British Columbia Fishing Charters
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Long
Beach Charters Halibut and Salmon Fishing Canada
Frequently
Asked Questions
Logistics
Where
the heck is Ucluelet, and how do I get there?
We're right beside the Pacific Ocean, out on the West Coast of Vancouver Island,
British Columbia. It's about 5-6 hours by car and ferry from Vancouver, 4-5
hours by car from Victoria, and 2-3 hours by car from Nanaimo, depending on
your scenic stops. In all cases take the Island Highway north from Nanaimo and
turn off onto Highway #4 to Port Alberni. The continuation of #4 to Ucluelet
is one of the most memorable drives you'll ever take.
You can fly in direct from Vancouver
or Victoria with North Vancouver Air (1-800-228-6608}.
For flight information from Seattle,
contact Sound Flight at 1-800-825-0722.
Ucluelet is also served by Laidlaw
Bus Lines (1-800-318-0818), with connections from Nanaimo and Victoria.
BC Ferries runs the ferry service between Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Find
routes and schedules
here ferry link or
call them at 1-888-223-3779.
Where can I stay
when I come to Ucluelet?
Click on the following link to find out more about our British
Columbia Fishing Accommodation
Are reservations
necessary?
In July and August the whole town is booked solid and reservations are a must.
June and September are also busy and a confirmed booking is recommended. Other
months can be hit and miss. In order to make sure you have a spot, reserving
is always a good idea. A deposit of $250 CAD per package day will reserve your
West Coast experience with Long Beach Charters.
How much do fishing
trips cost?
Click here for prices. All required bait, tackle,
and gear is included in the cost of a fishing charter. One cost that is not
included is that of a fishing licence, which you can purchase from LBC. Licenses
are issued for one, three, and five-day periods, or by the year.
About Long Beach
Charters and its people:
Long Beach Charters is a small, independently owned, local company. It was started
in 1996 by Mike Marriott, who was born and raised in Ucluelet. After working
for several years in commercial fishing and logging, Mike returned to school
to get his Bachelor of Science in Biology. When those industries were hard-hit
by recession, he started guiding sport fishing charters. Eventually he acquired
his own boat and went into business for himself.
Now Long Beach Charters is expanding, bringing in other local companies
to provide a wider range of services for visitors to the West Coast
of British Columbia. Our goal is to ensure
that not just your fishing trip but your whole stay in Ucluelet is a memorable
experience that will have you anticipating your next West Coast adventure.
The
region
What's
the weather like in Ucluelet?
 In the summertime, when most of our visitors
arrive, the weather can't be beat. Sunshine is the usual order of the day, and
the wind ranges from calm to brisk, making for some great fishing. Temperatures
range from 10-25°C (50-80°F), so bring a jacket for the cool times.
Fog is a frequent summer occurrence along the coast, and boaters must be up
on their navigation.
Fall is
often our best season, with the clear skies of summer, but without the fog or
the summer crowds.
Winter is known for dramatic storms and quiet solitude, two qualities much sought
after by those in the know. Temperatures rarely get down below freezing on the
coast, although there's always snow on the roads in the mountain passes.
Spring
is the transition season, giving a little of winter and summer, and everybody
coming to life again after the long hibernation.
British
Columbia boasts one of the largest remaining temperate rain forests in the world.
Ucluelet's rain is legendary - we're located less than 50 kilometres from Henderson
Lake, the rainiest spot in North America. But you'll be happy to hear that it
mostly arrives in winter, and even then it usually comes in big, dramatic storms
with plenty of sunshiny days between. That said, everybody visiting Ukee is
advised to bring along (or pick up in town) a good rain jacket, and maybe some
rubber boots if you want to do a lot of trail walking. One thing you can be
sure of: If you don't like the weather now, it'll be different in a few hours!
What else is there
to do in Ucluelet besides fish?
There's no shortage of activities in and around Ucluelet. Click here for an
up-to-date calendar of events.
On the
water, Long Beach Charters also offers whale watching, nature cruises, and sea
kayaking. Ashore, try walking the spectacular Wild Pacific Trail or visiting
our salmon hatchery. Pacific Rim National Park has kilometres of trails, beaches,
and interpretive walks. Long Beach Golf Course and the popular tourist destination
of Tofino are just a short drive away. Or visit one of several local art galleries.
You can also try surfing, bird watching, storm watching, or take a spectacular
sightseeing flight.
The Pacific
Rim Whale Festival (last two weeks of March) makes for an excellent family holiday.
In August, musicians from around the world congregate for the Pacific Rim Summer
Festival.
Scattered
throughout the year we have many other events: the annual marathon, the VanIsle
360 sailboat race, art shows, and literary readings. And if you just want to
take it easy, from the Long Beach Charters suite it's a short walk to local
beaches, pubs, several good restaurants, liquor store, bank, and grocery stores.
How do you
pronounce "Ucluelet" anyway?
Ucluelet is pronounced "yoo-CLUE-let"- a bit of a tongue twister,
which is why it has the nickname "Ukee." The name is derived from
the Nuu-chah-nulth language spoken by First Nations in this area for thousands
of years. It means "people of the safe harbour," and refers to the
long, sheltered inlet that forms Ucluelet's harbour.
The
fishing
What
type of fish can I expect to catch?
Uclueler provides some of the best salt water fishing for British Columbia's
salmon and halibut. Halibut are usually caught mooching or jigging on banks
10-20
miles
offshore,
so they
are best pursued on an 8-hour trip to account for the extra travel time. Halibut
aficionados think it's worth it, for these fish, while they average 20 pounds,
can come in at 50 pounds to a whopping 100 pounds and make for great eating.
Local salmon are mainly Coho and Chinook, though some Sockeye, Pink, and Chum
pass through the area. Our area is world famous for its summertime Chinook salmon
(averaging 20 pounds, with many in the "Tyee" range of 30 pounds plus,
and even some "Walter class" leviathans at 40 to 50 pounds and up!)
Since this is more of a near shore fishery, they're usually fished on 4- or
6-hour trips. But we're flexible - that's one of the advantages of being a small
company!
Lingcod and rockfish (both are very tasty) put in occasional appearances on
the end of the line at all times of year.
To find out more on what you can expect to catch at different times of year,
take a look at our salt water fishing page.
What are the regulations
and catch limits going to be for the coming year?
Regulations and catch limits for the sport fishery are generally stable from
year to year, though changes occur as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans
(DFO) adjusts their fisheries management plan. Areas may be closed to certain
species, or opened from previous closures, and retention limits may be adjusted.
DFO's goal, to which Long Beach Charters is strongly committed, is a sustainable
fishery which continues and grows for the enjoyment of future generations.
Regulations are normally released in March of
each year. As soon as they become available, we post them on our newsletter
page.
What type of boats
do you fish from?
Our 24-foot cabin cruisers meet Canadian Coast Guard regulations and are fully
equipped with downriggers and the latest hot fishing gear. They have cabin heat,
a head (toilet), and comfortable bunks if you wish to rest. Our full-body cruiser
suits will keep you warm and comfortable.
On a fishing charter we normally take one party (up to four people), along with
your guide/skipper. We mount two downriggers per boat, and fish two lines when
trolling or three when mooching or jigging.
How do I book
a trip or stay?
Just get in touch with Long Beach Charters and our friendly staff will answer
your questions and arrange a booking.
Contact information:
telephone: (250) 726-FISH (3474)
or toll-free: 1-877-726-2878
e-mail: longbeachcharters@telus.net
web page: www.longbeachcharters.com
fax: (250) 726-7017
1962 Bay Street
P. O. Box 227, Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0 Canada
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