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REPORT: PORT ALBERNI INLET, BARKLEY SOUND, WEST COAST (UCLUELET) STAMP RIVER
Doug Lindores
MAY 31ST, 2006
Sport Fishing in Barkley Sound, The Port Alberni Inlet, and the West Coast (Ucluelet) has a very bright outlook for the 2006 season. In fact most West Coast Vancouver Island Chinook and Coho returns are looking even stronger than last years returns. Robertson Creek hatchery located in Port Alberni is expecting a great return with more chinook expected to be of a larger size. Fraser River chinook and sockeye stocks look very strong. These fish will swim by the waters of Ucluelet which will brighten the west coast fishery. The Fraser River return of sockeye is forecast at 17 million. The early season summer- run of 8 million and the Adams River run of 9 million should provide some excellent opporunities for the sport fisherman. Sockeye returns to the Alberni Inlet and into the Stamp-Somass River system are forecast to be just over 600,000. The Alberni Inlet sockeye fishery historically begins in mid-June and continues through to the beginning of August. This fishery will be followed by a strong Robertson Creek return of chinook and coho.
UCLUELET
The Ucluelet area has had excellent salmon and halibut sport fishing. The Sport Fishing has been excellent since the beginning of May and will improve into the summer as various runs of salmon swim the coastline and the offshore waters. The beginning of the year has seen reliable areas like Mara Rock, Great Bear Island, Beg Island and the mouth of the Ucluelet harbour near the Red Can Buoy produce some nice fish. (PICTURED IN REPORT CHINOOK SALMON CAUGHT BY MIKE AT GREAT BEAR ROCK ON A 5 INCH WONDERSPOON ON SUNDAY MAY 29TH. GUIDE WAS MIKE.)
LaParouse Bank and South Bank have had some excellent salmon and halibut fishing. The LaParouse area better known as the Rats Nose has had very good halibut fishing. Often these halibut will go after salmon gear if trolling the bottom. Five inch Watermelon Coyote spoons have been excellent as of late. Halibut from 170 to 200 feet have been plentiful especially at LaParouse. Glow-White hootchies have been good as have anchovy and herring when trolling. Guides are also bouncing a spreader bar along the bottom. Bait and white Berkley Power Grubs have been very effective also. For more information on fishing and packages contact Doug at dlindy@shaw.ca
BARKLEY SOUND
Barkley Sound fishing has been best out near the surfline. Areas such as Austin, Meares, Swale Rock, and of course the outer islands like Edward King have had some excellent feeder chinook fishing. One must find the bait first however. The fish in the area are feeding and it has been that if the bait are not in the area the fish are not there. Guide Al has had some good days in the outer areas of the sound. Meares and Austin have really been the best. The fish seem to hit 5 inch anchovy on a purple haze Rhys Davis teaser head. They have also been hitting purple haze, glow-white and green spider-back hootchies at 42 to 46 inch leader behind green or purple hot-spot flashers.
When the bait moves into Barkley Sound areas like Kirby Point, Bamfield Wall, Diplock and Pill Point fishing will heat up. The early fish moving down the West Coast of Vancouver Island will migrate into the area and feed at all times of the day before moving onto their destination. In early August the first Port Alberni Robertson Creek Hatchery Chinook will swim into the Barkley Sound waters which will make some more than wonderful fishing memories for anglers. Coho will follow the Chinook.
PORT ALBERNI AND THE PORT ALBERNI INLET
The Alberni Inlet sockeye are moving into the inlet and Somass-Stamp river system daily. The early run sockeye are not schooling as the waters of the river and inlet are still fairly cool. The sockeye normally school in abundance by mid June which will make the inlet waters busy with local anglers and anglers from various parts of not only Vancouver Island but the world. The river will also be busy as anglers line the banks of the Paper Mill Dam area.
Anglers fishing sockeye in the Inlet will normally fish with an mp15 hootchie. This is a small pink mini plankton that is bubble gum in color. Guide Doug likes to troll with a 24 to 28 inch leader behind a green hotspot flasher. Often he will troll one side with the bubble gum pink and troll with a pink-blue hippie hootchie on the other side. Doug likes lots of color in the water and will also use dumby flashers. Sockeye love color so the more flashers coming from the boat the better the fishing. Later in the season attempts will be made to use straight black hooks. Yes they do work????
Many local anglers use various coyote spoons. Pink, nasty-boy, halloween, and party girl seem to be the best. These are usually trolled with a leader length of 18 to 24 inches.
This fishery is getting very close. There are times during the season when local campsites and motels-hotels are completely full. Organize now so you are not disappointed. Call Doug at 250 724-2502 for details.
LABOR DAY WEEKEND SALMON DERBY
The Salmon Derby on the long weekend in September is a fun time for all. The derby fesivities begin on the Friday night and continue until 3 pm on Labor Day Monday. Thousands of dollars in prize money can be won. The first, second and third largest fish of each day and the largest fish of the derby win the largest money prizes. Port Alberni is easy to get to as it is found in a beautiful valley in central Vancouver Island. Make Port Alberni your destination in September.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
CONTACT:
Doug Lindores
SLIVERS CHARTERS SALMON SPORT FISHING
250 724 2502
(cell) 250 731 7389
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