Conservation and Stewardship
The fisherman’s enormous advantage in the matter of bag limits is that he can limit his killing without appreciably limiting his sport.
– Roderick Haig-Brown, Fisherman’s Summer, 1951
Each season, Chinook salmon of 70 pounds and more return to Rivers Inlet. They are, on average, the largest strain on the BC coast and some of the biggest in the Pacific. From the first generations of Inlet fisherman, these giants have inspired awe, strained muscle, captured imaginations and become legend.
In 2007, some of our guests took that heritage to heart by starting their own catch and release competition. The gesture inspired us, and we repeated it throughout the season. We’ve officially honored the leadership our guests have shown by launching the Good Hope Catch & Release Initiative, and the Gary Stanton Stewardship Award.
The Gary Stanton Stewardship Award
With over 30 seasons on the water, Gary has come to know the Chinook and Anglers of Rivers Inlet as few others do. Many have watched his boat playing great fish and more often than not, have seen those fish released. Looking past his own rod tip, Gary sees every fish as a comment on the bigger picture, and he never misses an opportunity to offer timely encouragement to an angler or share his immense knowledge of Inlet life.After all, the only thing better than catching a fish is coming back next year to catch another. In honor of Gary’s example, Good Hope will present The Gary Stanton Stewardship Award to the angler who effectively releases the largest Chinook of the season. A donation to the hatchery program in the angler’s name and a complimentary 4-day 3-night Self Guided trip on us will also be provided. This trip may be booked anytime after May 1st of the following year and into any available date. Upgrades to fully guided and 5-day 4-night trips are available for purchase. This incentive underlines our gratitude for your gesture and will complement the trophy bearing your name, the date and weight of the fish you’ve released.
Catch and Release
Catch and release does not discount fun in the game of fishing. Once caught, the weight of a fish is duly noted and if possible, photos are taken before it is effectively released. Along with this satisfaction, we’re offering a few material incentives to recognize the stewardship efforts of anglers who land and successfully release trophy fish. Fish must be verified by a Good Hope guide to qualify.
Shawn Wightman releasing a 30lb chinook - August 2009
