2021 Port McNeill, Telegragh Cove Reports
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Northdogboy
Active Member
I'm coming up end of June with a friend to go kayak fishing out of Alder Bay. The 25 to 27 of June. Iv never fished up there befor what's the tide and current like in the area? I would have looked for a lower tide change but can't pick the days.
Was hoping for salmon but I guess not till July so mostly hunting halibut and lingcod.
Was hoping for salmon but I guess not till July so mostly hunting halibut and lingcod.
Northdogboy
Active Member
Thanks for the intell. Ya living on the island makes going fishing a lot simpler.
And a couple of chickens is fine because I want to bring them home for the family.
And a couple of chickens is fine because I want to bring them home for the family.
Sitkaspruce
Well-Known Member
Watch out for the tides, they rip through that area and there is lots of crazy rip tides.
If you want to catch a few fish, load up the Kayaks and either head out from McNeill and fish from Ledge Pt to Lady Ellen point on a flood. Some springs and a few hali along the beach. Again, watch the tides as they can move through there.
Another option is catch the ferry to Malcolm Island and drive to Bere Point and launch off the beach at the campsite. Fish the point or the bay up to Malcolm or down to Black Bluff. Springs and hali hang out in this area.
Some good areas to explore, although a few are a good paddle from Alder Bay, so don't be afraid to drive.
Good Luck
Cheers
SS
Jean Paul Carufo
Active Member
I've attached the current tables for Pearse Passage, Cormorant Island for your three days 6/25, 6/26, & 6/27. Note that you have 'Slack Water' on the 25th at 10:41 AM and 5:41 PM. You can 'usually' fish an hour or 'so' on either side with not a lot of trouble, pretty much straight up and down. On the 26th 'Slack Water' is 5:02 AM, 11:27 AM, and 6:20 PM. On the 27th 'Slack Water' is 5:55 AM, 12:41 PM, and 7:10 PM. Again, an hour or so either side should be okay. Please be careful in that 'Max flows' those days are from 4.9 kts to 6.3 kts depending on the tide. We have been out trying to cross Johnstone Straight going back to Alder Bay and have it blow up from dead flat to 5' to 6' wind waves in a blink because we wanted to make 'one last drop' and were 15 minutes late getting back. Please be careful. As to fishing, we've caught lot's of Halibut on the 350' flat in front of Malcom Bay, drifting from about 250' to 400' in front of Stubbs, and our favorite was drifting the closure line at Parson's Bay in about 240' or so, if I remember right. When we still could, one current cycle we had 4 50# fish (9 on that day) with tails sticking out of the fish box as we docked back at Alder Bay in a 14 ft aluminum. Those were the Mike Robert's Lucky Jig days. I miss them.
It's one of the most beautiful places we have ever fished. Also, there's a kelp bed on the South end of Malcom Island that we often fished with MacDeeps through the kelp. Caught everything there from Black Rockfish to Lings to Springs. Never knew what would bite.
Enjoy. Be Safe!
jc Tuna Maru
Oops, forgot to add the 27th. It's there now.
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crack of noon
New Member
Jean Paul Carufo
Active Member
I have an old program from Nobeltec called 'Tides and Currents' that lists tides and currents for Western Canada, West and East Coast of the US, and Central America. I don't think the program is still available. A really good friend that I met at China Creek in 1990 gave it to me and thankfully Windows 10 will still run it. We use it all the time, especially for Neap (Halibut) Tides around Port McNeill and Slack Water at the mouth of the Columbia when we are fishing Springs, but especially crossing the bar. Almost everyone knows that Salmon bite on the 'Change of Tide', but in reality it's the 'Change of Current'. The fish seem to mill around and feed more agressively. At least, that has been our experience.
In Looking I did find this: https://www.tides.gc.ca/eng/data/table/2021/curr_ref/6500 It doesn't list as many locations as my 'old' computer program, but it looks like it would really help you in BC. Especially for Halibut, but also for Springs, we look for every two weeks Neap TIdes (Quarter Moon) because they have the smallest changes and longest slack periods. We did it for years at Alder Bay and would get 2-3 hours of almost no water movement allowing us to fish our 1# jigs straight up and down in up to 400' with no scope. In water where currents have an effect, if you pay attention, it will definitely positively affect your success.
Hope that helps. By the way, I updated my above post to include the 27th. I missed it the first time.
jc Tuna Maru
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crack of noon
New Member
Thanks for the info. I find predicting slack tide in the McNeil area difficult
Jean Paul Carufo
Active Member
We typically launch from Alder Bay and fish from Malcom Island to Cracroft. Fishing that area, we find the Pearse Passage, Cormorant Island station numbers to be pretty much right on. We have lots of Halibut numbers for the area, but fishing across the closure at Pearson Bay to the left of the light in 242', I think, has always been our favorite. BUT, we know as the current starts to build about an hour after the slack we can't daudle, as by the time we run back and try to cross Johnstone Straight back to Alder Bay, it can really get ugly...........and dangerous.
tight Lines.
jc Tuna Maru
tight Lines.
jc Tuna Maru
Jean Paul Carufo
Active Member
In looking at available apps in the Play Store I stumbled on 'Tides and Currents' by FlyToMap. At a quick glance it looks pretty good with no adds. I initially thought it was just US locations, but in playing with it, if you push the 'search' icon and start to type in brit (british columbia) all of the British Columbia locations come up, both Tide and Current. Hundreds of them in alphabetical order. You have to know locations you are looking for. They aren't listed by area. The little icon to the left of the location tells you which one it is, tide or current. Way down the list I found current times for Waynton Passage that is right off of Alder Bay. That would be right in the ballpark for the whole area. The only limitation to the program I see is that it only allows you to go out one week. Not great for long term planning. A start though. By the way, make sure you save locations you want with the 'star' icon at the top. Otherwise, you have to do the whole 'search' process again to get back into the BC list. Hope this helps. I don't know if it also available in the Apple Store. Don't have one.
Tight Lines. jc Tuna Maru
Tight Lines. jc Tuna Maru
Northdogboy
Active Member
Thanks for all the help. Hopefully a successful trip.
Capt_Ed
Crew Member
If you don't get any help let me know, I'll be up there the end of next week. If it's still there I'd be happy to retrieve it and get it back to you
Westcoastkona9
New Member
Good afternoon everyone. I am headed to McNeill this weekend and was wondering about wind prediction models in that area. I have a lightweight 18 foot aluminium with plenty of power, however the hull is not configured for heavy winds or large chop and i want to be as safe as possible. I fish Nanaimo and Renfrew often, and am used to very accurate wind prediction 1-2 days out through the NAM prediction models available on Windy, or other wind apps. May I ask those experienced the following please:
1) are there any accurate wind forecasts for that area ?
2) if we stick to trolling the backside of Malcolm, if I need to count on afternoon southerly wind, am I better to be and Dongel or the north side ?
3) with hot weather here, is it safer to go for halibut at Taylor or George bank (or am I splitting hairs)?
Thanks folks ! I will post my report after we get back on Sunday
1) are there any accurate wind forecasts for that area ?
2) if we stick to trolling the backside of Malcolm, if I need to count on afternoon southerly wind, am I better to be and Dongel or the north side ?
3) with hot weather here, is it safer to go for halibut at Taylor or George bank (or am I splitting hairs)?
Thanks folks ! I will post my report after we get back on Sunday
Macdeep
Active Member
Id say the afternoon winds will be from the NW give or take. Windy or FishWeather combined with the government marine forecast, you have a decent weather picture. It’s definitely looking very fishable this weekend.
had a lot of fog today that is currently building again this evening- looking out the living room window. Hard to say what the weekend will hold for fog but id count on some in the morning most days.
as for safe boating, I run around in a 17ft aluminum bow rider (lake boat) and im not intimidated by the forecast at this point and I will likely be on the backside at least one day this coming weekend, and possibly as far out as one of the banks If the wind is still sitting by 9-10am. But I don’t mess around with the wind past noonish, especially if there’s a big tide change, but if you have the freeboard and can handle the pounding, it’s usually not too bad unless it blows over 20knots against the tide. The fog will likely be the bigger impact.
heard a few coho finally showing up, but mostly springs (which are still closed).
crack of noon
New Member
I will be trolling the back side of malcolm island from malcolm point to black bluff weather permitting. If not ledge point to lady Evelyn point. White glow hoochie in the mud and coho killer on the other side 10 to20 feet up the water column
crack of noon
New Member
This will be the 3rd year of July 15th opening
Northdogboy
Active Member
What's the word on coho in the area? are they starting to show up?
