FISHING REPORTS
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24th July, 2008: 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 salmon fishing in the area of Port Alberni, Barkley Sound, and Ucluelet continues to be very good. The weather has been wonderful and but for a few days in the past ten the fishing areas off of Ucluelet situated on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, have been very fishable for salmon-halibut charter guides and their guests and all sport anglers. Most of the salmon that have been landed in the Sound and off the West Coast have been in the teens and low twenties. Guides for Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing have on record a 28 pound Chinook as the largest salmon over the past week. Coho have not yet been in any abundance in the areas that we guide and have our charter salmon boats. We are expecting the migratory fish moving down the coast line of Vancouver Island to continue in good numbers. The Chinook that return back to Robertson Creek Hatchery located in Port Alberni and salmon returning to their natural rivers, streams and creeks should be showing up in various areas of Barkley Sound before pushing up into the Port Alberni Inlet in the next two weeks. August and September salmon fishing should be extremely good in Barkley Sound, the Port Alberni Inlet and off of Ucluelet.

The sockeye return to the Somass River over the last week was varied. Returns have slowed even though the water flow for this time of year is moderate to high. Daily returns to Sproat Lake were from 929 to 1,864. Great Central Lake daily returns were as low as 313 and as high as 3,408. The DFO had determined earlier with a pre-season forecast that escapement for this year would be 150,000. To date the return is a modest 125,000 with 74,000 through the counters into Sproat Lake and 51,000 into Great Central Lake. There is still plenty of time for sockeye to return to the system. There is hope that the numbers of returning fish will exceed the pre-season forecast. The run size has actually been upgraded to 170,000 and perhaps the total will get closer to 200,000.

Port Alberni Inlet & Barkley Sound

There currently is not any salmon fishing in the Port Alberni Inlet. Local fishing enthusiasts are getting ready for what is expected to be a very good season of Chinook and Coho fishing in the Inlet. Usually the best fishing begins about mid-August and can continue well into September, if there are not any early rains. The Chinook arrive first and are followed later by Coho. In past years the Coho have schooled in the China Creek and McTush areas, which created a fabulous sport fishery. Hopefully this scenario will hold true for this year.

The fishing in Barkley Sound has been fabulous. Guides Doug, John, Wayne and Mel have had some unbelievable July fishing. We have been fishing predominately Kirby Point, Swale Rock, and Meares Island to Austin Island and up to about a mile or two offshore on good days.
The fish landed have been mostly Chinook that have been in the teens and low twenties. There are many ten, eleven, and twelve pound fish around also. On many days these fish are released. It seems we are often switching areas fished. Often two or three days are good at Swale then it becomes hot in the Kirby area, which often means fishing out toward Edward King and Ship Island, which is right on the surf line. The last few days has had some very hot angling for everyone at either Swale or Meares. The bite at Swale on some days just does not end. For guide Doug limits on Chinook have been fairly quick. Many smaller fish have been released with landed fish weighing between 14 and 22 pounds. The fish are beautiful chrome in color and are real battlers. Some of the fish between 10 and 12 pounds hit and fight like 30 pound Chinook. Most of the salmon have been in 80 to 100 feet of water. Anchovy in either a green UV or purple haze Rhys Davis Teaser Head behind a green hotspot or plaid flasher have been working very well. Leader lengths are five and a half to six feet in length. The silver-glow four inch coyote spoon has been just fabulous over the last week. Guide Doug has been running this spoon with a five foot leader behind a green glow hot spot flasher. The green oil slick hootchie has been fairly good as far as plastic goes. Leader length seems best at 42 inches behind a green glow hotspot flasher. Guide Wayne spent a couple of days fishing Meares and Austin and each day ventured a mile or two offshore. It seems the salmon a couple of miles off are taking the same bait and lures that the fish in the Swale Rock area have been taking. It is in this area that the biggest recorded fish over the past week was taken. This fish came in at 28 pounds with guide Wayne who had guests from Vancouver B.C. This fish hit the four inch silver glow coyote spoon in 75 feet of water and put up a twenty-five minute battle. This salmon looked very much like a Robertson Creek Hatchery fish. Often the Robertson Creek fish begin showing up in late July out on the surf line. It is now not too early for these Chinook to begin to show and turn into Barkley Sound where they will rest and feed before making their final journey to the Somass-Stamp River system where Robertson Creek Hatchery is located. We are expecting some rather spectacular August and September fishing in the Sound. Fish returns are forecast to be in a surplus amount. If the Coho show up and mix in with the Chinook in shallower water there should be some great catch days.

Ucluelet (West Coast)

The salmon and halibut fishing out at the Big Bank have continued to be very good. There are also still some wonderful opportunities at South Bank, Beg Island and The Wreck. Guide Mike has been hitting the offshore bank on most days. Those days when the North wind is too difficult for fishing Mike will take guests to Barkley Sound. The Big Bank for Mike has been an area where salmon over 20 pounds have been fairly predominant. Mike has had his best fishing using a T-Rex hootchie behind 42 to 44 inches of leader. Bait has been a reasonable choice but not as good as the T-Rex hootchie. The halibut fishing has been a little better another five to six miles to the west. Mike travels each day to this spot after fishing for salmon and ofen uses a spreader-bar with either large anchovy or salmon stomachs as the bait. Most of the halibut are fifteen to twenty pounds in the area. Those guides and sport fishermen picking up bigger halibut have been doing so by using large jigs. Other guides have been picking up halibut on the troll by bouncing their cannonball off the bottom and have had great success using an army-truck glow hootchie. The fish off the coast are predominately migratory fish and should continue on their migratory path for quite sometime. We are expecting August and September to produce some wonderful fishing. Remember to be safe. Fog can be an issue on the coast and there can be some very treacherous winds. Make sure you check all weather conditions before heading out and have radar or at least a Radar Reflector and a good compass, GPS, and VHF radio. Of course as the saying goes “September is the month with little wind”. This often is true and the West Coast of Vancouver Island and areas of Barkley Sound are like paradise and most often promise some great fishing.

Somass - Stamp River Steelhead

The fall fishing in September, October, and November is expected to be very good. There will be surplus Chinook and Coho mixed with the late summer steelhead. Fishing the river can be a lot of fun with days filled with plenty of action. Currently September is booked with river days becoming available about the 7th of October. We may be able to organize a boat in September but time is running close as many river sport anglers are organizing guided trips well in advance.

Do not forget about the Port Alberni Labor Day Weekend Salmon Derby. Fishing occurs on the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of the long weekend. There are many cash prizes with the top three fish each day receiving $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000. Top fish of the derby is awarded $7,000. There are many hidden weight cash prizes also. Derby headquarters and area of all festivities is the Clutesi Haven Marina located on River Road in Port Alberni B.C. Guided trips for the Derby 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