2017 Nootka Sound/Esperanza Inlet Reports

Was in Nootka from Thursday evening - Monday morning. Easy limits of springs for 3 of us. All about 17lbs and up. Biggest being 24lbs. Couldn't manage to find any hali as weather only let us get out for a couple hours Saturday. All in all it was a excellent weekend as always and I look forward to getting back in a couple weekends, and again in September for the northern coho! Lots of fish around for us but some guys didn't do to good. Anchovy's all the way, a couple on spoons.
 
Nothing worse than idiots telling you to control your fish when they can do the decent thing and get out of the way. I agree it does help to circle your fish if you can though how the times have changed when people don't have any regard for their fellow fishers though!
The people who thinks we can "control" a fish has never caught a big one. Sure, if you have a 4# pink salmon on, its easy to horse it in. But if a fish is big enough to peel line and make your reel scream, you won't be able to control it until towards the end of the fight. If you see someone fighting a fish, just move away from the fish. You'd want the same when you have a big one on...
 
Tailwalker,

the point is not the inability to "control" a fish, it is your ability to control the risk of having another boat cut your fish off.

If you troll on while you are fighting a fish, you are either

A. Not driving the boat under control.
B. Increasing the distance from the fish that is trying to swim as fast and far as he can from you.
C. BOTH!!!

Hence another boat crosses you and the fish and cuts you off. You go on the web site and post about all the other A Holes out there.

Yes, I have chased tyee class fish as much as 1/2 a mile before the fish started to wear down, but because you chase the fish, you are able to keep a short distance between you and the fish, all the while keeping other boats from crossing you.

Imagine a fish being 50 yards back of the boat, doing a 60 yard run, multiplied by the trolling boat travelling another 100 yards away, before you start regaining line. You are almost spooled, and then another boat sees 200 yards to cross behind you, presumably safely.

The guy sees your rod bent over or maybe not, and has no idea which direction the fish is going, even if he does realize you have a fish on.

Or, you could try it my way and see if it makes any difference.

Drewski
 
My first year in Nootka I lost 3 fish and complete set ups to other boats,(never got mad it was a zoo, no ones fault) in the last 9 years have not had it happen again. With all the traffic out there it is bound to happen, it sucks. If a guy close to you hooks up, bring your riggers up. If fishing 36 feet you don't need to reel up, clear the guy with a fish, drop back down.
 
I agree mostly about keeping fish close, but not every situation is the same, nor does it always allow it. With rookies on the rod, I often keep the boat moving forward in an effort to help keep steady pressure on a fish. Obviously you don't want a mile of line out, but I know many times I have increased boat speed away from the fish as the guy on the reel just couldn't keep up.....often when the fish is running towards the boat. Bringing your gear up is pretty easy if the boat beside you hooks up. Low odds that fish will bite your hook right after buddy losses it. Just sayin.
 
Well I think we have definitely beat this dead horse on the rules of the road.. 90% of us know the drill and get the hell out of the way. And what I like to call weekend warriors just drive everywhere.. I guided for 18 years so I know the frustration... Anyways sounds like there are fish to be had and next Thursday I will be out there for 5 days trying for the mighty tyee.. Tight lines to all..
 
When I was up there July 12 to 16, I was fishing Burdwood with 1 other boat. I hooked up a screamer right beside the boat as I was checking the roll on my anchovy (I actually watched the big spring hit it then sit on the surface thrashing 15 feet behind the boat, unbelievable). The thing then took off like a rocket and we moved the boat out about 100 yards from shore to try and clear the tack, then and started backing down on the fish with the kicker full throttle to regain line as it was cleaning me out travelling up the towards Gold River. Net in the air. Rod up and line way out on the surface. Had a very good look at the fish early in the fight right beside the boat and it looked a bit bigger then our 29 from the day before, so likely in the low 30's.

The one other boat on the tack decides to check out what we are up to and trolls right across my line sawing off the leader as the fish was shallow at that point. To say I was upset would be an understatement. I guided for 8 years and this was one of the most annoying cut-offs I ever had as there was no excuse given the lack of a crowd.

People if someone is fighting a fish between themselves and the shore DO NOT TROLL BETWEEN THOSE POINTS unless you are 100% sure of where that fish is. When its not crowded, just do a doughnut and by that point most of the time the fish will be under control and the tack will be clear. If someone's fish does run across your riggers, immediately stop trolling forward and they still might have a chance of saving their fish. End rant.
 
When we're fishing at the South Arm of the Fraser, we have to do these tactics just to avoid seals not other boats....lol!
 
If you are driving the boat and trolling either amongst lots of boats or just a few and do not notice when someone hooks a fish, chances are you are not paying attention as to what is going on and have your head inside a dark place.
We are always on the watch to see if anybody is having any luck. That way you can tell when the bite is coming on.
 
Tailwalker,

the point is not the inability to "control" a fish, it is your ability to control the risk of having another boat cut your fish off.

If you troll on while you are fighting a fish, you are either

A. Not driving the boat under control.
B. Increasing the distance from the fish that is trying to swim as fast and far as he can from you.
C. BOTH!!!

Hence another boat crosses you and the fish and cuts you off. You go on the web site and post about all the other A Holes out there.

Yes, I have chased tyee class fish as much as 1/2 a mile before the fish started to wear down, but because you chase the fish, you are able to keep a short distance between you and the fish, all the while keeping other boats from crossing you.

Imagine a fish being 50 yards back of the boat, doing a 60 yard run, multiplied by the trolling boat travelling another 100 yards away, before you start regaining line. You are almost spooled, and then another boat sees 200 yards to cross behind you, presumably safely.

The guy sees your rod bent over or maybe not, and has no idea which direction the fish is going, even if he does realize you have a fish on.

Or, you could try it my way and see if it makes any difference.

Drewski
I believe we both do it the same way. I always come to a stop when fighting a fish, unless I have to chase it to stay close or to stay between the fish and the kelp bed.....
 
Heading up to Nootka next Wednesday for our annual trip, looks like the catching is much better than the VERY SLOW fishing last year. Hoping to check out the Esperanza area this year. How long of a run is it from Critter Cove to the Esperanza surfline?
 
Hey gents, I was able to snag a few tomic plugs for a $1 out of the bargain cave. I've never fished plugs and was wondering do you typically troll the same speed(approx 2.5mph) as spoons and hoochies? Do you typically use a flasher as well?
 
Hey gents, I was able to snag a few tomic plugs for a $1 out of the bargain cave. I've never fished plugs and was wondering do you typically troll the same speed(approx 2.5mph) as spoons and hoochies? Do you typically use a flasher as well?

No to the flasher. thanks to the shovel nose of a plug they have lots of action on their own. seeing as you're new to plugs i won't go into all the different methods of tying them / rigging them. guys are very particular how they are run. classic plugs ( thin sleek body ) need to be run with a bit more speed than tubbys. guys tend to run classics in the mid 3 SOG area. clip much farther back to the rigger to allow the plug to swim more freely
tubbys were designed so you can fish a bit slower,like 2.5 ish SOG.
 
Last edited:
Heading up to Nootka next Wednesday for our annual trip, looks like the catching is much better than the VERY SLOW fishing last year. Hoping to check out the Esperanza area this year. How long of a run is it from Critter Cove to the Esperanza surfline?
A good hour to hour and half ! beauty run too ! if you go that far and the wind is in your favor...might aa well head outside for a good fish !
 
A good hour to hour and half ! beauty run too ! if you go that far and the wind is in your favor...might aa well head outside for a good fish !
what if you go up tahsis inlet and head out that way? would be way calmer. i'm curious myself.
 
Thanks for the info Policeman44. Hopefully we can get out to Ferrer Point and further if the weather cooperates. Fishing out of a 18.5 Malibu so the weather will dictate what we do. We mostly fish the nootka spots but the action has seemed to be more consistent up in Esperanzsa the last couple of years.
 
Heading up to Nootka next Wednesday for our annual trip, looks like the catching is much better than the VERY SLOW fishing last year. Hoping to check out the Esperanza area this year. How long of a run is it from Critter Cove to the Esperanza surfline?
45ish depending on your cruise speed
 
Back
Top