Small Town, Big Fishing Problem!

Port Renfrew is a small Canadian town with athe air
major fishingfar above us.Captain Quigley tells us we're sure
problem. The problem is the sport fishing is greatto catch some big ones
and onlytoday. Swiftsure Bank, where Juan de Fuca
a few people know that.We arrive in PortStrait drops off
Renfrew in late afternoon. Captaininto the deep blue Pacific, is where halibut and
Quigley greets us at the entrance to Ospreysalmon are
Cabins. Quigley and his family provide thesemost plentiful. It's hard to believe we're fishing on
comfortable cabins in athe
beautiful rural setting - and there's an outdooredge of the open Pacific Ocean.The first one I
hot tub tocatch is a screamer! They call it that
boot! Their place is one of the most popularbecause it grabs the bait and takes off. The line
accommodations in Port Renfrew, and their ratesliterally
are very reasonable.Captain Quigley is one of the'screams' as the fish runs. Quigley knows what
most skilled and knowledgeable guides we've everto do. He
met. We've been out with the affable "Capt'nputs the boat in gear and chases the fish. My
Quigs" before, at his other fishing operation ineyes almost
Sooke, BC. (45 minutes west of Victoria), so wepop when I look down at the reel and there are
know we're in good hands!The alarm shatters ouronly about 3 wraps of line left! In seconds, the
solid sleep at 5 a.m. We're on thefish has run almost 300
water by 6:00. The sun is just coming up behindyards of line. I reel as fast as I can until the line's
us as wetight again and the fight's back on.Non-stop
speed westward, heading towards the mouth ofexcitement, boats all around us are getting strike
the San Juan Inlet. Quigley's boat is fast andafter strike. On Quigley's radio, we can hear the
powerful. We hang onguides
to our seats as we bounce over the bigsharing information about their catches - "Double
waves!We stop just off Camper's Bay, where thestrike, 40
West Coast Trailfeet down!" They all share their success so
from Port Renfrew meets the "Pacific Ocean"everyone else
for the firstcan succeed too.Even when there's a lull, and the
time. The shoreline cliffs were spectacular andfish aren't biting,
carved intoCaptain Quigley is entertaining us. He teaches us
numerous huge dark caves.Captain Quigley pointshis latest
over the port side towards the open Pacific. "Nextfish-luring chant and the accompanying dance:
stop Hawaii, and that way, Japan!"The water is as"Chinook,
calm as it ever gets out here, but theChinook - Bite on my hook, my hook!" There's
rolling swells are huge. The sun is shining brightlynever a dull
now,moment on board.And when the fish are biting,
but cool dark fog is already rising from theQuigley is a very patient
water, cloakingteacher: "Let him run!
the cliffs. It looks like the trees are suspended in