2017 Bamfield and Barkley Sound Reports

Anyway, let's get back to reports, cause the facts are I saw people catching plenty of fish, way more than me, but you had to go to them. Best to keep that climate nonsense to where the wacky boys hang out in the conservation section.
The report does not say that NOBODY catches fish.... But it is not everybody that can spend $100. + worth of gas plus a $100,000 boat to go get them 20 miles off our shores.... What is being said here Dude is that there is less fish showing up than before... The fact that you see lots of fish being cleaned out at the station does not mean that everyone are catching fish, and take into consideration that all of us do not have 40 years of experience hooking up fish.... I've been fishing the Barkley Sound for the last 8 years, and there is definitely way less fish than before.... If you did not notice this unarguable fact, you're not paying attention... End of the story, have a nice day !
 
The report does not say that NOBODY catches fish.... But it is not everybody that can spend $100. + worth of gas plus a $100,000 boat to go get them 20 miles off our shores.... What is being said here Dude is that there is less fish showing up than before... The fact that you see lots of fish being cleaned out at the station does not mean that everyone are catching fish, and take into consideration that all of us do not have 40 years of experience hooking up fish.... I've been fishing the Barkley Sound for the last 8 years, and there is definitely way less fish than before.... If you did not notice this unarguable fact, you're not paying attention... End of the story, have a nice day !

The fish are just late. They will be hitting the Sound soon....seeing lots of them coming down
 
The fish are just late. They will be hitting the Sound soon....seeing lots of them coming down

I don't doubt it one bit. Anything with a brain is known to be unpredictable, boys are just getting a little frustrated and look for any reason why they didn't catch fish on the day they were at spot "A" trolling back and forth with no luck.

What I saw in China Creek kinda tells me the run that was supposed to be in the sound may have just moved right through without stopping for a bite.

Hard pill to swallow when you spend the kinda money it takes to stay in Bamfield for a week fishing though.
 
I don't doubt it one bit. Anything with a brain is known to be unpredictable, boys are just getting a little frustrated and look for any reason why they didn't catch fish on the day they were at spot "A" trolling back and forth with no luck.

What I saw in China Creek kinda tells me the run that was supposed to be in the sound may have just moved right through without stopping for a bite.

Hard pill to swallow when you spend the kinda money it takes to stay in Bamfield for a week fishing though.


No, they are outside still. We hammered the Robertson fish today.....mostly un clipped fish. 15 for 24 on mostly mid to upper teeners
 
No, they are outside still. We hammered the Robertson fish today.....mostly un clipped fish. 15 for 24 on mostly mid to upper teeners
At the Nooke and Raining hard , Should bring in fresh fish will keep you posted. At the nooke dock most fish coming from southbank
 
Pseudo huh... They just shut down basically all of Alaska due to record low marine survival. Skeena reports are dismal as are reports from the Charlotte's. Yes there are pockets of fish.. and yes some guys are getting a few. However the story is larger than your view from the dock at the nook or China creek.
Ask guys how steelheading was last winter. Ask all the commercial fisherman... that are no longer commercial fisherman. Ask the oyster hatcheries that have juvenile oysters that can't form shells because of the ocean acidity.
Open your eyes up a little.

And.. I'm not frustrated.. I haven't been out to Barkley in a couple years. Someone asked where the fish are going so I gave them an honest answer.
 
Pseudo huh... They just shut down basically all of Alaska due to record low marine survival. Skeena reports are dismal as are reports from the Charlotte's. Yes there are pockets of fish.. and yes some guys are getting a few. However the story is larger than your view from the dock at the nook or China creek.
Ask guys how steelheading was last winter. Ask all the commercial fisherman... that are no longer commercial fisherman. Ask the oyster hatcheries that have juvenile oysters that can't form shells because of the ocean acidity.
Open your eyes up a little.

And.. I'm not frustrated.. I haven't been out to Barkley in a couple years. Someone asked where the fish are going so I gave them an honest answer.
Seconded.... I've been chatting with dozens of fisherman at the Nook, seasonal people that spent their summer fishing the Sound, and they ALL agree, there is way less fish swimming around the last 2 years.... Guys with years of fishing experience catching one fish, plus getting one hit in 8 days of fishing, NOT NORMAL .... Haven't heared much of "catch and release" lately :( To the believers that say that all is fine, I say be happy, and stay in your bubble....
 
m2b

fishin will not always be smokin every season , or even a guarantee of a single bite , its FISHING ,
ive been fishin this area hard for 20 plus years on my own , and several with my family when
i was a kid , it cycles , weve had terrible returns in the past , and even had full on salmon closures !!
it always seems to bounce back , for what ever reasons , ocean survival rates , poor management , or just
straight out over harvesting by all sectors , i think the powers at be will eventually figure things out , we all know the importance
of this resource , to all sectors , sometimes it takes a year or 2 of " doom and gloom " for all of us to get our heads outta of our asses , and realize its not a endless
supply of fish ,

trust me , someway , somehow , it will work its coarse , the fish will be back , id like to think there are alot of great examples of how NOT to manage
our valuable fishery of the past , , hang in there , no need to get all bent outta shape , they will be back !!
it makes catching that much more rewarding when things are slower , and will make you a better hunter ,

as i tell everyone , i enjoy the whole west coast experience , just puttin my feet up and chillin out , if salmon is slow , change it up ,
get out the meat sticks , or....
go for a drive , enjoy a river or lake or a beach in the area lol ,

fd
 
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m2b

fishin will not always be smokin every season , or even a guarantee of a single bite , its FISHING ,
ive been fishin this area hard for 20 plus years on my own , and several with my family when
i was a kid , it cycles , weve had terrible returns in the past , and even had full on salmon closures !!
it always seems to bounce back , for what ever reasons , ocean survival rates , poor management , or just
straight on over harvesting by all sectors , i think the powers at be will eventually figure things out , we all know the importance
of this resource , to all sectors , sometimes it takes a year or 2 of " doom and gloom " for all of us to get our heads outta of our asses , and realize its not a endless
supply of fish ,

trust me , someway , somehow , it will work its coarse , the fish will be back , id like to think there are alot of great examples of how NOT to manage
our valuable fishery of the past , , hang in there , no need to get all bent outta shape , they will be back !!
it makes catching that much more rewarding when things are slower , and will make you a better hunter ,

as i tell everyone , i enjoy the whole west coast experience , just puttin my feet up and chillin out , if salmon is slow , change it up ,
get out the meat sticks , or....
go for a drive , enjoy a river or lake or a beach in the area lol ,

fd

BEST POST OF THE YEAR!
 
BEST POST OF THE YEAR!

x2!

If it's only about catching better stick to stocked trout lakes.

Funny thing. Last week in Nootka it was spotty at best, but the gill net fishery had huge success Thursday nite. Lots of talk about no fish showing up etc last year too but the hatchery saw what was predicted to come to the river actually show up. Same thing with Barkley. Lots of stocks are in trouble but tats been thc case for decades. Why did we start a Salmon Enhancement Program and the construction of hatcheries we have today in 1975? Because there were to many salmon?

Looking forward to a return to Barkley Sound next Tuesday. If we slay em in the same place we did last year that'd be awesome. If we don't then I guess it means the fshery is in serious trouble and we need to shut it down. Lol

We have good years and we have bad years. Fisheries and stocks have thrived and crashed. Thats about the only consistent thing I've seen over 5 decades of fishing.

Sorry to distract from the purpose of this thread.

Any recent reports to help me look forward to the trip?

CP
 
Nice post, FD, I agree that we might just be at the bottom (or close to it) of a cycle... One thing is almost certain, there is a whole bunch of Chinook are at our doorstep, and they will be swimming in the sound at any moment now... Happy fishing to all :)
 
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