Esperanza newbie question

[Goblin]

Hello, headed to Flynn's cove August 17. Planning on launching in Zebellos ,I'll be going in a 18 ft aluminium with a 90hp loaded with a weeks worth of gear and a family of 5 so trying to keep my run short. The boat is light to haul so not to worried about road in but I've also never done it. Looking for some pointers on whether this is my best option for launching and keeping my initial trip short with all my stuff. Also looking for any tips it's my wife's dream to catch a halibut but not sure about the opportunity in a boat our size. We'll be fishing for everything but going to try to stay away from any big crowds. Any advice or tips would be much appreciated through the thread or PM. Hope everyone's having a great summer!

 

[Pudsey]

I haven't traveled the Zeballos road for many years but it will definitely give you the shortest boat run and in sheltered water. You will probably find most of the boats at Ferrer Point but you don't have to go that far. I have caught halibut and coho around Centre Island which is just out from Flynn's Cove. The size of your boat will not be a problem, especially in the inside waters. The inside of Catala Island used to be a good bet for coho in late August but check the reg's.

 

[leederbar]

Hello, headed to Flynn's cove August 17. Planning on launching in Zebellos ,I'll be going in a 18 ft aluminium with a 90hp loaded with a weeks worth of gear and a family of 5 so trying to keep my run short. The boat is light to haul so not to worried about road in but I've also never done it. Looking for some pointers on whether this is my best option for launching and keeping my initial trip short with all my stuff. Also looking for any tips it's my wife's dream to catch a halibut but not sure about the opportunity in a boat our size. We'll be fishing for everything but going to try to stay away from any big crowds. Any advice or tips would be much appreciated through the thread or PM. Hope everyone's having a great summer!

I've fished out of Flynn's Cove and also Newton Cove for many years. An 18 footer is a little small if you are going outside of Rosa, especially if it is windy. The good news is, if it is windy, anywhere along Rosa and going back up the inlet are good fishing spots. Unfortunately, the good halibut spots are 7 to 17 miles out and I would not recommend going that far out in an 18 footer since the weather can change quickly. Waves can grow quickly up to 2 meters and if the wind is blowing the wrong way, it will be a very long and uncomfortable trip back in, not to say dangerous.

 

[saanauk]

You may try your salmon gear on the bottom near the mouth of Esperanza for halibut. I have caught halibut near low rock trolling on the bottom.

 

[cohochinook]

I fished Esperenza for years in my 17.5 foot Campion, but not with a family of 5. Check the weather carefully before heading out. Rosa is always pretty sheltered. You can also fish the kelp just outside Rosa at Catala. Black rock is a short run and Tachu Point. Check regs as inside may have some closures. I believe Ferrer is closed in August, but if its open a good bet, along with Pin Rocks. We got a 50 lb halibut right in the inlet just west of Rosa last year and I got a 42lb at Pin Rocks, once while salmon fishing. Just work the bottom.

You may consider launching out of Tahsis instead of Zeballos. I think if you're coming from Campbell River its shorter and road from Gold River to Tahsis is pretty good.

Good luck, play safe and have fun!

 

[Goblin]

Thanks for the info guys looking forward to the trip. Springs will be slowing down by mid August but the coho should be picking up ?

 

[bones]

Watch out for the rocks next to there dock......

 

[TomicTime]

the Tahsis road much better and will add only a few water miles
you have been getting fantastic advice
getting back from Ferrer is always the hard part but it is my fave place to fish kings
it is no doubt closed but check...
Catala can be fantastic surfline fishing
Tachu gets lumpy but is not far
lings there in the rock
hali offshore of Tachu at 200 ish
even the entry cans into Esperanza can crank out chickens
move if you get into Arrowtooth
have fun !!!!!!

 

[TomicTime]

i should add the slot at Pin rock can be amazing......might give family the Willys
try 17-23' there

 

[Goblin]

Thanks for all the great info. I do have Navionics that I'll be watching close on the way over and four sets of eyeballs hanging over the bow And pretty slow going until we get familiar with the area. What is Arrowtooth?

 

[RiverBoy]

Arrow tooth flounder. very similar looking to a chicken hali. been a while since i caught one. i believe their skin is rough; hali skin smooth as butter

 

[TomicTime]

Arrowtooth look a lot like Chickens but have a forked tail and relatively long teeth

flesh turns to mush

 

[TomicTime]

here you go
"Area 51"

49 45.567
127 06.227

the normal legal disclaimers apply.....

 

[Goblin]

Thanks for all the good info! Head down on Monday from Vernon and out to Flynn cove Thursday!! Getting pretty excited.

 

[Aces]

the Tahsis road much better and will add only a few water miles
you have been getting fantastic advice
getting back from Ferrer is always the hard part but it is my fave place to fish kings
it is no doubt closed but check...
Catala can be fantastic surfline fishing
Tachu gets lumpy but is not far
lings there in the rock
hali offshore of Tachu at 200 ish
even the entry cans into Esperanza can crank out chickens
move if you get into Arrowtooth
have fun !!!!!!

Ferrer is closed. Thanks for letting our Chinooks get by there. Maybe that Clayoquot stock will recover now.

 

[TomicTime]

Ferrer is closed. Thanks for letting our Chinooks get by there. Maybe that Clayoquot stock will recover now.

Portland point might be my fave deep fishery 160 with 180' + on the rigger scratching bottom..trying to look like a candlefish ( when i stay there i stay at Weigh West, rent rooms, splurge downtown, but tackle at the place with fuel, etc)
love the bakery there...world class and i have been to France

but that does raise an excellent question fishtofino, is that the stock we are protecting by not fishing Ferrer but 1 mile offshore i can fish ? the highway at Espy makes quite a turn as no doubt you know...

at Portland or Wolfe or _________ ? what stocks are we fishing on ?

next time in Tofino dinner and a cold one on me

 

[Aces]

Portland point might be my fave deep fishery 160 with 180' + on the rigger scratching bottom..trying to look like a candlefish ( when i stay there i stay at Weigh West, rent rooms, splurge downtown, but tackle at the place with fuel, etc)
love the bakery there...world class and i have been to France

but that does raise an excellent question fishtofino, is that the stock we are protecting by not fishing Ferrer but 1 mile offshore i can fish ? the highway at Espy makes quite a turn as no doubt you know...

at Portland or Wolfe or _________ ? what stocks are we fishing on ?

next time in Tofino dinner and a cold one on me

Those fish at Portland pt weren't our fish. Our fish crawl down the beach starting around Kyuquot. Our local stocks have never recovered from damge from logging practices and river mouth net fishing. Our ability to produce more hatchery fish is very limited. We don't have a Robertson creek or Conuma river type facility the the Feds created. We have been closed to Chinook retention for our inside waters for over 15 years and yet last year our rivers saw a marked improvement in returns. Looks like closing Ferrer helped as DFO knew threw DNA sampling those came thru that ambush spot.

 

[TomicTime]

Those fish at Portland pt weren't our fish. Our fish crawl down the beach starting around Kyuquot. Our local stocks have never recovered from damge from logging practices and river mouth net fishing. Our ability to produce more hatchery fish is very limited. We don't have a Robertson creek or Conuma river type facility the the Feds created. We have been closed to Chinook retention for our inside waters for over 15 years and yet last year our rivers saw a marked improvement in returns. Looks like closing Ferrer helped as DFO knew threw DNA sampling those came thru that ambush spot.

this is very good to know !!! as you might imagine there was speculation on the dock up North but not a lot of facts
i dont need to kill the last fish just because its my favorite wall.
IF i overnite in Tofino on the way home I will PM you and make good on the offer of a beer