Private Boat Charters and Tours
from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

"Vancouver Boat Tours welcomes all questions and would love to take you boating"

Catching Salmon in the Pacific

Although it's already one of the most popular fishing
sports, salmon fishing is still growing. Salmon come in a
number of varieties, and each is a bit different from the
others. Since there are so many types, fishermen usually
have a favorite one or two they like to pursue. Chinook is
the granddaddy of Pacific salmon, growing to as long as 40
inches and weighing up to 100 pounds. They only figure in at
about 1% of the yearly salmon harvest.

The most valuable salmon is from Alaska, the Sockeye
salmon. This fish averages about six to nine pounds and
can be as long as 24 inches. The Sockeye salmon accounts
for approximately 25 to 30 percent of the commercial
fishing trade in Alaska. This salmon is often called the
"red" salmon because of the brilliant red color that the
males turn during the spawning season.

A third variety of salmon is the Coho. It too is valuable to
the fishing industry. They are silvery and shiny, thus often
called "silver" salmon. Customers at seafood counters often
take a whole fish home to barbecue. Canning and smoking are
other great ways to prepare them and keep in your pantry.
They generally weigh in at around 9 pounds and grow up to 29
inches long.

Another common salmon is the Chum salmon, however these
types of salmon are less valuable to fishermen because their
meat is pale and yellow in comparison to the red salmon,
making them less desirable to the consumer. Chum salmon
can reach a length of 30 inches and weigh about 8 pounds.

The least valuable of Pacific salmon is the Pink salmon.
This is also the smallest of the salmon, weighing 4 pounds
and averaging about 22 inches long. Even though the Pink
salmon is the least valuable of all the salmon it is found
in the most abundance. Pink salmon are used mostly for
canning and not for eating fresh over the coals.

Check out the vast numbers of charter fishing boats
available on the northern Pacific coast. Sport fishermen
love to make a one-day or even week-long trip on one of
these boats, hoping to come home with their limits. If you
decide to try one, you may also luck out and see some whales
during your trip. Gather information before you book a
charter, since there are many packages available. Remember
that the smaller, the better, since it limits competition
for those feisty fish.

Choose carefully and you can enjoy some great fishing - and
some great tasting fish!

by Flipper' Thomas

• Hotel pick up
• Skipper included
• Charters and guided tours for sightseeing and fishing
• Evening, half-day and full-day charters
• Children are welcome
• Large open rear deck
• Command bridge with passenger seating
• Cruise at a leisurely pace while enjoying the view