2016 Nootka Sound/Esperanza Inlet Fishing Reports

IMG_1923.JPG Thats funny Marsman I saw a wolf on Bligh Island sunning himself at 6 in the morning. oh yeah got 2 more halibut off Nootka and some lings...salmon was slow one spring inside and released some sockeye off the surf line ...water temp. 63 degrees F. off camel rock
 
Just back from Nootka tonight-Lings and bottom fish were good to excellent-Salmon to say spotty would give spotty a bad name!! It was slow and I worked at it! All the way out a couple of miles beyond the moaning buoy at Bajo this morning and Beano Creek-lots of Lings but no salmon. Only place I could connect with salmon was off the monument late in the evening and really working shallow and deep around wash rock. Managed 4 -best was 22. I'm going to give a tentative plug to Lighthouse lures nano squirt and jughead needle fish rigs-don't usually do this because the fishing was so slow it is not fair to test them. So I gave one to an older friend of mine who was along for the trip. I wanted him to use my islander, or amundson or even a trophy-no he insisted on using and old Penn Level wind-said it was good enough when he fished in the Sun fishing derby and it was fine now. I work in tight around the monument rocks in 51ft of water-930pm-he has on a jughead needlefish purple Haze-you guessed it-tremendous strike-runs like a freight train-his reel is howling but you and I know how this story ends-it's an old star drag and it is not slipping smoothly-30lb test on the needlefish. Fish of a lifetime--I doubt it knowing Nootka this time of year but probably high 20's possibly 30 ish. Break -off!!! Told you that story so you'd know why I gave the army truck version a shot the next night when I had washed bait for an hour or more. Made the switch and 5 minutes later-22lber. Never got another on it but it was interesting- enough that they deserve a serious try again. Bajo is strangelyDSC01459.JPG dead and man there is tons of crap in the water-damn near everywhere. I did not fish inside at all with the exception of Burdwood. Little fish ****
 
View attachment 28225 Thats funny Marsman I saw a wolf on Bligh Island sunning himself at 6 in the morning. oh yeah got 2 more halibut off Nootka and some lings...salmon was slow one spring inside and released some sockeye off the surf line ...water temp. 63 degrees F. off camel rock


yup, He swam across to the little Island we were on and hung out with us.....
 
Just back from Nootka tonight-Lings and bottom fish were good to excellent-Salmon to say spotty would give spotty a bad name!! It was slow and I worked at it! All the way out a couple of miles beyond the moaning buoy at Bajo this morning and Beano Creek-lots of Lings but no salmon. Only place I could connect with salmon was off the monument late in the evening and really working shallow and deep around wash rock. Managed 4 -best was 22. I'm going to give a tentative plug to Lighthouse lures nano squirt and jughead needle fish rigs-don't usually do this because the fishing was so slow it is not fair to test them. So I gave one to an older friend of mine who was along for the trip. I wanted him to use my islander, or amundson or even a trophy-no he insisted on using and old Penn Level wind-said it was good enough when he fished in the Sun fishing derby and it was fine now. I work in tight around the monument rocks in 51ft of water-930pm-he has on a jughead needlefish purple Haze-you guessed it-tremendous strike-runs like a freight train-his reel is howling but you and I know how this story ends-it's an old star drag and it is not slipping smoothly-30lb test on the needlefish. Fish of a lifetime--I doubt it knowing Nootka this time of year but probably high 20's possibly 30 ish. Break -off!!! Told you that story so you'd know why I gave the army truck version a shot the next night when I had washed bait for an hour or more. Made the switch and 5 minutes later-22lber. Never got another on it but it was interesting- enough that they deserve a serious try again. Bajo is strangelyView attachment 28228 dead and man there is tons of crap in the water-damn near everywhere. I did not fish inside at all with the exception of Burdwood. Little fish ****
is the none over 77 cm for springs at the lighthouse in force this year Mike?
 
I have seen the draft copy of the regs and I believe that after the 15 July there will be no over unders at the lighthouse or anywhere else inside for that matter. However-what the gov`t giveth they also taketh away-I think it is a POSSIBILITY that the closed area around the RCA will be extended to the red can at the end of Bajo reef and go from there in a straight line to the mouth of Beano creek. I don`t know if this will be a permanent extension to the RCA or whether it will kick in only after the 15th July and end at some specified date. This is by no means caste in concrete and it is over a few weeks ago I saw it-most people I think will be happy IF it is this way. I can live with it. In a lot of ways it makes sense-anything that simplifies and makes increasingly complex regulations clear is a plus. It is one thing to ticket a guy who knowingly breaks the rules but it is wrong if the rules are so complex that a person can get a ticket or arrested because the rules were ambiguous and he made an honest mistake. My take and this may not be what is in the plans right now but I think we should expect something along these lines.
 
captmike, it's looking like no under 77cm and over from the Lighthouse to Beano after July 15th. Anything over 45cm.

Springfever is right as the draft shows a line from Beno to the Whistle Bouy heading North to Ferrer Pt as a closed area.

It's amazing they have had all winter and spring to get this info out but it will come out at the last minute.

Mike
 
captmike, it's looking like no under 77cm and over from the Lighthouse to Beano after July 15th. Anything over 45cm.

Springfever is right as the draft shows a line from Beno to the Whistle Bouy heading North to Ferrer Pt as a closed area.

It's amazing they have had all winter and spring to get this info out but it will come out at the last minute.

Mike
HI Mike,

Does that mean Ferrer Point will be closed after July 15th or just 77 cm and under?

Thanks,

Dave
 
Dave, as spring fever said it's a draft copy so not final yet but the line showed it from Beno to the Bouy and then North to Ferrer Pt. They could change that part of it still.

Mike
 
There is no doubt that the regs will be no slot limit this year. We will be fishing on a abundant run. The only thing up for discussion is where to draw the lines on the fin fish closures to protect weak stock WCVI chinook. One of the issues at play is DFO is working with the guides to get DNA sampling in place to help establish a baseline study on migration patterns and run composition for the chinook along the traditional surf line corridor used to manage the weak stock WCVI chinook. If we can get enough guides to come on board with the program that will help sort out the study area and fishing boundaries.
 
Fished Esperanza 1/2 day Friday, Saturday and 1/2 day Sunday, got 3 chinooks + 1 coho @ ferrer on Friday, Saturday fished the T and highway, got 3 Hali, 4 large sole and two chinook, Sunday went out to highway, got three chinook then over to ferrer and not even a bite there.
 
fished hard to get our fill of lings and hali but it was tough over this past weekend. ended up with 2 lings and 2 hali caught at twin pinnacles. fished Ferrer and twin rocks where we managed a couple teener springs.
 
I am looking for a DFO map of Esperanza inlet showing Chinook retention limits in each area and another mapwing coho retention limits in each area. I looked through the DFO web site but find it. Has anyone seen this for 2016 ?
 
Gearbox Paul, the maps are not out yet for 2016. You could call them and ask when they will be out and get a bit of an answer.
 
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