Saltwater Cowboy
Active Member
Heading up tomorrow for 5 days! It's the wack and stack show! SWC
Just got back today after three days fishing, for us the fishing was dreadful
Thank you for the honest report Codfather. It's definitely one of the worst seasons ever for lack of numbers and size of fish . I started fishing Nootka, back in the 70's when fish over 50 lbs. were not uncommon. Now a 25 makes headlines . I was very fortunate to have been a part of those good old days. I had a friend Marv from Courtenay that seined on pebble beach in the 60's. 600 springs in one set.July wrap up. After fishing the last 30 days in July I will sum up the fishing in a few words. Shitz, struggle, depressing, exhausting, sucked.
Now that's not to say I haven't had fun and met a lot of my old clients but it's not been easy. I just had a group that I've have for a few years now, same time same place. Last year we fished Camel Rock for 3 days period. We caught 20 springs a day and ended up keeping there 8 and throwing the rest back. The year before we fished San Carlos for 3 days and caught even more fish than last year.
So for those that keep talking about the 100 thousand springs returning this year WHEN????
We had a few good days offshore and caught lots of bottom fish and did well on salmon but the wind gods have not been nice to us this year.
I just came to town for a few supplies and a service on my boat so it's back at it in the morning at 0500 until September.
Good luck and let the fish move soooooooooon.
Codfather
Thank you for the honest report Codfather. It's definitely one of the worst seasons ever for lack of numbers and size of fish . I started fishing Nootka, back in the 70's when fish over 50 lbs. were not uncommon. Now a 25 makes headlines . I was very fortunate to have been a part of those good old days. I had a friend Marv from Courtenay that seined on pebble beach in the 60's. 600 springs in one set.
Chill out. The fish are lateI totally agree.... I never was lucky as a kid to fish the 70's there. But coming to the party late. Only fished nootka for the last 5 years. I keep hearing from old timers about the size and quantity of fish from the old days. I always believed I could 40 in nootka. But talking to guides and old timers and they laugh...... 10 years to late I get told.
Then you get ...... Best run in 50 years... Just makes me chuckle. People fishing for customers. Nootka is a beautiful place to fish. So many options you can't get it all in, in just one trip. Esperenza is an ugly inlet and has no fish best to stay in nootka
Pretty bad when all the fish are now largely Columbia bound and the Bonnivlle dam project has more funding than the entire dfo hatchery program.
Chill out. The fish are late
Agreed! I was in nootka there july 18-22 and we had good off shore fishing. Didn't even try inside. We had 20-30 springs to the boat and killed our 8 all over 20. We even got a few fish at beno one day the wind kicked up. I love nootka and will go every year. That place is so good for the soul.I was up in early July. I agree there were no fish in shore at that point. However, offshore at Bajo it was as good as the best days I have seen in the last 10 years I have fished there. There were a lot of large healthy fish feeding actively. The Codfather is the top guide in Nootka and I respect his opinion greatly. I just want a balanced view that while perhaps its not the "best run in 50 years", its not been a complete right off. Maybe I just hit the perfect couple of days.....for 4 days in a row. Besides, when I fish at Nootka its the entire experience........meat is nice, but, the place is pretty special; history, culture, scenery, wildlife etc...
I read an interesting thread from a river guy earlier in June or July, he said that he had never seen so many salmon in the river at that time of year before, he described as he could have walked across the river and he had been fishing that river for 20+ years, said it only lasted about 5 to 7 days or so, I can't remember which river it was but it was up the interior some where.lol its august 2nd.. they arent coming. Every crappy year the go to is they are late. the season is basically over in 3 weeks. I have been fishing this coast for over 20 years and never has that ever materialized. There is defintely some fish to come, but the majority of the "run of the decade" is over
Saratoga, reading your story about the found rod and reel restores my faith in fishermen being great people. I have to admit I was questioning that a bit last week in the chaos in various spots inside NootkaYes that sounds like it Mike - what's the best way to connect offline so we can chat? I really wanted to get this back to the person who lost it. I can only imagine how they felt - fishing was slow, get a good hit and then lose the rod and reel.