FISHING REPORTS
from some of the BEST PLACES TO FISH !
7th October, 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
The
fall season is upon us and weather conditions have remained incredible for sport
anglers and charter guides fishing the Stamp River, areas of Barkley Sound, and
inshore and offshore out of Ucluelet where there is still some great Coho,
feeder Chinook and Halibut fishing. The early days of autumn on the water are
spectacular. There is nothing more sensational than landing a fifteen pound Coho
on a quiet ocean or in the fast water of the river on a sunny fall afternoon.
The Port Alberni Inlet, Barkley
Sound, the surf line of the Sound and Vancouver Island, and offshore areas of
Vancouver Islands west coast provided some world-class fishing opportunities
during the spring, summer, and fall of 2009. Fantastic feeder Chinook fishing
just outside the Ucluelet Harbor and various areas of Barkley Sound and the
outer Port Alberni Inlet began in March and continued until the early summer
salmon migration began in June. From June through early October big schools of
Coho and Chinook were en-route to their spawning grounds in areas of the Pacific
North-West. The worlds two top sport fishing salmon were in abundance and
favored some great fishing and salmon returns to help with conservation for
future years. The Port Alberni Inlet had a sensational sockeye fishery. From mid
June until the first ten days of August sockeye were in abundance. Tourists from
all over the world took the opportunity to fish for the number one eating
salmon.
Through
the summer and early fall weekly bulletins are published by Fisheries and Oceans
relating to Somass River Escapement. The latest bulletin continues to show that
the expected Somass Chinook return forecast to Barkley Sound and the Alberni
Inlet is 57,000. To date the total escapement of Chinook swimming past trained
and experienced observers through the Stamp Falls fish way is close to 3,000
adult Chinook. Daily numbers are ranging between 56 and 142 salmon. With the age
composition expected by the DFO of 11%, 80%, and 9% of 3, 4, and 5 year olds
almost 34,000 spawners are required to meet the 57.2 million egg target for
Robertson Creek Hatchery and the rest of the system. Coho returns are very good
with over 35,000 passing through Stamp Falls. Coho daily counts have averaged
from 1,391 to 2,136 adults. Sockeye returns have been incredible as the original
run size of 250,000 has been increased to over 500,000.
A total of 355,000 have escaped
into Great Central Lake and Sproat Lake.
Port Alberni Inlet / Barkley Sound
The
Alberni Inlet has been full of returning salmon. Coho and Sockeye have been in
abundance. Chinook have been low in numbers. Big Chum salmon are now showing up
and are a great treat for sport fishermen. Chum get up to 20 pounds and are a
very hard fighting salmon. The best areas to fish for them in the Inlet are Cous
Creek and McTush. The Franklin-Nahmint area would also be a great area but it is
currently not open for sport fishing. Sarita located in Barkley Sound has a very
good Chum fishery. Chum often go after the same gear as one would use for
Sockeye. Red and pink hootchies in the mp or O size are relatively good. Few
boats are fishing the Inlet. The River Mouth (tidal water) had some great days
of Coho fishing. The fishing would however be hit and miss. When schools of Coho
were sitting outside in tidal waters waiting for more water in the river there
would often be a great morning bite and an evening bite. Things have slowed down
over the last few days even though big bright shiny Coho and the first few Chum
Salmon are entering the river system daily.
Barkley
Sound areas especially around Bamfield are reporting some days of decent Coho
fishing. The Bamfield Wall and the backside of Fleming Island have been
relatively good. The last weekend of September Pill Point and some of the
locations nearby reported some great fishing. One local Port Alberni fisherman
reported landing a 47 pound Chinook and six Coho. The Chinook hit anchovy in a
Rhys Davis anchovy teaser head behind a red-gold hotspot flasher. The Coho are
hitting white, green, and bluey-green hootchies. The spatter-back and the T-Rex
hootchies have been working well. The watermelon and silver-glow four inch
coyote spoons are also working as is anchovy in pearl and chartreuse teaser
heads. With weather conditions being just perfect anglers from Bamfield have
been going out to the three and seven mile spots. One angler and his guest
targeting salmon and halibut at the seven mile picked up two halibut using a big
turd on the troll bouncing off the bottom on Friday October 2nd. Both of these
fish were 18 pounds. The two anglers also landed two fifteen pound feeder
Chinook and three ten to fifteen pound bright hatchery Coho. The pair released
four wild Coho and a half dozen pink salmon. We are expecting fishing days like
that in some favorite offshore areas to last through the October Thanksgiving
Weekend if the good weather continues.
Ucluelet
Guide
Mike, who guides out of Ucluelet is reporting that the fishing close to the
harbor and out at the Big Bank is still very good. There is also still plenty of
halibut at the Big Bank. Guests venturing offshore have had great catches of
halibut, Coho, and feeder Chinook up to twenty pounds. Mara Rock, Great Bear,
The Red Can, and Lighthouse Bank have reports of some good sized Chinook and
plenty of Coho. These areas are very close to the Ucluelet Harbor and are very
easy to travel to. With slightly warmer water there are still a lot of squid in
the area. These squid could be detrimental to salmon populations. There have
been many individuals however who have been targeting the squid and using them
on the “dinner table”. Some of these squid are reported to be up to thirty
pounds.
The halibut offshore have been
landed by jigging and also trolling. Mike has been using the brown “big turd”
and bouncing off the bottom when fishing halibut. He has been using a T-Rex
hootchie and various white hootchies and a cop car five inch coyote spoon from
forty feet to the mid-water for salmon. There have been a good number of clipped
Coho in offshore and inshore locations.
Ucluelet which is located in what
is known as the Pacific Rim Region has had a spectacular fishing year. The area
is a primary migratory route for many different stocks of salmon, primarily
Chinook and Coho which are British Columbia’s primary sport salmon. The ocean
has very rich bait stocks in this area and because of fairly decent climate
conditions the area is accessible for sport fishing almost all year. Of course
there are Pacific storms especially from November through February. However
there are still some perfect days on the ocean when anglers can fish for feeder
Chinook and bottom fish species.
2009 has been just a spectacular season. Not only out of Ucluelet but also area
around Barkley Sound and areas very close to the surf line. The 2010 season
forecasts are very similar to this year. The summer Chinook and Coho fishery
next year should again be very good and will begin with migratory flows of
salmon in early June or late May.
Somas - Stamp River
Port
Alberni can offer great fishing opportunities almost all year. The Port Alberni
Inlet has spectacular sockeye fishing from June through early August and then
from mid August until September good numbers of Coho and Chinook return to the
river and then most continue to Robertson Creek Hatchery. Salmon also spawn
naturally in the river.
The Stamp River offers fabulous
salmon and steelhead fishing from September through early April. October is a
great month to catch a variety of salmon and fall Steelhead which can all be
landed on the fly or fishing with conventional tackle. The Stamp River offers
some of the best fly fishing that can be found. Currently more Steelhead are in
the river system than usual for early October. Usually mid-October and on is
when the push really begins. With the Chinook numbers down Steelhead are often
more prominent and easier to hook into early in the season. This is the case at
the moment.
The
continued dry weather has been very helpful for those anglers fishing the river.
The water continues to be very low and will likely stay that way for a few more
weeks. The Coho have been coming strong for well over five weeks. Good numbers
of Coho are entering the river daily with the biggest push coming at daylight
and on the high tide. With the full moon the last few evenings there has been
some good pushes due to both great light on the water and a high tide. The Coho
on average have been ten to twelve pounds with some well over fifteen. Those
anglers fishing on their own or on a charter guided fishing trip in the Stamp
and are fly-fishing are finding that the best color patterns for Coho are
greens, pinks, and blues. Dark patterns are the best flies for the fall
Steelhead. There are now well over 35,000 Coho gone past the counters at Stamp
Falls. There are still many more Coho coming.
***One important note for
fishermen in the river is that there is no longer a Chinook Retention***.
The Chinook return is low and if accidental hookups occur the Chinook must be
put back into the system.
We have a great
accommodation-fishing package for river fishermen. All meals can be included and
pickup and delivery back to lodging location. Good Coho and Fall Steelhead
fishing should continue well into November.
There is continued fishing out in
Barkley Sound and out on the West Coast. We are also looking forward to the 2010
season as forecasts are saying that the season will be similar to 2009.
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
