7th October, 2009: 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

Coho fishing has been great in all area. Paula from Nanaimo British Columbia who fished with family from Saskatchewan has a wild Coho she put back into the water. The days of fall have been beautiful on the ocean and will continue for a while longer. Paulas' guide was John from Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

The fall season is upon us and weather conditions have remained incredible for sport anglers and charter guides fishing the Stamp River, areas of Barkley Sound, and inshore and offshore out of Ucluelet where there is still some great Coho, feeder Chinook and Halibut fishing. The early days of autumn on the water are spectacular. There is nothing more sensational than landing a fifteen pound Coho on a quiet ocean or in the fast water of the river on a sunny fall afternoon.

The Port Alberni Inlet, Barkley Sound, the surf line of the Sound and Vancouver Island, and offshore areas of Vancouver Islands west coast provided some world-class fishing opportunities during the spring, summer, and fall of 2009. Fantastic feeder Chinook fishing just outside the Ucluelet Harbor and various areas of Barkley Sound and the outer Port Alberni Inlet began in March and continued until the early summer salmon migration began in June. From June through early October big schools of Coho and Chinook were en-route to their spawning grounds in areas of the Pacific North-West. The worlds two top sport fishing salmon were in abundance and favored some great fishing and salmon returns to help with conservation for future years. The Port Alberni Inlet had a sensational sockeye fishery. From mid June until the first ten days of August sockeye were in abundance. Tourists from all over the world took the opportunity to fish for the number one eating salmon.

twenty-five pound Chinook landed by Mike of Saskatchewan on the surf line of Barkely Sound Vancouver Island Guided by John of Slivers "Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

Through the summer and early fall weekly bulletins are published by Fisheries and Oceans relating to Somass River Escapement. The latest bulletin continues to show that the expected Somass Chinook return forecast to Barkley Sound and the Alberni Inlet is 57,000. To date the total escapement of Chinook swimming past trained and experienced observers through the Stamp Falls fish way is close to 3,000 adult Chinook. Daily numbers are ranging between 56 and 142 salmon. With the age composition expected by the DFO of 11%, 80%, and 9% of 3, 4, and 5 year olds almost 34,000 spawners are required to meet the 57.2 million egg target for Robertson Creek Hatchery and the rest of the system. Coho returns are very good with over 35,000 passing through Stamp Falls. Coho daily counts have averaged from 1,391 to 2,136 adults. Sockeye returns have been incredible as the original run size of 250,000 has been increased to over 500,000.

Port Alberni Inlet / Barkley Sound

Tom Of Utah with one of his Coho landed at Pill Point in Barkley Sound located on Vancouver Island British Columbia. tom had a fascinating Fall Day with family and fished with guide Doug of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

Tom Of Utah with one of his Coho landed at Pill Point in Barkley Sound located on Vancouver Island British Columbia. tom had a fascinating Fall Day with family and fished with guide Doug of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

The Alberni Inlet has been full of returning salmon. Coho and Sockeye have been in abundance. Chinook have been low in numbers. Big Chum salmon are now showing up and are a great treat for sport fishermen. Chum get up to 20 pounds and are a very hard fighting salmon. The best areas to fish for them in the Inlet are Cous Creek and McTush. The Franklin-Nahmint area would also be a great area but it is currently not open for sport fishing. Sarita located in Barkley Sound has a very good Chum fishery. Chum often go after the same gear as one would use for Sockeye. Red and pink hootchies in the mp or O size are relatively good. Few boats are fishing the Inlet. The River Mouth (tidal water) had some great days of Coho fishing. The fishing would however be hit and miss. When schools of Coho were sitting outside in tidal waters waiting for more water in the river there would often be a great morning bite and an evening bite. Things have slowed down over the last few days even though big bright shiny Coho and the first few Chum Salmon are entering the river system daily.

Paul with a great bright silver Coho caught using a green hootchie at ecoole in Barkley Sound. Paul fished with wife Kim and Father Tom with guide Doug of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

Barkley Sound areas especially around Bamfield are reporting some days of decent Coho fishing. The Bamfield Wall and the backside of Fleming Island have been relatively good. The last weekend of September Pill Point and some of the locations nearby reported some great fishing. One local Port Alberni fisherman reported landing a 47 pound Chinook and six Coho. The Chinook hit anchovy in a Rhys Davis anchovy teaser head behind a red-gold hotspot flasher. The Coho are hitting white, green, and bluey-green hootchies. The spatter-back and the T-Rex hootchies have been working well. The watermelon and silver-glow four inch coyote spoons are also working as is anchovy in pearl and chartreuse teaser heads. With weather conditions being just perfect anglers from Bamfield have been going out to the three and seven mile spots. One angler and his guest targeting salmon and halibut at the seven mile picked up two halibut using a big turd on the troll bouncing off the bottom on Friday October 2nd. Both of these fish were 18 pounds. The two anglers also landed two fifteen pound feeder Chinook and three ten to fifteen pound bright hatchery Coho. The pair released four wild Coho and a half dozen pink salmon. We are expecting fishing days like that in some favorite offshore areas to last through the October Thanksgiving Weekend if the good weather continues.

Ucluelet

The autumn mornings are wonderful in Barkley Sound. People world-wide would come for just this.

The autumn mornings are wonderful in Barkley Sound. People world-wide would come for just this.

Guide Mike, who guides out of Ucluelet is reporting that the fishing close to the harbor and out at the Big Bank is still very good. There is also still plenty of halibut at the Big Bank. Guests venturing offshore have had great catches of halibut, Coho, and feeder Chinook up to twenty pounds. Mara Rock, Great Bear, The Red Can, and Lighthouse Bank have reports of some good sized Chinook and plenty of Coho. These areas are very close to the Ucluelet Harbor and are very easy to travel to. With slightly warmer water there are still a lot of squid in the area. These squid could be detrimental to salmon populations. There have been many individuals however who have been targeting the squid and using them on the “dinner table”. Some of these squid are reported to be up to thirty pounds.

The halibut offshore have been landed by jigging and also trolling. Mike has been using the brown “big turd” and bouncing off the bottom when fishing halibut. He has been using a T-Rex hootchie and various white hootchies and a cop car five inch coyote spoon from forty feet to the mid-water for salmon. There have been a good number of clipped Coho in offshore and inshore locations.

Ucluelet which is located in what is known as the Pacific Rim Region has had a spectacular fishing year. The area is a primary migratory route for many different stocks of salmon, primarily Chinook and Coho which are British Columbia’s primary sport salmon. The ocean has very rich bait stocks in this area and because of fairly decent climate conditions the area is accessible for sport fishing almost all year. Of course there are Pacific storms especially from November through February. However there are still some perfect days on the ocean when anglers can fish for feeder Chinook and bottom fish species.
2009 has been just a spectacular season. Not only out of Ucluelet but also area around Barkley Sound and areas very close to the surf line. The 2010 season forecasts are very similar to this year. The summer Chinook and Coho fishery next year should again be very good and will begin with migratory flows of salmon in early June or late May.

Don of Nanaimo B.C. with one of his Coho landed on the river. Jet boat fishing has been much better than walking the beach. Boats are able to get to the more remote and fast water areas. Don fished the Stamp River located in Port Alberni B.C. with guide Nick

Port Alberni can offer great fishing opportunities almost all year. The Port Alberni Inlet has spectacular sockeye fishing from June through early August and then from mid August until September good numbers of Coho and Chinook return to the river and then most continue to Robertson Creek Hatchery. Salmon also spawn naturally in the river.

The Stamp River offers fabulous salmon and steelhead fishing from September through early April. October is a great month to catch a variety of salmon and fall Steelhead which can all be landed on the fly or fishing with conventional tackle. The Stamp River offers some of the best fly fishing that can be found. Currently more Steelhead are in the river system than usual for early October. Usually mid-October and on is when the push really begins. With the Chinook numbers down Steelhead are often more prominent and easier to hook into early in the season. This is the case at the moment.

Guide Bladon on the right with Guest Alan of Edmonton Alberta. Fishing in the Stamp River has been great for a few weeks now. We are expecting a huge serge of Coho and Fall Steelhead in October and November.

The continued dry weather has been very helpful for those anglers fishing the river. The water continues to be very low and will likely stay that way for a few more weeks. The Coho have been coming strong for well over five weeks. Good numbers of Coho are entering the river daily with the biggest push coming at daylight and on the high tide. With the full moon the last few evenings there has been some good pushes due to both great light on the water and a high tide. The Coho on average have been ten to twelve pounds with some well over fifteen. Those anglers fishing on their own or on a charter guided fishing trip in the Stamp and are fly-fishing are finding that the best color patterns for Coho are greens, pinks, and blues. Dark patterns are the best flies for the fall Steelhead. There are now well over 35,000 Coho gone past the counters at Stamp Falls. There are still many more Coho coming.

***One important note for fishermen in the river is that there is no longer a Chinook Retention***. The Chinook return is low and if accidental hookups occur the Chinook must be put back into the system.

We have a great accommodation-fishing package for river fishermen. All meals can be included and pickup and delivery back to lodging location. Good Coho and Fall Steelhead fishing should continue well into November.

There is continued fishing out in Barkley Sound and out on the West Coast. We are also looking forward to the 2010 season as forecasts are saying that the season will be similar to 2009.