sadly, it would seem half the world had the same idea. The runs I fished in previous years were overrun with anglers, all jostling for space in the prime fly water. It would seem that the word is well and truly out. I managed to have a few casts a little further up river, but to no avail. I’ll need to go off the beaten path next year.
In early October, I visited one of my new local rivers, The Oyster. This is a strictly catch-and-release water, so it doesn’t attract as many anglers as the other local rivers. We had had our usual dry summer, meaning that the river levels were very low. However, a good dumping of rain a few days prior meant that the fish could move in. Unfortunately, they moved too much. The runs I had successfully fished in previous years were devoid of any salmon. I spoke to another unsuccessful angler who agreed that they must have taken the opportunity to move up the river to their spawning grounds quickly. I did manage to tempt a sea-run cutthroat trout, however, sparing me from another blank. He too must have been wondering where all the salmon eggs had gone.
It’s Thanksgiving here today, so I decided to make the most of having the day off work. Having moved to Courtenay in January, I am now spoiled for choice with rivers. Today, I would give the Puntledge a go. I was on the river a little after sunrise and decided to start with some self-tied needle tube flies. There was a tinge of colour in the water after some rain, so I opted for something bright.
After a few runs down a lovely, riffly piece of water, I bumped what felt like a good fish. I rolled the fly back out into the same spot and THUD. A bright fish flashed on the surface before diving into the deeper section. After a few solid runs and a tug of war in the current, a chrome coho of about 9lbs came to the net. It was so fresh that it still had sea lice on it. I was so chuffed. I had planned to take it for the table, but after a quick check of its adipose fin, I could see it was a wild fish. It meant that I had to release the fish, but I didn’t care one bit. How could I be disappointed with a bar of silver that was likely in the ocean that morning?
After resting the run for a little while, I rolled the fly back out into the same run. Another THUD. This time it was a chum salmon of around 7lbs.
A thoroughly enjoyable morning of fishing. Hoping to get back out again next week.
October 21st 2025
The rain had returned with a vengeance over the weekend. As it lashed against my living room window, I sat staring at the online hydrometric data, wondering if Monday’s trip would be a waste of time. With the river being a stone’s throw away from my front door, I decided to give it a go. With the river rising, I knew I’d need a little bit of extra weight to get down to the fish. So off to the fly tying station I went and whipped up some 1.8mm x 30mm tubes. I kept the dressing sparse to ensure the fly would easily cut through the water – a single piece of dyed bucktail and a couple strands of flash were all that was needed.
I hit the river at first light and watched from the bridge. As expected, there was a lot more water pushing through since I was last there, but I could see some fish rolling in the main current.
I started just down from the bridge, casting to the rolling fish. Longer casts were required but the fly was moving through the run beautifully. I don’t think there is anything more exciting than having your fingertips on a fly line as it swings through a current! It didn’t take too long before that gentle swing was abruptly interrupted by a thud and a headshake. The fish ripped up and down the run, even around the back of me, before finally coming to the net. A beautifully marked male chum salmon of around 12lbs.
That was only the start, however, with 5 other fish coming to the bank that morning. It could have been double that had each bite stayed on the line.
To my delight, one of the fish was again chrome with sea lice on it. You’ll be pleased to hear that this one was caught on one of your cascade shrimps!
A fantastic morning’s fishing.
October 23rd 2025
I couldn’t resist one more morning on the Puntledge…
Soon after, the day became brighter and the river became busier. And just like that, I didn’t see another coho. However, I continued to enjoy some more fabulous chum fishing throughout the morning.
I caught 3 on one of your blackbacks, one of which was still quite silver.
