| Port Renfrew is a small Canadian town with a | | | | line literally 'screams' as the fish runs. Quigley |
| major fishing problem. The problem is the sport | | | | knows what to do. He puts the boat in gear and |
| fishing is great and only a few people know that. | | | | chases the fish. My eyes almost pop when I look |
| We arrive in Port Renfrew in late afternoon. Port | | | | down at the reel and there are only about 3 |
| Captain Quigley greets us at the entrance to | | | | wraps of line left! In seconds, the fish had run |
| Osprey Cabins. Quigley and his family provide | | | | almost 300 yards of line. I reel as fast as I can |
| these comfortable cabins in a beautiful rural | | | | until the line's tight again and the fight's back on |
| setting - and there's an outdoor hot tub to boot! | | | | Non-stop excitement, boats all around us are |
| Their place is one of the most popular | | | | getting strike after strike. On Quigley's radio, we |
| accommodations in Port Renfrew ,and their rates | | | | can hear the guides sharing information about |
| are very reasonable. | | | | their catches - "Double strike, 40 feet down!" |
| Captain Quigley is one of the most skilled and | | | | They all share their success so everyone else can |
| knowledgeable guides we've ever met. We've | | | | succeed too. Even when there's a lull, and the fish |
| been out with the affable "Capt'n Quig" before, at | | | | aren't biting, Captain Quigley is entertaining us. He |
| his other fishing operation in Sooke, ,B.C. (45 | | | | teaches us his latest fish-luring chant and the |
| minutes west of Victoria), so we know we're in | | | | accompanying dance: "Chinook, Chinook - Bite on |
| good hands! | | | | my hook, my hook!" There is never a dull |
| The alarm shatters our solid sleep at 5 a.m. We're | | | | moment on board. |
| on the water by 6:00. The sun is just coming up | | | | And when the fish are biting, Quigley is a very |
| behind us as we speed westward, heading | | | | patient teacher: "Let him run! That's it... He's got |
| towards the mouth of the Port San Juan Inlet. | | | | the whole boat to play with. Let him tire himself |
| Quigley's boat is fast and powerful. We hang on | | | | out..." |
| to our seats as we bounce over the big waves! | | | | Later, Quigley tells us a story about the biggest |
| We stop just off Camper's Beach , where the | | | | fish ever landed on his boat. He had taken an |
| West Coast Trail from Port Renfrew meets the | | | | elderly couple on an expedition, and it was turning |
| "Pacific Ocean" for the first time. The shoreline | | | | out to be a disappointingly uneventful day - not |
| cliffs were spectacular and carved into numerous | | | | one bite, until they decided to turn back! Then, all |
| huge dark caves. | | | | of a sudden, they got a nibble. It was a huge |
| Captain Quigley points over the port side towards | | | | struggle, but with Quigley's help, they reeled it in - |
| the open Pacific. "Next stop Hawaii, and that-away | | | | a 52-pounder! Now that's a really big salmon. |
| Japan!" The water is as calm as it ever gets out | | | | It went on to win several categories in the fishing |
| here, but the rolling swells are huge. The sun is | | | | derby. We catch our limit long before the |
| shining brightly now, but cool dark fog is already | | | | charter's over, each fish is in the twenty-pound |
| rising from the water, cloaking the cliffs. It looks | | | | range. We had about 100lbs of fish on board, |
| like the trees are suspended in the air far above | | | | enough to feed us all winter! (We were fishing for |
| us. | | | | spring salmon as the Coho and Sockeye fisheries |
| Captain Quigley tells us we're sure to catch some | | | | were temporarily closed.) |
| big ones today. Swiftsure Bank, where Juan de | | | | When I made dinner that night, back in Victoria, |
| Fuca Strait drops off into the deep blue Pacific, is | | | | one fillet filled the grill on my barbeque! Five people |
| where halibut and salmon are most plentiful. It's | | | | dug in and there was2/3 left over! We're talking |
| hard to believe we're fishing on the edge of the | | | | serious salmon here, folks! |
| open Pacific Ocean. | | | | Small town, big fishing problem - right? Now you |
| The first one I catch is a screamer! They call it | | | | know. |
| that because it grabs the bait and takes off. The | | | | |