JULY 3rd, 2008
DOUG LINDORES
SLIVERS CHARTERS SALMON SPORT FISHING
The salmon fishing in the Barkley Sound and Ucluelet areas has been very good. June ended with some of the best fishing of the year and perhaps the best over the last couple of years, especially in the Sound. The Chinook have been ranging in size from 10 to 25 pounds. Coho over the July long weekend have showed up in the Ucluelet and Barkley Sound areas in good numbers also. The Coho are averaging in weight from 7 to 10 pounds and are very scrappy. July should be another good month for salmon fishing. The migratory fish coming down the west coast of Vancouver Island are in good numbers. Halibut fishing seems to be now concentrated out at the Rats’ Nose at the Big Bank.
Port Alberni Inlet Sockeye Report
The sockeye escapement has been fantastic since the last report. The migration of sockeye into Great Central Lake has caught up to the numbers of sockeye entering Sproat Lake. The water flow continues to be very good with the water continuing to be cool which is so important to the return. There continues to be some big schools coming into the Inlet. The test seine boat is now sounding and doing some test sets weekly. Up to the 24th of June the return count is 45,000 with escapement into Great Central Lake at 21,000 and Sproat Lake at 24,000. The DFO had some troubles with their counters during the last week so there is thought that a few more than what was counted escaped. This “few more”could very well be quite a high number. The total Jack Sockeye escapement sits at approximately 2,500.
The Inlet continues to be closed to any sockeye fishing. With the return of only 150,000 expected there is not any bagging of Somass Sockeye on the coast. The Port Alberni Inlet however should have some wonderful fishing later in the summer as the numbers of Chinook and Coho returning are excellent and are forecast to be in a surplus. August and September are great months to fish the Port Alberni Inlet. We have fishing and accommodation packages. Many trips are now booked for the last few weeks of August and accommodation is becoming scarce so book your trip now.
Barkley Sound
All of our guides have had some unbelievable fishing down in Barkley Sound. Swale Rock, Meares, Austin and Cree, and offshore up to a mile from Austin, and Edward King over the past week have been extremely good. This is not to say that sometimes you have to pick up and leave and try another area only because your beginning point was not action packed. For example guide John who had fished Swale Rock on Thursday the 26th of June had some nice Chinook from 15 to 25 pounds found nothing at Swale on the Friday morning with guests from Saskatchewan. However the outside area of Meares towards Austin and Cree was fantastic. Guide Jon was into eight good sized salmon but was unfortunate to have three of them taken by a pesky seal. John was having great success on a four inch cop car coyote spoon and the five inch blue-nickel coyote. Guide Henry has also been using the five inch blue-nickel coyote spoon and picked up ten Chinook with guests on the 25th and 26th of June at Swale. Guide Wayne had a fantastic weekend fishing a mile off Austin. He also fished Meares and Edward King. Wayne had limits of Coho and Chinook for his four guests on Saturday June 28th fishing mainly Cree Island and up to a mile offshore. The fish were not hitting bait but again liked the four and five inch cop car and the army truck coyote spoon. Wayne also had a successful day at Edward King and Kirby on the 30th of June. With the wind blowing southeast the Cree-Austin fishing was difficult. The Kirby and Edward King area is protected so a decision for comfort sake was to fish that area. Wayne got into some nice Chinook for guests ranging 15 to 20 pounds. The cop car coyote again proved to be the best lure. 
Guides Doug and Gil on Monday June 30th fished Swale Rock. There was a lot of salmon in the area with most of the fish in the 8 to 15 pound range. Earlier in the week Doug had Chinook over 20 pounds. Gil had the largest fish of the day with his guests from Arizona with one just over 20. The water on Monday was very green. It seems that an algae bloom may be taking place in the Sound and offshore. Gil using a coyote spoon called the Kermit had some great success at 70 feet. Doug using a green spatterback hootchie and anchovy in the UV green Rhys Davis Teaser head found some good success at 90 feet with guests from Utah playing up to fifteen fish and landing six. Green seemed to be the best choice of color on the day. Barkley Sound should continue with some hot fishing. Coho are now coming into the mix. The salmon are coming into the Sound to rest and feed on bait as they make their migratory journey to the south. July looks like a very promising month. More salmon will swim the waters as commercial fishing to the north has been set back just over 50%. People coming to fish should try different colors but it seems that anchovy can prove the best results even though the coyote spoons mentioned above have been good. By the end of the month of July the fishing returning to Robertson Creek Hatchery in Port Alberni will begin to make their way into the Sound also. This will also make for great fishing opportunities.
Ucluelet
The fishing in Ucluelet continues to be good. Guide Mike fished a couple of the long weekend days with guests just at The Lighthouse and hit some good sized Chinook ranging from 15 to 25 pounds. Mike has been using the green spatterback needlefish in this area. Mike on Monday the 30th and the morning of July 1st fished Southbank where the Coho were thick in about thirty feet of water. Chinook seem to be sitting in the 80 to 100 foot level. Mike has also been fishing The Wreck for good sized lings up to fifteen pounds. He is also trolling the bottom with anchovy and salmon bellies for halibut which are smaller and only averaging up to fifteen pounds. The Big Bank currently seems to have the best Hali fishing. There also seems to be good numbers of salmon out at this area. The water has been excellent offshore. There have been some days where the water is flat like it often is in Barkley Sound. Sport Fishermen coming to fish offshore should remember that safety is of concern. A Good VHF radio and a good GPS are of importance. Always check updated weather conditions before heading too far out. If you do not have radar have a radar reflector which is not an expensive item and is important if the fog moves in. July, August, and September are fantastic months for fishing in the Ucluelet area.
Somass-Stamp River
There currently is not any sport fishing in the Somass or Stamp River. We are expecting the fall to be brilliant. Surplus Chinook and Coho are forecast. With a good number of Summer Steelhead in the mix the fishing in the upper and lower Stamp in October and November will be excellent. We have a very exciting fishing-accomodation package. September is completely gone as are the first six days of October.
Do not forget about the Port Alberni Labor Day Weekend Salmon Fishing Derby. This year promises to be very good. There is expected to be some great fishing and of course there is great entertainment at the grounds located on River Road. The weekend festivities begin on the Friday evening and continue until Labor Day Monday afternoon. Fishing begins on Saturday morning at 6am.
For more information
Contact
Doug Lindores
Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
250 724 2502 (home)
250 731-7389 (cell)