FISHING REPORTS
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12th September, 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

It is almost mid September and most people are wondering what happened to the summer, which seemed to sweep by so quickly. The Port Alberni Salmon Derby, which often marks the Chinook season peak in the Port Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound ended just over week ago with rather mediocre results. This year marked the 37th year for the derby and most people will not deny that the fishing especially in the Inlet was slow. The total catch was half of that of most years with only 1,200 salmon recorded. The big rain which began around the 20th of August and continued until the Friday before the derby sent a lot of salmon racing to their various rivers. Many of the Chinook and Coho which return to the Port Alberni Inlet are Robertson Creek Hatchery fish and they entered the Somass river system very early. With mother nature playing such a huge role in the sport fishing industry many fisher people went home without any opportunity of hooking into a big fish. The salmon moved right up into the river mouth by derby time and have continued this trend up until now. Fishing for a few extremely fortunate fisher people was lucrative in the upper inlet as some of the derby’s biggest fish were caught in the area. Peggy Ohama of Port Alberni caught the derby’s biggest fish which weighed in at 37.8 pounds. The Chinook was caught on the Monday of the derby at Holm Island on a large pink (bubble gum) hootchie. This fish won Peggy $3,000 for the biggest fish of the day and an additional $7,000 for the biggest fish of the derby. The derby’s second largest Chinook was caught by Joe Vodopija and weighed 36.8 pounds. Joe caught his prize winning fish at Pill Point located in Barkley Sound on a Purple Haze hootchie. Port Alberni’s Darrin Olson won second prize and $2,000 on the Labor Day Monday. Darrin’s prize winning fish was caught around Holm Island where many of the derby’s daily winning fish were caught. Derby plans for 2009 are already underway. Salmon Derby President Dan Washington will be gathering with his crew of volunteers over the next few weeks.

Port Alberni Inlet / Barkley Sound

The salmon fishing in the Inlet has been very difficult for the sport fisherman. There are loads of salmon especially in the upper portion of the harbor but there just does not seem to be a bite. Chair person of the Alberni Sport Fishery Advisory Committee Bob Cole was quoted just recently as saying “there is clearly not a lack of fish but the culprits unfortunately have been the rainy weather conditions, water levels, and outdoor air temperatures which have dramatically cooled the river water temperatures.” “The Chinook and Coho which usually hold in the Inlet and school up are continually migrating towards the river which does not create good sport fishing conditions.” Weather conditions for the next two weeks look favorable. Incoming Chinook and Coho may very well school in areas like Lone Tree Point, Polly’s, and China Creek. Coho in past years when conditions were favorable have schooled in huge numbers down at McTush. Hopefully this occurs in order that some of the Inlet season is saved.

Barkley Sound has had some favorable fishing. Many Slivers Charters Sport Fishing guides have been fishing the sound during and after the derby. Guide John had guests from Calgary and guide Brent guests from Edmonton for the three days of the derby. Each group left with a mix of twelve beautiful Chinook and Coho. Johns’ biggest derby catch was close to30 pounds and Brents’ was 29. Over the past week both Doug and Mel have had some success. Mel has done well on the Bamfield Wall, Wittlestone and Kirby Point on Chinook and Coho. Over the past weekend guide Doug had some great success at Gilbraltor Island and Harbor Entrance. Anchovy in a clear, purple haze, and chartreuse teaser head all seemed to be working very well. Some of the old standby hootchies like the white AORL 12 and Spatterback and the Halloween just seemed not to excite the fish. Dougs biggest Chinook for guests on Saturday was a bright 22 pound Chinook. The largest Coho weighed in at 15 pounds. This fish hit a purple haze anchovy teaser head with a 6 foot leader and a green hotspot flasher. Sunday guests from Vancouver pulled in five salmon in which three were Chinook and two Coho. The largest Chinook was just under 20 pounds and the biggest Coho about 12 pounds. Anchovy trolled behind either a gold green or gold red hotspot flasher were again working well. Pill Point and Assets Island have both had good reports. The fish seem to be moving because there is either a good bite in the morning and the next day the bite is in the evening which often means the fish have moved up into the Inlet and a new school has arrived. Blood Bay behind Pill Point has been fairly steady each day. There seems to be a good number of fish at Little Beach off of Ucluelet which tend to be Barkley Sound and Robertson Creek fish. These fish will come into the Sound daily. Often if you are at the right place at the right time one can get into a decent number of biting fish. We are anticipating another 10 days of decent fishing in Barkley Sound. The weather looks great and there should be some wonderful Coho fishing.



Ucluelet

Guides Mike and Al have continued to have some excellent halibut and salmon fishing. The Big Bank has offered some great September halibut fishing. Jigging for Mike has been the answer as guests are pulling in their limits daily. After the early morning hali fish Little Beach and The Wreck and also South Bank have been the main choices for salmon. Little Beach has been often the number one choice as a good number of fish are running through as they make their way into the Sound. Various white and green hootchies are working as are anchovy which again seem to be fishing salmon well. Both guides have found the glow teaser heads to be working well. We are expecting the Ucluelet fishing to continue into October. September is often the no wind and no fog month and the ocean can be wonderful on a late summer early fall day.

 

Somass - Stamp River

Fishing in the river aboard jet boats is just beginning. The river will have a surplus of Chinook and Coho. In the mix will be late summer steelhead. This fishery in the Stamp River is going to be very good. There are still openings in October and November for a fishing-accommodation package. Call Doug for details.

For more information

Contact:

Doug Lindores
Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
https://catchsalmon-ca.com/
[email protected]
+1 250 724 2502 (h)
+1 250 731 7389 ©
Toll Free Number:  1- 888 214 7206