FISHING REPORTS
from some of the BEST PLACES TO FISH !
May, 2018: FISHING REPORT: Port Alberni
Inlet, Barkley Sound, Offshore West Coast.
Area Report by Doug Lindores of
Slivers Charters
Salmon Sport Fishing
Toll Free Number: 1-
888 214 7206
The
summer of 2018 is fast approaching. Fisher men and women are preparing for
another fantastic saltwater season with excitement and enthusiasm. Anglers like
many others see May as the month that is full of “promise” for the summer season
to come. May is that month when there are many cool but mostly sunny days out in
Barkley Sound, those areas along the surf line, offshore waters, “when weather
and any winds are low”, and areas close to the Ucluelet Harbor mouth. This is
the time of year when there are many more boats out on the water than what
people actually think. Locals from Port Alberni, Bamfield, Ucluelet, and others
from various Vancouver Island communities motor by boat out to the Sound to take
advantage of the excellent weather and the pristine, protected and calm water of
beautiful and scenic Barkley Sound. Fishing in the Sound and along the coast is
often very productive as there are often some bright and very chrome Feeder
Chinook in the eight to fourteen-pound range. These winter Chinook are really
feisty and very hard fighting. They are in deep water and the flesh is very deep
red in color. There are also many migratory Chinook in the mix as the early
summer run of salmon headed to the big watersheds to the south begin to show in
relatively good numbers. Some of these salmon are ranging in weight from fifteen
to twenty-five pounds. The Alberni Inlet in May is very quiet but many local
anglers are gearing up with their red and pink gear in anticipation of Sockeye
fishing which historically gets underway by mid-June. Sockeye fishing is a
wonderful family fishing event for all ages.
The winter and early spring feeder Chinook fishing has been productive for those
fisher people who have ventured out on the water during the late winter and
early spring.
The
Bamfield Wall, Sanford, the Trevor Channel Whistle Buoy, Vernon Bay, Mayne Bay,
Swale Rock, and the Canoe Pass area have all had some great Feeder Chinook
fishing days. The previous mentioned areas as well as Cree Island, Meares, Sail
Rock, Kirby Point, and Edward King are excellent salmon fishing locations as we
get into the Month of May.
May is the month that the “early summer run” of Chinook are migrating to the big
watersheds to the south and swim down the coast line outside of Ucluelet and the
surf line areas of Barkley Sound. As mentioned May historically has plenty of
Winter springs in Barkley Sound and the Bamfield area. Kirby Point up to Edward
King and also the Whistle Buoy all the way down to the Bamfield Wall have these
hard fighting Chinook sitting normally in one hundred to one hundred and fifty
feet of water. A variety of spoons tend to be the most productive. Spoons in
chrome and also cookies and cream and Irish cream are very productive. Bait is
also an excellent choice but if there are a lot of small undersize Chinook in
the area that anglers are fishing then spoons or hootchies are definitely the
way to go.
The migratory Chinook salmon sit out on the various offshore banks and also come
into many areas of Barkley Sound and feed heavily on the rich resources of bait
fish. The bait fish are needlefish, herring and pilchards. Some of the best gear
to use at this time of year inshore and offshore is three and a half and four
inch coyote spoons in green and blue nickel, green glow, Irish Cream, and silver
horde. The best plastic is the white AORL12, green spatterback, army truck, and
a variety of blue and green needlefish hootchies. If fishing on the troll in
Barkley Sound with hootchies fish in deeper water from 100 to 140 feet with a
leader of 40 to 44 inches behind a green glow or a chartreuse hotspot flasher.
Bait is often a favorite choice with anchovy in a green haze, purple haze or
chartreuse Rhys Davis Teaser Head with six feet of
leader
behind a glow hotspot flasher or various UV patterns. The Chinook are not
terribly fussy in May as they are feeding heavily especially on the tides. The
best fishing is often “where the bait fish are located”. Find the bait and you
will find some nice Chinook Salmon. May is a fantastic salmon fishing time with
beautiful weather conditions.
For those avid halibut fishermen May is the month that the halibut migrate from
the deep into the shallows. The various banks offshore have plenty of halibut by
Mid May. Often areas around Bamfield and Swale Rock inshore are very good. This
is the time of year that some of the larger halibut are landed. Fishing halibut
before and during the slack tide is a great time. Trolling the bottom or using
drift jigs on the bottom can be most effective. Many individuals will use very
large herring, salmon bellies, and octopus for bait. Some will use a spreader
bar with large spoons or a Mudraker. All can be very effective methods of
fishing Halibut.
In the Stamp/Somass Rivers the Steelhead fishing has slowed down. There can
still be a few Steelhead around but one has to put in time. In May the water is
often very clear in the river. The best lures are often small Jensen eggs or
small corkies in rocket red.
As the weather warms in May the trout fishing does improve. When fishing in
various streams and rivers only single barbless hooks are permitted. The two
large nearby lakes which are Sproat Lake and Great Central Lake are usually
quite productive in the early and mid- spring months. There are often some very
nice cutthroat and rainbow trout. Fly fisher persons usually are casting or
trolling a crystal hair black leach or a variety of artificial lures that
resemble small fry as the trout are often feeding on small Sockeye fry.
It is May and it is time to get out on the water. Good Luck and Tight Lines.
For more information
Contact:
Doug Lindores
Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
www.catchsalmon-ca.com
www.catchsalmon.ca
www.prepcamp-ca.com
dlindy@shaw.ca
+1 250 724 2502 (h)
+1 250 731 7389 ©
Toll Free Number: 1-
888 214 7206
