Islandgirl
Well-Known Member
Good Luck! I tried that once...it took me 1.5 hours longer. I was not towing a boat.
2021 Bamfield and Barkley Sound Reports
- Thread starter SFBC
- Start date
fish brain
Crew Member
Look out Bamfield. Here I come!
jeffywestcoast
Well-Known Member
i have towed the lifetimer (16’) thru lake cowichan twice to bamfield and once thru port this year already , if you take you time the road is not that bad .. i go slow 3 hrs from bamfield to yobou.. never had a problem.
Stosh
Well-Known Member
You have been lucky - so far! I done it, just a matter of time.
If you are leaving from Victoria, add another 1 1/2 hr drive to get to Youbou.
I can tow my boat on nice paved roads (with cell service) from Victoria to Port Alberni, launch, run the inlet and be in Bamfield in 4 1/2 hours. No dust, no beating up the trailer, boat or truck.
My 2 cents
Stosh
RiverBoy
Well-Known Member
yah but with your boat you could tow it down the logging road with no trailer and it would still be fine! lot of our glass boats don’t fare so well.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Aluminum don't count.
trophywife
Crew Member
anyone fishing? picking up too many 18-20" chins.... some reports coming in that over the last few days the bigger fish schools are further back in the sound. Some nice coho coming in too.
Explorer682
Active Member
Had to weed through many of those last week. Managed a few in the low teens , 13.5lbs . Pill Point , Swale ( lots of shakers at swale but got a 27lber there 2 weeks ago) and Sandford. LOTS of good size Coho tight on the rocks at Sandford
Sitting at the ferry. Just finished our 10th annual trip to bamfield with some buds. First time in a few years seeing the coho around early and managed our limits of them and springs. As for locations other than our 2 best springs at Sanford 19& 16 and a coho at the wall all the fish we caught were at spots I've never fished before in the sound. Tried whittlestone Edward King Kirby and only caught a few dinkers. Found a pod of coho of helby Island and got a quick limit of 6 one morning. All other fish we managed were at wizard and it was nuts. I've never trolled a tac there in the 100s of times I've fished bamfield but was damn impressed. Bait was fully stacked up on the shelf on the uke side of island. Had to have been into over 50 fish there over a couple of days. Did try to go out to 5 mile and troll up a Hali but only managed to find some more hatchery springs. All released but was promising for when it opens. Learned to try a new spot but it was the same as always. Find the bait you'll find the fish. Tight lines . Mo
capman
Well-Known Member
Heading to Port Alberni with the family next week. Taking the boat and the trailer staying at China Creek campground. Never fished there so all quite new to me. Has anyone stayed at China Creek campground and if so, is it a decent place for the family to camp there? Also, I understand people are doing ok catching Sockeye and that's what I'm mainly targeting for but for chinook and coho, I understand I need to go to Bamfield. How long is the boat ride from China Creek to Bamfield? My boat is only 22' with 200 HP on the back, is it safe to go that distance for a day and back to the campground? I really appreciate any info to help me making the wife and daughters happy while camping and fishing there.
Stosh
Well-Known Member
It’s about 1 hr 15 to Bamfield from China creek. However, you don’t have to go to Bamfield to fish. There are many fishy spots are an hour from China creek - Swale, Robbers Pass, Sanford, Harbour entrance etc. China creek is a great place to camp. Last time I was there, the restaurant was open, fuel dock, salt ice and clean showers. I made the trip many times in a 21’ with a 200 hp.
Good luck
Stosh
brutus
Well-Known Member
If you plan on going into the sound, prepare for blowing winds on your way back, starts early afternoon and usually eases up just before dark, namint bay is where it’s the nasty part, 3-4 feet wind chop, almost every day, take your time , I’ve done it in 18ft to 25ft boats many times
Pastafarian
Active Member
My 2 cents, camp at poetts nook. Spring fishing right out front, even sockeye in junction pass. Just way more options than China creek. Good luck!!
Pastafarian
Jean Paul Carufo
Active Member
First time we made the run from China Creek to Barkley we were in a 14 foot tin boat with a 15hp Honda and a 7.5hp kicker. We were on the ramp at 4:00 AM when they dropped the chain. It took us 1 hour 15 minutes to Chup Pt and in those days we fished Pill Pt, DIplock and Swale. Almost always smooth in the AM, but we knew we needed to be on our way back by noon. Cutting across Nahmint was always the killer as with wind, 4 ft wind waves are more than a reality. Can be scarry at best and a pretty ugly ride. The fishing in Barkley always made it worth it though. That boat did dozens of runs to Barkley in the almost 15 years we fished it there. Lot's of fish blood in that boat. Your boat, a piece of cake. I'd fish Swale, Mears Bluff/Effingham, Cree, Kirby Pt off Diana. Really you can find fish everywhere. Actually, you are right in the peak of Sockeye in the Inlet. You can drop your downriggers as soon as you leave the harbour at China Creek. Go accross the channel and fish Dunsmuir to the Slide, through the Narrows, Macktush, Franklin Wall, Hook Bay, and 10 Mile Pt. There will be plenty of boats to follow. Send your wife to talk to people coming back to camp from the marina and you should get the 'skinny' on whats going on. You will want to have 2.5" pink and black, MP15 pink hootchies, and leaders with 2 rigid tie 1/0 black steel hooks tied as close together as possible for Sockeye in the Inlet. Leaders are 24" to 27" depending on your trolling speed. Experiment until you find what works for you. Herring Aide Coho Killers and Skinny G's, 4.5" Purple Haze Aurora, Pink, and Army Truck Hootchies, Blue/Chrome, Green/Chrome 4" Coyote spoons and maybe a 6" 602 Tomic for Coho and Springs in Barkley. 42" leaders for hootchies there. Our favorites in Barkley the last couple of years has been 4 Herring Aide Coho Killers on 64" 40# leaders stacked 60', 70', 80', 90' on the back side of Effingham off Mears Bluff. Just troll 1.9 or so SOG between the 94' and 165' contour lines. Money. Our last year before Covid kept us home we had an honest 40 Spring morning on a slack tide. We couldn't get both sides down without a fish on. We really like the 94' contour line wrapping around Swale Rock as well. Again 60' to 90'. Our biggest Coho (18#+) have come from Swale. Anchovies in Purple Haze or UV Green Rhys Davis heads work really well too. Our favorite flasher is the 160 HotSpot Clear UV Chameleon. We love that thing.
We fished and camped (on the lawn!) at China Creek for 30+ years until the Seiners and Gill Netters made it not fun for us anymore. Your family, especially your kids will love the park. It's safe and beautiful. It's sad thinking about not going anymore. We go to Ukie now to catch our Columbia River Springs before they get home. Much mellower experience for us 'old folks'. Enjoy and catch a lot of fish!
jc Tuna Maru
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BryceWCP
Active Member
Been fishing down there my whole life but for the life of me I have no idea where wizard is!!!
Ya id never fished they're but got 1 first tac and never looked back it's just the rock directly across from bamfield harbor with light beacon that everyone flies by on the way to Sanford or swale. Mo
Islandgirl
Well-Known Member
Chinook fishig was hot at Pill pt a few weeks ago. If you decide to go closer to Bamfield you will get swell = seasickness. It may not be the best area for the wife and kids? Try Pill, Harbout entrance, and Howards pt...all pretty fishy areas.
Adrenafin
Well-Known Member
Lol me either
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