13th August, 2010: 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

Ashtyn of Saskatoon Saskatchewan shows his 18 pound Chinook caught at Cree Island. This fish hit a four inch green-nickel coyote spoon. Ashtyn and family fished with John of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing.

The summer months are quickly moving on. It seems that it was only mid June and here it is already mid-August, the time of year when fishermen really get excited about some of those big Chinook and Coho that are lingering below. Time has probably blown by only because of the great sport fishing that has occurred up to this time. The sport Sockeye fishing in the Port Alberni Inlet has not let up. The fishing on the west coast has been very good for salmon and halibut. Of course there have been a few quiet days on the coast inshore and offshore but for the most part it has been very good. Limits of clean and fresh sockeye have been ongoing in the Inlet. There has been a very extensive commercial fishery going on that has depleted the Sockeye numbers but this has not completely destroyed the sport fishing to this date as new salmon are entering the system daily. The sport sockeye fishing could very well last another good week. We are expecting catch limits to continue.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has announced that there will no longer continue to be updates on Sockeye forecasts. The last and final forecast still is at 1.1 million salmon. It is thought that the full return will informally be 1.3 million. Escapement to date is 460,000 salmon. Great Central Lake has received 220,000 fish and Sproat Lake 240,000. The returns into the river have slowed as conditions have changed. The Somass River water temperatures have gone over twenty degrees Celsius which has impeded the migration of the salmon into the two lakes. With weekend temperatures being on the cool side and with some rain in the forecast the migration should increase during the next few days.

Port Alberni Inlet / Barkley Sound

Guide Robert of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing shows off twenty-eight pound Chinook he hooked into for guuests from Alberta. Fish hit anchovy at Cape Beale located on surfline of Barkley Sound

Guide Robert of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing shows off twenty-eight pound Chinook he hooked into for guuests from Alberta. Fish hit anchovy at Cape Beale located on surfline of Barkley Sound

Sockeye fishing has now been unbelievable for two full months. Fisher people who are local, those who have come as visitors with their own boats, and those who have used guides have had a remarkable time fishing the pristine quiet waters of the Port Alberni Inlet. The salmon are currently in 80 to 110 feet of water with the best fishing around China Creek and out as far as the Franklin Wall. The area around Bilton Point has also been good. Nahmint is now closed for any fin-fishing. The closures date is August 1st through October 31st. The sockeye are still hitting mp hoothies in pink, pink and blue, pink and black, various small spoons and black hooks. Leader lengths vary with boat speed but should be 22 to 27 inches in length. We are expecting Chinook to begin to show by the 15th of August. Returns are forecast to be about 45,000 with only a nine to ten thousand fish surplus for the Inlet and the sound. There will not be a commercial fishery this year for Chinook or Coho in the Alberni Inlet.

Sockeye fishing in the Port Alberni Inlet is still very good this happy group was delighted with their fishing Guide Doug was guide of Slivers Charters

Fishing in Barkley Sound areas was very good just a week ago but has dramatically slowed down. The next big push of migratory salmon swimming to watersheds to the south which should be the late summer run of Chinook should move into Barkley Sound as they swim the inshore and offshore waters of Vancouver Island. The local salmon that are headed for various creeks, streams and rivers in the Sound and also Robertson Creek Fish Hatchery located very close to Port Alberni should also arrive in decent numbers. This should make the mid of August through mid September a very exciting time for anglers in the very quiet protected waters of Barkley Sound. The best salmon fishing of late has still been the surf line areas. Meares, Austin Island, and Cree have had some great fishing as has Edward King and Whittlestone and Beale just up from Bamfield toward the open water. Beale has been very good first thing in the morning and on the tide changes. Chinook from 25 to 33 pounds have been landed by various sport fisher people and guests of guides. Anchovy in the army truck, UV green, and purple haze teaser head, with five feet of leader have been working well as have various coyote spoons in the four and five inch size. One fortunate angler landed four big Chinook using a four inch cop car and the cop car flasher. Guide Doug of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing entertained guests with two double headers of mid twenty pound sized Chinook between Whittlestone and Beale. All of these fish were landed on bait. Look for big Chinook and Coho to move into the Sound by mid August.

Ucluelet

thirty pound Chinook caught out on the surf line of Barkley Sound this past week.

The salmon fishing out of Ucluelet has been a little spotty the last few days. The best fishing for big fish in the thirty and even forty pound range has been the south-west corner. Guide Al has had a few fish for guests in the forty to forty-three pound range using 7 inch plugs and big tomic spoons.

He has found these fish in forty-seven to sixty feet of water. The inside lighthouse bank, south bank locations, and the big bank have all been good fishing areas most of the summer. There have been report of a few Coho in the mix but most have not been hatchery fish. Halibut have been best out at the Big Bank with most ranging in the twenty to thirty pound range. Some have also been at The Wreck and the best method has been on the troll. Guides have fished halibut on the bottom and fished for salmon in the mid-water. There should be plenty of late summer run Columbia River Salmon showing on the west coast of Vancouver Island soon. Also the mix of local salmon returning to various spawning grounds will have the Ucluelet area into some great August and September salmon fishing.

The Ucluelet ladder Derby continues for the month of August and also on August 14th, 15th and 16th there is the Ucluelet Salmon Fishing Derby with a first place prize of $10,000. The salmon deby for this coming weekend has an entry per person OF $20 PER DAY or $50 for all three days. All proceeds go toward the salmon enhancement society. Tickets can be bought at the Columbia Fuel Dock.

Fall fishing for Coho and Chinook and fly fishing for summer steelhead will be amazing beginning in mid-September. Organize and call soon for this great opportunity.