2022 Nootka Sound/Esperanza Inlet Reports

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plan for about 1 1/2 hours from CR to GR to time the tides. it’s less than that, but dragging a boat, and there’s always a bit of tomfoolery at the GR launch i plan for hour and a half
Thank you, yeah its a windy road but i haven't driven it towing a boat. i will be taking it easy.
 
Nootka was tough last year later in August. ALOT of jellyfish basically shut down the inside. Fishing was better early in August, and the inside surface temperature was really high last year.

However, if the fishing is bad, go see the Upana caves. Have been going there since 1996 and had never stopped to see the caves. Highlight of the trip with my kids and their friends. Bring some good headlamp flashlights, gloves, and knee pads. You will be truly impressed but a little bit dirty at the end of it all.

Drewski
 
Nootka was tough last year later in August. ALOT of jellyfish basically shut down the inside. Fishing was better early in August, and the inside surface temperature was really high last year.

However, if the fishing is bad, go see the Upana caves. Have been going there since 1996 and had never stopped to see the caves. Highlight of the trip with my kids and their friends. Bring some good headlamp flashlights, gloves, and knee pads. You will be truly impressed but a little bit dirty at the end of it all.

Drewski

The caves are great to see, 1 yr there was a 2 person dingy by lower cave entrance.
1 jumped in and paddled in, had to duck down inside dinghy to get into the back side of cave, looking down into water with the head lamp all you saw was eyes looking back, loaded with trout,
Must see/do even for a day trip up that way in the off season.
 
Has anyone driven/towed into Zeballos and more so onto Fair Harbour? I know it’s gravel and condition depends a lot on if they are hauling logs and weather. Is it like Tahsis road with steep hills and sharp corners? How is the ramp at Fair? Is there tide considerations and limits on size of boats?

thanks
 
Has anyone driven/towed into Zeballos and more so onto Fair Harbour? I know it’s gravel and condition depends a lot on if they are hauling logs and weather. Is it like Tahsis road with steep hills and sharp corners? How is the ramp at Fair? Is there tide considerations and limits on size of boats?

thanks
Read previous reports & do a forum search.
 
Has anyone driven/towed into Zeballos and more so onto Fair Harbour? I know it’s gravel and condition depends a lot on if they are hauling logs and weather. Is it like Tahsis road with steep hills and sharp corners? How is the ramp at Fair? Is there tide considerations and limits on size of boats?

thanks
Yes there is huge hills on that road. there is a doozy that you have to climb about ten minutes off the highway. when you’re in the high country it levels off and is a real pretty drive albeit still active logging. dropping into Zeballos there is a large hill you have to descend and it’s always chewed up real bad. the locals always drive this part in 4wd because if you spin a tire the sharp rocks will slice your tires. there is zero help along the way so bring multi spares. spirit lake logging patched my tire for a case of beer once but i think they are gone now.

the last portion to fair harbour is relatively flat but seems to go on forever. fair harbour launch is decent. we launched a 24’ Seasport and a 22’ Trophy without issues.
 
Has anyone driven/towed into Zeballos and more so onto Fair Harbour? I know it’s gravel and condition depends a lot on if they are hauling logs and weather. Is it like Tahsis road with steep hills and sharp corners? How is the ramp at Fair? Is there tide considerations and limits on size of boats?

thanks
For work, I had to take in a tandem 16 ft trailer (U-Haul Type Trailer, for lack of a better description) into Zeballos a couple of weeks ago. It took me 45 minutes from the hwy turnoff to Zeballos and I was driving with care. There has been a lot of work done on the Zeballos FSR in recent years and it is graded regularly. The Fair Harbour FSR (starts after Zeballos) had some improvements (i.e. widening, surfacing) done this spring so it should also be in good shape. I would not consider the hills on the Zeballos Rd anything to get excited about.
 
Don’t usually post, but like me I know everyone likes reading reports. Day trip to Nootka yesterday. Buddy and I got our limit of ling and rockfish, 2 chickens and a 15 lb spring to top it off.
Lings and Rockies were from bajo, chickens and spring from wash rock. All caught trolling tiger prawn or SAL12R cuttlefish in the mud. Lots of bait around wash.
 
Don’t usually post, but like me I know everyone likes reading reports. Day trip to Nootka yesterday. Buddy and I got our limit of ling and rockfish, 2 chickens and a 15 lb spring to top it off.
Lings and Rockies were from bajo, chickens and spring from wash rock. All caught trolling tiger prawn or SAL12R cuttlefish in the mud. Lots of bait around wash.
Thanks for the report. Headed up at the end of the week for the first trip.
 
Just back from 3 days out of Couger Creek. Limits of nice feeding springs off Wash Rocks and a couple of chicken halibut too. Good bottom fish off Bajo. Lots of bait everywhere we fished and great whale shows. Weather was excellent and as a bonus the road was well graded. Good news that Dick and Pat are staying on at Couger Creek for a few more years too.
 
Just got back from the first trip this year, it was good to get back up to Nootka. Mainly a bottom fish and work around camp trip. The weather was decent with good tides and the wind wasn't a factor off shore. The bottom fishing was outstanding with nice lings and rock cod and decent halibut. Released one at the boat that was probably between 90-100lbs. Didn't do any salmon fishing but heard reports of fish being picked up around Maquinna, wash rock etc...
 
Heading to Port Eliza Lodge at the end of June with a large group hoping the springs have arrived in numbers by then. What's the best spots at the beginning of July?
 
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