1st July, 2009: FISHING REPORT: Port Alberni Inlet, Barkley Sound, Ucluelet (West Coast), Somas-Stamp River System.

by Doug Lindores of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
Toll Free Number: 1- 888 214 7206

Mark and friend from Vancouver with two Chinook caught off of Ucluelet out at the Big Bank Guide was Al Along with Chinook were limits in Coho and Halibut

June 2009 has not only been a sensational weather month but the salmon fishing has been incredible in the Port Alberni Inlet, Ucluelet and Barkley Sound. People visiting the Port Alberni Valley and salmon fishing with salmon fishing charter guides have been treated with some unbelievable Sockeye Salmon Fishing. The same holds true for those fishing out on the West Coast and Barkley Sound and salmon fishing or sport fishing on guided salmon-halibut combo trips. West coast salmon fishing has not targeted Sockeye but targets Coho and Chinook and halibut. Guests have had great success and have returned back to the Ucluelet Harbor with limits. The Coho are thick and some days it is difficult to get below the Coho to the Chinook.

Sockeye returns to date to Sproat and Great Central Lakes have been generally good. Total escapement to June the 22nd to Great Central Lake is 20,000 Sockeye. The daily count through the Great Central fish way has been from 560 to 2,252 fish per day. The return to Sproat Lake to date is 14,680 Sockeye. Daily Counts have been 225 to 1,480 Sockeye per day through the Sproat fish way. The river flow has been very moderate for this time of year and temperature of the water at the fish way has been from 18 to 19 degrees Celsius.

Kitty Bardardottir from Reykjavik, Iceland is quite happy with her very first Sockeye caught in the Alberni Inlet. Kitty fished near China Creek with Guide Mel of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

The Port Alberni Inlet has had some wonderful Sockeye fishing. Since opening day, June 15th, the sport fishery has seen most anglers get their limit of two sockeye per day. The Sport Fishing advisory board made a decision that with the forecast of close to 400,000 Sockeye to the Somass River that limits should begin at two per day with a two day possession limit of four sockeye. There is a possibility the DFO will upgrade the run and if that happens the sport anglers possession limit per day would move up to four salmon.

The fishing has been very good in most areas of the Port Alberni Inlet. However it seems that the Nahmint-Franklin area has been the best. The last few days the action has been unbelievable with many fishermen using just black hooks on a 17 to 26 foot leader behind a green or red hotspot flasher. Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing guides Mel, John and Doug have been limiting for guests each morning. There has been some good sized Coho in the mix. Guide Mel has picked up a whopping 9 pound Sockeye for guests from Prince George B.C. The best depths for the Sockeye have been from 45 to 65 feet. Besides black hooks tied in tandem the mp 15 or small bubblegum hootchie has been working well as have the black-pink and blue-pink hootchies. We are expecting good sockeye fishing through July and we are hoping that the run size may be upgraded. Chinook and Coho fishing in the Port Alberni Inlet usually gets underway by the 10th of August.

Rochelle from Tooele, Utah poses with her two Sockeye Salmon caught in the Alberni Inlet. This was Rochelles first ever fishing trip Fish caught around the China Creek area in50 feet of water

There has been some continued good salmon fishing in various areas of Barkley Sound. Coho have been in good numbers. The Coho are getting bigger and there seems to be big schools of them on the surf line and in as far as Swale Rock and Kirby and Sanford Points. The Coho have been in water from 25 to 80 feet and have been hitting hootchies preferably white and purple haze and also the four inch silver-glow and blue and green nickel coyote spoons. It seems that the Coho will hit any lure but the lure colors may change depending on the bait that the Coho are feeding on. If the Coho are feeding on squid then the hootchie colors that are purple and white are working and if the Coho are feeding on needlefish than change to greens and white. Guide Doug of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing has led guests to a couple of 11 pound Coho near Swale Rock. However most of the Coho have averaged 5 to 7 pounds. Coho outside a line from Coaster Channel to Sanford must be hatchery. Any Coho inside the line can be either wild or hatchery with a daily possession limit of two.

Chinook Fishing has been best around Edward King, Ship Island, Cape Beale, and Meares and Austin Island. During the past few days there has been some great fishing at Holford Bay and Alan Point. Both of these spots are usually best in August. Chinook up to 24 pounds have been picked up by guides and sport fishermen during the past weekend and early days of the new week (June 29th) Anchovy has been working very well in a UV green Rhys Davis Teaser Head, a purple haze Teaser Head, and an army truck Teaser Head. Chinook have also been hitting the blue-nickel and silver glow four inch coyote spoon. Leader length using anchovy has been up to five feet and Coyote spoon leader length can vary from 42 inches to 55 inches. Guide John of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing seems to have his best success on a cop car coyote at a leader length of 42 inches.

We are expecting the Barkley Sound sport fishery to be very good in the months to come. Migratory flows are very high. Chinook, Coho, Sockeye and Pink Salmon numbers are extremely high. Pink and Sockeye Salmon have returns going down the Vancouver Island Coastline of up to 17 million pieces. Anyone fishing the surf line and in towards various areas of the Sound should not have trouble picking up a salmon on the troll. Look for unbelievable Barkley Sound Salmon fishing in July, August and September.

Tom Housholder of Utah shows his two Sockeye caught in Cous Creek located in the Port Alberni Inlet Sockeye were caught on Black Hooks and pink hootchies Guide was Doug of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

As usual Ucluelet has had fabulous inshore and offshore fishing. Inshore areas such as Mara Rock, The Lighthouse Bank, Sail Rock and most importantly Great Bear have been very good. Great Bear has by far been the best for Chinook. Guide Mike has had one of the biggest fish of the year for guests from Portland Oregon at 35 pounds picked up on a green-glow four inch coyote spoon at 75 feet. There have been several fish in the 30 pound range as well as numerous fish in the twenties at Great Bear. South Bank has had a lot of smaller Chinook. Sport fishermen have had a ball on the smaller fish but sometimes when eight to ten, 6 to 7 pound Chinook hit every twenty minutes it can become very frustrating especially when using bait. The same has been true for the Coho which have been very thick especially at South Bank and Big Bank. On Saturday guide Al picked up twelve hatchery Coho for guests from Vancouver. The group also had three Chinook and five halibut. It was almost impossible to get to the Chinook which have been sitting in 160 to 170 feet of water. The Coho are at all depths starting at 25 feet. Of course the halibut are on the bottom. Al has been using a hootchie or lure known as a Turd as well as the green and glow coyote spoon and a T-Rex cuttle fish with 44 inches of leader. The Turd has been unbelievable for all salmon and also the halibut. The halibut have seemed to really like the green-glow coyote spoon and also the green-nickel. When the tides are good out on the bank guides Al and Mike have been using spreader bars with bait in the 180 to 200 foot levels. Trolling off the bottom seems to be the best method at the moment for Chinook and halibut.

The fishing since late May off of Ucluelet and the waters of inner and outer Barkley Sound has been amazing. We have been fishing for salmon that are migrating down the coastline of Vancouver Island and really are not fully mature. With Chinook already at 30 pounds and a few in the 40s one can see that there definitely has been a change in the ocean and that there has been very strong ocean survival for Coho and Chinook. There has been plenty natural food for the salmon to help each species make a remarkable comeback.

Sport fishermen on the banks of the Somass River have had wonderful days also. Guide Nick has been entertaining guests aboard his jet goat and have been having a ball on light tackle. Those fishing from the shoreline often have to find their favorite spots early in the morning. Fall fishing dates for Coho and Summer Steelhead are filling fast. Accommodation-fly-fishing packages are available.

For more information

Contact:

Doug Lindores
Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
www.catchsalmon-ca.com
www.catchsalmon.ca
dlindy@shaw.ca
+1 250 724 2502 (h)
+1 250 731 7389 ©
Toll Free Number: 1- 888 214 7206