Island Pursuit Sport Fishing owner/operator Steve Veloso has been a professional guide since 2000, but he鈥檚 never had a season like this one.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a kind of unicorn year,鈥� said the lifelong Comox valley resident. 鈥淯sually we catch a couple on the 30s (pounds), maybe a 40, if we鈥檙e lucky. 鈥淭his year we have had 23 in the 30s, nine in the 40s, two in the 50s, and one in the 60s. It鈥檚 totally random. But you spend enough time on the water, things happen.

That 60+ pounder was hauled in by Wayne Jackson, who booked Veloso for a day of fishing when he and his wife, Val, were visiting from Alberta earlier this month.

鈥淪teve said its the biggest fish he鈥檚 ever had in his boat,鈥� said Val. 鈥淲e decided to measure then photograph and release him because his genetics must have been special to grow so big and healthy.鈥�

鈥淚t measured at about 62 and a bit,鈥� confirmed Veloso. 鈥淭hey (Jacksons) were really good about it. I was telling them while they were bringing it in that this is probably a big fish and it鈥檚 a good thing to do to think about releasing it, because big fish make big fish - good DNA. So before it was even in the boat he was totally committed to letting it go, which was super cool.鈥�

Veloso said the big chinook was caught just off Lazo.

鈥淚 think a lot of the fish are not going down the West Coast this year and coming up the Georgia Strait instead, which is nice,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he spot we have had has been holding lots of fish鈥� it鈥檚 been super healthy around here for a while now. Our hatchery programs from the south coast and east coast of Vancouver Island have been having record runs year after year and this year they鈥檙e set to have double their run from last year, which is pretty awesome.鈥�

ALSO: B.C. Indigenous leaders call for closure of all Fraser River sockeye fisheries

terry.farrell@blackpress.ca
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