FISHING REPORTS
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11th August, 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 weather has cooled down since the last report but the fishing during the past ten days in the Port Alberni Inlet, Barkley Sound, and offshore and inshore from the Ucluelet Harbor has not. This West Coast area of Vancouver Island British Columbia has no doubt been a hot bed for summer fishing ventures. The weather, with the exception of a day or two has also been unbelievable. Water conditions in all areas have been almost perfect. Guides from various charter- guide groups and all sport anglers fishing the waters of this area have typical stories of some of the most fantastic fishing each has witnessed. On many trips to all of the areas Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing guides have offered for guests some great Sockeye, Chinook, and Coho fishing. Offshore Ucluelet the halibut fishing has continued to be very good also. The fishing for summer steelhead and trout in the Somass-Stamp has been spotty mainly due to the very high river temperatures which peaked at 26.5 degrees Celsius. August is in full swing and some of those big Chinook that everyone dreams of landing will begin in this area for the months of August and September. The migratory Chinook and Coho will continue in big numbers to swim the coast line of Vancouver Island and will come into Barkley Sound and feed on the rich resources of bait fish. At the same time Chinook and Coho returning to the various streams and creeks of Barkley Sound will return as will the returning salmon to the Somass-Stamp River and Robertson Creek Hatchery.

Sockeye fishing has continued to be very good in the Port Alberni Inlet for those that are still chasing this wonderful red fleshed salmon. Sockeye are a real treat for those who enjoy wonderful barbecues in the summer. Unfortunately the migration of the Sockeye into the Somass River has slowed down. The estimated return has been bumped up to 500,000. The DFO would like as escapement target of 355,000. To date that number has only reached 255,000. There are thousands of sockeye in the inlet in very deep water waiting to go into the river and then into Sproat and Great Central Lakes when the water cools. Through August 6th 2009 Great Central has had a return of 133,000 Sockeye and Sproat lake a total of 121,000. Daily counts have suffered due to a week of extreme warm air temperatures. Sproat Lake had escapement numbers of 0 to a one day high of 46. Great Central was from a low day of 9 salmon going through the fish way to a high of 42. The water temperature in the river will drop as the temperature of the water in the lakes drop. Sproat Lake has dropped to 23 degrees Celsius and Great Central to 18 degrees. Hopefully a little rainfall that the area definitely could use will shoot some fish into the Somass system. Chinook returns to the Somass River system presented by the DFO are estimated and have been publicly forecast to be close to 50,000. Chinook returning to the area are forecast to be 3 year olds at 11% and five year olds at a very low number of 9%. The bulk of this years’ return of Somass Chinook are four year olds at 80%. Approximately 33 to 35,000 spawners are needed to make up an egg intake of 58 million at Robertson Creek Hatchery. Somass Chinook available for harvest in a terminal fishery in Barkley Sound and the Port Alberni Inlet are approximately 15,000 to 16,000 Chinook salmon. This number of course does not represent those wild Chinook returning to the various creeks and streams and rivers in the area.

Port Alberni Inlet / Barkley Sound

Sockeye Salmon fishing in the Inlet has continued to be phenomenal. Guides who are continuing to take guests out on morning trips are limiting on sockeye that are still in excellent condition. There are fresh Sockeye coming into the system daily and there are Sockeye that have gone down to depths below 100 feet. The last couple of days guide Mel and guide Jody picked up fresh Sockeye that have just come into the Inlet in 75 feet of water and weighed up to 9 pounds. The sockeye fishing tackle of mp 15 hootchies and 24 to 27 inches of leader trolled behind a green or red hotspot flasher seems to be the best way of fishing in the deeper water. There are a few individuals using just black hooks and flashers and a few using spoons. Sockeye should continue to trickle into the inlet and pass through the fish ways into September. Sport fishermen are now beginning to target Chinook. The fish marker down at Bells Bay and Mc Tush and the Franklin Wall are very popular spots at the beginning of the year. Often the first Chinook coming into the Inlet and hanging on the outside or just to the inside of the boundary will take anchovy. The Octopus red and pink hootchies which are O-15 and O-16 or O-2 as example are great lures as are white and various green colors. Army Truck and black oil slick and blood and bones can be good choices for those fishermen who prefer hootchies. Various Coyote spoons are also fabulous to use as lures for big salmon. With cooler temperatures in the forecast look for some good Chinook Fishing beginning to dramatically pickup in the Port Alberni Inlet during the next week. It is amazing how all of a sudden the big Chinook arrive without warning.

Barkley Sound Chinook and Coho fishing continues to be best on the surf line or just off the Vancouver Island surf line a mile or two. There have been some very favorable reports also of some nice fish taken at inner Sound hotspots such as Pill Point, Diplock, Kirby, and Beale. Inner areas have reported Chinook in water up to 90 feet with Coho in 20 to 40 feet of water. The Coho at Kirby Point and out at Edward King which are both close to Bamfield are hitting white hootchies and the silver-glow coyote spoon. In truth when the Coho are feeding they will almost hit anything. Anchovy in Rhys Davis Purple Haze and chartreuse teaser heads are working well behind various colored flashers. Guides Doug and John of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing and guide Wayne have continued to fish the surf line with guests. Cree and Austin Island and out to Jana Reef have been very good. Areas off of Cape Beale out to the 7 mile bank have been fantastic. There have been many days of absolute perfect conditions with 15 miles of visibility and little swell. Guide Doug has fished at the 7 mile where the Coho have been so thick that it is difficult to get down to the Chinook that are often sitting in 175 feet of water. The Coho are at the surface and down to 75 feet. Guests have been entertained with limits on Chinook and hatchery Coho. The largest salmon for guide Doug at the 7 mile over the past week was 33 pounds for a guest from Saskatoon. The Chinook seemed interested in the cop car spoon and a black oil slick hootchie. Leader lengths when using hootchies are at 42 inches trailed behind green glow in the dark hotspot flashers. Cree and Austin and Jana Reef for John and Wayne have also been very good. Both guides have been most successful using glow army truck hootchies and Rhys Davis army truck anchovy teaser heads. The cop car four and five inch coyote spoon has also been an excellent spoon choice. The fishing in Barkley Sound will really heat up in August and September. Salmon returning to the various areas of the Sound and Port Alberni will begin to flood in. With the huge flow of migratory fish on the coast and the returning salmon to this area fishing for the sport fisherman will be brilliant.

 

Vancouver West Coast (Ucluelet)

As usual the fishing for guides out of the Ucluelet Harbor and for that matter those who fish or guide from Tofino the salmon fishing has been brilliant. The Coho are getting bigger as they viciously feed on the ample supplies of bait fish and put on up to a pound per week. There have already been reports of a few Coho landed up to 15 pounds. Guides Al and Mike have been fishing for salmon at the South West Corner, South Bank, The Wreck, Lighthouse Bank and the Big Bank as example. Al has had many fish in the 30 to 36 pound range in most of the named areas. Many of Al’s fish have come in shallower water from 35 to 80 feet. The Coho salmon offshore have been numerous in most locations. They are hitting almost any lure and are very spectacular as a sport fish. Guests have been fully entertained with the many acrobat moves that a 10 to 15 pound Coho Salmon can perform. Over the past weekend some of the favorite Ucluelet spots were slow and guide Al made a decision to fish the Outer South Bank with four guests. By 11 am on Sunday morning 8 hatchery Coho and 7 Chinook in the 20 to 24 pound range had been landed. The fish were hitting a T Rex hootchie and a 500 RE and 602 plug. To get away from the Coho and the smaller salmon Al has been using various plugs. People on salmon-halibut combo trips have been spending their time out at the big bank. Most days out at the Big Bank area have been very good for Coho, Chinook, and halibut. Many guides have been fishing for all three species of fish on the troll. Most of the halibut have been averaging 20 to 26 pounds with some hitting 30 pounds.

Fishermen fishing Vancouver Island and the outer coast should concern themselves with full safety precautions. Have a good VHF radio, GPS, Radar Reflector and if possible a radar. Of course lifejackets, a fire extinguisher and flare gun are all essential. Let others know your plans and area that yu are planning to fish. August can often be a month of fog so safety is of concern at all times of the year.

 

Stomas / Stamp River

We have had a day or two of Summer Steelhead fishing in August. There are a few in the system and as the weather cools and water temperatures decrease many more Steelhead will come into the system. The fall fishing should be spectacular. Coho number to return to the system look better than last year. Steelhead will be thick. We are already filling for the key months of September and August. We have a wonderful fishing-accommodation package for fly and traditional river fishermen.

 

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