28th March, 2012: 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

thirty pound Chinook caught out on the surf line of Barkley Sound. The migratory flow of Chinook and Coho Salmon headed to southern watersheds in 2012 should be primarily four and five year olds meaning that there will be several Chinook like this one this summer. Guide robert of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing shows this salmon for guests from Sacremento California.

The spring and summer salmon sport fishing season for 2012 is closing in on us ever so rapidly. March on the Vancouver Island (British Columbia) West Coast has been a wintery month with a lot of snow and well below seasonal average temperatures. We will soon be turning the calendar over to April which is very much a welcoming thought. April on the rugged but scenic west coast coastline is most often looked at by a variety of sport anglers as the true beginning of saltwater fishing opportunities. The last two summer sport fishing seasons for Chinook and Coho outside the protected harbours of Ucluelet and Tofino, along the surfline of beautiful Barkley Sound, and also the protected waters of the Sound itself were extremely good in terms of salmon fishing and were possibly the best two years for salmon sport fishing over the last ten years. 2012 according to the many indicators in pre-season forecasts are predicting that the current decades best fishing is yet to come this spring and summer. The beginning of March saw an incredible number of press releases from the many fish and wildlife organizations located in British Columbia nad the the Pacific North-west in Washington and Oregon States. The large watersheds to the south such as the Fraser River, the Columbia River Basin, the Klamath River and as far south as the Sacremento River are all forecasting to have huge returns of Chinook salmon. The Klamath is expecting a 1.6 million return of Chinook, the Sacremento River is expecting four times last years return and the Columbia is expecting well over its ten year average. Many of the indicators in the preseason forecasts expect that returns to the upper Columbia River will be the fourth largest on record. Of course as the summer mover into July an extensive return of Coho salmon should be in the mix which really adds to the sport fishing opportunities. The salmon stop on the many sandy banks located two to thirty miles offshore from the Ucluelet and Tofino Harbours and also come into the calm waters of Barkley Sound and feed on the rich resources of bait fish before continuing on their long journey which originates somewhere out of Alaska or the Bering Strait. This migratory flow usually comes in three large waves and are termed as being early summer, mid summer and late summer runs. The early summer runs often begins in April off the west coast of Vancouver Island and continues into June and creates some early fishing very tight to Ucluelet, Tofino and the pristine waters of Barkley Sound. The transient salmon feed aggressively on the rich Sockeye fishing in the Port Alberni Inlet this summer is expected once again to be fantastic. This father and daughter combination from Ontario, Canada had a terriffic time last year landing their daily limit of four Sockeye per person.

Sockeye fishing in the Port Alberni Inlet this summer is expected once again to be fantastic. This father and daughter combination from Ontario, Canada had a terriffic time last year landing their daily limit of four Sockeye per person.

resources of bait fish as they make their lengthy journey to their natal streams. The Chinook and Coho over the last two years do seem to be a bit larger as the season moves on. The late summer run in late July and running through August and early September usually produces for avid anglers some beautiful Tyee in the high thiry to mid forty pound range.

The Port Alberni Inlet once again is expected to have a remarkable Sockeye Salmon return in June and July. Ocean conditions have been remarkable for salmon survival over the past number of years. Indicators are showing returns of Sockeye Salmon to Port Albernis Somass River to be well over 700.000 pieces. Besides Sockeye the Somass-Stamp River system also has a very healthy return of Chinook and Coho. The Chinook often begin to show the first week of August in the Port Alberni Inlet and actually peak in the third or fourth week of the month. The Coho follow the Chinook and begin showing in the later part of August and continue well into September. These two salmon species as well as Sockeye salmon set up a fantastic sport fishery for those who enjoy fishing in calm, pristine and relatively scenic water.

Anglers world wide will be treated to some world class salmon fishing along Vancouver Islands West Coast and Inlet areas. The Port Alberni Inlet, the inshore and offshore water of Ucluelet and Tofino and Barkley Sound will be all fantastic areas of those so called “hotspots” in 2012.

The Stamp River close to Port Alberni has had some terriffic Steelhead fishing especially in the Lower River. This guest Jake from Vancouver had a terriffic day on the Stamp hooking into several fish and landing his limit of two hatchery fish. Some of the winter Steelhead are up to sixteen and seventeen pounds. The Steelhead in the Lower River are hitting roe and roe bags.

Summer fishing in the Port Alberni Inlet should be well underway by mid June for Sockeye Salmon. Sockeye sport fishing has become a very popular sportfishing opportunity and is fun for everyone from the most avid trophy fishermen to the beginner. For young children Sockeye fishing is fun and seldom creates any boredom. The Sockeye fishery in the Alberni Inlet is in very protected waters and has mind boggling action. There are often many occassions when two, three, and even four Sockeye Salmon hit the rods which can create havoc for all. The Sockeye sport fishery can often continue right into the first ten days of August. These tasty salmon begin to school when the river temperatures hit seventeen or eighteen degrees celsius. This higher water temperature slows the migration to the Somass River and the Sockeye Salmon move to deeper and cooler water out in the Alberni Inlet.

Barkley Sound has recently provided some great winter Chinook fishing. The Sproat Loggers Derby occurred the first weekend in March and produced some nice feeder Chinook up to eighteen pounds. Local angler Breanna Primeau had the winning salmon which came in at 18.3 pounds. The weekend weather was poor and many anglers stayed relatively close to Poett Nook which was the derby headquarters. In early March and April anchovy often seem to work very well. This was definitely true during this early season salmon derby. Fishing in Sarita Bay, Kelp Bay and also relatively tight to the Bamfield Wall up to Wittlestone had the best fishing. Lately the fishing has also turned on at either side of Swale Rock, the Canoe Pass area on the Vernon Bay side, and also around Vernon Bay over to Alan Point and along the long rocky wall up to Pill Point. Some great winter Chinook fishing has produced many salmon up to seventeen and eighteen pounds. Bait has been producing but not as well as needle fish hootchies and few spoons. The three and a half inch green glow coyote spoon has been fantastic as has the three inch Irish Cream. The salmon have been in one hundred and thirty to one hundred and eighty feet of water with the bigger fish in the deeper water. Fish have been coming in daily feeding heavily during the herring spawn. The best fishing has occurred between tides as of late. Aprilshould really turn on as reidential fish will be in the area and the first of the migratory salmon show as they make their way to the southerly watersheds in the Pacific North West. Look for fantastic fishing from May through September. Always carry bait and ones favorite summer spoons and hootchies. As the summer moves on switch to bigger spoons but also remember to adjust to the size of the bait.

David with limits of salmon and halibut landed outside the Ucluelet Harbor in July of 2012. The salmon fishing season for 2012 looks even more exceptional than the last two years.

The offshore and inshore fishing during the spring is often very good around a variety of areas in the Ucluelet and Tofino areas. As the herring spawn approaches in mid to late March the local Chinook or more commonly known as feeder or winter Chinook move close to the beach and are abundant in in local areas such as Great Bear, Mara Rock, Sail Rock, Forbes, the Alley and Beg Island. Over the last few weeks it is these spots that have been quite good for the local sport fishermen and guides. Small three and three and a half inch coyote spoons in army truck, chartreuse, glow green and knight rider have been working in deeper water from 90 to 120 feet. Also a variety of regular octopus hootchies and needle fish hootchies are working quite well behind green glow and purple haze flashers. It is important to find the bait which are becoming more abundant in needlefish and piltchards. Those out on the water will do relatively well when finding the bait balls. This past weekend which had wonderful warm afternoons on the Vancouver Islands west coast provided some good fishing for a few local guides and avid fishermen. Great Bear had some good sized bait balls and some good sized feeders up to sixteen pounds were landed. Needlefish hootchies and the three and a half inch green glow coyote spoon were working very well and should be two items in ones tacklebox over the next few weeks. This summers fishing is expected to be very good as big waves of migrating salmon make their way to the big watersheds to the south. Millions of Chinook beginning in the middle of April and continuing through August will swim right outside the Ucluelet harbour and will feed out on the various sandy banks before continuing their long journey. Coho salmon should also be in good numbers and will add variety for many sport fishermen those guests on many guide boats. The summer of 2012 will definitely be a time when all fisher persons will have an opportunity to land a salmon.

Stamp River Steelhead fishing is fantastic. The Stamp is very scenic and with a touch of snow during March has been even more enjoyable especially with the great fishing that is currently underway

The Steelhead fishing on the Stamp has been very consistent since the fall of 2011. Currently the Winter Steelhead fishing could be termed fantastic. The lower river has provided some great fishing with guided boats hooking into eight to ten fish per day. All wild Steelhead must be released. Roe and roe bags are working very well below the bucket. Many of the fish are still chrome. The Steelhead at some point will make their way up to the Upper portions of the river which will provide a few good weeks of angling in that section of the river. When fishing above the bucket bait is not permissable. Large or small worms depending on the depth of the water will be an excellent choice as will a variety of colors and sizes of gooey bobs and spin-glos. We are expecting some great fsihing to continue right through April. As the air temperature warms and the water temperature warms in the Stamp those avid fly fishermen should have a little more success. The Fall of 2012 is expected to once again provide for some great salmon fishing in September and the first half of October. This is a very popular fishery with people arriving as guests from all over the world. It is wise to make an early reservation for this fishery.