Charter recommendation for Ucluelet

[Rob]

Hello, I have a friend looking to do a salmon and halibut charter out of Ucluelet next summer.  Any personal recomendations?

Looking for a dedicated boat rather than a large party boat style.  I.e. guide with a party of two fisherman.

I went many years back and not sure who the reputable outfits are these days.

Prefer open ocean rather than inside Barclay Sound.

[Fidelk]

Are you locked into a trip to Canada? There's a big operation in Ucluelet with small party boats (Oak Bay Marine???)......I went once, never again. Also checked prices at other locations near Ucluelet…...which seemed very high. I can highly recommend Randy Lato who operates a 5 fisherman charter boat out of La Push, WA. I've been out three times with him and we went 30 miles offshore for limits of quality lingcod twice (plus some rockfish on one trip......it depends on what is open) and on the third trip a limit of lingcod and an 87 lb. halibut. Highly recommended......Randy is a great guy and a great fisherman.

https://www.allwaysfishing.com/index.php

[hiway_99]

Randy is a great fisherman.  The only problem is this states rules.  Deep water lingcod is open until the end of may. Halibut is open a couple days in june if theirs sufficient quota.  So if your wanting a salmon and halibut trip your best bet is Canada.  Otherwise I'm sure randy could put you on salmon and seabass.

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[Rob]

Yeah, I'll never go with Oak Bay again.  not an ethics problem, just not the experience I am looking for.  Looking for more of a 1-2 person boat with a guide.

Love La Push but just like the limits and seasons better up there. 

[Wetwoodshunter]

I don't think you will be able to find a guide that does 1-2 people. Most boats are looking for 4-6 at a minimum. That being said, you could get a split trip with another group.

A lot of expenses go into chartering, fuel, insurance, boat maintenance, and gear. On the smaller six pac boats typically the first two clients break even for the trip.

Out of Neah Bay, Windsong charters sometimes charters in Canada for halibut although they don't also combo with salmon. Canada regs require that the boat has to fish outside area 121, so your going about 50 miles from port.

It might be worth talking to Ben about chartering his small boat the Koo but you probably would have to pay for at least 4-5 slots to have his whole boat to yourself.

[Fidelk]

I went with Oak Bay once......it was more a hotel package with a beginner fishing experience. I did go and snoop around the fishing charters in Tofino, BC...….but the prices seemed excessive...….and I was shocked to see the small size of the halibut compared to the cost of the trip. I realized that I could do much better back in the US. Of course, if the fishing trip is just part of a vacation plan then that's what you do.

https://fishingbooker.com/charters/search/ca/BC?search_location=tofino&orderby=recommended&dest_title=Fishing%20Charters&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Canada%20-%20Worldwide%20-%20Search%20-%20Location%20Lander%20-%20Desktop%20-%20Medium%20Priority&utm_term=tofino%20bc%20fishing%20charters&utm_content=CA-BC-Tofino*FCHR-1580-Hcpc-Desktop

I did see small boats with guides when I was in Ucluelet, but then again there was that high price point. If this is a focused fishing trip and the halibut isn't a must do......I would also suggest considering a salmon and bottomfish charter...….with the potential to catch 2 salmon, 2 lingcod and 7 rockfish...….out of La Push or Neah Bay. This might start a debate but I think that lingcod is a better tasting fish than halibut.

[hiway_99]

What's considered a high price point?  Theirs nothing cheap about running a boat in the ocean.  My average offshore halibut trip cost me $250 a day in fuel.  A halibut trip here is around $350 a person on a 6 pack boat here

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[tracksoup]

I’ve been out with Murphy Sport fishing.
It was 2 of us per boat. We fished Kuyougat.
I believe he fishes Ucluelet also. It was the best trip
I have been on so far. Strongly recommend them.

[Wetwoodshunter]

As far as salmon, lingcod and rockfish in the same trip if that's your fancy and you want to go to Neah Bay talk to Tom Burlingame with Excel Fishing Charters. He offers combo salmon/bottom fish trips for about $250 a person and you can get 2 salmon, 2 lingcod, and 7 rockfish per person.

His boat is a Uniflite Salty Dog and is a cadalac on the water. He also has new diesel engines that are currently being installed that will bring his cruising speed into the mid twenties on nice days.

He does book 90% is return customers so book early. 4 people booked will get you his full boat. He is an amazing fisherman, hunter, and generally great guy.

[Fidelk]

What's considered a high price point?  Theirs nothing cheap about running a boat in the ocean.  My average offshore halibut trip cost me $250 a day in fuel.  A halibut trip here is around $350 a person on a 6 pack boat here

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I started bottom fishing with my 5 year old son around 1985. Prices were around $30 and you could catch 5 lingcod and 15 rockfish. So my price points always bounce off that. I can fish out of La Push for bottom fish, lingcod, salmon and salmon/bottom fish combos from $175-250......halibut trips are $350. OK, things, including prices, change and I am happy with the above. If you click on the above link, you will find that Canadian prices are quite a bit higher...….$500...…$600......and higher. From what I saw in BC, the size of the catch doesn't equate with those higher prices. Not that this matters much if you are on a family vacation in BC and want to sneak away for a day of ocean fishing. But to make a trip to BC, solely for a fishing trip, doesn't mean that you are going to have a better experience than you can have out of La Push and Neah Bay.

[wildweeds]

Look at westcoastfish.com, my buddy makes a yearly trip with Matt in May, and always heads back to montana with a possession limit of springs,halibut and lingcod. The fishing is done out of grady whites.