Author: douganddeb

Summer, better late than never

Welcome, Mike, Barry, Steve, Ross and Bill. Not sure if you brought it but thanks for the heat. As we moved into mid July the salmon fishing continued to be solid mixed with a few nice Springs as well. This group new to us worked hard and their diligence paid off with some awesome fish. Ready to go at all times and working the jigging rods well into the evening they maximized their time on the water and on the rods. Many thanks to their helping hands as a mechanical issue held us up a bit one morning but with all the spares aboard and great help from the crew we were rods back in the water in no time. A close encounter with the Orcas, some great shows from the Humpbacks and once again the Rupert area provided some great  wildlife viewing. Thanks again guys, hope you enjoy your fish!!

There ought to be a law!

Well there was a law or lawyers and there was no legal wrangling just good fishing and good fun. Welcome back Doug and for bringing his colleagues Matt, Steve, Ken and Murray. Yes we had a little rain but the summer gathered steam and provided us with some awesome weather. A magical start as we encountered a super pod of Orcas on our way out. Spread out over 2 km we counted as many as 30 whales and their course took them right across the bow. Amazing!! A morning pull of prawns had our mouths watering for dinner and we set out for some salmon fishing. Wow, holy Coho, Fish On and On , hard fighting Coho, Springs and some sunny weather a great formula for a fishing trip.  A group with a sharp sense of humor

the laughter hung in the air throughout the day.  We hoped this group enjoyed their trip as much as we enjoyed them, thanks Doug, we are glad our daughters brought us together and we hope that we remain in contact for years to come.

What’s your Limit ?

The Thunder 1 is a live aboard charter fishing boat on the north coast of British Columbia. We have operated out of Prince Rupert for 13 years and in that time have hosted over 1500 anglers from all parts of the world. We strive to provide our guests with an incredible west coast experience that is more than just fishing. We want our guests to see the beauty of our pristine wilderness from  the classic wooden Whal built trawler which is also our home. Humpback whales, Orcas, Sea lions, seals, eagles are all part of the experience and we get the opportunity to view this wildlife at close range in their natural environment. Of course we love to fish and work hard to make sure all our guests, novice or expert get the opportunity to hook, fight and land a beautiful salmon or hard pulling halibut. During the course of our 4 and 5 day trips we have the opportunity to land as many fish as the Department of Fisheries allows, known as your limit. With groups of 4 to 6 guests this means as many as 24 to 48 salmon, and 8 to 12 halibut. Incredibly we often reach these numbers but there are times when we don’t because as we often say, this is fishing not catching. Unfortunately we have guests that focus too much on achieving these limits to the point where there whole experience seems to be diminished for the sake of one or two fish. To all anglers that come to our beautiful part of the world we would encourage that they do not lose how incredibly lucky we are to have any of these wild fish where in many parts of the world this opportunity has already been lost. Join us for the whole experience, where there is no limit to the beauty that surrounds you.

 

 

How many electrical engineers does it take to catch a Salmon?

Answer: 2 plus their father in law, Dan. Great for Dan to bring the boys for their first experience at ocean fishing. And yes we did catch some salmon, did we ever. The fish arrived in waves and Glenn, Dan and Nathaniel had their hands full as double headers from Coho, Springs and the occasional Pink salmon gave no one time to rest on the back deck. While the early stages showed some inexperience (read some fish got away) as the trip progressed the technique did as well and soon we were not practicing conservation as often. Matter of fact the boys were looking pretty sharp by day three. Halibut did not disappoint either and reinforcing the old adage that you can’t catch a fish without a hook in the water Glenn jigged up a beauty hali while on the hook for dinner. A terrific trip punctuated with Orcas, Eagles and Humpback Whales, all part of the landscape on our beautiful north coast waters. Looking forward to having the gang back next year and I know they will be studying the photos of Dans form before returning.

Sunrise to Sunset and everything in between!

Well it’s not like we didn’t wait patiently for some nice weather and just like fishing patience pays off. Don’t think we could have had a nicer four days if we tried, sunshine, calm seas, and I mean CALM, and good fishing. Joined by two couples, Lloyd and Marilyn, and Bill and Esther we enjoyed the nicest trip of the year with guests who had fished the area many times and who’s passion for fishing and the west coast showed everyday. With calm waters we wandered off shore for some great halibut fishing where the problem was finding little ones not big ones, tough problem to have. Salmon fishing was electric when we found them and everyone’s hearts were beating a little faster as the salmon hit all three rods. Great trip, great guests we , like you Lloyd find it hard to believe it went so fast and that it is 13 months till we see you next August. Looking forward to it already.

Some who have and some who haven’t

Joined by brothers Robert and Gregg, who have done lots of fishing, and Barry and his son Kevin, who have not we set off to make sure that everyone would return as those that have. A little rain again for this trip did not slow us down as the crew’s rain gear was well broken in. First night out got the skunk off the boat with a nice spring and a crew ready to grab those rods in the morning. Day two started with some great halibut fishing we were rewarded with a beauty 50 lb halibut. Kevin could now say he has caught a hali. A mix of spring salmon and some coho kept the guys on their toes and
 the ones that got away would have definitely filled out the dance card with all our springs. No matter everyone was happy with the catch went home with some beautiful wild salmon and halibut. Thanks Robert for being the driving force to bring this group together.

Happy Canada Day

Welcome back Dan, and friends Emile and Robert. 5 th time back for Dan and always nice to see him take a break from his busy farming schedule. A little rain did not dampen our Canada long weekend enthusiasm and we headed out for some fishing action. It took a little hunting but we found them hiding out deep and the rods began to hop. A great mix of Coho and Springs that had us waving the net quite often on the third day. Halibut also proved challenging but patience is a virtue and we were finally rewarded when Emile hooked up a big flat one. Tipping the scales at close to 60 lbs it left some sore arms on our anglers. Once again a great trip, and for Robert his first time ever eating, crab, halibut and prawns. He didn’t realize what he had missed. Thanks Dan hope you have a good farming season you are welcome to some of our rain!!! 

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The Best Fishing Charter in Prince Rupert

Thunder 1 Adventures is one of many fishing charters available out of Prince Rupert. The majority of the charter operators are day trips leaving and returning to Prince Rupert the same day. Thunder 1 Adventures offers multi day live aboard charters that let our guests relax at night in a quiet bay, enjoying a fantastic meal and watching the wildlife in quiet pristine silence. We provide all bedding, a large clean warm boat, accommodations for 6 as well as a hot shower for our guests in their own clean spotless washroom. What also sets us apart is the ability for our guests to sit in a warm comfortable aft fishing area that lets our guests stay out of the elements while still close to the rods. The open fishing deck is spacious and stable and offers a great place to fight and land our hard fighting salmon. Prince Rupert offers many options when it comes to fishing however we believe The Thunder 1 is the best fishing charter in the area. Give us a call, check out reviews and have a look at our website, we would love to have you aboard to experience what we thing is the best fishing experience you can have in Prince Rupert.

www.thunder1.ca 

 

Tyee!!

Welcome Cliff, his wife Joy, son Andrew and bother Roger. Once again new guests for Thunder 1 we set out to find the fish. Weather again a factor in where we fished but with the Thunders covered and heated enclosure our guests stayed warm and dry while we waited for the first strike. After shaking a few smaller springs the rod bent and the reel screamed. Roger had a hold of a good one. Great fight and despite some heroic efforts to win its freedom the hard fighting Chinook ended up in the net. Nice job roger as we landed our first Tyee of the year. A well earned pin for a 32 lb Spring.

Not to be out done Andrew worked the jig hard while we enjoyed a hot lunch and halibut fished at the same time. The rod bent hard on the up swing and it was obvious Andrew was on to a good halibut. As he worked it to the top and it came into view we all realized what a beauty it was. It took careful consideration to determine that this fish was a keeper and very close to the 133 cm limit. After another wild ride to the bottom we landed a 70 lb hali, yahoooo! Good work Andrew. Under clearing skies and calm seas we headed home, a happy crew who liked their trip enough to rebook for 2018, looking forward to having you back!! 

It’s a long way from Yorkshire England

Welcome aboard Robert, his son Dean, and joining them our return guest Pat. Dean holds the distance record for distance from home to fish aboard the Thunder, 7,400 km.  To join his father Robert for an Ocean fishing trip was on the bucket list and we were happy to accommodate. Pat was joining the group having been with us on two other occasions and his freezer was looking a little bare at home. The weather played a factor again but did not slow down the fishing, the whales, or the fantastic eagle shows. With Roberts many years of commercial fishing on the coast how could be lose, and we didn’t. Good Spring fishing that produced a nice 25lb spring that Robert skillfully fought and slid into the net. The final day provided a chance to get out and halibut fish and the timing was perfect. A great trip and some great footage of the bald eagles are on there way to Yorkshire, safe trip Dean and thanks to all for toughing out the weather and never let it dampen your spirits!!  

A lot of Firsts!

Always nice to have guests that have never fished on the ocean, never caught a salmon, never caught a halibut, never seen a whale in the wild. Well for our guests from Wainwright Alberta we provided a lot of firsts. For the crew of the Thunder 1 after 13 years there was also some firsts. Salmon fishing was great and the halibut also provided great action but the highlight for us was not catching the fish it was where we caught them. With some windy days that limited our fishing areas it did not slow down our guests in their pursuit. While the Captain put his feet up after a long day Rick and Janet grabbed the rods to try their hand at jigging while we swung on the hook. Never a spot to produce more than a flounder the hooting and hollering on the deck had the Captain grabbing his boots to see what was going on. Well another first as Rick hooked up not one, but two nice Spring salmon in the anchorage, 17, and 15 lbs. Well done Rick!! The weather smoothed out for our return to Rupert, Orcas, Humpbacks, Eagles, all put on a show for our guests, not to mention Rick and Janets first night on a water bed. 

Small world we live in.

Welcome aboard to Gerald, Kelvin, their father Glenn and friend Grandin. Gerald and Grandin, both active airline pilots had many associates and friends that I had flown with over my years as a pilot. Nice to catch up, swap a few stories, some of which actually had a thread of truth. With weather that was challenging to say the least, strong SE winds we motored up to the top of Dundas Island to get our lines in the water and try and get out of the wind. Good move as  the fish were biting and despite the wind and rain the rods were busy and the group worked hard on the gear to land their fish. Wind or no wind it did not stop the group from putting 13 nice Springs in the box as well as some very early Coho. Halibut did not disappoint either and in areas we seldom fish the guys limited out including Kelvin the halibut slayer hooking up a nice 50 lber to earn his pin. Deb’s cooking was again a highlight and our eagle at Dundas put on a dazzling show as he swooped into take a fish head from the stern. Great group, great fishing hoping to see them again soon. Keep the blue side up and have a great summer fellas. 

Is there a Doctor in the house?

As a matter of fact there were three Doctors in the house, or on the boat that is. Welcome aboard to Laurence, his son Ethan, Paul and Conrad. A reunion of sorts as these three had attended medical school together and had not seen a lot of each other over the following years since their graduation. Our first trip out so always a little searching for those early salmon and halibut. Weather was amazing as we had sunny skies warm temperatures and flat seas. First night out a little salmon fishing proved to be an hour of action that was not quite expected. As the group got used to the gear the Spring salmon weren’t about to wait and the rods snapped off the clips one after another. Paul landed a nice 15 lber after a good fight and the rest of the  hits escaped to live and fight another day. That initial bite cooled a bit the following days but the action was more that compensated by some outstanding halibut fishing. Laurence had the lucky rod and his first halibut turned out to be a hard fighting 70 lb beauty. Right on the maximum size this fish sang the line off the reel several times and Ethan had to relieve his dad to land the brute. That wasn’t the end to the action as we landed three beauties around 30 lbs as well as some nice chickens to round out their catch. The wildlife was also amazing as we encountered a pod of 8 Orcas as they cruised close to our vessel as well as Humpback whales, Dolphins and some spectacular eagle watching. A great start to the season with some great guest. Glad that we could host your reunion and hope to have you back some day soon.

 

North Bound for 2017

Out of refit and under sunny skies the Thunder 1 and crew headed for Seymour Narrows headed for our 13th season on the north coast. Catching the last of the ebb we navigated the narrows and set the hook in Kanish Bay for the night. We were treated to a spectacular sunset.

The next morning broke clear and once again we had smooth sailing and help from the tide as we set our sights on crossing Cape Caution two days down the road with a light wind forecast. The second evening saw us anchor in Tribune channel. Time for a little fishing, nothing like fresh cod for dinner.

Day three took us out into Queen Charlotte Straight and up to Allison Harbour. A chance to drop the crab pot and tie things down for the open water crossing.

Weather was good, light wind, 1.5 meters at west sea otter bouy, Egg island light calling light winds low west swell. Off we went, great crossing into Fitz Hugh sound ahead of schedule and time to do some exploring before meeting our first camp trip of the year south of Rupert.

For the next two days we explored Fish Egg Inlet. Wonderful inlet with a multitude of anchorages, and quiet bays. No company for the Thunder as we explored by dinghy and caught fish for the fry pan. Would love to spend more time there but time to move on.

Off to Hakai Pass where we caught up with a couple of friends traveling north in their boats. A sunny day on the beach, chance for a glass of wine and a wiener roast on the beach.

While our friends left ahead of us we departed for Shearwater. A chance to provision and top up supplies for our first guests. As we left we were passed by three adventerous types on sea doos off to Alaska with a pile of gas cans on the back doing 50 miles an hour. Who says you need a big boat to go to Alaska. Deb and I , happy to be doing 7.6 knots in a warm wheelhouse and a hot cup of coffee. Good luck to them.

A stop in scenic Green Inlet and once a gain a chance to do a little fishing, Deb provided the excitement as she hooked a 60 lb ling cod in the tail as it took a swipe at her hook. What a ride that was, yahooo. We eventually got it to the surface and released it, no need for that much ling. The 25 lber she caught 5 minutes later would provide lots for us.

7 days out we reached out rendezvous point for our camp crew in Bernard Harbour. A beautiful spot, well protected with whales and porpoises abounding in the area.

Our group arrived and went to work while Deb put on her usual fabulous meals that kept the crew very happy. A couple of days there and we moved up the Douglas Channel. More blue sky and fabulous scenery great way to start the year. 

14 days after leaving Campbell River we slid into Prince Rupert, time to catch up with our friends and get ready for the coming seasons fishermen and woman.

Refit for the Thunder

In early March the Thunder 1 swung into her familiar overhaul facility at Cove Yachts. Snug and dry inside Phil’s boathouse the work began. Under the skillful hands of Gord and Phil some tricky bow planks on the starboard side were replaced. If you have never seen this done it is truly a work of art and from the templating , to the cutting to the steam box and onto the vessel a skill I hope will be preserved by future shipwrights. With the rain off the roof I had a chance to strip off paint and give the Thunder a new coat from stem to stern. After the planking work was completed work began on collision bulkheads, water tight engine room doors and several other safety related projects requested by Transport Canada. A new fire suppression system was also added to the engine room. Inside work was followed by the annual haul out where paint , zincs and the usual array of projects were completed. On May 01 after a thumbs up from Transport Canada the Thunder 1 was out of the boathouse and headed north looking good. Many thanks again to my crew whose skills with wood boats is the reason the thunder 1 has provided a safe and solid platform for our many guest to enjoy their fishing adventures.

How Many People Can You Accommodate?

The Thunder 1 is able to accommodate up to 6 guests. This is a Transport Canada limitation placed on us in consideration of our safety equipment. We have two staterooms for our guests, bunk style accommodation with two bunks in one room and 4 bunks in another. We normally plan our charters around a group of 4. Our guests normally organise their own group, and if you have a group of 4 we do not add any other guests to your trip and you have the vessel to yourselves. We will occasionally try to accommodate a group of two and match them up with two other guests.