Nootka sound / Esperanza reports Spring/Summer 2013

[Drewski Canuck]

Small spoons actually work well on the inside and have for years. You rarely see Pilchards or large Herring on the inside. Bait boils that you do see are all small stuff.

Glad to hear that you did well. I am heading up Aug 2 - 10 with my brother and son. We will be in Defishnsea out of Moutcha Bay. Biggest trick is deep and fast. Don't know why it works mid day, but as fast as you can go before your release clips trip out. Last year was tough for us, and everyone else. However, three good years in a row requires some pull back once in a while.

I am curious where the Thasis fish were up to July 15th. Usually these are big fish, and are caught way up the inlet. Have not heard of anything happening this year with these fish, and I know more than a few boats were fishing the narrows to strange island with little to show for it up to the 15th.


Drewski

 

[xavier]

The inlet was finally good on Monday am, first light, (as were most spots). Two boats I spoke with got 7 between them in the inlet Monday a.m.... can't fish as much of the inlet this year though.

 

[Magspec]

It was slow on inside and outside when we were out 17-21 july we got three little springs on the inside. Guides were saying outside was even a tad slow for springs but lotsa coho. One guide said they had 50-60 coho one morning he said it was crazy three guys working the gear on a big daigle and they were busy busy lol.

 

[Magspec]

what kinda length were you guys using behind flasher for trailing hook? we had good luck in morning with glow hoochies.

 

[Almar22]

Esperanza

We were up at Rogers Lodge the 15th through the 18th. 2 good days fishing outside, up toward Tatchu (sp?) point. Tons of coho, not many hatchery ones. Went through about 50 wild for 5 keepers but lots of fun catching. Hootchies of various colors all seemed to work the best, followed by anchovy in helmets. Got a 38 lb chinook at 160 ft of wire in 180 ft depth. Also picked up 5 or 6 chinook out there.

1 day fishing inside because it was way to rough outside. Very slow, almost skunked except we picked up a 25 lb hali while trolling. Good time and the road to Tahsis is way way better than it was the last time I drove it (10 years ago)!

 

[finaddict]

We were up at Rogers Lodge the 15th through the 18th. 2 good days fishing outside, up toward Tatchu (sp?) point. Tons of coho, not many hatchery ones. Went through about 50 wild for 5 keepers but lots of fun catching. Hootchies of various colors all seemed to work the best, followed by anchovy in helmets. Got a 38 lb chinook at 160 ft of wire in 180 ft depth. Also picked up 5 or 6 chinook out there.

1 day fishing inside because it was way to rough outside. Very slow, almost skunked except we picked up a 25 lb hali while trolling. Good time and the road to Tahsis is way way better than it was the last time I drove it (10 years ago)!

Very nice fat fish. Beauty Hen for sure.

 

[Dan The Man]

Fished from July 18 - 21. Fished bajo for 3 days and limited out on springs and coho. 34 was the biggest , average size of 20lbs. Short leaders and trolling fast seemed to work, the fish are super aggressive and feeding like crazy. Green glow needle fish hoochies got most of the springs. Marked tons of fish inshore but they seemed to be tight lipped , but any day it's going to turn ON indside. I'll be back up there next week and will report back.
Cheers,

 

[Dan The Man]

Small spoons actually work well on the inside and have for years. You rarely see Pilchards or large Herring on the inside. Bait boils that you do see are all small stuff.

Glad to hear that you did well. I am heading up Aug 2 - 10 with my brother and son. We will be in Defishnsea out of Moutcha Bay. Biggest trick is deep and fast. Don't know why it works mid day, but as fast as you can go before your release clips trip out. Last year was tough for us, and everyone else. However, three good years in a row requires some pull back once in a while.

I am curious where the Thasis fish were up to July 15th. Usually these are big fish, and are caught way up the inlet. Have not heard of anything happening this year with these fish, and I know more than a few boats were fishing the narrows to strange island with little to show for it up to the 15th.


Drewski

From strange island all the way up to Thasis inlet is closed this year. It's unfortunate because fishing has been spectacular the last couple years up there. I heard a rumour that it was close due to over 400 tickets handed out just in that area. To bad they ruined it for the honest fisherman.

 

[salmonkiller01]

Off to critter cove in the early am, if your there in the next few days stop by for a pop, 18' double eagle, white with a brand new top.)

 

[spring fever]

Just got back from a quick trip to Nootka-Mon was real slow inside-lots of long faces-Tried all the usual spots inside-had a good hook-up and almost netted at strange island on a small tomic plug-Picked up a coho at Santa Gertrudis in late evening. Tues left in the dark and fog and arrived Bajo by 5 am-huge breaking swells-Combat fishing-really tough-couldn't use chovies-lots of ho's-mostly wild-not enjoyable trying to release in those seas. Back to santa gertrudis-dropped a chovie to 42 ft and voila an 18 pounder. He had very recently been hooked cause a very fresh tandem set of hooks a 4/0 with a 2/0 stinger was in his jaw. Wind was howling in the afternoon-got out again at 7pm-few boats and in an hour right on the boundary by Santa gertrudis we picked up 3 springs. Managed a few coho as well-the key was staying late. Out before light-gear in the water by 5- LED's blinking in teezers in front of chovies and we were limited before the first boat arrived. Moved over to the burdwood shore-no ho's but there was a decent bite for springs-we released 7 to 15lbs and as the number of boats increased(8 at most) we saw more nets. Didn't see anything bigger than a 15. Lures- chovies with a teezer 3 ft in front or a flasher and 7 ft leader. Dble glow green splatterback hootchy -no LED, white cuttlefish hootchy with a dble flash white LED and a 41/2 tomic plug-depths-38 to 43 ft early and 50-60 later in the day. Tight lines

 

[xavier]

From strange island all the way up to Thasis inlet is closed this year. It's unfortunate because fishing has been spectacular the last couple years up there. I heard a rumour that it was close due to over 400 tickets handed out just in that area. To bad they ruined it for the honest fisherman.

Yes, I saw DFO head up the inlet on the weekend. There is about 2.5 miles of the inlet open --- the entire length of Strange Island.

 

[spring fever]

Just got back from a quick trip to Nootka-Mon was real slow inside-lots of long faces-Tried all the usual spots inside-had a good hook-up and almost netted at strange island on a small tomic plug-Picked up a coho at Santa Gertrudis in late evening. Tues left in the dark and fog and arrived Bajo by 5 am-huge breaking swells-Combat fishing-really tough-couldn't use chovies-lots of ho's-mostly wild-not enjoyable trying to release in those seas. Back to santa gertrudis-dropped a chovie to 42 ft and voila an 18 pounder. He had very recently been hooked cause a very fresh tandem set of hooks a 4/0 with a 2/0 stinger was in his jaw. Wind was howling in the afternoon-got out again at 7pm-few boats and in an hour right on the boundary by Santa gertrudis we picked up 3 springs. Managed a few coho as well-the key was staying late. Out before light-gear in the water by 5- LED's blinking in teezers in front of chovies and we were limited before the first boat arrived. Moved over to the burdwood shore-no ho's but there was a decent bite for springs-we released 7 to 15lbs and as the number of boats increased(8 at most) we saw more nets. Didn't see anything bigger than a 15. Lures- chovies with a teezer 3 ft in front or a flasher and 7 ft leader. Dble glow green splatterback hootchy -no LED, white cuttlefish hootchy with a dble flash white LED and a 41/2 tomic plug-depths-38 to 43 ft early and 50-60 later in the day. Tight lines

Already getting calls on the above photo wanting to know how I made an 18 lb salmon look like a 30-well I didn't-that's our biggest-not quite 30 probably 24 to 26-and no I'm not holding it out-I'm to old for that!!!LOL

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

Of course its been slow, we just got over a full moon. I would never waste my time and money going there a week before or after a full moon. Some of you should know that.

 

[spring fever]

Dave makes a good case for a full moon-I was thinking about that as I was looking up at it from the back deck-beautiful!! Still full moon or no, yes it was slow in spots-very hot at other times and a full 2 day limit of nice springs resulted. You just have to work harder-the summer is over much too quickly to not fish one week before and after a full moon. That would make six or 8 weeks of no fishing -depending on how you calculate it during an already too short season!!

 

[SeaWolf]

I knew the full moon comment was coming, seems to happen every year. Full Moon, poor fishing, August comes, fishing improves, go figure.

 

[crazycanuck]

Hey SF I've seen your nifty set up sounds like something new to try.....maybe its not but new to me, where does a guy pick up led's naniamo, cambell?
Nice fishing love to hear all about it in this forum!

 

[GLG]

Great reports guy's... I like that picture of the fish in the bucket... never seen that before.
Will be up there for my annual trip Aug 6,7,8 and 9... oh so looking forward to it this year.
From the reports it sounds like the fish are either on time or a little early this year.
Any opinions on that?
The springs look nice and bright also.... seems like in past years the fish were darker.

GLG

 

[spring fever]

Hey SF I've seen your nifty set up sounds like something new to try.....maybe its not but new to me, where does a guy pick up led's naniamo, cambell?
Nice fishing love to hear all about it in this forum![/QUOTE
George in Ideal tackle has them in Campbell river as does Harbour chandler and Gone fishin in Nanaimo. Not sure who else-check Pirates Den website. I just test and play with the lights -so I'm certainly not up on all the stores that carry them. You have to make your own teezers and hootchys and there are articles on the forum that tell you how to do it. Tight Lines.

 

[Magspec]

Of course its been slow, we just got over a full moon. I would never waste my time and money going there a week before or after a full moon. Some of you should know that.

Ya but when you got the price we got for a full serviced resort it doesnt matter on time its the get away thats worth it. Dont get me wrong woulda been nice to limit out. But just being on the water is reward enough when your from northern Alberta. And yes i know all about moon cycles works with wild game as well, if you have kids you notice that on/before full moon they go nuts.

 

[salty-dog]

Hey SF I've seen your nifty set up sounds like something new to try.....maybe its not but new to me, where does a guy pick up led's naniamo, cambell?
Nice fishing love to hear all about it in this forum!

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