PORT ALBERNI SALMON FESTIVAL AND DERBY—2025
Late August and September Fishing
The 2025 Port Alberni Salmon Festival and Derby took place during the Labour Day Weekend. The Festival was a huge success with wonderful weather conditions and fantastic fishing for the many anglers participating in this years derby. Salmon Festival organizer and Tyee Club president Carolyn Jasken believes that over three thousand salmon were weighed in throughout the three day event. The largest fish of the Derby was landed at Nanat Island close to Poett Nook which is at the far end of the Bamfield Wall. Port Alberni resident and angler Don Kimura landed a thirty pound fourteen ounce Chinook on day three and won Kimura the grand prize of $15,000.00. Two other residents of the Alberni Valley won cash prizes on the third day of the festival. Justin Fraser landed a twenty-six pound two ounce Chinook for the second largest fish of the day and Bob Matlock landed a twenty-one pound ten ounce fish for third place on day three. On Saturday or day one of the derby Ian Simmons took first place of the day with a twenty-four pound four ounce salmon. Keith Seidel took first place on Day two with a twenty-five pound Chinook. Both anglers took home $5,000.00 for the biggest fish of the day prize. There were also a good number of hidden weight prizes that ranged from $50 to $250.
The Sport Fishing in much of Barkley Sound and the Alberni Inlet in the second half of August and into early September has been absolutely terrific. In August some of the hotspots like Cree-Austin, Meares Bluff, Gilbraltor, Samatao Bay and Swale Rock were on absolute fire for many days. The inlet during the last two weeks of August provided some great fishing days and really lit up during the Festival weekend. Many of the fish landed in the Inlet were from forty to fifty feet using white hoochies (AORL 12) and glow hoochies as well as MP two’s and sixteen’s. Anchovies in clear, purple haze, and Chartreuse teaser heads were working as well. The large abundant return of one hundred thousand Chinook seems to be living up to the The Department of Fisheries and Oceans forecast.
The Sport Fishing in Barkley Sound with the dry weather conditions should continue to be very GOOD for the first half of September. Historically the best fishing can be on the Bamfield side during the current month. The Bamfield Wall from Nanat Island to the Bamfield Harbour Mouth and up to Brady’s Beach and Wittlestone are normally terrific. Anchovy, a variety of spoons especially the skinny G’s, and hoochies in green and white are normally excellent lure choices for the first half of September. Areas around Ucluelet from Little Beach, and Fraser Rock’s to Wya Point and Florencia are normally very good for the first two or three weeks of September as well. Those anglers wishing to fish in the Inlet during September can often find the freshest fish and fishing opportunity in Bells Bay and the Franklin Wall right up to the Sport Fishing Boundary.
If the seasonal forecast holds true the sport fishing should be absolutely phenomenal in September for Chinook and Coho salmon.
Tight Lines
Sliver Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
Doug Lindores
dlindy@shaw.ca
888 214 7206
www.catchsalmon.ca-com