i was there last week. fishing inside we got one fish each day.. we put in time at strange and saint carlos. good to hear its starting to pick up
Nootka Sound - Spring and Summer 2012
- Thread starter Coachman
- Start date
i was there last week. fishing inside we got one fish each day.. we put in time at strange and saint carlos. good to hear its starting to pick up
Coachman
Member
Just back from Critter cove. Wedesday gave only one little clipped coho from the lighthouse.
Thursday we fished hard all day at hoise point, the lighhouse and out past the ribbon boundary. 3 springs that day. Friday we headed straight for Bajo. 22, 18, 24 and 29 lbs springs. One on a plug, the rest on anchovies with a 6' leader and cop car flasher. 4 black cod and 2 good yellow eye. ALL our springs were caught at 44 feet on the ball and 2.75 miles per hour troll. Ho hali, but we didn't put in any effort
looking for them.
All said and done, we fished 3 days and cleaned out at 96 lbs of filletted fish. Folks at Critter were awesome as always.
Headed back for Tuesday, through to Saturday. Will update again when we get back...
Thursday we fished hard all day at hoise point, the lighhouse and out past the ribbon boundary. 3 springs that day. Friday we headed straight for Bajo. 22, 18, 24 and 29 lbs springs. One on a plug, the rest on anchovies with a 6' leader and cop car flasher. 4 black cod and 2 good yellow eye. ALL our springs were caught at 44 feet on the ball and 2.75 miles per hour troll. Ho hali, but we didn't put in any effort
looking for them.
All said and done, we fished 3 days and cleaned out at 96 lbs of filletted fish. Folks at Critter were awesome as always.
Headed back for Tuesday, through to Saturday. Will update again when we get back...
Island Fish Lifter
Well-Known Member
slow right now>
directmule
Member
I have been following this thread for a while now and it has been interesting. We were up ther from June 26 until July 10 and it still seems to be a hit and miss, like the time we were there. It has been a strange year for this area.
Will be back up there on Aug. 4 for another go for 16 days and please do not get me wrong, we could have limited out on springs & coho, but we are pickey, we keep what we want and release most. In that mentioned time frame I could not tell you how many teenagers springs we released, we came home with 6 springs, biggest a 29lb off Strange Is on June 30 and it was a bright silver where as I saw one 23lb from Strange on June 29 that was dark.
Have fished this area for a while back in the late 80s & early 90s and for the last 5yrs........this has been a strange year. I talked to people that went out one day and limited out, largest being 29lb and went back the next day only to get skunked.
Will let you know how we make out when we head back up there in Aug.
Will be back up there on Aug. 4 for another go for 16 days and please do not get me wrong, we could have limited out on springs & coho, but we are pickey, we keep what we want and release most. In that mentioned time frame I could not tell you how many teenagers springs we released, we came home with 6 springs, biggest a 29lb off Strange Is on June 30 and it was a bright silver where as I saw one 23lb from Strange on June 29 that was dark.
Have fished this area for a while back in the late 80s & early 90s and for the last 5yrs........this has been a strange year. I talked to people that went out one day and limited out, largest being 29lb and went back the next day only to get skunked.
Will let you know how we make out when we head back up there in Aug.
Sharphooks
Well-Known Member
Ucluelet was a similar story for me last week. I saw a lot of boats running around burning gas out on Big Bank looking for obvious bait sign---not much to be found. Saw very few aggregations of pilchards in the normal spots. I did catch springs every day but generally had to work for them by covering lots of water. All were hooked while I was looking at a clean screen on the fish finder--- (no bait in the main water column)
Historically, in July I seem to pick up my fish between zero and 80 feet, with the most common depth being 50 - 65 feet. Those depths worked for coho last week (and piles and piles of immature springs, 3 to 9 pounds) but if I wanted to hook meat and potato springs, I found that I had to go deep ---all my springs were caught at 130 - 180 feet. The only sign on the screen when I hooked these fish was a vague salt and pepper band just off the bottom that I could only really see using the marker zoom function of my fish finder.
The springs all had at least one herring (red label size) one pilchard or one mackerel in their stomachs. (Only one piece of bait, like they were doing alot of swimming to find their lunch and not finding much for all that swimming)
The large schools of mackerel help tell at least some of the story---some screwy water temps going on this year. They were all over the spots I tried in Barkley Sound--- I get a general sense that 2012 will be a late show for springs due to water temps, with August (and maybe September) being the time to really put the screws in.
I'm banking on that---heading to Hardy mid August this year and hoping the springs will still be there. Pounding coho is not my idea of salmon fishing -- I know I'm taking a chance going late but this seems like the year to take a chance going late
Here's a pic of one spring that had a huge mackerel in its gullet, so long it was sticking out of its mouth
Historically, in July I seem to pick up my fish between zero and 80 feet, with the most common depth being 50 - 65 feet. Those depths worked for coho last week (and piles and piles of immature springs, 3 to 9 pounds) but if I wanted to hook meat and potato springs, I found that I had to go deep ---all my springs were caught at 130 - 180 feet. The only sign on the screen when I hooked these fish was a vague salt and pepper band just off the bottom that I could only really see using the marker zoom function of my fish finder.
The springs all had at least one herring (red label size) one pilchard or one mackerel in their stomachs. (Only one piece of bait, like they were doing alot of swimming to find their lunch and not finding much for all that swimming)
The large schools of mackerel help tell at least some of the story---some screwy water temps going on this year. They were all over the spots I tried in Barkley Sound--- I get a general sense that 2012 will be a late show for springs due to water temps, with August (and maybe September) being the time to really put the screws in.
I'm banking on that---heading to Hardy mid August this year and hoping the springs will still be there. Pounding coho is not my idea of salmon fishing -- I know I'm taking a chance going late but this seems like the year to take a chance going late
Here's a pic of one spring that had a huge mackerel in its gullet, so long it was sticking out of its mouth
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pescador
Well-Known Member
Not sure how good this link is, but, here's Critter Coves cam to give you up to date sense for weather and action at dock at CC.
http://www.crittercove.com/local-nootka-information
http://www.crittercove.com/local-nootka-information
directmule
Member
the fog ducker
Well-Known Member
buddys just came back ,2 boats , sorry ta say, , Slow for most boats , compared ta years past he said...
you got a long way ta go , things can totally change
fd
you got a long way ta go , things can totally change
fd
Pippen
Well-Known Member
I'll keep ya posted with how things are slightly to the north in Kyuquot as those fish kinda have to move south at some point.
scott craven
Well-Known Member
Pescador, a buddy of mine fished at Bligh island last weekend and did well.
their group limited on Springs mostly in the mid twenties
although there was one over 30lbs.
He said not all boats did as well, good bite in the morning and then quiet periods.
directmule
Member
We are leaving Sat. morning, Aug 4th for Moutcha Bay Resort for another go at it and have a computer that works this time, so will let you know how we make out but from what I hear & understand is it is much like it was when we were up there in late June..........hit & miss, some days were hot and others were not. I do see on Moutcha's fishing board that the fish are getting bigger.............a 42lb last week and "YES" there is the weather but at least now you don't have to go outside...........3 sleeps for us.
Mourning Wood
Member
Just got back and it was pretty slow for us.... some people limited early and others got very little. Our last day fishing (Sunday) it was pretty obvious that the big girls were moving to the inside. A bunch of boats were nailing them just outside cougar creek. Got some fish but not the freezer stock we were hoping we would for such a long drive but that's fishing some times. It was my first time up so just being there was a treat and I'll give it another go sometime for sure. Here's to tight lines with not too many mackerel on them for the rest of you!
oguard
Active Member
Just got back tonight. Fishing was spotty at best had to put in the time. We got three fish pushing 30 and the rest was 12-20 range. The mackrel were brutal to say the least with double headers every 10 minutes. It seemed if you could get through the macks you could get your springs. Heres hoping the fish come in with bigger numbers. Hopefully the water temp cools off. All in all, it was a good trip with some great people always a highlight of the year.
Mike
Mike
Salmonface
Member
Spent July 27-30 at Moutcha Bay. Awesome facilities. Great launch and moorage for the boat. Fished Friday night. Started at Strange Island and moved up Tahsis Inlet to the Log Dump. One coho that spit the hook. Oh and a gold Betsy flasher ( bonus ). No Chinook. Saturday up at 5 and at San Carlos by 6. Had one soft hit on a 5 inch army truck spoon. Spit the hook when a seal started eyeing it for a meal. Moved to the Lighthouse and picked up a wild coho. Back in the drink. Out to Bajo. Nothing until we moved Northwest of the Red Can. Picked up two teenagers on 6 inch tomics. Lost one of them to a bad net job compounded by a foul hooked ( in the head ) situation. Sunday back to the reef. Nothing but a wild coho. But seas where calm ( flat ) and we worked it hard. Monday decided to try San Carlos again. Fished tight to the wall. Picked up two nice ones. High teens / low twenties. Fishing was anything but outstanding but for my first trip to the area we managed to fish many of the spots mentioned on this thread and finally got to try almost every spoon, hootchie, teaser, flasher I had in the box! Next year we'll be back, just later in August.
Anyfishlldo
Member
Returned today from a hard working trip. If you like mackeral than this is the year for you.. Picked up three in the 30's with most of the 12 caught being in the 22-25 lb range.. White hooch did most of the damage with a 658 tubby plug coming in a close second.. One of the 30's actually came from jigging by camel rock on Tuesday.. Loved hearing guys going by saying to each other that "jigging doesn't work anymore" as the
30+ was sitting in the box.. Some fresh fish have just moved in and 90% of ours were nice and silver. If you're planning to stay at Cougar Creek be prepared as Dick is full up every day. Had to stay in the parking lot on the first night but not a worry as we were there to fish and not to camp. Have fun anyone going, should be good these next two weeks.
30+ was sitting in the box.. Some fresh fish have just moved in and 90% of ours were nice and silver. If you're planning to stay at Cougar Creek be prepared as Dick is full up every day. Had to stay in the parking lot on the first night but not a worry as we were there to fish and not to camp. Have fun anyone going, should be good these next two weeks.
