21st April, 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

Guest from Alberta on a beautiful April day shows off her salmon she caught on the surf line just out from Barkley Sound

The West Coast of Vancouver Island and the waters of Barkley Sound have had some wonderful spring days where temperatures have been close to twenty degrees Celsius. There still are some cool damp day but as we get closer to May the weather should provide many more beautiful fishing days than ones that are poor. The spring season can produce some of the finest saltwater fishing opportunities along the coastline of Vancouver Island. The salmon, halibut, rockfish, and lingcod fishing are often very good. The fishery in 2009 in Barkley Sound, Ucluelet, and areas just offshore will be extremely exciting. Local guides and salmon charter businesses as well as local sport fishermen are looking forward to a very productive year of salmon fishing. There will be a tremendous increase in returns of Chinook and Coho. This is the first year that returns will benefit from an ocean that cooled dramatically since the spring of 2006. There have been excellent survival rates. Although the Canadian DFO has not predicted all returning forecasts we do

Fishing for Winter Chinook out of Ucluelet has been picking up. Guest Bob and family from Grand Prarie Alberta spent two beautiful days on the Pacific fishing with guide Mike. This 15 pound winter Chinook was picked up last Wednesday at Great Bear. Three other salmon weighing approximately the same were also landed. The salmon were hitting a purple haze hootchie behind a purple haze flasher Herring Strip in a chartreuse teaser head was also working very well. The prawning and crabbing was also very good as was the weather.

know that the migratory run of salmon headed to the Columbia River and its tributaries has been upgraded to almost 700,000 Chinook and 1.5 million Coho. We are looking forward to some of these fish showing up along the shoreline in May. The Coho are often in what is called early summer runs and we are expecting some good fishing off of Ucluelet and in Barkley Sound in late May and all of June. July will produce Chinook in big numbers and then August and September the area will be hit by local returns and late migratory summer runs. Coho and Chinook fishing should be phenomenal for all sport fishermen. Barkley Sound has rich resources of bait fish and the Coho come into many of the surf line areas to feed. The Coho feed furiously and often during the summer put on a pound a week. Mixed in with the Coho and Chinook will be Pink Salmon. Those who enjoy using light tackle and like staying in tight to the beach in smaller craft along the Vancouver Island Coast Line will have a riot fishing pinks. Also anyone interested in fly fishing will also have a wonderful experience as the Pink Salmon numbers are forecast to be 14 to 17 million. Look for 2009 as being one of the best fishing years since 1992 along the coast of Vancouver Island, Ucluelet, and Barkley Sound.

Guest Eric and mom Shelley (not shown) is excited about his Chinook Salmon caught in the Alberni Inlet. Guide Mel of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing is shown in the picture with Eric and the salmon which was caught in Bells Bay, Port Alberni Inlet on an anchovy.

Prawn fishing has once again opened in the upper areas of the Port Alberni Inlet. Many prawn fishermen have been amazed at the size and numbers of these tasty creatures of the sea. Crabbing has also picked up dramatically. Fortunately prawns can be found in most areas of Vancouver Island for almost 12 months of the year. People prawning at the moment should be choosy. There are still many egg carrying females and they should be released back into the water. June in the Alberni Inlet has very heavy commercial prawn fishing. The success rate at this time of year for the sport prawner usually diminishes but comes back again in August. Before prawn fishing in the Inlet and down into Barkley Sound remember to check out the DFO website for regulations in the area.

There is great excitement in Port Alberni as there will be a sport sockeye fishery. Sockeye fishing was last open in the summer of 2006. The DFO is recommending that the limit per person is two with a four fish in possession rule. Sockeye are the number one commercial salmon and for those in the Port Alberni area who have opportunity to fish sockeye they are great for canning and wonderful on the barbecue. Sockeye are targeted in the inlet by sport anglers on a very slow troll. Most sport fishing salmon guides use small pink hootchies or mp 15’s. They are often referred to as (bubblegum). Some fishermen use the red mp 16’s or 4’s. Leader lengths can be from 22 to 28 inches. Hotspots in the Port Alberni Inlet for sockeye are often Cous Creek, Dunsmuir Point, the slide opposite China Creek, the narrows just above Mctush, and the Nahmint side of the Franklin-Nahmint area.

Heather, Ben, Tyler and Amber from Utah with guide Mel of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing showing some of their morning catch the last time sockeye fishing was allowed in the Inlet (2006) This summer there will be a good return of Somass River Sockeye. Sockeye fishing in Port Alberni is a fun sport fishery for the whole family.

Sockeye can usually continue into the first few days of August followed with a week of slow action as there is a short waiting period for the first Chinook to show up in the Inlet. Often by the 10th of August the first Chinook are in the harbor. Bells Bay can often be the first area where local anglers pick up the first of these bigger salmon. Usually by the 15th of August there are good numbers in the area. Look for the summer of 09 to have the same numbers of returning Chinook. We are hoping that we have a normal August and that torrential rainfall does not occur like it did last year. Coho number should also be very high.

The Barkley Sound Winter Chinook fishing has not been that spectacular. We fished Swale and Vernon Bay early last week. There are fish showing on the sounder from 130 to 180 feet but they have not been that anxious to bite. Sarita Bay has been the best spot to fish. Over the past weekend guests with guide Jon picked up five winter Chinook from 9 to 14 pounds. The green spatterback and white hootchie were both working well behind green and red hotspot flashers. Reports today had fish picked up at Effingham and reports also show that Tzartus Island had fish and lots of bait balls. With warmer spring rains the bait will come into the sound in big numbers which should push in the feeder Chinook. The prawning and crabbing in Barkley Sound has been fantastic. Some traps are filling up with an estimated 300 prawns. Barkley Sound will have some fabulous fishing this summer. The surf line areas should have some great Coho and Chinook Fishing. Look for places like Cree, Meares, Edward King and Beale to have some fabulous angling. If you are going to the sound on your own make sure you do take some bait as the past few years bait has out fished hootchies and spoons. If you travel a mile or two offshore than sometimes it does not matter what you throw out at the salmon.

Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing has a new boat a 25.6 Wellcraft to add to its fleet. This boat will fish the Port Alberni Inlet, Barkley Sound, and offshore waters. It will be run by guide Doug of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing.

We are currently fishing salmon, salmon-halibut combos and our fantastic SEAFOOD SAFARI. The seafood safari is a real hit for many tourists. People have opportunity to bait up and fish prawns and crab and at the same time fish for bottom fish and salmon. The crabbing and prawning has been just fabulous. Salmon fishing has been great on the days it is possible to fish. There were a couple of fantastic days last week on the water. Guide Mike had guests from Grand Prarie fishing over at Great Bear which has had great fishing for the last number of weeks. Mike has continued using herring strip in a chartreuse

Herring strip teaser head and also a purple haze hootchie. Both choices have been working fabulously. The feeder Chinook in the area of Great Bear have been averaging 12 to 15 pounds. They are in 90 to 130 feed of and are just wonderful on the barbecue. Guests one day had a seafood barbecue at a local bed and breakfast and the meal of seafood including scallops and oysters was highlighted with B.C. White Wine. We have picked up some halibut in the early going. Sail Rock was good for two 30 pound halibut last week. Often the halibut after spawning go back to deep water and then by mid-May migrate back into the shallows. Ucluelet again this summer be a hot bed for fishing. The migratory runs will be huge and we are expecting some of the best salmon fishing ever.

We are now booking river fishing charters for next fall. September, October and November of 09 if like the fall of 08 will be wonderful. There should be ample Coho and Summer Steelhead in the system. Coho returns look very strong back to Robertson Creek. One can be a novice in the river as our guides are very good teachers. Call Doug for more information at 1 877 314 6800

Labor Day Weekend Salmon Festival and Derby
Remember the summer ends with the Port Alberni Salmon festival and Derby. The Derby takes place during the three days of the Labour Day weekend. Slivers Charters will once again fish guests during the Derby. Individuals can choose their location in either the Port Alberni Inlet or Barkley Sound. Call or email Doug for further information.

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