2015 Bamfield and Barkley Sound Reports

Took advantage of the weather & fished outside at 10 Mile Friday for a few hours. Ran out from Clutesi in the AM, passing at least 300 boats on the way - about 200 in the area around China Creek & another 100 or so in the Bamfield area. The water was as flat as I've ever seen it & we were able to run at cruising speed both directions without touching the throttle (until we went though Nahmint on the return - where it was a little choppy with the afternoon inflow wind). We could have been on a lake for most of the trip. On the outside, the swells were so small they weren't noticeable & we spent most of our time in sun &, a rare experience for me, in full view of the coast - although patchy fog coming up from the South did block the view a few times.

We found lots of algae in the top 30' with lines coming in covered with the red snot. We shifted around to find clear water, but found the algae seemed to be everywhere in large patches, so gave up & just fished where we were. We did notice that most boats we saw offshore were fishing further out towards Rats Nose, so perhaps they knew more about the algae than we did & we should have tried out a little further??

The purpose of the trip was to try for halibut as we can't get them in our usual water off Nanoose, but had no luck on that front - 1st time I've been "halibut skunked" where we were. We did boat a couple of nice hatchery Coho and a good Chinook that hit on a bottom line set up for halibut, as well as several wild coho that went back. We also landed a couple of v nice black rockfish that hit lines set just below the algae (they blackened up nicely last night). Most were caught on 6" herring that I had jigged & frozen in the spring. A few of the coho were on a spinning rod set up with a naked (no flasher) green & white coyote trailed high (in the algae) as well on a line set below the algae at 30-40' - Lots of fun.

One of the coho was covered with what looked like skin parasites - never seen anything like it on the ocean. It reminded me of a wormy perch from a warm freshwater lake........ it went back.
 
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Just back from a productive trip to Bamfield. Got offshore on Thurs and boated my largest fish, a 43 lb halibut... Awesome! Fri and this morning we found a mess of springs and a few coho off the wall, which was convenient as it was a little breezy. The good/ bad news was the slot limit wasn't much of an issue as the vast majority of the fish were unders. Got to be a lesson in selective breeding there, but that's a topic for another thread.
 
Grace underfire said:
The good/ bad news was the slot limit wasn't much of an issue as the vast majority of the fish were unders. Got to be a lesson in selective breeding there, but that's a topic for another thread.
Click to expand...

The majority of the Chinook we are catching are under 77 cm. The purpose behind the 2 under regulation this season is to ensure that enough of the age 4 females reach the river to help ensure we have enough eggs for the hatchery. The run forecast was for a low number of returning age 4 Chinook. In a normal year the age 4 returning adults comprise about 65% of all the run. This year is predicted to be very low. It is the age 4 and 5 fish that will contribute to the spawn. Normally the age composition of a returning cycle is about 15% as age 3 year (under 77 cm and mostly males - about 95% from my DNA sampling this year); then 65% or so will be age 4 fish; and the balance will be age 5 fish which are the largest fish. With the strong showing of the age 3 fish this season it bodes well for a strong return of large age 4 fish for the 2016 season, so likely we will return to the old regulation next season of 1 under 1 over 77 cm. Hope this helps to explain why we are doing the 2 under 77 thing. No one likes letting a large fish go, but this season it is pain with a purpose.
 
Also, I should point out there are LOTS of fish in Barkley. So even with the 2 under 77 restriction the fishing has been great.
 
Not sure if all are following these rules been seeing more then a couple over being retained....... :(
 
No one likes letting a large fish go, but this season it is pain with a purpose.[/QUOTE]
I would respectfully suggest that there are many anglers who get a lot of enjoyment out of letting the big ones go, after a good fight and a picture, and keeping moderately sized fish. I would also suggest that the size issue is more than a one year hick up around Bamfield and more of us are going to have to start changing the culture around keeping large fish if things are to turn around.
 
Glad to hear you have the right attitude toward releasing these fish. I wasn't suggesting for one minute there isn't a lot of enjoyment from releasing them. The purpose is entirely noble, and one I fully support which was the reason for sharing the rationale for the rule. Your post suggested the reason for the 77 cm rule had something to do with selective breeding and that is not the case. Although I would agree there is a case to be made for a slightly different approach to selecting brood stock for hatchery purposes.
 
By selective breeding I meant the disperportionate amount of large fish taken out of the system by guys who toss back smaller, but mature, fish in order to keep fishing for and keeping bigger ones. Having been involved in several fisheries in Canada and Australia, the BC salmon fishery is unique in that respect I think.
 
I remember when 30+ lb coho's were being caught, a buddy of mine caught a 31 lber when he was 10 years old along with another kid who netted a 33 lber the same day. Both were photographed and put in the newspaper.

20+ years ago my 10 yr old boated a 52 lb spring in the Alberni inlet.
 
Just heard a rumour that DFO has now changed the reg's for inside... 1 over & 1 under.
Anyone confirm this??
 
Phoned the DFO today asking about the new regs. for inside.
It has been changed to one over and one under, HOWEVER, it is not valid until there is an official publication.
So the next question was, how long will that take.
Answer given was a bit vague but could possibly be today or tomorrow.
So until it's made official the present rule is the one to go by.
Also talk about opening up the river (Stamp).
 
They just posted the change in reg's - open til Oct 15, 2 per day within Area 23, one of which may be greater than 77 cm.
woot-woot!!
 
Here you go. I personally think this is the wrong decision. There are not many large spawning females this year, and the original regulations were designed to protect them so we have a future fishery. The only small win is perhaps there are more that will make it to the river than would have been the case had this regulation change been made earlier in August.

I hope they collect some more data and double check to make absolutely certain we are not simply bowing to political pressure to save the derby.



Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Salmon


Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada


Subject: FN0966-Recreational - Salmon: Chinook - Area 23 and 123 - Barkley Sound - Daily Quota Limit Change Effective Immediately


Effective immediately until 23:59 hours October 15, 2015 the daily quota for
the tidal recreational fishery for chinook salmon will be two (2) chinook per
day one of which may be greater than 77 cm in the following area:


Area 23 and that portion of Area 123 shoreward of a line drawn one nautical
mile seaward of the surfline.


Variation Order Number 2015-426



On August 31, 2015 Department staff met with the Area 23 Harvest Roundtable to
discuss the Area 23 chinook tidal water recreational fishery. At this meeting
the Roundtable was informed by DFO South Coast Stock Assessment staff that
preliminary in-season indicators for Somass chinook were larger than
forecasted. This change was based on recreational CPUE’s and current
escapements, which suggested a higher return. This prompted the current change
in the chinook conservation measures.


Notes:


Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal waters of British
Columbia.


The term "marked" means a hatchery fish that has a healed scar in place of the
adipose fin.


Sport anglers are encouraged to participate in the Salmon Sport Head Recovery
program by labelling and submitting heads from adipose fin-clipped chinook and
coho salmon. Recovery of coded-wire tags provides critical information for
coast-wide stock assessment. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program
toll free at (866) 483-9994 for further information.


Anglers are advised to check http://bcsportfishguide.ca for fishing closures
and other recreational fishing information.


Tidal Water Sport Fishing Licences can be purchased via any computer connected
to the internet at
https://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/nrls-sndpp/index-eng.cfm
or by using Google search key words “Recfish Licence”


Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call
the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line
at (800) 465-4336


For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at
1-(866)431-FISH (3474)




FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contact the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Port Alberni office at 250 720 4440 or
visit our website at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
 
Knucklebuster 21 Ft Striper Black Hull will be up this weekend for the derby
Any forum members around ?
 
Wife and I are coming up to fish the derby this weekend, I've never fished the inlet or the Sound, thus my expectations are pretty low as I have no idea where to go lol….that said - it should be fun to get out on the water.
 
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