27th October, 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

This picture is of Shinibuski of Japan. He caught this fall steelhead on the Stamp River. Pictured is Shin and guide Bill. Shin caught this steelhead fishing on the fly. October has come and is almost gone. The weather has been wonderful over the past week has made fishing on the Stamp River just a wonderful place to be. Barkley Sound and the Port Alberni Inlet salmon fishing have pretty well been over for the 08 season for sometime. The salmon fishing guides and salmon fishing charter boat operators who guide for salmon in the Port Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound have put their boats and equipment away for the season and wait for a new year. Offshore has had some days when there has been no wind from the southeast and the feeder Chinook fishing at South Bank and The Big Bank has been fairly decent. At the moment our best fishing results on a continuing day to day basis is the Stamp River system where there are plenty of fall steelhead and Chinook and Coho which are still entering the system daily.

The six day period from October 22nd to 27th show both the Chinook and Coho migration through Stamp Falls as declining rather rapidly. The Chinook escapement over the time frame was 1,500 which bring the total count to 20,600 to date. Coho migration was only 500 fish bringing the Coho count to 39,700. A recent swim-in to Robertson Creek Hatchery and bio-samples from the Stamp River dead patch have shown a better female to male ratio at 3 to 1 with the males being more predominant. The Robertson Creek Hatchery is now very close to it Chinook egg target. Some of the Chinook and Coho are spawning in the river as wild. This has really brought in good numbers of steelhead which are feeding on the dropped eggs.

Pictured is Rakih of Japan who fished with guide Bill on the Stamp River located just outside of Port Alberni British Columbia. This beautiful steelhead was picked up fly fishing.

Our fall fishing-accomodation special still is on for the rest of October and November. The Chinook are getting rather discolored but there are still some bright silver Coho entering the system. With the high egg drop there is plenty of fall steelhead. Steelhead fishing charters and guides are doing extremely well in drift boats. Guide David and Mat are fishing on the drift and casting with floats and hitting the river bottom with lures that have salmon eggs attached. The steelhead are hitting the salmon eggs and many guests have been treated with some fabulous fishing experiences and hitting a good number of fish per day. One set of guests who all had experience on the river hit 20 fish in the course of the day. On average those fishing with a river guide are hitting at least 5 steelhead per day. We are expecting the fall steelhead and the Coho fishing to continue for three or more weeks. In December the Winter Steelhead season will begin.

Port Alberni Inlet / Barkley Sound

The last year that there was a sport fishing sockeye opening was the summer of 2006. It is expected that an opening will occur this year. Pictured here and fishing in July o6 with Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing was from right to left Ben, Heather, Tyler, and Amber who all limited on the day pictured.

The last year that there was a sport fishing sockeye opening was the summer of 2006. It is expected that an opening will occur this year. Pictured here and fishing in July o6 with Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing was from right to left Ben, Heather, Tyler, and Amber who all limited on the day pictured.

Salmon fishing provided by salmon fishing charters and guides has been pretty well over for sometime. There have been a few sport fishermen fishing close to the Bamfield Wall with a little success on feeder Chinook. One active sport fisherman fished three miles off of Beale with a friend and had some great fishing in 150 feet of water picking up four fifteen pound Chinook. The salmon hit anchovy in a glow and chartreuse Rhys Davis teaser head. The Port Alberni Inlet has been very active for prawn fishermen. October 31st may see the closure of prawn fishing for awhile. The Inlet has been covered in traps and many sport prawners who are putting out traps are having wonderful results close to China Creek. Many traps are in the Underwood area and the narrows area where the fish farm once was. Prawners have been asked to throw females back into the water.

Look for updates and fishing rules on this fishery later in November.

Ucluelet (West Coast)

As seen in this picture with guest Ty aboard a Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing boat many boats fish the inlet when fishing sockeye. Many hope the summer of 09 will see this activity again.

As seen in this picture with guest Ty aboard a Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing boat many boats fish the inlet when fishing sockeye. Many hope the summer of 09 will see this activity again.

This is often the time of year when it is difficult to fish offshore. The southeasterly wind can get rather snarly and make it impossible to fish. DFO has just recently curtailed sport halibut fishing for the remainder of the 08 season. Guide Mike has been out two days over the past eight and has had some wonderful feeder Chinook fishing out at South Bank and TheBig Bank. South Bank has also been an area that has been fished by the commercial troll fleet. Many of the fish are in 100 to 150 feet of water and are small. They are ranging 7 to 12 pounds. Big Bank has had some bigger Chinook in deep water. The Chinook are up to fifteen and sixteen pounds and are in almost 180 to 190 feet of water. On tide changes they are coming to higher depths looking for bait. Mike has been using a turd which has orange and black flakes on it. He refers to this hootchie as an UGLY. We are hoping to get out fishing a few more days in October and November. If the weather continues sunny and warm and low or moderate outflow winds arise we should be out a few more days.

We are currently fishing in the Campbell River area in Browns Bay. The weekend that just ended had the Chum Derby in Browns Bay. Chum salmon are great fighters and are fairly good eating when smoked. A lot of individuals book Chum fishing days and play these twenty pound whoppers five to ten times per trip. If interested please call Doug.

There has been rumour that the Port Alberni Inlet will once again be open to a Sockeye sport fishery in the summer of 2009. Please feel free to book trips or receive more information on this fun filled whole family fishing activity.

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