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Planning an early season trip to Nootka in May. I'm wondering what to expect for bottomfishing at this time of year? We're planning on mainly targeting bottom fish near the surfline. Usually make an annual trip to Nootka in early August but a spring trip will be the first time. Is Moutcha Bay the only resort open then?
 
Planning an early season trip to Nootka in May. I'm wondering what to expect for bottomfishing at this time of year? We're planning on mainly targeting bottom fish near the surfline. Usually make an annual trip to Nootka in early August but a spring trip will be the first time. Is Moutcha Bay the only resort open then?
May is usually good for bottom fish, the halibut are often available in good numbers as there hasnt been any pressure on them yet. While they are often closer to shore at that time, normally need to go further than the surf line. Weather is more variable than later in the season. You can find lings and rock fish on the bottom there though. Salmon that early are hit and miss, in the inlets will be mainly feeders, in our area can be some bigger ones off Catella, Ferrer, Grassy. Chinook are open up to 1nm off shore. We are open in May in Esperanza (Port Eliza Inlet) at that time for bring your own boat we rent rooms, you can bring your own food. Much shorter run to the grounds than Moutcha!
 
The recreational fishery management measures extended from 2019 into 2020 are:

WCVI Subareas 20-1 and 20-2, and offshore Area 121, as well as Areas 123 to 127 seaward of a 1 nm Boundary Line:

- January 1 to March 31, 2 Chinook per day

- April 1 to July 14, Chinook non-retention

- July 15 to July 31, 1 Chinook per day with a maximum size of 80 cm fork length ( additional actions implemented in response to the Big Bar rockslide

-August 1 to December 31, 2 Chinook per day
 
The recreational fishery management measures extended from 2019 into 2020 are:

WCVI Subareas 20-1 and 20-2, and offshore Area 121, as well as Areas 123 to 127 seaward of a 1 nm Boundary Line:

- January 1 to March 31, 2 Chinook per day

- April 1 to July 14, Chinook non-retention

- July 15 to July 31, 1 Chinook per day with a maximum size of 80 cm fork length ( additional actions implemented in response to the Big Bar rockslide

-August 1 to December 31, 2 Chinook per day

Hello: has this been confirmed ? I can’t seem to find this in writing. If so, I guess i won’t be going to the west coast for the first time in 15 years.
 
Hello: has this been confirmed ? I can’t seem to find this in writing. If so, I guess i won’t be going to the west coast for the first time in 15 years.

Yes it was put into the DRAFT IFMP and confirmed by DFO. They may be subject to change tho come June 1.

upload_2020-3-10_12-57-44.png
 

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The caretaker has been out hali fishing a couple of times lately. He had 4 overs but no legal fish in close, 2 miles off Catella Island fishing herring. He was out solo so didn't take any pictures of the released fish. I have a 2 week self isolation period ending April 4th after coming back from the U.S. on Saturday, but will be heading up to the Lodge after so should have some regular Esperanza area reports coming out soon. Hoping for a season!
 

Don't know if this was done by anyone on this site but its great entertainment till July....... when we can do the real thing.

Some darn good videos them boys put out. Nice and clean no F bombs flying around, very well done.

It’s funny in this video the boys were in Nootka the beginning of July and had no problem finding the fish. If we went by most of the reports on here around the beginning of July on Nootka you would have thought the place was just about void of fish. Just goes to prove, 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish. But that is fishing some times, hot for a couple days and cold again for a few, especially when all fishing has to take place on the inside your kind of limited to just getting the waves of fish as they come in.

Well done gentlemen, enjoying your videos, if your on here at all.
 
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Don't know if this was done by anyone on this site but its great entertainment till July....... when we can do the real thing.

Thanks for sharing, with a bit of luck we will run into one another on the docks up there in july!

I realize how trivial that sounds with all that's going down in the world. Good to have something to look forward to though.
 
It’s funny in this video the boys were in Nootka the beginning of July and had no problem finding the fish. If we went by most of the reports on here around the beginning of July on Nootka you would have thought the place was just about void of fish.

Esperanza the end of June and Early July last year was unbelieveable fishing every day - but not in the inlet, it was slow. You had to be off shore a bit, west of Catella island. Esperanza the boundaries are from Taschu Point to Ferrer point, and offshore 1nm of that, a much larger area than south in Nootka sound. Ferrer was hit and miss, but offshore of Catella was easy limits from early June to mid July. Grassy Island and Rugged Point area were also really good early season (Rugged closed early July).
 
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Very glad you found and shared one of last years trips Pescador. Scheduled to be back June and July this year. If anyone sees us, please say hello. Will be staying at Critter . Cheers.


Don't know if this was done by anyone on this site but its great entertainment till July....... when we can do the real thing.
 
I am supposed to be at Critter Cove in July. Has anyone heard that it will be business as usual? I heard the Moutcha Bay derby at the end of June is cancelled
 
I contacted them last week. Business as usual for now.

They (Moutcha) emailed a week ago stating they are deferring the second half payment to June 1. It seems like a wait and see approach but it does seem hard to picture a trip coming together in July unfortunately due to the govt mandate around travel, hotels, lodges and so forth.
 
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