We of Big Coast infamy have been incredibly fortunate over the years to fish Port Hardy on Northern Vancouver Island.
More specifically, we’ve had a beauty run fishing with Jim Henschke.
Now Big Jim’s story is not untold. He’s shown up in newspapers and fishing magazines from time-to-time and we’ve trolled 15 years with the Castle Point Charters founder…and put his mug on camera for better or worse! He’s caught some big-time Chinook over the years and served on various advisory boards. And of course Jim and his way better half Nita Klatt used to run Jim’s Hardy Sports, which ultimately morphed into the Bait Shack in Bear Cove. Well, at least sort of.
In the early days of Big Coast I’d trailer my boat up from Parksville and grab moorage at the Quarterdeck. We’d fish a little more local in those days…often sticking to Duval or Castle if the fish were around. But we definitely did our time running across Nahwitti Bar or up Cape Caution. Jim was still guiding a pile back then, so we’d have to pick our days to make it all work.
My good bro Jes McFarlen, he of Parksville Boathouse notoriety, joined me early on and we’ve had a good decade-long run fishing with Jim. Typically we’d run North from Hardy, fishing the Mainland Coast and working our way towards Caution. There’s a couple of beauty tacks up there but I’ve been sworn to never name them. Suffice to say, if you’re running to Rivers Inlet from Hardy you’ll figure it out!
Anyway, back in the eighties many North of Hardy tacks were pioneered by Jim, who worked for Codfather Charters and Ken Jenkins back then. Those tacks are still prime today and I’ve heard stories for years about how they were discovered. And how they used to fish. And just how West Coast the whole Cape Caution zone is!
Well, Big Jim finally retired this past year after more than 50 years guiding on BC’s West Coast. Take that 50 years and stick it in your vape pen young guides…this is the stuff of real legend!
We had planned on a summer fish as always but were struggling to make the schedule work. Luckily we threw Caution to the wind, literally, and I boated down to Hardy after finishing a shoot in Rivers Inlet and Duncanby Lodge. Jes McFarlen drove up from Parksville and we had the old band back together. So to speak.
Jim and Nita also retired from running the Bait Shack in Bear Cove this past year, which is about as nice a coastal home base as you’ll find. So this trip held some special meaning. For the first time, Nita joined our crew and the four of us had a couple awesome days trolling and catching nice Chinook up Caution way.
The fishing was steady, company awesome and it didn’t take Jim long to grab the helm and start running the boat. Like usual. It was a fine August trip with a high rate of chuckles per minute. After finally returning to Bear Cove and wrapping the adventure, we took a picture and relaxed with new Bait Shack owners Tony and Susan Kinley (picture included)!
North of Hardy. Trolling with Big Jim, Nita and Jes. Stuff of legend for sure!
