Uncategorized

Written by Doug Lindores – Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

           August is always an exciting month in this Pacific Rim area as Chinook and Coho salmon begin to migrate into the various rivers, streams and creeks of West Coast Vancouver Island.  Anglers have so many fishing wonderful opportunities to sport fish for salmon in this majestic area.  West Coast Vancouver Island Chinook and Coho migrate to surf line areas and then into Barkley Sound in late July and peak in numbers from mid August to early September of which many continue their final journey migrating to the Alberni Inlet before swimming into the Somass and Stamp River systems. The 2022 sport fishing season from mid July to September should be simply wonderful with fabulous forecast returns of Chinook and Coho salmon.

          West Coast Vancouver Island returns of Chinook Salmon are forecast to be of “terminal abundance” for all hatchery and wild Chinook. This forecast released in late May 2022 has forecast returns to Barkley Sound and the Alberni Inlet of 135,000 Chinook.  With this forecast model the range of return is from 100,000 to 170,000 Chinook.   The age category predictions are three-year-old Chinook at 36%, four- year-old Chinook at 54%, and five-year-old Chinook at 11%.  Coho returns are above average due to spectacular ocean conditions over the past few years.

           The large schools of Chinook normally migrate into Barkley Sound and feed on the rich resources of bait fish before making their final journey to the Alberni Inlet and then into the Somass River.  The best Chinook and Coho fishing in the Alberni Inlet historically begins early in August.  The Alberni Inlet provides a variety of hot spots for the many anglers that visit the Port Alberni area to sport fish.   The top angling areas are Lone Tree and the Coulson Mill which are two spots in the Harbor.  China Creek Wall, Underwood, Leaning Tree, and the Narrows are excellent fishing spots south of Lone Tree Point.

          Sport Fishers, fishing the Inlet waters have best success using anchovy in a variety of teaser heads.  Glow Army Truck, purple haze, cop car and green haze with a six-foot leader behind a variety of flashers will create some of the best results.   Anglers will also have success using Pink and Red Octopus Hootchies.  The AORL 12, Purple Haze and Spatter back are also excellent hootchie choices.

           Many Anglers during August will fish Barkley Sound from the surf line to the far end of the Bamfield Wall over to Pill Point and Ecoole.  Austin-Cree, Beale, Wittlestone, the Bamfield Wall, Gilbraltor, Swale Rock and Pill Point should have terrific angling opportunities through the month.  The returning salmon are most often in shallower water from twenty-five to sixty feet.  Coho are often right on the surface.  Best results for those anglers fishing Barkley Sound are using anchovy in the same teaser head colors as the Alberni Inlet.  A variety of Coyote spoons, Skinny G Herring Aid in green and blue, and Big Eye spoons are terrific choices.   A variety of hootchies in octopus and cuttlefish are often a sure bet at different times of the day and month.  The best go to hootchies are the dark green spatter back, AORL 12, glow white, purple haze, clown, and army truck.

         The fishing in Barkley Sound and the waters close to the Ucluelet Harbor Mouth over the past few weeks has been relatively good.   Some would call the Chinook fishing as “spotty”.  The Coho Salmon fishing has been fantastic.   There have been big numbers of Coho all over Barkley Sound which has been a treat for many anglers.   The Coho have ranged from five to ten pounds and have created some excellent sport fishing.  The fish are hitting a variety of small TKO spoons, Skinny G spoons and hootchies.   The best results occur when one is able to match up the bait fish in the area fishing.  

         August will be a banner month for Chinook and Coho fishing and will produce many opportunities for sport anglers.  The fishing in 2022 should be world class.

Tight lines

Doug Lindores
Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
www.catchsalmon-ca.com
toll free    1 888 214 7206
mobile      250 731 7389
​dlindy@shaw.ca

JUNE 2022      DOUG LINDORES     SLIVERS CHARTERS SALMON SPORT FISHING

         As we get into the month of June and consider July most anglers in this area are excited about the return of Sockeye salmon to the Somass River system and the migration of Chinook salmon and Coho along the surf line of Barkley Sound and areas close to the Ucluelet Harbor Mouth.   The sport fishing along the surf line of the Sound has been very good.  Some of the other areas like Pill Point, Tzarus Island, Swale Rock, Kirby and Diplock have been fantastic.   Sport Fishing opportunities in Barkley Sound are currently incredible.   Sockeye returns are predicted to be approximately anywhere from 350,000 to 500,000 fish.  This number is providing for a sport fishing opportunity of up to TWO Sockeye salmon per day.  Beginning on the 15^th of June the possession limit is expected to be FOUR.  The migration of Sockeye to the Somass has started and Cool weather and water temperatures will limit sport fishing until air and water temperatures warm up.  Warmer weather will permit the Sockeye to school in Alberni Inlet areas.   Sockeye fishing is a great opportunity for everyone and is a very comfortable angling opportunity for people of all ages.   The best fishing areas for Sockeye in the Alberni Inlet are from Hocking Point or Nahmint and Ten Mile Point to Lone Tree.  Underwood, the Narrows and Cous Creek which should all provide for some excellent angling.  Currently the Sockeye are migrating in shallow water and any angler success would be fishing the top twenty-five to thirty feet of water.  The best lures are mp hootchies in a bubble gum color or pink-blue or pink-black hootchies or a double tandem or single Black Hook(s).  

       The runs of migrating mature Chinook combined with some early Coho swimming Vancouver Island’s West Coast as they migrate to the Big Southerly Watersheds should give endless opportunities to sport fishing enthusiasts fishing west coast inshore waters.

         Current sport fishing regulations, at the time of this writing, provided by the DFO will allow sport fishing for Chinook salmon within one nautical mile of the coastline until the fifteenth of July.  After this date anglers will be permitted to fish offshore waters for Chinook.  Pacific Rim areas are often a feeding station to these transient salmon.  The islands close to the Ucluelet Harbor mouth and up the coastline to Wya Point and Florencia and the many areas of Barkley Sound often hold vast quantities of bait fish in herring, anchovy, squid and needlefish.  To date Sail Rock, Great Bear, The Alley, which are all close to Ucluelet and Barkley Sound locations such as Cree Island, Meares, Kirby, Bamfield Wall, Pill Point, Samatao, and Swale Rock have experienced some very good sport fishing.  This trend will continue and become stronger in July and will likely improve two-fold in late July and into early September when the West Coast Vancouver Island salmon begin returning to their natal streams and rivers.

        Historically the most common gear and consistent salmon producer when fishing Barkley Sound has been trolling with anchovy behind a variety of flashers.  How ever that trend has changed especially in June and much of July over the past couple of years with fish hitting various Herring Aid spoons as well as Skinny G’s, Coho Killer spoons, and a variety of octopus, cuttlefish, and needle fish hootchies.   Anchovy teaser head colors that work well are Green Haze, Glow Army Truck, Herring Aid, and Cop Car.  Flashers in blue, purple glow, green glow, and chartreuse, with at least a six-foot leader are best.   Spoons behind a flasher can vary from forty-two inches to five feet.  Hootchie leader lengths behind a flasher are thirty-eight to forty-two inches.  Favorite hootchies and needle fish hootchies are the B-84 in the needle fish and also a variety of blue and green hootchies, dark green spatter back, the AORL 12, J-79, Jack Smith, and Purple Haze.   The salmon have been feeding on very small herring, and needlefish, around Meares, Austin-Cree, Swale Rock and Edward King.  Smaller Spoons if the bait is small have been working very well.   In areas around Beale, Whittlestone, and The Bamfield Wall there has been mature squid meaning Octopus hootchies and cuttle fish are working best.   The best cuttle fish have been tiger prawn UV, army truck and a variety of white cuttle fish colors.    

          Halibut fishing in June is in full swing.  Many sport-fisher people will either drift, jig or anchor.  Halibut will often prefer salmon bellies as well as large herring or octopus.  If jigging try a Gibbs Hali Hawg tipped with salmon belly.  Lingcod fishing is also relatively good.  How ever it is important that a good descending device is on board as any yellow-eye rockfish are to be released.

            June of 2022 and the rest of the summer should have some world class salmon sport fishing in the Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound.

Tight lines and Good fishing,

Doug Lindores
Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
1 888 214 7206
250 731 7389   (mobile)
dlindy@shaw.ca
www.catchsalmon-ca.com

Report Doug Lindores– SLIVERS CHARTERS SALMON SPORT FISHING

      The summer of 2022 is fast approaching.  Fisherpersons are preparing for another fantastic saltwater season with excitement and enthusiasm.  Anglers like to see the late part of April and the month of May as a time that is full of “promise” for the summer season to come.   Late April and May is a time when there are many cool-sunny days in Barkley Sound, those areas along the surf line, and areas close to the Ucluelet Harbor mouth.  This is the time of year when there are many more boats out on the water than what people actually think.  Locals from Port Alberni, Bamfield, Ucluelet, and other fisher persons from various Vancouver Island communities motor by boat out to the Sound to take advantage of the excellent weather and the pristine, protected, and calm water of the Sound.  Fishing in Barkley Sound and along the coast is often very productive as there are often some bright and very chrome Feeder Chinook in the eight to fourteen-pound range.  These winter Chinook are very feisty and very hard fighting.  They are in deep water and the flesh is very deep red in color.  There are also many migratory Chinook in the mix as the early summer run of salmon headed to the big watersheds to the south begins to show in relatively good numbers.  Some of these salmon are ranging in weight from fifteen to twenty-five pounds.   The Alberni Inlet at this time of year is still very quiet but many local anglers are gearing up with their red and pink gear in anticipation of Sockeye fishing which historically gets underway by mid-June.  Sockeye fishing is a wonderful family fishing event for all ages.  

        The winter and early spring feeder Chinook fishing has been productive for those fisher people who have ventured out on the water during the late winter and early spring.  The Bamfield Wall, Diplock, Harbor Entrance to Swale Rock, and the Trevor Channel Whistle buoy area have all had some great Feeder and Migratory Chinook fishing days since early March.  The previous mentioned areas as well as Cree Island, Meares, Sail Rock, Kirby Point, and Edward King are excellent salmon fishing locations in the early to mid-spring time.   To date, there have been some very good fishing days with good numbers of migratory Chinook weighing in the mid-teens to low twenties.  An early March Barkley Sound Derby had a winning Chinook weigh in at just over nineteen pounds.

        Late April and May is the time of year that the “early summer run” of Chinook that is migrating to the big watersheds to the south swim down the coastline outside of Ucluelet and the surf line areas of Barkley Sound.   May historically has plenty of Winter springs in Barkley Sound and the Bamfield area which really helps to increase the sport salmon fishing opportunity.  Kirby Point up to Edward King and also the Whistle Buoy all the way down to the Bamfield Wall and areas around Swale Rock have these hard fighting Chinook sitting normally in one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet of water.  A variety of spoons tend to be very productive.   Spoons in chrome, various cookies and cream colors in the TKO or even cop car, Herring Aid, and krippled K in green and silver.  Hootchies in Octopus and cuttlefish as well as a variety of needle-fish hootchies are also fantastic lure choices.  In May if there is a lot of squid in any area white hootchies or even the stand-by green spatter back in octopus and cuttlefish are excellent choices.  If trolling hootchies in late April and the month of May depending on your location if around the Ucluelet Islands or Barkley Sound fishing from one hundred to one hundred and forty feet is not uncommon.  Leader lengths behind various flashers may be between thirty-eight and forty-four inches.  Bait is also an excellent choice but if there are a lot of small undersize Chinook in the area that anglers are fishing then spoons or hootchies are definitely the way to go.

         The migratory Chinook salmon sit and migrate on the various offshore banks and come into many areas of Barkley Sound and feed heavily on the rich resources of bait fish before continuing their journey.  The baitfish are needlefish, herring and pilchards.  Matching up lures with the bait can lead to some fantastic sport fishing success.    The Chinook are not terribly fussy in May as they are feeding heavily, especially on the tides.  The best fishing is often “where the bait fish are located”.  Find the bait and you will find some nice Chinook Salmon.   Late April and May is a fantastic salmon fishing times with often some beautiful weather conditions.

           For those avid halibut fishermen, May is the month that the halibut migrate from the deep into the shallows.  The various banks offshore have plenty of halibut by Mid May.  Often areas around Bamfield and Swale Rock can be very good.   This is the time of year that some of the larger halibut are landed.  Fishing halibut before and during the slack tide is a great time.  Trolling the bottom or using drift jigs on the bottom can be most effective.  Many individuals will use very large herring, salmon bellies, and octopus for bait.  Some will use a spreader bar with large spoons or a Mudraker.  All can be very effective methods of fishing Halibut.

            As the weather warms in May the trout fishing does improve.   The two large nearby lakes which are Sproat Lake and Great Central Lake are usually quite productive in the early and mid- spring months.  There are often some very nice cutthroat and rainbow trout.  Fly fisher persons usually are casting or trolling a crystal hair black leach or a variety of artificial lures that resemble small fry as the trout are often feeding on small Sockeye fry.   

           It is time to get out on the water.   Good Luck and Tight Lines.

Doug Lindores

Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
​www.catchsalmon-ca.com
1 250 731 7389     mobile
1 888 214 7206     toll free
dlindy@shaw.ca

SEPTEMBER 1^st 2021    DOUG LINDORES

2021 ALBERNI VALLEY SALMON FESTIVAL  50^th ANNIVERSARY  September 4^th to 6th

         Labor Day weekend is upon us and that means it is Salmon Festival time in the Alberni Valley and areas of Barkley Sound.  The Derby takes place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday with fishing beginning each day at 6 am.  This year marks the 50^th anniversary of this popular Alberni Valley and area event.  The derby closes on Labor Day Monday at 3 pm with the final weigh-in.  The Derby headquarters once again is once again at Tyee Landing.  Any potential winning fish for each of the three days must be weighed in at Tyee Landing.  There are fantastic prizes with the winning fish and the top three salmon for each day winning prize money.  The largest salmon will win a lucky individual $10,000 with daily prizes for the top largest fish valued at $5.000, 2,000 and $1,000.  The cost per rod for 2021 is $50.  Some of this money will go to “local” enhancement.

         The Alberni Valley and much of Barkley Sound has experienced very warm and dry weather conditions during the summer.  The Chinook and Coho are waiting for fresh wter before entering the many streams, creeks and rivers.  There has been minimal migration into the Somass River system.  In Barkley Sound fresh Chinook and some Coho are moving in with the late August and early September migration.  Many of the salmon migrating into the Sound will migrate up to the inlet and into the Somass system.

        The best fishing at this time is in Barkley Sound.  The Alberni Inlet over the past three weeks has also experienced some excellent Chinook fishing.  The inlet has experienced some commercial fishing which has slowed the sport fishing over the last few days.  However fish will continue migrating and the inlet should fill up with salmon in time for the derby.  Barkley Sound has been fantastic and the fishing has been “World Class”.  Swale Rock, Pill Point, Wittlestone, Beale and Little Beale, The Bamfield Wall, Austin, Meares, and Assets have all been fantastic sport fishing locations and should remain this way for the next few weeks.  The salmon in the sound have been feeding very hard during much of the day and of course on tide changes the bite is even better.  The salmon are in fairly shallow water in the sound and Inlet.  Fishing between thirty and fifty feet is not uncommon.  The best lures in the inlet have been the Octopus hootchies in the O-2, O-16, purple haze and the AORL 12.  The best leader length for these hootchies has been thirty-eight to forty-two inches.   Anchovy in the inlet was a very good choice at the beginning of the season and still is a great choice but many sport anglers are have success with hootchies.  In Barkley Sound bait in a variety of teaser heads is working the best.  Army Truck, green haze, and the herring aid seem to be a great choice with the leader length being six feet.  At this time of year green gold and purple gold flashers are by far the best.  With approximately 140,000 Chinook salmon returning to West Coast Vancouver Island the Derby weekend should have some great results.  The number of five year old’s returning are approximately 17% which means there could be some nice sized fish landed during the derby and into September.    

For More information

Contact   Doug Lindores

 dlindy@shaw.ca

1 888 214 7206

www.catchsalmon-ca.com

Doug Lindores-Late August and September 2021                                Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

         As we approach the month of September we realize that the days become shorter but with the crisp early mornings and fabulous warm afternoons this is the month that many anglers enjoy as the weather patterns create fabulous settings for many memorable sport fishing days.  This is also the month that the bigger Coho and Chinook approach the final destination of their longest life journey.  The salmon historically are making their way and waiting for the final push into the many streams, creeks, and rivers of West Coast Vancouver Island.  The salmon in Barkley Sound feed frantically before entering fresh water systems and in the Alberni Inlet the Chinook and Coho make their way into the fabulous Somass River system.

         September is also that time of year when some of the more prominent fishing derby’s take place.   The city of Port Alberni normally hosts the three-day Labour Day Weekend salmon festival.  On the west coast Tuna fishing presents an opportunity for what has become known as the “Tuna Shootout”.  Tuna fishing has become very popular in September and even late August.  The warmer water currents bring the Tuna closer to the beach and make them more accessible for those in good-sized sport boats.  Anglers heading out for Tuna have to watch and be aware of the water current, look for the temperature break, and fish the warmer side of what is known as the blue water.

       This year (2021) the DFO has forecast Chinook returns to West Coast Vancouver Island to be one of the best in a very long time.  Late August and September sport fishing in the Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound has been “World Class”.  Pill Point, Swale Rock, Diplock, Assets, and the Bamfield Wall are excellent fishing areas during the later half of August and into the first half of September.  The salmon will hold in these areas if there are large quantities of rich resources of bait fish.  The salmon on the Bamfield Wall side headed to the Somass River, Sarita, or Nitnat will often hold on a long stretch from Whittlestone to Poett Nook and gorge themselves as they wait for the first fall rains to provide water for their final migratory push.  The Coho in September are in very shallow water and can often be found on the surface in the morning and later in the evening.  Chinook are often in twenty to sixty feet of water.  Anglers at this time of year using anchovy often have the best success.  Using teaser heads in glow army truck, Purple Haze, Green Haze, and cop car with six feet or better of leader line behind purple or green-gold flashers usually create the best results.  Many Hootchies in a variety of colors are great stand-bys.  The Dark Green spatter-back, AORL12, Purple Haze and Army Truck are great choices when using hootchies as a lure.

          The Alberni Inlet in the last half of August and first half of September fills with Chinook salmon followed by Coho.  In September the Chinook and Coho are in an abundant mix.  Hotspots in the Inlet are Lone Tree, The China Creek Wall, Underwood, Couslons, and Dunsmuir Point.  The salmon are in fifteen to fifty feet of water and are most aggressive in the early morning and on tide changes.  Most sport fishermen have had early success using anchovy.   Lately a variety of hootchies have provided excellent success.  The O-2 and O-15 which are a pinkly colored hootchie have worked very well as have the mp-2 and mp-15 which are smaller mini plankton colors.

          September 2021 will provide sport fisher people with some world class fishing opportunities in this area.  The Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound locations will be definite hotspots in British Columbia and the West Coast for anglers.

Tight lines,

Doug Lindores

Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

www.catchsalmon-ca.com

toll free    1 888 214 7206

dlindy@shaw.ca

JULY 4^th 2021      DOUG LINDORES     SLIVERS CHARTERS SALMON SPORT FISHING

Sockeye Salmon Sport Fishing Opens in The Alberni Inlet—–“BREAKING NEWS”

         As we embrace July of 2021 most anglers in this area are excited about the return of Sockeye salmon to the Somass River system and the migration of Chinook salmon and Coho along the surf line of Barkley Sound and areas close to the Ucluelet Harbor Mouth.  Sport Fishing opportunities should be incredible during this wonderful summer month.  Sockeye returns are predicted to be approximately 500,000 fish.  This number should provide for sport fishing opportunity of up to four salmon per day.   The runs of migrating mature Chinook combined with decent schools of Coho travelling the Vancouver Island West Coast surf line to the large southerly watersheds should give endless opportunities to sport fishing enthusiasts fishing Barkley Sound and areas close to Ucluelet.   Sockeye fishing is a great opportunity for everyone and is a very comfortable angling opportunity for people of all ages.   The best fishing areas for Sockeye in the Alberni Inlet are from Hocking Point to Lone Tree.  Underwood, the Narrows and Cous Creek will provide for some excellent angling.

         Current sport fishing regulations, at the time of this writing, provided by the DFO will allow sport fishing for Chinook salmon within one nautical mile of the coastline until the fifteenth of July.  After this date anglers will be permitted to fish offshore waters for Chinook.  Pacific Rim areas are often a feeding station to these transient salmon.  The islands close to the Ucluelet Harbor mouth and up the coastline to Wya Point and Florencia and the many areas of Barkley Sound often hold vast quantities of bait fish in herring, anchovy, squid and needlefish.  To date Sail Rock, Great Bear, The Alley, which are all close to Ucluelet and Barkley Sound locations such as Cree Island, Meares, Kirby, Bamfield Wall, and Swale Rock have experienced some very good sport fishing.  This trend will continue and become stronger in July and will likely improve two-fold in late July and into early September when the West Coast Vancouver Island salmon begin returning to their natal streams and rivers.

        Historically the most common gear and consistent salmon producer when fishing Barkley Sound has been trolling with anchovy behind a variety of colored flashers.  How ever that trend has changed over the past couple of years with fish hitting various Herring Aid spoons as well as Skinny G’s, Coho Killer spoons, and a variety of octopus, cuttlefish, and needle fish hootchies.   Anchovy teaser head colors that work well are Green Haze, Glow Army Truck, Herring Aid, and Cop Car.  Flashers in blue, green glow, chartreuse, and even red with at least a six-foot leader are best.   Spoons behind a flasher can vary from forty-two inches to five feet.  Hootchie leader lengths behind a flasher are thirty-eight to forty-two inches.  Favorite hootchies are the AORL 12, J-79, Jack Smith, and Purple Haze.   The salmon have been feeding on large mature herring, needlefish, and small immature herring around Meares, Austin-Cree, Swale Rock and Edward King.  Smaller Spoons if the bait is small have been working very well.   In areas around Beale, Whittlestone and The Bamfield Wall there have been mature squid meaning Octopus hootchies and cuttle fish are working best.   The best cuttle fish have been tiger prawn UV, army truck and a variety of white cuttle fish colors.    

          Halibut fishing in July is in full swing.  Many sport-fisher people will either drift, jig or anchor.  Halibut will often prefer salmon bellies as well as large herring or octopus.  If jigging try a Gibbs Hali Hawg tipped with salmon belly.  Lingcod fishing is also relatively good.  How ever it is important that a good descending device is on board as any yellow-eye rockfish are to be released.

            July of 2021 should have some world class salmon sport fishing.

Tight lines and Good fishing

Doug Lindores

Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

1 888 214 7206

250 731 7389   (mobile)

dlindy@shaw.ca

www.catchsalmon-ca.com

JUNE 16^th 2021      DOUG LINDORES     SLIVERS CHARTERS SALMON SPORT FISHING

Sockeye Salmon Sport Fishing Opens in The Alberni Inlet—–“BREAKING NEWS”

Retention of FOUR SOCKEYE PER PERSON BEGINS JUNE 15th

         As we embrace mid June most anglers in this area are excited about the return of Sockeye salmon to the Somass River system and the migration of Chinook salmon and Coho along the surf line of Barkley Sound and areas close to the Ucluelet Harbor Mouth.  Not only has the sport fishing along the surf line been good but areas such as Pill Point and Tzarus Island have been fantastic.   Sport Fishing opportunities in this area are currently incredible.   Sockeye returns are predicted to be approximately anywhere from 350,000 to 500,000 fish.  This number is providing for sport fishing opportunity of up to FOUR Sockeye salmon per day beginning on the 15^th of June.  Possession limits will be four per day and eight over two days as a possession limit.    The runs of migrating mature Chinook combined with decent schools of Coho travelling the Vancouver Island West Coast surf line to the large southerly watersheds should give endless opportunities to sport fishing enthusiasts fishing Barkley Sound and areas close to Ucluelet.   Sockeye fishing is a great opportunity for everyone and is a very comfortable angling opportunity for people of all ages.   The best fishing areas for Sockeye in the Alberni Inlet are from Hocking Point or Nahmint and Ten Mile Point to Lone Tree.  Underwood, the Narrows and Cous Creek will provide for some excellent angling.  Currently the Sockeye are migrating in shallow water and anglers are having success fishing the top twenty-five to forty feet of water.  The best lures are mp hootchies in a bubble gum color or pink-blue or pink-black hootchies or a double tandem or single Black Hook.

         Current sport fishing regulations, at the time of this writing, provided by the DFO will allow sport fishing for Chinook salmon within one nautical mile of the coastline until the fifteenth of July.  After this date anglers will be permitted to fish offshore waters for Chinook.  Pacific Rim areas are often a feeding station to these transient salmon.  The islands close to the Ucluelet Harbor mouth and up the coastline to Wya Point and Florencia and the many areas of Barkley Sound often hold vast quantities of bait fish in herring, anchovy, squid and needlefish.  To date Sail Rock, Great Bear, The Alley, which are all close to Ucluelet and Barkley Sound locations such as Cree Island, Meares, Kirby, Bamfield Wall, Pill Point, Samatao, and Swale Rock have experienced some very good sport fishing.  This trend will continue and become stronger in July and will likely improve two-fold in late July and into early September when the West Coast Vancouver Island salmon begin returning to their natal streams and rivers.

        Historically the most common gear and consistent salmon producer when fishing Barkley Sound has been trolling with anchovy behind a variety of colored flashers.  How ever that trend has changed over the past couple of years with fish hitting various Herring Aid spoons as well as Skinny G’s, Coho Killer spoons, and a variety of octopus, cuttlefish, and needle fish hootchies.   Anchovy teaser head colors that work well are Green Haze, Glow Army Truck, Herring Aid, and Cop Car.  Flashers in blue, green glow, chartreuse, and even red with at least a six-foot leader are best.   Spoons behind a flasher can vary from forty-two inches to five feet.  Hootchie leader lengths behind a flasher are thirty-eight to forty-two inches.  Favorite hootchies are the AORL 12, J-79, Jack Smith, and Purple Haze.   The salmon have been feeding on large mature herring, needlefish, and small immature herring around Meares, Austin-Cree, Swale Rock and Edward King.  Smaller Spoons if the bait is small have been working very well.   In areas around Beale, Whittlestone, and The Bamfield Wall there have been mature squid meaning Octopus hootchies and cuttle fish are working best.   The best cuttle fish have been tiger prawn UV, army truck and a variety of white cuttle fish colors.    

          Halibut fishing in June is in full swing.  Many sport-fisher people will either drift, jig or anchor.  Halibut will often prefer salmon bellies as well as large herring or octopus.  If jigging try a Gibbs Hali Hawg tipped with salmon belly.  Lingcod fishing is also relatively good.  How ever it is important that a good descending device is on board as any yellow-eye rockfish are to be released.

            June of 2021 and the rest of the summer should have some world class salmon sport fishing in the Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound area.

Tight lines and Good fishing

Doug Lindores

Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

1 888 214 7206

250 731 7389   (mobile)

dlindy@shaw.ca

www.catchsalmon-ca.com

JUNE 2021      DOUG LINDORES        SLIVERS CHARTERS SALMON SPORT FISHING

         June is a wonderful month for salmon sport fishing in Barkley Sound and “most” years the Alberni Inlet.  Many anglers enjoy fishing the areas of Barkley Sound not only because of the wonderful salmon fishing opportunity but also because of the breath-taking scenic views of rugged coastline.  June is a month unlike July and August when there are fewer fisher people on the water making fishing conditions much more relaxing.  The Alberni Inlet can be quite the opposite in June when most years there are large gatherings of sport boats fishing for Sockeye Salmon.   The 2021 sport fishing season will see boat traffic in the Alberni Inlet as Sockeye migrating back to the Somass River system are expected to be moderate in number.  Pre-Season forecasts are predicting about 350,000 returning Somass River Sockeye.  Until the 14^th of June 2021 sport fishermen fishing tidal waters are able to retain two Sockeye salmon per day.    There will be many test fisheries with detailed reports regarding any change in returning numbers.  Later in June the retention number may increase if the return looks stronger than anticipated.  The Sockeye will move through the fish ways and sit in either Sproat or Great Central Lake for the summer months before moving into the various streams to spawn in the fall.

         The West Coast Vancouver Island 2021 Chinook return looks relatively strong.  The 2021 forecast return for Stamp River Chinook to the terminal areas of Barkley Sound and the Alberni Inlet is approximately 133,000 pieces.  The age class of the returning salmon are age three at 23%, age four at 62% and age five at 15%.  The West Coast returns usually begin to show in numbers along the surf line of Barkley Sound close to the end of July.  With a very healthy age class return the sport fishing in Barkley Sound and the Alberni Inlet should be “first class” with some very nice sized salmon in the mix.

         Salmon fishing during the spring months in Barkley Sound and the area close to the Ucluelet Harbor has been consistent.  Anglers have targeted transient Chinook salmon headed to the big watersheds to the south and also local feeder Chinook.   Barkley Sound has ample rich nutrient bait fish which bring the fish migrating down the coastline into rest and feed heavily before continuing their lengthy journey.  June is also a time when the first migrating Coho are in the Sound and surf line locations.   Coho at this time of year feed aggressively and often gain a pound per week before reaching their natal streams in the early fall.  Coho salmon limits in Barkley Sound are currently two per day in which one Coho can be unmarked.  Beginning on August 1^st 2021 Coho limits in Barkley Sound and the Alberni Inlet will become four in which one Coho can be unmarked. 

        Often the best salmon fishing during June is along the many surf line areas.  Cree and Austin Islands, Sail Rock, Great Bear, Meares, Swale Rock, Edward King, the Bamfield Wall and Beale can produce some excellent Chinook weighing from the mid teens to the mid twenty-pound range.  The Bamfield Wall, Swale Rock and even as far in as the Pill Point area can have fantastic fishing opportunities for Chinook Salmon and also Coho that can often average six to eight pounds.  Some of the current years best sport salmon fishing has been around Austin, Meares and Swale Rock. The salmon in June are feeding heavily as they do have a long journey in their migration to their natal streams, rivers and creeks.  Many Anglers will use anchovy in a variety of different colored teaser heads.  The best teaser head colors are usually chartreuse, green haze, army truck glow, cop car, and purple haze.   Needle fish hootchies, octopus and cuttlefish hootchies in green, white and even blue and white colors are excellent choices.  The salmon close to Bamfield have been feeding heavily on squid and bigger herring.  White hootchies in Octopus or cuttlefish have worked well.  Spoons in a variety of colors (cookies and cream and herring aid) in the three to four-inch size are also a wonderful choice.  Many anglers who have been fishing Meares, Austin and Cree have found a variety of spoons as the best lure.  For some the Coho Killers in Cookies and Cream have worked well for salmon in the eight to twelve-pound range and fishing from sixty-five to ninety feet.  Others have done well on skinny G spoons and also spoons as small as the two-inch Silver Night Herring Aid.  Those who have had great success around Swale Rock have been fishing on the front side of the rock from 100 to 135 feet.

          Halibut fishing in June can be very productive.  Fisher persons anchoring out will use Octopus, salmon bellies, and sardines.  Others will back-drift and use Berkley Grubs.

            2021 will be a great sport fishing year in Pacific Rim Areas.  Sockeye, Chinook and Coho opportunities with the predicted returns make for the possibilities of a fantastic sport fishing year.

Tight lines

Doug Lindores

Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing

www.catchsalmon-ca.com

toll free   1 888 214 7206

mobile     250 731 7389

dlindy@shaw.ca

MAY 1, 2021

DOUG LINDORES, SLIVERS CHARTERS SALMON SPORT FISHING

Vancouver Island is a majestic geographical area of tall coniferous forests and breath-taking scenic views of rugged terrain and coastlines battered by winter storms.  There is not only a continuous display of rugged coastlines but there are also wonderful exquisite and secluded beaches with pristine calm water in Barkley Sound and the Alberni Inlet.  Not only does the West Coast of British Columbia have these unbelievable landscapes but the salmon fishing in many areas is nothing but “World Class”.  This is one of British Columbia’s only areas that anglers have an opportunity of landing a twenty pound salmon twelve months of the year.  Fishing is just like the weather and in May and June it really does start to heat up.  The Salmon fishing for Chinook salmon in May and June in Barkley Sound can be very consistent.  During the spring months large schools of salmon, mostly Chinook, will swim into Barkley Sound and feed on the rich quantities of bait fish before continuing their long journey to the large watersheds to the south.  Plenty of quality salmon linger around the surf line and anglers have excellent opportunities of landing some nice sized salmon at a variety of hotspots such as Cree Island, Austin, Meares, Sail Rock, Edward King, Beale, Kirby Point, Swale Rock and of course the many islands just outside the Ucluelet Harbor mouth.   Coho salmon which are migrating down the West Coast become more frequent in mid-June and come into Barkley Sound and feed heavily on herring and needle fish.                                                                                                                                

The Spring months are a wonderful time to sport fish in the many locations of Barkley Sound.  The many areas to fish can still be relatively quiet and peaceful as the boat traffic is not like the summer months.  July and into early September are often very busy with many anglers taking advantage of their summer holiday time to come to one of the world’s best kept secrets. 

The Alberni Inlet historically offers some spectacular Sockeye salmon fishing in June.   Predictions for 2021 are showing rather low numbers of Sockeye Returning back to the Somass River system.   With 350,000 to 400,000 Sockeye forecast to return retention for sport anglers from May 1^st through June 14^th 2021 there will be two sockeye per day for those fishing the Alberni Inlet to the surf line.  On the 15^th of June a new regulation will come out with regulations depending on early returns allowing a possibility of retention of four Sockeye per day.  With the current environmental conditions Sockeye Salmon fishing for sport should get underway by Fathers-Day Weekend.  There has been a relatively large snow pack and if the water in the Somass River remains cold the Sockeye will not school.   When the Inlet water warms up the Sockeye begin to School in good numbers.  The Salmon usually school from Cous Creek out to Nahmint and Franklin River.  The Sockeye in the Alberni Inlet in June will predominately sit in forty-five to sixty feet of water.  As the water warms the salmon will swim to deeper water.  Sockeye hit shorter leader lengths from eighteen to twenty-four inches behind a variety of flashers.  The best lures are mp 15’s, the pink and blue, and pink and black Sockeye Hootchies.   The Key to Sockeye fishing is having up to six or even eight flashers.

The early fishing in Barkley Sound has been sporadic.  Some anglers have had some success along the Bamfield Wall and into Scotch Bay.  The front of the Bamfield Harbor Mouth has had some anglers have some success.  The Best fishing to date has been around Ucluelet Harbor Mouth, the Islands and the Red Can.  Great Bear and the Red Can has had fantastic Chinook sport fishing for salmon from ten the eighteen pounds.  A variety of three-inch spoons and anchovy in chartreuse, glow army truck and clear teaser heads have been working very well. 

The trout fishing in May and June is often extremely good.  The sockeye smolts as example leave Sproat and Great Central Lakes and travel out through the Somass River.  This smolt migration wakes the trout up and using flat fish and Kwikfish that resemble smolts in the frog and rainbow patterns work really well when trolling.   If fishing from the various banks use power bait fish. 

Tidal water fishing in 2021 for Chinook salmon and Coho should be very good.  Pre season forecasts for these two species returning to West Coast Vancouver Island are good.   The migratory Chinook number are expected to be average or better. 

Tight lines

For more information

Call  Doug  

Cell: 250 731 7389

Toll free: 1 888 214 7206

dlindy@shaw.ca

www.catchsalmon-ca.com

Written by Doug Lindores        250 731 7389

Slivers Charters Salmon Sport fishing

       Winters on the West Coast of British Columbia often seem especially long and uneventful.  During the past months most people are likely tired of all the bad news concerning the pandemic, joblessness and economic crisis.  In the late winter and early spring of 2021 many avid fisher people can only “hope” that 2020 is behind us and there is brighter news in health and politics and that there will be some excellent sport fishing opportunities for the coming salt water sport fishing season.  For many avid salt water sport fisher persons who spend many wonderful hours and days fishing the pristine waters of Barkley Sound and the Alberni Inlet from early March to September the 2021 early sport fishing outlook is quite favorable.  Returning Sockeye, Chinook, and Coho numbers in pre forecasts look much better and/or similar to 2020 returns.  Sockeye salmon returns and Coho returns are predicted to be much improved.  Chinook returns are predicted to be much like 2020 and 2019.  With these predictions summer fishing should be fantastic in this area.

          Barkley Sound and the Alberni Inlet should be two very opportunistic geographical areas on Vancouver Island for salmon sport fishing this spring and summer.  These two areas should be like the last couple of years with reasonable retention limits of salmon.  Chinook numbers in 2021 will resemble the excellent returns of 2019 and 2020.  Coho returns to the big watersheds to the south and also West Coast Vancouver Island are more favorable in early season forecasts for 2021.  The Sockeye sport salmon fishing in the Alberni Inlet has been curtailed the last few years.  In July of 2020 some sport Sockeye fishing did occur with good results.  The indicators regarding Sockeye returns to the Somass River system are looking very promising for a sport fishery this June and July.

          Winter Chinook fishing in Barkley Sound, Nahmint, and the Inlet has been great during January and early February of 2021 for those that have been able to get out on the water and brave cooler air temperatures.  Most of the salmon landed by anglers have been in the six to nine pound range in seventy to one hundred and thirty feet of water.  A variety of spoons are working best.  The Bamfield Harbor, Scotch Bay, the Whistle Buoy, and Fleming Island (Sanford) are often fantastic winter and early spring locations to fish.  The first Weekend of March often triggers the beginning of the sport fishing salt water season in this area with the Sproat Loggers Derby.  Due to Covid 19 organizers have decided well in advance that the Derby for 2021 will officially be cancelled.  

       As we get closer to the early Spring the feeder Chinook will range on average from Eight to Fifteen pounds and are mostly hatchery clipped fish.  Most anglers are fishing depending on the area in Pacific Rim areas, which include areas near Ucluelet, in depths from sixty to one hundred and fifty feet.  Anchovy on the troll with a six-foot leader or better with various glow teaser heads work very well.  Small spoons in Irish Cream, TKO cookies and cream, the three-inch coyote sardine, and a variety of Skinny G spoons are effective.   Hootchies in Purple Haze, green Spatter-back and needlefish hootchies work well.   Flasher choices in green, blue, or black glow are normally a great choice.

          The sport salmon fishing season in Barkley Sound, the Alberni Inlet, and up to a mile offshore in late April, May, June and the first part of July often rely on the return of Chinook and Coho to the very large watersheds to the south.  The big watersheds are the Columbia, Kalama, Willamette, and Sacramento river systems.  Puget Sound over the past few years has also had some early summer run returns.  Salmon that are migrating along the west coast of Vancouver Island often come into Barkley Sound or stay on the Sandy Banks just off the surf line and gorge themselves on the rich resources of bait fish.  The salmon come in runs and will feed and rest before continuing their long journey to their spawning grounds.  In July Chinook salmon can often be up to twenty-five and thirty pounds depending on the age class of the return.   Late July, August, and September the West Coast Vancouver Island Chinook and Coho arrive and peak in the Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound the second half of August.  The sport fishing can be very eventful and provide for what can be termed “first class sport fishing”.

             Trout fishing on a variety of lakes in the area has been reasonable.  Two of the lakes frequently fished are Sproat and Great Central Lakes.  On Sproat Lake the Willows and over by Dog Mountain and the top end of Taylor Arm there have been some tremendous days of maximum success and other days where one might say the fishing is reasonable.   Around the Willows some anglers are shore or bar fishing at twelve to fifteen feet and are having their best success using power bait or salmon eggs.  Those angling enthusiasts trolling seem to be having success using a gang troll or Willow Leaf.  Great Central Lake has had some great fishing with anglers having their best success using power bait or worms.  Fishing on the troll has been the best.    When trolling the best lures are flat fish in darker patterns with a trailing dew worm.  Gang trolls are also a good choice.  During the winter months Cut Throat and Rainbow range from two to four pounds.

          The new year will be a breath of fresh air.  The sport fishing opportunities will certainly give many something very “positive” to look forward to.  Our 2021 sport fishing outlook is “Good News”.  Salmon fishing should be “FIRST CLASS”.

Tight lines

Doug Lindores

Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
www.catchsalmon-ca.com
mobile  250 731 7389
toll free     1 888 214 7206
dlindy@shaw.ca