2020 Bamfield and Barkley Sound Reports

[sir-vivor]

U r hilarious! Lived the cabazon description. We felt much the same way when we caught r first one. Ugly brute. Hubby was about to toss it back, when I read that their diet is primarily crab and their meat is firm and sweet. Into the box it went!

There not ugle lol

 

[Charts]

Just finished 4 days up in Bamfield. 1st trip with the new boat and first full Bamfield adventure with my wife. Of course she out fished me. It was an up and down few days for fishing. Friday poured rain alllll day. Ended up hitting 3 decent springs at Beale. Cheers to the fella at the govt dock who gave me "throw on anchovies" tip as I thought squid was still hitting hard on the south side. All springs full of squid but nailing bait. Saturday brought sunny skies and 4 in the boat by 7am. All on bait. 22lb screamer that the wife asked "is it ever going to stop running away from me".. anchored for some hali and hit 2 chickens. Yesterday was slow around the hot spots with only a few shakers. Ran the inlet this morning in perfect seas but just littered with logs all over the place. PLEASE be careful running it today and tomorrow as we dodged at least 15 25 foot logs. Also sockeye opening on the river brought some interesting boat dodging. Boat ran good.. wife wants to buy a place in Bamfield so very successful trip.

 

[Playoffgoalie]

First Barkley Sound report of the year from Team Salty Alice! Spent a few days in the Sound and enjoyed the wind and chop and beef jerky and cussing. Our first trip of the year is always about goofing around, testing gear, prospecting, and trying out new techniques. Here's how we netted out:
Salmon
- Late June = white hoochies, or variants thereof, are the usual order of business. Best spot for us was out near Beale but the seas were big enough that boats were disappearing between troughs. Picked up a few nice chinooks up to mid teens which is perfect eating size in my opinion. Bellies of the salmon were stuffed full of white squid and some reeeeally tiny bait. Gutting the fish we saw the digested squid drifting away and it was remarkable to see how identical they look to hoochies. Also ran some pistachio hoochies which did well but pure white seemed best for us.
- Ran some spoons but that only brought in the shakers for us this time around
- Tried our hand at Swale and Cree but only found shakers there

Ling
- Ling a ding dong. Did well during our roaming all over the sound and hit our limit. Nice to pick up lings this time of year as I find them harder to dredge up later in the summer. Thanks to all the members who gave me pointers in past years when lings were my white whale and I couldn't catch one to save my life.

Cabezon (The GigaBullhead)
- I have no idea what to do with this thing. Damn it's ugly. Poison roe? Blech. It only wants to lay on its belly on the cleaning station which makes filleting a pain in the butt. Frozen and vacuum sealed until I figure out how to prepare it or exorcise it using holy water.

Filleting
- After reading many posts on these fine forums I picked up a North Arm 9" filleting knife and this was its maiden voyage. Damn this thing is nice; might be an actual light sabre. My sword-sized Bubba Blade shall now be relegated to getting through spines.

Whales
- Had a bit of engine trouble and were drifting along when two humpbacks surfaced right next to the boat, maybe 10' away. They circled around us with their pectorals in the air, went under the boat, and generally followed us. Awe inspiring, and intimidating at the same time. We understand the distance rules but they had come to us. Waited until they were a safe distance and got moving using the kicker and left them to their dance moves.

Radio Chatter
- Monday wasn't super hot for some and they filled the radio with random banter. Not sure it was in keeping with radio protocol but was sure as heck entertaining. When the call came out from the whale tour operator "Has anybody seen any whales around?" there was an *instant* reply in a faux teary pleading voice of "Just leave them alone!".

Trailer Logistics
- Worth mentioning. My wife asked what I wanted for my birthday and I said I don't need stuff, I need "Trailer logistics". For the season she will help load the boat, take the trailer away after launch, be back at the ramp to meet us when we come back. Gentlemen or Ladies, ask your significant other for trailer logistics for your next birthday. Highly recommend. P.S. Few things are hotter than a wife that can calmly back up a trailer in the middle of a busy Clutesi ramp.

All in all a great trip. Came home with loads of fish and great memories. Will be back in a few weeks!

Great post!

Where you picking off lings at? I have had some luck offshore and in front of pachena light...going to be up for a week next week would love to get a few....

 

[trophywife]

Great post!

Where you picking off lings at? I have had some luck offshore and in front of pachena light...going to be up for a week next week would love to get a few....

not to be rude , but lings are and there hangouts are usually kept pretty tightly secret,,

try any edges.. hills.. 50'-120',, out in front of pachena is prime!

 

[ryanb]

Picked up this 34lb bad boy at Beale yesterday afternoon, along with a 15lber. Both on white and green hoochie. Slow grind for springs. Tried offshore for halibut and got skunked trolling and drifting bait. Just a few small feeder springs the day before, nothing worth bonking.

 

[ExFlyGuy]

Picked up this 34lb bad boy at Beale yesterday afternoon, along with a 15lber. Both on white and green hoochie. Slow grind for springs. Tried offshore for halibut and got skunked trolling and drifting bait. Just a few small feeder springs the day before, nothing worth bonking.

Nice fish! Hopefully some more fish move in. Heading up Friday afternoon for the weekend on a guys trip!

 

[Derby]

see u up there...

 

[dmurph]

View attachment 54631 Picked up this 34lb bad boy at Beale yesterday afternoon, along with a 15lber. Both on white and green hoochie. Slow grind for springs. Tried offshore for halibut and got skunked trolling and drifting bait. Just a few small feeder springs the day before, nothing worth bonking.

Nice tyee

 

[BigBadBrad]

not to be rude , but lings are and there hangouts are usually kept pretty tightly secret,,

try any edges.. hills.. 50'-120',, out in front of pachena is prime!

Out in front of Pachena has been picked over pretty good....I spent 3 hours jigging that area and got a few undersize lings. There were also 2 others doing the same thing. I heard early June you can get legal ones then it is like a needle in a hay stack. I will give a full report once I get un-packed

BBB

 

[John s]

Back out on the water. Out at Beal Two in the boat . One in the teens and the other about 10 lbs. . On anchovie and on the bottom.

 

[Another_cdory]

Back out on the water. Out at Beal Two in the boat . One in the teens and the other about 10 lbs. . On anchovie and on the bottom.

Wish we could join you. This would have been our 21st year fishing in Barkley sound. The covid-19 has blocked our way from the U.S., but I enjoy reading of your success.
It has been enjoyable just living vicariously. Tight lines.

 

[MOOSEANDMERMAID]

Does anyone target Sockeye further down the inlet? Say near Poet or wherever?

 

[trophywife]

Does anyone target Sockeye further down the inlet? Say near Poet or wherever?

sometimes a fluke catch happens, i got into some in keeha and at beale.. i was trolling really slow with a pink squirt (hint)
this was a rare catch for me.
you would want to run further down the inlet where they school up. far better chances.

 

[MOOSEANDMERMAID]

sometimes a fluke catch happens, i got into some in keeha and at beale.. i was trolling really slow with a pink squirt (hint)
this was a rare catch for me.
you would want to run further down the inlet where they school up. far better chances.

I’ll be out of Salmon Beach all next week, I might give it a shot, or like you say run up closer to Port.

 

[John s]

Went and sat on the anchor in the washer machine off shore , no love today, one dog fish in 4 1/2 hours and one green deck hand Heading in to dry the gear

 

[sir-vivor]

sometimes a fluke catch happens, i got into some in keeha and at beale.. i was trolling really slow with a pink squirt (hint)
this was a rare catch for me.
you would want to run further down the inlet where they school up. far better chances.

Oh I dont know Morgan and I did ok with one rod and 1 hour in front

 

[Jean Paul Carufo]

Does anyone target Sockeye further down the inlet? Say near Poet or wherever?

One year fishing Barkley on an incoming current, we were off Kirby Point fishing just inside the push of water. The area was packed with Coho, but we caught a Sockeye on one of our big hootchies. We switched a couple of rods over a MP15 on one and 2 Black Hooks on the other and started catching Sockeye on every drop. We found more Sockeye the closer we fished to the point; Coho outside, Sockeye inside from 40' to over 90'. We typically don't target them in Barkley, as we are fishing Springs, but they have to get from the ocean to the Inlet somewhere. Probably right down the Imperial Eagle Channel. We have also caught them the entire length of the Inlet from Chup to inside Poly Point. Just cruise down the inlet watching your electronics. You might be surprized where you find a school or two.
Tight Lines, jc Tuna Maru

 

[fishspoon]

Have seen the numerous sockeye gillnet Boats working from Cape Beale all the way up to upper inlet at commercial fishing opening before. I Sportsfished around Cape Beale in early summer long time ago.

 

[Sea.P.P.]

Caugh

Does anyone target Sockeye further down the inlet? Say near Poet or wherever?

caught two sockeye today at Beal on small anchovies wasn’t targeting them

 

[John s]

Great afternoon fish. My son and his buddies pick up a 32,26, 13 pound springs on anchovy’s on the bottom at Beal.