2016 Bamfield and Barkley Sound Reports

Just back from Barkley sound fished Swale, Harbours, Austin all Spoons green/silver 15-35 feet keeper coho,s 17-22 lbs keeper springs 15-24 lots of smalls tearing up the bait. They just started moving in. Keep the spinning rod handy lots of flashers swimming past.
Check out Howard point Eagles have 2 flashers in the trees. Left overs from the free feeders
 
HeadTeaser said:
Hard to believe the fishing is so bad you couldn't find any on Rats Nose DMB? I have only ever limited out there and at anytime of year. Did you move around a bit? Anchored? Reports like that worry me a little? I will be out in the area toward the end of aug. I kind of rely on the banks as the only other for sure in life along with death and taxes? If I go to La Perouse and get skunked I would be forced to question my whole reality :(
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i guess you have never showed up at the nose with warm water temps and an algae bloom. if you do, move.
 
Little bit late but here it is none the less.

Got back Tues from a 4 night stay in Julia Pass. Arrived Late Friday afternoon. Got settled and had time to go set a couple traps and wet a line for an hour before a late dinner. Lots of small springs in quick order, but nothing we felt deserved the bonker. Sat Morn we made a run for Southwest corner but in light of the forecast decided to stop short at Turtle. Tons of shakers and smaller springs out there. After a few hours we managed a couple ok fish and finished off with a 20LB spring as the wind started building.

Cam with one from Turtle
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Made our way back to Swale and played catch and release (both on purpose and unintentionally). Hit one nice coho about 12lb and lost at least 3 decent fish. On the way in for dinner we pulled the traps and had
a nice little pan of bugs to take back to the shack.

Steve with a decent trap of tasty treats.
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Sunday was still forecasting a pretty good wind off shore so we opted to stay closer to home. Started off just out the front door and proceeded to loose 3 in a row on the first TAC. One being a solid low 20"s and the others teen sized Coho. Ground it out for most of the day on smaller springs and the occasional NICE sized Coho. Lots of fish lost at or near the boat on this day. Most of the guide boats stayed tight to the rocks and we did see quite a few nets out. We decided this trip was more about relaxing and enjoying the beauty and peace that Barkley Sound brings to the table. That said we stayed out of the pack and fished the edges instead. So with a couple smaller springs and a couple Coho in the tub we pulled the traps and headed in for Steak and prawns.

Cam's mouth was watering with the thought of tonight's dinner.
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Steak and fresh caught prawns Thanks to "Chef Steve"
Probably should have let them know I was taking a picture. The boys where a lot happier than they look in the pic.
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Monday was the last day of fishing for us. We started out at Swale and like Sunday lost way more fish than we should have. Managed a nice 14-15lb Coho to get the monkey off our back and then got into a bunch of smaller fish that we released. We did end up keeping a couple more that fell into the "bigger" of the smaller fish category. As the morning came to an end we pulled the pin and headed out a bit to try the mid day tide for some Halibut. No love on that front for us other than a couple nice rock fish of the orange persuasion. On the way back to the shack we decided to drop in at Harbor Entrance, and it payed off quickly. Landed the biggest fish of the trip on the first TAC and lost it's twin boat-side shortly after.
14022080_10157240629275176_8914497923888019100_n.jpg

One more hit and miss after that and there was nothing left to do but go pull the traps for the last time, and go enjoy dinner and drinks before the dreaded packing up begins in the morning.

Sure, with better luck and rod management we could have at least doubled the 10 fish we came home with. As high lighted on one of the Bamfield Fishing report FB pages, we too lost an inordinate amount of fish this trip. Probably would have added even more had we entered the pack and jockeyed for position among the 20 or more boats all on the same TAC . As I mentioned before we chose a more relaxing approach and that proved to be very enjoyable.

For what it is worth,we caught most fish on small 3" glow white spoons with long leaders. Fished anywhere from 25-75 feet. We also got some action on small chovies 6-7 feet behind flasher.

I really enjoyed this trip! One of the keys was that I took the pressure of catching fish off the table and got back to enjoying the place we all love, as well as enjoying the company of good friends that share the love for what Barkley has to offer.

Until the next one. (can't wait!)
Ray
 
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Good numbers of springs in Barkley right now. Some days have been good for everyone in all the usual spots, and other days you have to grind away. But they are around. We had a couple of double digit spring days when we were out, buddies and guides saying the same. We were getting springs all the way through the flood, so they have to be cruising in. The places that had bait seemed to be the most active for us. Lots of humpbacks around right now too.
 
Yup on the Hump backs.. Just make sure you guys are watching for them ...saw a near miss on one yesterday on the way down in the canal...still wondering how the guy never saw the humpie... :)
 
Back from Bamfield Aug 15-19th with family from Grand Prairie. Stayed 4 nights at Bamfield villa, which was an old BC Packers building that has been renovated.
Tuesday we picked up two. One at Swale around 8 lbs on anchovy at 61 ft. Headed to Diplock, no fish but a great humpback show.
image.jpeg
Then one at Pill around 10 lbs on white hootchie at 35 ft. Lots of shakers as well at both places.
Wednesday we started fishing at Pill. Picked up 3. One coho about 10-12 lbs, brother in laws first coho. One spring, brother in laws first spring, about the same size.
image.jpeg
Both on white hootchie at around 35 ft. Then around 9:00 caught one at 21 ft while stacking a 3rd rod, on anchovy 7ft leader, 18 lb spring. Out to Kirby Pt for the night. Before 2nd rod is down, white hootchie at 36ft goes off. Came to surface right away, nice size, but failed to get it in the boat. Doh.
Thursday we started at Kirby. Too many weeds. Went to Cree, had one take line but got off. Off to Harbour Enterance, nope. Swale, nope. Tough day, lots of moving and nothing to show. No night fish.
Friday was our last day so we didn't fish the early AM. Headed back to CC but stopped in at Nanant for a hour or so. Saw a few guide boats, but not hing for us. Went to Pill again and picked up both of a double header. One at 36 on a white hootchie. One at 71 on bait.
image.jpeg
Th ride in was great as were the 5 days we spent out there. Could have brought home more fish, but, all in all a great time with the fam.
Back to China Creek on Tuesday with our daughter, who lives in Newfoundland, and our niece. Hope fishing is good.
Good luck to all.
 
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Delray said:
Back from Bamfield Aug 15-19th with family from Grand Prairie. Stayed 4 nights at Bamfield villa, which was an old BC Packers building that has been renovated.
Tuesday we picked up two. One at Swale around 8 lbs on anchovy at 61 ft. Headed to Diplock, no fish but a great humpback show.
View attachment 29190
Then one at Pill around 10 lbs on white hootchie at 35 ft. Lots of shakers as well at both places.
Wednesday we started fishing at Pill. Picked up 3. One coho about 10-12 lbs, brother in laws first coho. One spring, brother in laws first spring, about the same size.
View attachment 29192
Both on white hootchie at around 35 ft. Then around 9:00 caught one at 21 ft while stacking a 3rd rod, on anchovy 7ft leader, 18 lb spring. Out to Kirby Pt for the night. Before 2nd rod is down, white hootchie at 36ft goes off. Came to surface right away, nice size, but failed to get it in the boat. Doh.
Thursday we started at Kirby. Too many weeds. Went to Cree, had one take line but got off. Off to Harbour Enterance, nope. Swale, nope. Tough day, lots of moving and nothing to show. No night fish.
Friday was our last day so we didn't fish the early AM. Headed back to CC but stopped in at Nanant for a hour or so. Saw a few guide boats, but not hing for us. Went to Pill again and picked up both of a double header. One at 36 on a white hootchie. One at 71 on bait.
View attachment 29193
Th ride in was great as were the 5 days we spent out there. Could have brought home more fish, but, all in all a great time with the fam.
Back to China Creek on Tuesday with our daughter, who lives in Newfoundland, and our niece. Hope fishing is good.
Good luck to all.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the great report
 
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Fished for around 5 hours on the Friday at Swale, got one spring at 19lbs and lost 3 big fish (2 of which broke the 25lb leader) :<

Probably around 5 other smallish springs (sub 3lb) that we put back to get bigger

Green spoons of various types seemed to do the trick
 
Did anybody hear that kid playing on the radio on ch.6 for the better part of the day last Saturday? Cody was his name. His dad was on another boat somewhere,and kept hailing his dad. " any fish dad? " then he was whistling and making weird noises. I wanted to open hand slap whoever was letting him do that. So ignorant....
 
alctel said:
Fished for around 5 hours on the Friday at Swale, got one spring at 19lbs and lost 3 big fish (2 of which broke the 25lb leader) :<

Probably around 5 other smallish springs (sub 3lb) that we put back to get bigger

Green spoons of various types seemed to do the trick
Click to expand...

To bad about the break offs. I use 50lb leader material and never have one break off unless its nicked and I get lazy
 
Joe said:
To bad about the break offs. I use 50lb leader material and never have one break off unless its nicked and I get lazy
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40 for spoons and bait
50-60 for rubber
 
Been in Ukee for 2 days. Sketchy seas led me to the Swale-ish area both days. I always think of it as a place for soft fishers as we pound out to the rat's nose or Hyson. Well after a crappy trip offshore last weekend, I'm pleased with the change. Loads of bait, shakers, smalls, mediums and several large ones. More cohos today than yesterday, and some of them are pushing 18 lbs. I got some fish in the line of boats near the rocks, but did just as well and had more fun outside the pinnacles off Gibraltar. There are cohos and springs out there. Left a couple of slots for some salmon by-catch when hali trolling tomorrow. Forecast looks flattish.
Best combo has been the all white glow tape one side/pinky crackly tape on the other with a copcar glow skinny Gibbs. Changed the hook to a size 5 stainless mustad after two big ones fell off and it kept catching.
 
by far the best fishing of the year , several spots went off for us ,
good mix of fish , several over 20 , few just shy of 30 ,
huge coho this year , 18 the biggest for me , dont want ta get into locations and cause ciaos on
the guys over there putting there time in , ITS BUSY !! you will figure it out im sure,,,,
small spoons and rubber was all we needed to fill the tub , most were using anchovies i hear ...
no reason ta go offshore in the fog if your lookin for salmon !! seen alot of guides pounding the beaches now too ,

tip...
if theres 100 boats fishing a specific area , doesnt mean thats the SPOT , move around ,
you may pleasantly rewarded !

enjoy..

back in a week

fd
 
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