Pescador Thanks for putting Spring Fever's article out there. Lots of GOOD stuff in there. Yes the fishing/catching remains STRONG in Nootka.
Yes the regulations are different today than they were 10 yrs. ago especially the mouth of Nootka Sound for Both Chinook & Coho. Check them out before venturing out.
Mike mentioned that after his article Nootka got a little too crowed. Yes it happened I was there, it was quite a change.
Some fishers pulled out of the area. I for one went just North to Esperanza Inlet. In those day hardly anyone from out of the local area fished the inside waters of Esperanza & often there were very few boats at The Pins,High Rocks, Yellow Bluff, The Whistle Buoy, Catala Island, Double Island, Centre Island, Rosa Harbour & the World Famous Ferrer Pt.
That has changed somewhat over the years Especially at Ferrer Pt. BUT it is fair to say that there are certainly Less boat per hector fishing in Esperanza than in Nootka. Also according to DFO records over the past 4 years the Salmon Catch per unit of effort has been consistently higher in Esperanza. Which mean fishers in Esperanza are Catching more fish for the time on the water. Could be a result of the Esperanza Fishers are better Fishers But most likely they are encountering More Chinook & Coho as they come off Brooks Peninsula moving south STOPPING at the mouth of Esperanza to FEED.
Don't get me wrong Nootka is also a GREAT place to catch Salmon. When that Conuma Hatchery run starts moving in the fishing/catching i is HOT!!!.
Fishing out of Tahsis gives us the benefit of both areas. It is only a 20 minute run down the Tahsis inlet to Nootka. Then a right Or left turn depending on where in the Sound the hatchery run has staged itself that day. On July 15th it's a near sure bet that the Chinook will be stacked up at Coopte Point right at the mouth of Tahsis Inlet where it enters Nootka.
On calm days most boats head out Esperanza way simply because the Salmon fishing is more productive. On windy days they head down to Nootka it's just that simple. No Missed Fishing Days.
All in All We are very fortunate to have Area 25/125 Esperanza & Nootka literally at our doorstep to enjoy some of the BEST SALMON fishing/catching in all of BC.
See You SOON. It is stacking up to be a GREAT SEASON.
FOJ