Nootka Sound vs Kyuquot Sound

[Breakin"even]

I live in Nanaimo and looking at fishing up north next spring in June or July, hoping for a chance at bottom fish. My boat is not a offshore unit, but I go if the weather is good. Im considering Cougar creek in Tlupana Inlet
or Fair Hourbour Marina in Kyuquot Sound. I know I can't count on the weather so I may be fishing inland.
Which sound may give the best opportunity for some inland success?

 

[Trophy21]

Nootka for a smaller boat. There is not much protection in kyuqout you are in the open. Fishing is better in kyuqout tho in my opinion, and closer to better fishing if the weather is good. June was lean this year in shore.

 

[Daveroo]

Nootka if you don't have an offshore boat. In Nootka there are lots of good places to fish inside when the weather is bad. On my trips to Nootka there are always a number of days which the offshore is not safe for my 18.5' boat.

 

[barkerfam]

Nootka is great inside for a smaller boat, but the OP is looking to catch bottom fish. I've always had to go out of the sound to get halibut.

hb

 

[MacDuff]

There are halibut and ling areas at the entrance to Esperanza inlet.

 

[Port Eliza Fishing]

Esperanza has many protected areas to fish, probably more than Nootka, but that's mostly for Salmon. We overlap with the Kyuquot boats quite a bit at the Grassy and Mushroom areas which have some protection on the inside of the reefs, sometimes we will go up to rugged point. As has been mentioned for Halibut or Lings, you mostly have to venture out further than the protected areas. There are some spots near the mouth of the inlet, but even at the mouth of Esperanza it can get rough, esp if it blows from the South.