2019 Bamfield and Barkley Sound Reports

[Saltwedge]

36 lber was from Last Cast.....I saw it
Nice fish!!

Cool! Our biggest fish on last year's trip was 18 lbs... it fought like hell.

I'm not asking for anyone's credit card info here... those tyees were obviously not caught offshore (1st clue), but would be nice to know if they were caught off Cree (for example)... which is a truly secret spot. Also, would be nice to know if folks trolling cut plugs/herring (or other large presentations) have managed to keep the shakers off (versus the small spoons). Speaking of offshore, has anyone ever had luck targeting chinook AND hali at the same time by trolling near the ~200-ft ocean floor with juicy herring? Cheers.

 

[Saltwedge]

Should ask Lucky sportfishing and Last cast guiding..... they might spoon feed you....first post??

What spoon would you recommend they feed me with? Skinny G in army truck?

 

[baddogg]

Cool! Our biggest fish on last year's trip was 18 lbs... it fought like hell.

I'm not asking for anyone's credit card info here... those tyees were obviously not caught offshore (1st clue), but would be nice to know if they were caught off Cree (for example)... which is a truly secret spot. Also, would be nice to know if folks trolling cut plugs/herring (or other large presentations) have managed to keep the shakers off (versus the small spoons). Speaking of offshore, has anyone ever had luck targeting chinook AND hali at the same time by trolling near the ~200-ft ocean floor with juicy herring? Cheers.

Bouncing bottom on the banks can result in salmon or halibut when trolling.

 

[fishin solo]

Cool! Our biggest fish on last year's trip was 18 lbs... it fought like hell.

I'm not asking for anyone's credit card info here... those tyees were obviously not caught offshore (1st clue), but would be nice to know if they were caught off Cree (for example)... which is a truly secret spot. Also, would be nice to know if folks trolling cut plugs/herring (or other large presentations) have managed to keep the shakers off (versus the small spoons). Speaking of offshore, has anyone ever had luck targeting chinook AND hali at the same time by trolling near the ~200-ft ocean floor with juicy herring? Cheers.

Sounds like you have enough info and ideas to try out for yourself..... after all that’s what fishing is all about....figuring out how to catch em on your own......anything else and it sounds like maybe you should book a charter??

 

[kaelc]

Cool! Our biggest fish on last year's trip was 18 lbs... it fought like hell.

I'm not asking for anyone's credit card info here... those tyees were obviously not caught offshore (1st clue), but would be nice to know if they were caught off Cree (for example)... which is a truly secret spot. Also, would be nice to know if folks trolling cut plugs/herring (or other large presentations) have managed to keep the shakers off (versus the small spoons). Speaking of offshore, has anyone ever had luck targeting chinook AND hali at the same time by trolling near the ~200-ft ocean floor with juicy herring? Cheers.

Hope to catch the night bite Friday. No intel to share as first time fishing that part of the world in over 22 years, but previously on a commercial troller. We'll be trying a little of everything! Sent you a PM Tight lines!

 

[Saltwedge]

Well, this could be the icing on the $&@%# cake:
https://www.canada.ca/en/fisheries-...e-threat-to-at-risk-fraser-river-chinook.html

 

[Olde School]

Swale is very good right now.

 

[SaltyAlice]

Hey team,

I'll be up at 03:00 to drive to Bamfield for a 05:30 charter with No Bananas. I've been pretty bummed about all of the closures but have decided to use some of the restrictions as time to up my skills. No Bananas was really responsive when I asked about going out to learn how to mooch and cut plug; skills I don't currently have. I'm less worried about filling the freezer but in a way having restrictions takes the pressure off to improve our craft. Of course I'm hoping to pick up a few fish (and fortunately in 23 we actually can) but I am most excited about learning something new that I can use once restrictions lift, and that I can teach to my kids down the road. I will report back!

 

[John s]

I was just talking to my son this morning. He’s on the way back from the nook. He was saying fishing is excellent ,Lots of good size of coho And chinooks around. They quit using bait,There is that many coho around. Hopefully it stays that way for a while I think they where fishing around Cree .Anyways just thought I’d give a quick update J.S.

 

[brutus]

I was just talking to my son this morning. He’s on the way back from the nook. He was saying fishing is excellent ,Lots of good size of coho And chinooks around. They quit using bait,There is that many coho around. Hopefully it stays that way for a while I think they where fishing around Cree .Anyways just thought I’d give a quick update J.S.

Lots and lots of coho, not to many big springs for us anyway, even at the tables only the odd one that i have seen

 

[saltydawg]

Anyone spot Orca this week?

 

[Thunder21]

We fished Kirby today from 11-3 and picked up a ton of small springs and a few nice coho. The coho hit our spoons right off the surface a few times before we had a chance to hook up the downrigger clip. We got tired of catching undersized springs so we moved to Cape Beale and picked up 3 keepers. One in the mid 20s. The best combo for us was a no bananas flasher and green,white and black skinny g spoon.

 

[SaltyAlice]

Back from a beautiful morning spent around Bamfield. Went out with Trevor from NoBananas and he was a great host. I was less focussed on getting loads of fish and instead wanted to learn some new skills. We jigged up squid to use as bait which I had never done before. He showed me how to cut plug herring and mooch and the calm conditions made for perfect training grounds. We ended up bringing in some nice chinook in the process and I went home with new skills and some great fish. Awesome day.

 

[wishiniwasfishin1]

Back from a beautiful morning spent around Bamfield. Went out with Trevor from NoBananas and he was a great host. I was less focussed on getting loads of fish and instead wanted to learn some new skills. We jigged up squid to use as bait which I had never done before. He showed me how to cut plug herring and mooch and the calm conditions made for perfect training grounds. We ended up bringing in some nice chinook in the process and I went home with new skills and some great fish. Awesome day.

Great report...Did you guys use the squid for salmon? If so, how did you rig them?

 

[SaltyAlice]

Great report...Did you guys use the squid for salmon? If so, how did you rig them?

Yup, but not exclusively. For the squid: Two hook rig with the top through the top inch of the squid and second towards the back. But we were playing with everything that morning including jigs, spoons, and at one point a maple bacon donut from the Quay in Alberni.

 

[Grappler_UNIfLi]

Im a touch confused by the Chinook retention regulations for area 23 & 123. The way I read it there is a max and min slot size somewhere in here. Can someone clear it up for me?
I head up to grappler intlet in a bit less than a month. My dad was up last week and only managed to catch shakers and 4lbers. Also a nice boat tore their outdrive off on a whale fyi.

 

[wishiniwasfishin1]

Yup. Two hook rig with the top through the top inch of the squid and second towards the back. But we were playing with everything that morning including jigs, spoons, and at one point a maple bacon donut from the Quay in Alberni.

Thats awesome!...so guessing using the squid for salmon then? How did that go for you? Were you using just a small banana weight like you would with live herring?

 

[Bugs]

Hey guys, I just wanted to give a bump to the Chinook and Coho diet monitoring we are doing out of UVic. For folks fishing Barkley Sound you can drop off your stomachs at Bamfield Mercantile and Marine or the Ucluelet Aquarium. These sites should have bags and data cards but we can also mail supplies. Key info to record is species, date, length, catch location, and hatchery/wild. In the absence of our fancy waterproof datacards pencil on scrap paper is fine. Include your email address and each stomach is one entry in a draw for an MR2LA courtesy of Islander Reels.
Check out the story on our program in the July issue of Island Fisherman Magazine and follow us on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/Southern-BC-Adult-Salmon-Diet-Program-493763831003993/
Questions to juaneslabmanger@gmail.com

Tight lines

Will

 

[Dogbreath]

....at one point a maple bacon donut from the Quay in Alberni.

I prefer their units with Chocolate frosting.

 

[Delray]

The way I read this , is , Barkley Sound and canal has no upper slot limit. The area seaward of the 1NM boundary has the slot limit of 45 cm minimum/ 80 cm maximum...but hey...I’ve been wrong before.