FISHING REPORT: PORT ALBERNI INLET, BARKLEY SOUND, UCLUELET, (WEST COAST) SOMASS-STAMP RIVER |
|
Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing CURRENT FISHING Salmon Fishing in the Port Alberni Inlet is picking up. Fishing in the Bells Bay and Underwood area has been good. The Harbor has also had some days of good fishing. The Barkley Sound surfline and most areas outside of Ucluelet have continued to be hot with some surprisingly calm water over the past week. The next three to four weeks should see some very hot fishing with some big chinook and lots of coho. PORT ALBERNI INLET The salmon fishing in the Port Alberni Inlet has picked up dramatically over the past few days. There seems to be better fishing in the Inlet than what there has been in Barkley Sound over the past week. Bells Bay located at the top end of the Franklin Wall, towards Port Alberni has been very good. This area has been traditionally the first stopping spot for Chinook coming into the Port Alberni Inlet and Harbor areas. Most of the week sport fishermen and guides have been picking up many Chinook in the 20 to 35 pound range. The fish have been in 30 to 55 feet of water and it almost seems that everyone is using something different. Anchovy on a clear, green, pearl or glow teaser head seems to be popular. Different coyote spoons from nasty boy, halloween, and watermelon have all been served up to the fish and all have worked, especially the 4 inch size. The spatterback hootchie and the white AORL have been popular as have small mp 15's, which are bubble gum pink or mp 2's which are red. The larger O 15s and 16s and blood and bones also have been hot.
The Chinook sport fishery in the Inlet and harbor should stay hot into September. The big surge of fish has not come yet. There are Chinook returning into the Somass River as the water condition is very good. Coho should begin showing up sometime in late August. Leader lengths could shorten up to 32, 34 or 36 inches in length if targeting Coho. Sport fishermen coming to the area should be aware of the commercial gill net opening. Fisheries Canada will provide information on this fishery with dates and area fished. The last couple of years this fishery did not seem to hurt the sport fishery the morning after the night-time commercial opening. Sport Fishermen could elect to travel down to Barkley Sound for a day of fishing. BARKLEY SOUND Barkley Sound fishing has been rather spotty. Holding areas such as Pill Point, Diplock, Swiss Boy, Fleming, Swale Rock, It seems odd that the inside fishing has been mediocre. This is not to say that there have not been any fish at all. Pill Point Swale Rock, Vernon Bay and Diplock have been fished with sport fishermen and guides picking some Chinook up but not consistently. It seems the Chinook are staying deep and not feeding in the above named spots. Hopefully this trend will change over the next week for those Barkley Sound Fishermen.
We are expecting Barkley Sound to really heat up into September. There should be plenty of Chinook and Coho. Places up the Island are reporting that they are catching Robertson Creek Hatchery fish. Returns to Robertson Creek alone are over 100,000 with almost the same numbers of Coho. UCLUELET Salmon and Halibut fishing out of Ucluelet are fantastic. There are plenty of halibut at the Big Bank and the eighteen-mile spot. Guide Mike has done well at The Wreck also. Guides have continued to use Spreader Bars or halibut jigs. Some continue to troll and bounce hootchies or bait off the bottom and fish salmon at the mid-water. The salmon fishing off of Southbank has been amazing. Chinook from 20 to 40 pounds have been the norm. Various spoons and hootchies have been working. Purple Haze Hootchie again has been guide Mike and Calebs' favorite. Fishermen have had an awesome week as the wind and swell has been non-existent. The fishing has been fabulous and sport fishermen in small 16 foot boats have had opportunity to run almost anywhere. Visibility has been 15 to 20 miles. It seems wherever a bank or reef exists there are salmon. Chinook, Coho, Pinks, and Chum are in the mix. Chinook and Coho seem to be more predominant but there are some areas where Pink salmon are in big numbers. Fishing in Ucluelet should continue into October. SOMASS-STAMP RIVER Chinook salmon are returning to the Somass River. The water temperature is very cool for this time of year, which makes conservation for the returning salmon ideal. The fall fishing for Chinook and Coho should be wonderful. Weather conditions should be superb and the fishing from the bank or jet boat fantastic. Robertson Creek Hatchery is expecting a huge return of Chinook and Coho, which means there will be a surplus of salmon. River fishing should begin in early September. Fall steelhead in October and November should also be fabulous. Those wanting to fish the river should make arrangements now. PORT ALBERNI SALMON DERBY The summer is dwindling away and the Port Alberni Salmon Derby is getting closer. The Derby takes place during the Labor Day weekend. Festivities begin on the Friday evening with the fireworks display being the hit. Fishing begins on Saturday morning at 6 am, which is also true for Sunday and Monday. Fishing Saturday and Sunday ends at 9 pm for weigh-in, which gives those who have a big fish time to get into outer Inlet areas or Barkley Sound to Clutesi Haven Marina to weigh their hopeful winning fish. Clutesi Marina located on River Road is Derby Headquarters and is the main weigh-in area and also the area of continuous entertainment. This year there are many cash prizes. The three top fish each day are worth $3,000, $2.000 and $1,000. The largest fish of the derby is worth $7,000. There should be some big fish as returning fish are predominantly four and five year olds. This should be a very good time for fishing and all are welcome to attend. For more information Contact: Doug Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing 250 724 2502 (home) 250 731 7389 (cell) |
| ©2006 3R1 Design All rights reserved. P.O. Box 3084 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 email: webmaster@onlineguidefinder.com |
Underwood, the China Creek Wall towards Lone Tree Point, and the Port Alberni Harbor have also been good. Sport fishermen have often used the word spotty in the Harbor. However others would call it fantastic as they have returned with their fishing partner by 10 am with three or four Chinook in their fish tub. Guides have been using various lures. Anchovy as of late seems to be popular on a glow head first thing in the morning. Guides Doug, Mel and John of Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing have found that the mp 2's and 15's are working well. Also spatterback, the white AORL 12, the big Octopus 15, 16 and 2, blood and bones hootchie plus the odd plug are doing well. Don't forget purple haze. Many avid sport fishermen have been using this hootchie and are doing well with it. Doug of Slivers Charters recommends hootchie lengths from 40 to 44 inches behind a green, or red hot spot flasher or a UV blue or purple. Boat speed will vary and fish from 25 to 55 feet. If you want to fish all day the Inlet is fishable but by noon go a little deeper if the sun is out. 
Gilbraltor, and the Kirby Point area have not really caught fire. Guides from Slivers Charters have been fishing the Surfline as they had been in June and July. Over the week guides John, Doug, Wayne and Dan have had some amazing Days. There have been plenty of large Chinook with the largest of the week at 43 pounds followed by two at 42 pounds, a 41 and a 39. There have been several in the 30's and 20's. The areas of Austin and Cree Island and out about a half mile to a mile and Edwad King and Folger have been hot. The water has been simply awesome with no wind or swell. Guests have returned with limits of Chinook mixed with a few hatchery Coho and the odd big Pink salmon. 
Sport fishermen not using a guide service should come with plenty of anchovy. Those who would rather use hootchies and spoons it is recommended to bring Purple Haze, green spatterback, white, clown, oil slick, and various greens, whites and blues for Coho. The various coyote spoons that seem to be hot have been 5 inch Cop Car and blue and green nickel. The four inch Bad Attitude, Halloween and Watermelon have been good. Doug of Slivers Charters has had the biggest fish for guests using anchovy in a purple haze JDF and a Rhys Davis tiger prawn, chrome, chrome yellow and a chrome purple black. The best spoon has been 5 inch Cop Car and the top hootchie has been Purple Haze.