Some big fish have led the Alberni Valley Tyee Club’s 2020 ladder season, although no Tyees (more than 30 pounds) have been hooked yet as of late August.
On June 12, Kyle West registered the first fish caught of the season, and the first on the ladder leader board. A 21.6-pound chinook caught at Swale to lead the adults on the ladder board.
Bob Babych bumped into first with a 25.7 lb. (Meares), followed by Don Meyers 23.4 lbs. (Austin Island) to bump West into third place.
Tracy Golden brought in a 25.8-pounder caught at Swale to take over a razor lead, followed by David Hunter (Beale, 25.7 lbs.) to tie with Bob Babych for second. The fish were ranked in order of time weighed in for Babych to retain second place.
On Aug. 9 Ryan Henri took top spot with a 26.2 lb. salmon (China Creek) followed by Moe Hamel’s 26.1 lbs. and Tyler Schwarz 26.2 lbs., caught in the Alberni Inlet. Rick Tremblay took the lead with a 26.6-pounder from Pill Point only to be out-weighed by Kirk McPhail’s 26.9 lbs. (Pill Point).
On a night bite at Franklin, Ryan Deederly bumped into second with a 26.7 lbs. The bumping continues with Larry Zimmerman leading with a 28.0 lbs. (Franklin) and Bruce Krupek’s 27.1 lbs. (Lone Tree). Not to be outshone, father Werner Krupek came in with a 27.5 lbs. (Franklin) to knock his son’s fish down into third place.
On the Junior ladder, Caden Tremblay led off with a 12.7-pounder caught at Fleming, Tanner Evans weighed in with an 11.0 lbs. caught at Austin Island to hold second place for four weeks until Aiden Nelson weighed in a 13.5 lbs. to bump Tremblay down to third. Carson Boyd took over as leader after catching a 15.4-lbs. fish.
Boyd wasn’t in the lead for long, as Kayden Jasken took over first with a 19.8-pound chinook caught at 10 Mile Point, leading to a battle of the fish on the ladder when Cayden Tremblay registered a 19.8 lbs. as well to take over second place. Grady Waldriff recorded a 17.6 lbs. to knock Carsons Boyd’s fish off third and into the hidden draws.
Not to be outdone, Danica Schwager weighed in a 20.8 lbs. (Turner Island) to bump Kayden Jasken. She then replaced her top spot with a heavier 21.6 lbs. (Lone Tree).
Tanner Provencal weighed in a 24.8-pounder to take over top spot. That is until Kayden Jasken came in from Franklin with a 25.9 to bump Provencal down to second. Alex Critchley settled into third on the ladder with a 24.4 lbs. (Lone Tree), and that’s the way the Junior ladder was as of late August.
“We’re seeing more 25-pounders being caught in the Inlet and more family fishing closer to home this year, proving to be an exciting, fun ladder season,” Tyee Club spokesperson Carolyn Jasken said.
The Tyee Club’s 2020 ladder season ends Sunday, Sept. 13 at 3:00 p.m.