My name is Rick Hackinen and I've been a salmon fishing guide for 40 years in the Campbell River and Quadra island area. There certainly have been changes over that time. Sharing the fishing experience has always been the most fulfilling part of fishing for me.
I'm involved in some efforts at the local level for the future of fishing. I am the Chair of the Campbell River and District Fishing Guides Association, a member of the local Sport Fishing Advisory Committee, and an Avid Angler. I've always been interested in everything about the life histories of salmon. Now more than ever, recording the catch and taking tissue samples are fundamentally important to learn about for resource management. Participating in Operation Bottleneck, sampling Year 1 Chinooks and coho, just feels like a good thing to do for the future of the salmon that have been good to me.