Vancouver Island BC Fishing: Press Room

 Tofino BC Fishing Media Coverage

By: Mark Pendlington Host/Producer Sportfishing BC Television Series
March 30th, 2011

"Jay, just a short note to thank you for the spectacular memory of a 36lb chrome tyee on the fly....I think of it often. I cannot thank you enough for your professionalism on the water it is a true pleasure to work with this caliber of guiding and please send my thanks to Pacific Sands Resort as they win for best accommodations found anywhere and especially in an ocean playground like Tofino!"

Mark Pendlington/Producer
'Sportfishing BC' TV Series 16th season

A short Video clip of Mark's huge Fly caught Chinook can be seen here.

Tofino Fly Fishing: Rockfish, Salmon and Sunshine

By:   Brian Chan  The New Flyfisher / Riseform Flyfishing Ventures
March 23rd, 2009
 

I had the good fortune to spend 3 days on the water with Jay Mohl of Jay’s Clayoquot Ventures while hosting 2 episodes of The New Fly Fisher TV show. Cameraman Barry Acton and I were in Tofino, BC during the first week of September 2008. We could not have asked for better weather : beautiful, sunny days with relatively calm waters. Our goal was to catch coho salmon on the cast fly. The inshore waters around Tofino offer excellent coho fly fishing opportunities due in large part to abundant kelp beds which offer ideal habitat for herring and needlefish, both prime coho food sources. We also wanted to try fly fishing for other ocean species including bottom dwelling rockfish species. As with many outdoor activities, having good equipment makes the endeavor that much more enjoyable and successful. Clayoquot Ventures fleet of boats are designed for west coast fishing and the 22 ft centre console Wellcraft boat we fished from was perfect for our purposes. This boat has a very large open front casting platform as well as ample room at the back of the boat for anglers to cast and retrieve flies. The boat is laid out so there are minimal objects to catch flylines on which is a major concern when trying to get all that fly line off the deck and into the air while casting. This boat also had a colour GPS and sonar mapping unit that allowed us to get to exactly where we wanted to go as well as see bottom structure, bait fish concentrations and larger individual fish like salmon or rock fish.

We fished with 275 to 400 grain shooting heads with intermediate sinking running lines in order to get down to the depths that baitfish and salmon were most concentrated. Shooting head weight was determined by tidal activity. The basic technique was to cast up current, allowing the fly line and weighted fly to sink down below the baitfish balls and then strip the fly up through the water column. Fly patterns of choice included chartreuse and white and purple and white Clouser Minnows with gold dumbbell eyes. We were constantly on the lookout for seagull and other sea bird surface activity as they worked over a bait ball. We caught numerous grilse or 2 year old coho salmon which although not what we were looking for was an excellent sign of what to expect for bigger fish next year. Our persistent casting and retrieving was rewarded when Jay hooked and landed a magnificent coho of approximately 16 pounds. It was a great fish and definitely made the show that day.

We also tried our luck at bottom fish with the same shooting head systems and various coloured Clouser Minnows and a white squid pattern. Jay positioned the boat so that we were making slow drifts past prime kelp beds and underwater rock outcroppings. This was fast and furious fishing with numerous double headers and lots of rockfish following flies right to the surface from depths of at least 35 feet. We caught several species of rockfish up to about 7 pounds. Pound for pound these fish were incredibly strong fighters and really put our 8 and 9 weight fly rods to the test. Black Rock Fish, in particular, are a very aggressive and schooling species that can be taken on surface poppers. We were able to shoot a great show with lots of action from these underrated fish species.

The experience of being out on the beautiful west coast of Vancouver Island is more than anyone can ask for as a backdrop to fishing and filming. We had a great time fishing with Jay and hope to fish with him again soon. Watch for these 2 episodes on your local TV channels.
 

Brian Chan, Co-host
The New Fly Fisher

 

Tofino: Gorgeous & Green

by Alex Pulaski, The Oregonian

December 13, 2008

"Three hours into it, and we've already hooked -- and lost -- so many coho salmon that I have stopped counting. Our guide has piloted us through the stunning beauty of Clayoquot Sound..."

Read the full article here
 

Three Shows - Three Phenominal Fishing options in Tofino BC

By: Owen Bird Producer, Fishing with Shelly and Courtney Television series

July 2007

"Dear Jay, Thank You very much for all your efforts on our recent visit to Tofino. The excellent weather, the underwater footage and the variety of fishing on all three days will combine to make three really unique shows, definitely making this one of the most successful trips in recent memory. Arranging Middle Beach Lodge for us was an excellent choice, as they took care of us extremely well. We could not have done it without all your time and assistance, and we all enjoyed the trip a great deal."

 Owen Bird, Producer
T.V. Fishing with Shelley and Courtney



 

A Whale of a time north of the border

August 17, 2005

by Ken Schultz, ESPNOutdoors.com Fishing editor

"The proximity of Clayoquot Sound to the vast eastern Pacific Ocean, its labyrinth of protected channels and inlets, the exceptional amount of promontories and islands that jut into cold kelp-forested water, a high level of similar underwater structure close to shore and a profusion of baitfish — especially finger-long needlefish — allow aggressive-feeding salmon to be within casting range in generally protected waters..."

Read the full article here