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HOLIDAY WISHES AND A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR
Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year to you and family from my family. Also greeting from various guides from Slivers Charters especially John, Mel, and Brad. 2007 is almost upon us. Each year seems to pass by quicker than the previous year. I sincerely hope you are doing well and that you have had or will have opportunity to visit with family and friends during the holiday season
We at Slivers Charters Salmon Sport fishing are preparing for the 2007 season. We are fishing not only Barkley Sound and the Port Alberni Inlet but also Ucluelet and the Somass-Stamp River. Steelhead fishing in the river is very good in fact it is phenomenal. Winter steelhead fishing is always good but this is the best year we have had in the last five. Guides have had an average of 9 to 12 fish with the best days up to 17. High water has not played havoc as there are plenty of hatchery and wild fish in the system and they seem not difficult to find. Most of our guided trips are by jet boat.
This spring, summer, and fall we will be fishing in Ucluelet, Barkley Sound, and the Inlet. Fishing the waters of Ucluelet is much different than the Inlet and Barkley Sound. Of course the offshore fishing is fabulous for halibut, Chinook, Coho and pinks but one must remember the waters are not as calm and pristine as the Port Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound. I often say that those who are adventurous should go offshore. Some can handle the water movement and then there are those that cannot. Barkley Sound and the Port Alberni Inlet is best for those who cannot. Beginning in January we will be offering our “SEAFOOD SAFARI”. We leave our dock in Ucluelet and take clients out and fish for prawns, crabs, oysters, bottom fish, and salmon. In the winter months the salmon are feeder springs and are often found close to the Ucluelet Harbour, the lighthouse, Beg Island and South Bank. The feeder springs (winter Chinook or black mouths) average 8 to 14 pounds. Last year the biggest fish was 25 pounds caught in February off Beg Island.
During the summer months the fishing is mostly for salmon and halibut. The halibut fishing was unbelievable in 2006. It began in late April and continued through October. Salmon were very good and are predicted very well this year with more Coho in the picture. This will also be a year for pink salmon. During the summer we will be doing morning and afternoon trips. We prefer 8-hour trips in the morning and will do 6 hours in the afternoon. People should be aware that Ucluelet becomes very busy as does Tofino and accommodation can be difficult during the late spring and summer months.
PORT ALBERNI INLET AND BARKLEY SOUND
Barkley Sound has a very good winter spring fishery that continues into late March. Often when feeder Chinook fishing is coming to an end the first migrating Coho and Chinook come into the sound feeding on the ample amounts of bait fish. With these early fish and then the various local runs including Robertson Creek Hatchery fish arriving in late July sport fishing in Barkley Sound often continues through September which makes the fishng season fairly lengthy. Of course peak season for Chinook and Coho is August and September. Sockeye, which at one time was a prime commercial fish and was often only fished by commercial boats is now a very exciting sport salmon which begin entering the system in May and begin to school up in June in the Alberni Inlet. Sport Sockeye fishing begins each year about June 15th in the inlet and continues into early August.
The forecast this year for Chinook and Coho is very promising. The fall of 2006 saw nearly 60,000 Chinook return to Robertson Creek. The Coho return was very late. Many entered the system in late October. Over 10,000 Jack Coho came into the hatchery. The high return of jacks often means the return of adult fish the following year will be very good. 2006 saw Slivers Charters guides find few Coho. Many fishing mornings with 4 or 5 twenty plus pound Chinook in the tub with 4 beautiful Coho make the fishing day pretty good. This past season the Coho just were not anywhere but there will be ample in 2007 which will make each fishing day even that more exciting.
We are now booking summer trips. We are also offering Gift Certificates for guests. We will be offering packages in Barkley Sound and the inlet. We will fish the Sound and book people into lodges in Bamfield if desired. These lodges book up very quickly. Anyone wishing to stay in the Barkley Sound area overnight should let Doug know right away to arrange. Of course accommodation in Port Alberni is wonderful. We have lodges which offer breakfasts and lunches (Cedarwood and Riverside) There are also various hotels and motels.
Many have booked their summer fishing trip. January and February is often a time when a lot of planning takes place. Please contact Doug at dlindy@shaw.ca or call 250 724 2502 and plan your trip or ask for more information on specific fisheries and different packages in terms of accommodation, boat type, number of fishing days. We will be happy to here from you. Pls. Reply so we know you received.
Tight-Lines
Thank-you and Happy Holidays
Doug
Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
www.catchsalmon.ca
250 724 2502
dlindy@shaw.ca
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