2023 Bamfield and Barkley Sound Reports
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trophywife
Crew Member
Something i didn't know, pinks are closed in 23.. creel survey friend told me.. they seem to have all passed now anyway.
tubber
Well-Known Member
I just read that yesterday on the app in prep for next week's Ukee trip. Also surprised. I'm sure I kept one inside Cree a few years back. Is there a local stream they are protecting?
trophywife
Crew Member
by protected do mean "netted up river"?
Ancient Mariner
Member
Some say you get better runs out the fish because the flasher is chasing him every were he goes. As far as releasing there is no difference with a flasher or without one.
TipUp
Well-Known Member
Fishing continues to be red hot out in the sound. The bait is very small so small spoons have been the ticket. The kitchen sink wee gee has been our top producer at 40 to 60 feet. All the regular spots seem to be producing with Whittlestone, Kirby, and Swale being the best for us. The springs are bigger on average this year with most being in the 15 to 20 pound range and also some fat coho in the mix.
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Charleygirl
Well-Known Member
Hi All
This is actually getting boring. Not the fishing but writing about it. I'm trying to come up with something new to say about what's been happening for the past month. I can't. There are no new things to tell, no new info, no new hotspot, no new hot tips. Fishing in Barkley Sound has been and still is awesome!. Go where you want. Kirby, Whittlestone, Beale, Harbour Entrance, Swale rock, Fleming, Diplock, Pill point, The Wall, Brady's Beach down to Danvers. It has been amazing fishing. To capsulate things I would say this:
Fish 35 to 50 feet on your rigger
Fish anchovies on 6 to 7 foot leaders
Fish glow white hoochies on short leaders (under 36 inches)
Fish spoons (skinny g's are still firings ur a variety of small spoons) on 6 to 7 foot leaders
Troll 2.5 to 3 mph
There! Done!
I am out. That's all you need to know.
Seriously folks. Wednesday morning I fished with long time guests, DJ, Bill, Brian and Steve. We limited out 8 springs before 9 am in the morning. And... we missed a few to boot.
Sometimes I like to think I am getting good at this but it was really just a matter of putting gear in the water. Anybody with a boat and a trolling engine could do the same. It's so much fun!
If there is any damper on things at all it's the coho situation has been spotty. Our local coho have yet to show in any kind of numbers. They are coming though. Often they arrive thick by early to mid september. These are big feisty fish that are just a blast to get into.
Hali fishing is still going ok. Not over the top but put in your time and you'll get a few flatties.
We had a blast jigging chub mackerel while on the anchor hali fishing the other day. They fight like crazy and are delicious smoked.
I have one more group to go and then I am back to school for 4 days next week. I'll be up for the long weekend to finally win the Port Alberni Salmon Derby. I am shocked I haven't won that thing already. This year though...
With that, folks, I am out!
This is actually getting boring. Not the fishing but writing about it. I'm trying to come up with something new to say about what's been happening for the past month. I can't. There are no new things to tell, no new info, no new hotspot, no new hot tips. Fishing in Barkley Sound has been and still is awesome!. Go where you want. Kirby, Whittlestone, Beale, Harbour Entrance, Swale rock, Fleming, Diplock, Pill point, The Wall, Brady's Beach down to Danvers. It has been amazing fishing. To capsulate things I would say this:
Fish 35 to 50 feet on your rigger
Fish anchovies on 6 to 7 foot leaders
Fish glow white hoochies on short leaders (under 36 inches)
Fish spoons (skinny g's are still firings ur a variety of small spoons) on 6 to 7 foot leaders
Troll 2.5 to 3 mph
There! Done!
I am out. That's all you need to know.
Seriously folks. Wednesday morning I fished with long time guests, DJ, Bill, Brian and Steve. We limited out 8 springs before 9 am in the morning. And... we missed a few to boot.
Sometimes I like to think I am getting good at this but it was really just a matter of putting gear in the water. Anybody with a boat and a trolling engine could do the same. It's so much fun!
If there is any damper on things at all it's the coho situation has been spotty. Our local coho have yet to show in any kind of numbers. They are coming though. Often they arrive thick by early to mid september. These are big feisty fish that are just a blast to get into.
Hali fishing is still going ok. Not over the top but put in your time and you'll get a few flatties.
We had a blast jigging chub mackerel while on the anchor hali fishing the other day. They fight like crazy and are delicious smoked.
I have one more group to go and then I am back to school for 4 days next week. I'll be up for the long weekend to finally win the Port Alberni Salmon Derby. I am shocked I haven't won that thing already. This year though...
With that, folks, I am out!
trophywife
Crew Member
trophywife
Crew Member
Pippen
Well-Known Member
Hey John,
Sent you a PM a week or so ago as a work colleague would like to look at booking you for next summer as they are just trying to finalize dates with McKay. Can you PM me your contact information?
Adeline1954
New Member
Any updates on fishing this past week? Heading up on Wednesday...
fishinforever
Well-Known Member
I was there friday morning, fished kirby for a couple hours and got 4 springs 12-15 pounds before we headed out to big bank for hali, which was awesome. Quick work of 4 under 90, a 110cm, a 118cm and let go a 150cm. Cruised into harbour entrance for a fast and furious late afternoon bite, four more springs and 5 coho, lost a bunch. Saturday am was tuna, 60 miles run for 5 fish, scratchy but some boats did better and others worse, nice day out there. Stopped at harbour entrance for four more springs, 12-14 pounds with an 18 in there too. Hit the wall early sunday morning to finish up our chinook limit, nice run back to port at 8am. The somas was boiling with chinooks.
TipUp
Well-Known Member
Spent 5 nights at Imperial Eagle Lodge from August 22 to the 26th. All the usual spots were very productive. We caught most of our fish at Whittlestone, Kirby, and Swale. Springs ranged from 10 to 25 pounds and coho were a nice size too I'd say they averaged 6 to 8 pounds. All of the action came on skinny g spoons and white hootchies. Made it offshore one day but no luck on hali. Tons of mackerel though which made for fun jigging while we waited for the hali to bite. Even caught some coho on light jigs which was a blast. An incredible amount of bait on the sounder, even saw huge schools of needlefish in the harbour and herring slashing through the balls. Interesting enough most of the stomachs of the springs were totally empty and they were mostly male fish even the 25 ib er. The springs were definitely bigger on average then 2022 with the average size being 15 to 20. Another amazing trip to Barkley Sound it never disappoints!
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Matthias
Well-Known Member
Just got back from a trip - I was there Friday to Monday.
Day 1- Friday we left PA and tried a few spots along the inlet which didn't produce much, just one good sized coho. Perhaps it was the week of seining and gillnetting? Moved on up and tried Assits to no avail, then robbers, also nothing. We only gave each spot about an hour. Then we crossed over to Swale which was really good. Steady action of coho and chinooks with the biggest being 22, and smallest about 15. Decent size! We popped in to check-in at the Bamfield lodge, grabbed dinner and a cocktail at the Wreckage, then hit the wall which produced a nice 12 pounder.
Day 2 was by far our best day. We started at Flemming, which produced some coho and big mackerel, but no chinooks! Popped back over to Swale which was very good for us again, producing some bigger chinooks that were biting white hoochies and anchovies. We were close to our limit so we decided to go for some rockfish around the cape and picked up a good haul of seabass/lingcod/rockfish. The sun was up, and the water was glassy everywhere, including Beale which was a nice change! After jigging, we headed to little beale and whittlestone where we picked up 2 nice chinooks to get our limit for the day. An 18 and another 22lber!
Day 3 was tough for us. We went straight to Swale and it was very quite. One chinook and 2 coho is all we managed. Crazy how it changes day to day!
Day 4 was departure day. We needed 2 chinooks to fill our cards, so we popped over to Flemming for 1.5hrs to try to get our limit. We managed 1 cookie cutter chinook and 2 coho before the lightning started, forcing our decision to get back to port before things got dicey.
We only used white hoochies and chovies. springs were 50/50 and coho were hitting the hoochie. Depths between 27 & 55 most days. I heard other spots were filled with chinooks so it was just a matter of right place right time.
We stayed at the bamfield lodge again which was great. Accomodation was clean and the helper Sam was pleasant to deal with. The wreckage is such a great spot for those walking the west side. The food is really good and very reasonably priced (cheaper than mainland prices). On our last night we had a drink on the dock while listening to the locals belt out to the live music that was going on. What a special moment!
Once again, thanks Bamfield for the memories.
Day 1- Friday we left PA and tried a few spots along the inlet which didn't produce much, just one good sized coho. Perhaps it was the week of seining and gillnetting? Moved on up and tried Assits to no avail, then robbers, also nothing. We only gave each spot about an hour. Then we crossed over to Swale which was really good. Steady action of coho and chinooks with the biggest being 22, and smallest about 15. Decent size! We popped in to check-in at the Bamfield lodge, grabbed dinner and a cocktail at the Wreckage, then hit the wall which produced a nice 12 pounder.
Day 2 was by far our best day. We started at Flemming, which produced some coho and big mackerel, but no chinooks! Popped back over to Swale which was very good for us again, producing some bigger chinooks that were biting white hoochies and anchovies. We were close to our limit so we decided to go for some rockfish around the cape and picked up a good haul of seabass/lingcod/rockfish. The sun was up, and the water was glassy everywhere, including Beale which was a nice change! After jigging, we headed to little beale and whittlestone where we picked up 2 nice chinooks to get our limit for the day. An 18 and another 22lber!
Day 3 was tough for us. We went straight to Swale and it was very quite. One chinook and 2 coho is all we managed. Crazy how it changes day to day!
Day 4 was departure day. We needed 2 chinooks to fill our cards, so we popped over to Flemming for 1.5hrs to try to get our limit. We managed 1 cookie cutter chinook and 2 coho before the lightning started, forcing our decision to get back to port before things got dicey.
We only used white hoochies and chovies. springs were 50/50 and coho were hitting the hoochie. Depths between 27 & 55 most days. I heard other spots were filled with chinooks so it was just a matter of right place right time.
We stayed at the bamfield lodge again which was great. Accomodation was clean and the helper Sam was pleasant to deal with. The wreckage is such a great spot for those walking the west side. The food is really good and very reasonably priced (cheaper than mainland prices). On our last night we had a drink on the dock while listening to the locals belt out to the live music that was going on. What a special moment!
Once again, thanks Bamfield for the memories.
ChilliSpoons
Well-Known Member
You gotta try those burbon sours at the Bamfield Wreckage. Yummy yet dangerous. A perfect cocktail
TipUp
Well-Known Member
Oysters and calamari are amazing too.
Rain City
Crew Member
Love the fries.
John P Novotny
New Member
Derby updates?
Bobby Bass
Active Member
As of Sunday afternoon a 23lb 4oz was leading the derby. That's all the info I could find
John P Novotny
New Member
Thanks
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