2018 Nootka Sound/Esperanza Inlet Reports

I am also thinking about going to Nootka on the long weekend just to fish the inside as my boat is 16 foot. I ran into GreenHornet when I was grabbing some gear last week and he recommended Tuta Marina for camping. Is it possible to trailer my boat right to the campground? I read elsewhere on the forum the Tahsis road is pretty rough. How has the fishing been inside?

Thanks!

Scott
 
You can trailer your boat right to Tuta or launch in gold rover or at cougar creek. The Head bay road is in decent shape with the exception of a few washboard sections where ppl are driving around in 2wd and trying to make it up hills and around corners. Tlupana ML is somewhat rough but no worse than usual, just go slow and you'll be fine. Galliano ML is kinda rough but no worse than it ever is. Fishing is starting to come on from what I have seen. Aug long is always the "Can't Miss" weekend but also comes with the greatest number of people. A 16 foot boat is more than adequate to play around the lighthouse and peek offshore depending on your comfort level. Just make sure you come in before it blows up around 11.
 
Just got back from a sunday-tuesday trip. headed to wash maquinna area, rods in the water by 5 am lots of action but a rookie rod holder lost most fish. other boat in our party trip- limited on springs-not this guy. lot of the chatter is that hoiss and san carlos were on fire in the am. fog bank moved in this am, making the journey to the outside fun but managed to get there and back. bait is TINY. consider bringing trout spoons. white hootchy also working well on short leaders
 
I am also thinking about going to Nootka on the long weekend just to fish the inside as my boat is 16 foot. I ran into GreenHornet when I was grabbing some gear last week and he recommended Tuta Marina for camping. Is it possible to trailer my boat right to the campground? I read elsewhere on the forum the Tahsis road is pretty rough. How has the fishing been inside?

Thanks!

Scott

The road to Tuta Marina is WAY worse than the road to Tahsis. They actually have spent alot of money improving the road to Tahsis and it's got chip seal in almost all of the spots that used to eb rough now. The Tuta Marina road I drove yesterday and has bushes and trees and all sorts of stuff hanging over the road that would be impossible to avoid with a camper or bigger boat. You would definitely be going SLOW. The best way to do it is to launch at Gold River and boat in (10 miles or so) to Tuta. Fishing has been sporadic and pretty slow on the inside, most fish being caught at Friendly Cove and beyond.
 
Short report here, awesome trip once again. Stayed at the 5 star resort called Critter Cove, class act for sure. I'm a bait fisherman, small anchovies worked, however the herring aide coho killer was on fire trolled 4ft behind the flasher. As for halibut, Mac Deep's work incredible and will outfish bait 3-1. Also good for kings and salmon.........

Where does one go for halibut? We tried three spots and couldn't get a bite using big squid, spreader bars and salmon bellies?
 
EEA924F0-8D7F-45FC-AE75-9B2F25BC6887.jpeg Sorry been away from WiFi for a couple weeks.

It’s seems like every day over the last 5 that more and more fish are moving inside. There has been some good night bites in the last three nights at Camel and Hoiss.

It’s the dreaded few days around the full moon and it’s clear at night. The fish will be eating squid all night and it makes them not very hungry during the day.

The Lighthouse has lots of Coho and Springs.

And the best thing is NO wind for the next few days. I’ll post a pic of that.
 
View attachment 39144 Sorry been away from WiFi for a couple weeks.

It’s seems like every day over the last 5 that more and more fish are moving inside. There has been some good night bites in the last three nights at Camel and Hoiss.

It’s the dreaded few days around the full moon and it’s clear at night. The fish will be eating squid all night and it makes them not very hungry during the day.

The Lighthouse has lots of Coho and Springs.

And the best thing is NO wind for the next few days. I’ll post a pic of that.
With that pic you are really living up to your name!
 
Just got back yesterday from Nootka, fished Tuesday to Friday, very very slow, only 2 keepers for our effort, quite a few undersized. Highlight was a 10 lb clipped coho off Beano but felt like riding a bucking bronco out there. Must have been the full moon effect. But no choice as we have the cabin booked for the same time every year. Still god’s country out there and wouldn’t miss the experience.
 
I just got back yesterday and had the same results, fishing was slow last week between the full moon, fog, kelp everywhere and jellyfish. Ran out to the can a couple of days, no bait, no birds, no fish. Did have a decent afternoon at Beano. Like its been said the bait is very small this year as is the average size fish. All in all a great trip, just slow fishing.
 
Fished Nootka Monday to Friday last week. Fished hard everyday and tried everything! Biggest fish was 24# caught on a green mini grand slam bucktail (GSB) at beano. Other fish caught at Hoiss (2), wash rock (3). No love on metal or plugs. Caught on anchovies, green splatterback hoochie with white needlefish GSB insert, and green needlefish GSB. Shorter leaders (28”) were working. Beautiful weather except the fog. Kelp was abundant. Fish were not.
 

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Well I'm not feeling to confident in the reports I'm hearing on here I'm scheduled to head up there August 9-14. I have limited time off every year and this was going to be our first Canadian fishing trip! I'm going to start looking for a backup plan seeing how I must of picked the wrong year to give this a try.
 
Well I'm not feeling to confident in the reports I'm hearing on here I'm scheduled to head up there August 9-14. I have limited time off every year and this was going to be our first Canadian fishing trip! I'm going to start looking for a backup plan seeing how I must of picked the wrong year to give this a try.


You should go. I have fished the area for years. Some years have better fishing than others but the experience is always awesome. Don't get discouraged by slow fishing reports. It can literally change on one flood tide.
 
You should go. I have fished the area for years. Some years have better fishing than others but the experience is always awesome. Don't get discouraged by slow fishing reports. It can literally change on one flood tide.

Agreed, last year we had a slow first couple of days and then the bite came on strong. If it is slow just have to mix things up with location, depth, bait etc.
 
Ran out to the Tail area yesterday. Most boats limited out. Couple of nice halis 49# and 31#.
Sealion plagued us for a bunch of decent Springs...
FOG all the way all day
 
Well I'm not feeling to confident in the reports I'm hearing on here I'm scheduled to head up there August 9-14. I have limited time off every year and this was going to be our first Canadian fishing trip! I'm going to start looking for a backup plan seeing how I must of picked the wrong year to give this a try.

Well, here's my view. People who've fished Nootka and Esperanza over the last 25 years had pretty easy pickings. You didn't have to work very hard to get you limits. Sometimes way before the date you were scheduled to leave. You've had to work harder the last few years to get your limits. I have been out at Bajo/Beano one day caught 4 fish in the 20 lb range (2 fishers) between 0700-0800 one day and the next not got a bite in 8 hours. And then day 3 its hot again. Things change quickly up there. I feel the inside has slowed down compared to a decade again, but, there are still fish. You gotta put in the hours. I often drop the gear in places where no one is fishing and often get fish specifically on the inside. Example the first week of July this year we wanted some calm water after all day on the outside. We went up Tahsis Inlet and nailed 2 - 15lb fish in two hours. No one around everyone told me it was dead. I am pretty sure its still some of the best salmon/Hali fishing on the west coast.
 
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