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Writer's pictureCharlie B

Fishing at Sea 1947-1956

In the decade or so that the Jean B was fished by brother Dick he targeted mainly salmon but when a tuna run developed after the war, chiefly in August and early September, he switched over. Fishing began in May and most of the fish were “spring” salmon also called king or chinook. Fishing was usually in the waters outside Barkley Sound and loads were not very big - more like shake down trips. Spring salmon (over 14 pounds a “mild cure”) commanded the best price. Coho runs came later peaking in later July, and August.

The boat fished from the west coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands, now Haida Gwaii, to the mouth of the Columbia River off the American coast but mainly around Vancouver Island. We also fished Swiftsure Bank on the American side of the entrance to Juan de Fuca Straights off the “ big bank” ( La Perouse)twenty miles out from Barkley sound and Uclulet as well as Cape Scott and off the upper tip of Vancouver called the Goose Island banks.



The tuna fishery developed right after the war when it was determined that the warm Japanese Current, populated with schools of tuna averaging 20 pounds, came within reach for the Canadian and American fleets. The prices gradually increased to as high as $ 720 a ton in 1947 but dropped back when the Japanese gradually entered the market as they recovered from the war. However, while it lasted it was like a gold rush. Boats rigged up and headed to the tuna grounds. There were stories of fist fights at the ice plants as people jostled to load ice quickly and get going.

Tuna fishing was forty or fifty miles straight out from the West Coast or sometimes as close as 15 miles off Haida Gwaii one year. Water was bright blue an 70 degrees F. The fishing technique was completely different than with salmon . The boat had to be re rigged. The large side trolling poles were equipped with many short spaced lengths of heavy tarred lines thirty or forty feet long. At the base of each line was a length of World War II extendible parachute shock cord. At the end of each line was tied a 3 or 4 inch feathered coloured lure or jig with a large a double barbless hook for quick release. These multi lures were trolled on the surface at about 5 knots. The powerful fish would hit the lure at top speed and without the shock cord absorbing the impact would have torn off the line or the fish would become detached. When we hit a school we would try and get it to follow us by “chumming” - throwing scoops full of whole iced herring from the hold. Once we were in a tuna school all lines filled up and the fishing was frantic. We wore heavy gloves and the fish were all individually hand over hand retrieved, a tough job with the boat moving ahead quickly and a heavy fish determined to dive. The method was to retrieve quickly to get them on their side surfing along so they were easier to land.

When the tuna hit the deck they were out of the seventy degree water and had to be allowed to cool down a bit before putting them into the ice otherwise you would lose your ice. Also they had to lay parallel to each other or else in their death throws they would vibrate against the deck violently and drive their sharp “ beaks” into another fish and damage it. They did not require “gutting” and were sold “in the round”.

Our biggest day tuna fishing began at daylight when the lines filled-up and remained so until dark. We landed and processed upwards of 500 fish. The decks were loaded and they were sliding into the cabin. Between pulling and icing we had to keep moving to get the fish into the hold  as we were worried about the boats stability. We had no time to eat. I opened a tall can of baked beans and put a spoon in it. As we dashed by to the wheelhouse to correct the course we would gulp a couple of tablespoons of the cold beans. I don’t remember whether I had time to pee. My wrists were so sore from “pulling” that I could hardly hold a cup of coffee in the morning. The next day we only caught 20, the school had moved on.


Whale surfacing in Barkley Sound

Fishing operations proceeded in all weathers. On the tuna grounds far from land, we could only turn into the huge waves and keep the bow pointing upwind just running slowly ahead. Some long nights. Only high winds close to shore, of which there were many, would shut things down and result in harbour days or anchoring in sheltered waters. It was rumoured that there was a perpetual high stakes poker game on a barge in Ucululet with seasons money on the table. In a stiff west wind we would sometimes anchor in Florencia Bay at the deserted Long Beach. One time I went ashore in the dinghy and found an intact American emergency life raft, and  it was fully equipped. Later we were told it was a type to be dropped from a rescue plane. I helped myself to some chocolate. We notified the Coast Guard and they picked it up.

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David Priebe
David Priebe
21 apr 2020

Wonderful stories of your time at Bamfield and great pictures, Charlie

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