GumbyFromLumby
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- Thread starter GumbyFromLumby
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Buy your gas over in Bella Bella, cheaper than Shearwater. Always run on a full tank, both sides can run out of gas if there is an issue with the delivery. Hotspots: Billy Idol, Dick Cheney, Cultus. McInnes if you like burning gas. Lucy Island for Coho and the classic fishing at a beauty Lighthouse Instagram shot. Block Ice at the Shearwater Store. Just curious what they are charging, you can pm me if you do not want to post here. I'm guessing Dean Channel and Gunboat Passage is the most direct route, but I'm an Island guy and run from Hardy.
Weatherall
Well-Known Member
Been there. Great spot! I agree with these spots. Spider Island is also worth adding to the list. Just be carefull with Prawn and Crab traps. We had a few go missing in the area. Beauty spot. Amazing fishing.
the force
Crew Member
I’ve got the same trip scheduled in July 16th (ish) except we’ll be sleeping on the boat between Hakai and Shearwater pending weather. We’re driving from Kamloops, glad to give you and update prior to your departure (shoot me a PM so I don’t forget!).
Pretty sure there's only one place to launch. It's at the harbour by the ferry terminal. Parking there as well, but not a ton available. It was pay parking. Wasn't a big deal last time I used it, but it's been a long time. I think I talked to someone in the office. Might have even paid when we got back. I can't remember, it was very easy going. As for travel route, I don't think it matters. Summer shouldn't be a big deal. In the winter the big mainland fjord inlets can have some of the worst conditions on the coast, but summer time, just like everywhere else. If you have a bunch of west coast experience you'll be just fine. If you take Gunboat pass, be aware it's tight. Not a problem at all, but you will want to watch the markers and charts closely.
I've never stayed in town. Always either slept in the vehicle near the hill or left Williams Lake early and launched in the afternoon.
You have all the relevant fishing details in the above posts. Prawning can be good, but it's very location specific and like the rest of the coast, totally different after the commercial opening. There are crabs, but I found they are small spots scattered about near the mouths of creeks or time bays. I'd take some traps and cycle them around.
As noted already, keep the tanks full. I got stranded there for a couple days years ago, both Bella and Shearwater were out of gas.
I've never stayed in town. Always either slept in the vehicle near the hill or left Williams Lake early and launched in the afternoon.
You have all the relevant fishing details in the above posts. Prawning can be good, but it's very location specific and like the rest of the coast, totally different after the commercial opening. There are crabs, but I found they are small spots scattered about near the mouths of creeks or time bays. I'd take some traps and cycle them around.
As noted already, keep the tanks full. I got stranded there for a couple days years ago, both Bella and Shearwater were out of gas.
seachicken
Well-Known Member
Last time I was in Bella Coola the place to stay was the Bella Coola valley inn but once I got a room at Eagle Nook lodge. Was pretty nice, it's out of town towards Hagensborg, I think I remember decent parking. Might be safer to park the truck and trailer than downtown. Most of my time on the central coast was not spent fishing unfortunately so that's all I got. Been into Shearwater lots but usually just for beer. Gunboat passage is really cool but you need to know how to navigate it and I don't, definitely a shortcut. It's not rocket science though. Sounds like a fantastic trip!
Hey Gumby!! Just did this exact run last summer (x2) . Will be out there again this summer and I am sure will continue to learn the ins and outs. Some things I found useful.
-Leave Bella Coola in the AM before the wind comes up. I can not stress this enough. one of our trips out was extremely rough and we probably should have beached the boat. A learning experience for sure. The route is easy enough to figure out.
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Bella Coola Cumbrian Inn is where we stayed. They also let us store the trailer. Nice people. very basic rooms but it works.
-Make sure you show up in Coola on a weekday. Nothing is really open on the Sunday.-Fill your coolers with chipped ice at the gas station outside of town in BC. Ice is a issue in Shearwater (Tallios gas bar)
-NAVIONICS is worth it.
-Bella Bella will have cheaper fuel but the line ups may be longer.
-Liquor store in Shearwater is large enough for anything
-We will avoid fishing late this year at it really screws things up for the next day.
-Fish processing is an issue. The docks were just getting going again in Shearwater. I am hopeful this year will see more success for them. Great people here as well.
-Bait is really expensive in Shearwater but available.
-We didn't crab as storage/processing of catch is issue. Anything packaged at the docks will be "Sport" packaged. But the packing licence might be different this year.
-The best advice I can give is to leave all expectations for service/timing ECT at home. Go with the flow, be prepared for delays and enjoy the people out there. So much fun once I got my big city mentality out of my head.
-Watch the morning fog in August.... YIKES!! Some tight passages out there.
I will be there in Mid July and then for 2 weeks Aug 4 on.
Feel free to reach out if you would like a conversation.
Lundforfishing
Member
I am trying to plan a trip like this for late July or mid August leaving from Lake Country, is the fishing still good mid August? I am new to this have only been to the ocean a few times, I bought a boat 240 ocean pro with all the electronics and 300hp, any tips would be appreciated
Dogbreath
Well-Known Member
Coho fishing should be decent to good.
Eden Island
Well-Known Member
I made that run twice in a 16' open boat - down Dean and back Burke. Stress the point about watching for westerlies that can blow up early with few spots to bail out. Unless you're willing to take a pounding, plan the trip in segments between safe spots, which are few and far between. Be prepared to make a go/no go decision at one of the safe spots - we stopped at hotsprings when the westerly got too much. Leave early - it can start blowing by 10:30. Also the cautions about being aware that services can be patchy - fuel, ice, etc. Amazing area, we went 3 times with that boat.
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Aces
Well-Known Member
Learn to navigate in dense fog and know what your fuel range is
Sharphooks
Well-Known Member
I met a guy In Hakkai last summer who did that trip in a 24 footer with his wife…. He mentioned the importance of making the early morning moves because of those Westerlies. They told a story about getting caught in Burke Channel in a mid afternoon blow a few years ago and learned their lesson about how important timing was …I could see in their eyes that they’d probably come close to buying it during that blow… I also remember reading about a charter captain who got caught with clients off Humchitt Island during a blow and a big tide change …his clients made it to shore but he didn’t…
Crossing Fitzhugh Sound should also get your full respect ,… it can get nasty during a blow and in late July/August you can also enjoy the adventure of pea soup fog mixed with a dose of heavy boat traffic… my least favorite combination
Oh, and let’s not forget the Highway of Death at the end of Hwy 20 as you drop down to Bella Coola… it’s a spectacular drive but a bit of a white-knuckle drop as you make your way down to sea level … make sure your truck and trailer brakes and tires are in tip-top condition… you’ll be playing dodgem’ with RV’s and logging trucks on hair-pin corners cut out of the side of a very steep mountain….
It’s unpaved and get’s seriously rutted out by all the summer traffic…engineering masterpiece but it’ll get your full attention both coming and going
Crossing Fitzhugh Sound should also get your full respect ,… it can get nasty during a blow and in late July/August you can also enjoy the adventure of pea soup fog mixed with a dose of heavy boat traffic… my least favorite combination
Oh, and let’s not forget the Highway of Death at the end of Hwy 20 as you drop down to Bella Coola… it’s a spectacular drive but a bit of a white-knuckle drop as you make your way down to sea level … make sure your truck and trailer brakes and tires are in tip-top condition… you’ll be playing dodgem’ with RV’s and logging trucks on hair-pin corners cut out of the side of a very steep mountain….
It’s unpaved and get’s seriously rutted out by all the summer traffic…engineering masterpiece but it’ll get your full attention both coming and going
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Lundforfishing
Member
How far of a boat ride is it from Bella coola to Bella Bella? Or is it worth it to just ferry over?
Eden Island
Well-Known Member
Ferry is 163 km but included 20 km detour to Ocean Falls. That makes is about 140 km by boat - I've done it twice round trip. You need a plan that involves bailout spots if it starts to blow, and there are only a handful. I went once with boat and trailer by ferry from Hardy to Shearwater where there's a marina and good launch - expensive but takes the stress out for nervous passengers. And your vehicle can be a spare stuff depot.
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the force
Crew Member
Planning to make the Bella Coola to Bella Bella or McNaughton/Goose trip July 23 or 24 via Dean Channel and either Gun Boat or Lama Passage pending weather/fuel etc.
Are there any suggested resources for assessing channel conditions? The Windy app is typically as far as I go for conditions assessment. Once out there with no service is vhf weather channel the next option? I have an in-reach so can request weather via that but haven’t actually paid attention to what it provides in terms of wind…
Are there any suggested resources for assessing channel conditions? The Windy app is typically as far as I go for conditions assessment. Once out there with no service is vhf weather channel the next option? I have an in-reach so can request weather via that but haven’t actually paid attention to what it provides in terms of wind…
CBsqrd
Well-Known Member
Environment Canada Continous Marine Broadcast on the VHF is the best when you are up there. I keep a copy of this printed out and on hand, but you can just scan the weather channels on your VHF until you find the best signal. As part of the broadcast they have lighthouse reports (wind, seas, visibility and weather).
Information archivée dans le Web | Information Archived on the Web
FishWeather has current (within last hour) wind reports from stations in the Burke Channel, Denny Island and offshore, but unless you are right out front of Bella Bella don’t expect to get a cell signal.
the force
Crew Member
Very helpful, thank you. That is a great EC reference that I hadn’t seen before.Environment Canada Continous Marine Broadcast on the VHF is the best when you are up there. I keep a copy of this printed out and on hand, but you can just scan the weather channels on your VHF until you find the best signal. As part of the broadcast they have lighthouse reports (wind, seas, visibility and weather).
Information archivée dans le Web | Information Archived on the Web
publications.gc.ca
FishWeather has current (within last hour) wind reports from stations in the Burke Channel, Denny Island and offshore, but unless you are right out front of Bella Bella don’t expect to get a cell signalvery helpful
Eden Island
Well-Known Member
Ditto on the EC weather and on printing a copy -- VHF signal can be pretty sketchy in Burke and Dean. I'd also plan possible "bail out" spots, and at each, make an assessment and a go/no go decision if the westerly is building. Those spots are few and far between and I've used several between Bella Coola and Bella Bella. Leave Bella Coola as early as feasible as the westerly can build substantially by late morning - like Alberni, but worse..
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Rockin Johnny
Active Member
Good news, have you been able to find salt ice? How’s the fishing?
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