2020 Nootka Sound/Esperanza Inlet Reports

[MacDuff]

Saturday 3 springs at Rosa along the wall - 18# was the biggest. All on bait. Due to the northwesterly fished Nootka yesterday. 2 springs at Wash Rocks early - 18.5 and 15#. Picked up another teenager at Hoiss in the afternoon - anchovies and white hootchies. Surface water temperature on the inside was over 70F so fished deeper.

 

[PlugLife]

Great couple of days at Nootka fishing inside the whole time. Saturday a little slower but managed an 18 and lost a smaller teenager at the boat plus a couple other bites... Sunday was out on a charter and had a dozen solid hits and broke lines on 3 tanks but still managed 3 on the boat all high teens... fished San Carlo, beer can, hoisse and Camel. Definitely best action was at San Carlo towards The oyester farm...

Needlefish hootchies, anchovies and Flash flies worked well.... now off to grab the family and head over to
Ukee and Tofino hopefully for some
Bottomfishing.

 

[Doubleheader]

Broken leaders, a guides worst nightmare ...

 

[spring fever]

Broken leaders, a guides worst nightmare ...

Yeah the things of nightmares-I just said too hell with it and upped all leaders to 40lbs-really helped with the long line break -offs and didn't seem to decrease the hits.
Somehow a break-off always winds up being the guides fault--makes a tough day when you have 10 hook-ups and 1 or 2 fish to show. Once I went to 40ibs on the leader the long line break -offs decreased to about zero-long line releases were another matter!! LOL

 

[Doubleheader]

Yeah the things of nightmares-I just said too hell with it and upped all leaders to 40lbs-really helped with the long line break -offs and didn't seem to decrease the hits.
Somehow a break-off always winds up being the guides fault--makes a tough day when you have 10 hook-ups and 1 or 2 fish to show. Once I went to 40ibs on the leader the long line break -offs decreased to about zero-long line releases were another matter!! LOL

40# doesn’t scare em at all, went through 30 chovies this morning on em. Running trailer hooks though gotta pay attention to them, I have 8 brand new leaders for every morning bite. Swap em as soon as they’re suspect...

 

[Ned]

Back from Critter after 5 nights. We fished outside at Beano and Maquinna and were able to bring in 6 springs. Mostly on the black/green/white skinny g at 19 and 24 feet. a few hits and keepers on the anchovy, 34' as well. When the water got sloppy with the wind we moved over to Burdwood and were able to pick up 6 more. The skinny g seemed to work well. Most of the bellies were empty, some had minnow and needlefish.

For us the inside points were spotty. No luck at Coopte, but picked one up at Camel Rock.

While we spent most of our time on the outside there were others who were doing well at time at the inside. One boat picked up four 25# and a 2o# after sleeping in, having a late breakfast and heading out at 11. They were on the dock by 3.

Parking at GR was outstanding with the new compound.

Looking forward to the next trip.

Ned

 

[bcfishguy]

Heading out to Nootka on Friday. I want to give cougar creek a try. Do you guys think it’s ok to tow 22’ striper there? Is parking cash only and how much? Thanks

 

[Nasty017]

Heading out to Nootka on Friday. I want to give cougar creek a try. Do you guys think it’s ok to tow 22’ striper there? Is parking cash only and how much? Thanks

I tow a 22’ whaler in every year. Take it slow and keep your spare handy just in case.

 

[donnie d]

Ugh. Winds do not look great this weekend. Friday is gross.

 

[dmurph]

Ugh. Winds do not look great this weekend. Friday is gross.

Sounds like fish have moved inside though, so fishing for salmon in nicer water should be good, the beauty of Nootka

 

[sir-vivor]

Heading out to Nootka on Friday. I want to give cougar creek a try. Do you guys think it’s ok to tow 22’ striper there? Is parking cash only and how much? Thanks

I did it with my 22ft striper and Ram 1500 a couple of years back and it was a breeze , great scenery and easy trip. Parking then was great and from the note above is better now. So unless they are undergoing highway upgrades go for it ! I spent 6 nights on the boat on the dock at Critter Cove and ate at the floating restaurant one of the best solo trips I've ever had, it was all there. Oh and the fishing was good to lol . Good Luck and tight lines

 

[capman]

Been waiting for it all year and now can't wait 4 more days to find myself in Nootka.

 

[bcfishguy]

Sounds like fish have moved inside though, so fishing for salmon in nicer water should be good, the beauty of Nootka

Yes just checked weather and it’s gale warning all over the island this week. Which spots on the inside should be good now? Hoiss point? Will be arriving there Friday at noon with pops on his 60th birthday

 

[bcfishguy]

I did it with my 22ft striper and Ram 1500 a couple of years back and it was a breeze , great scenery and easy trip. Parking then was great and from the note above is better now. So unless they are undergoing highway upgrades go for it ! I spent 6 nights on the boat on the dock at Critter Cove and ate at the floating restaurant one of the best solo trips I've ever had, it was all there. Oh and the fishing was good to lol . Good Luck and tight lines

Thanks for info. Towing with ram 1500 too. Gale warning all week which sucks for Hali and bottom fishing I guess

 

[donnie d]

Sounds like fish have moved inside though, so fishing for salmon in nicer water should be good, the beauty of Nootka

yea you bet. Fish are definitely inside. Hard to beat the experience out around the corner though...rounds out a trip out to Nootka. Depending how Thursday and Friday go on the inside I may make the run out to Maquinna Saturday morning, windy shows it not being bad in the morning.

 

[Redfisher]

Road is in reasonable shape. Friend came out of Cougar Creek Monday night. He tows a 19’ Trophy on single axle trailer.

 

[pescador]

yea you bet. Fish are definitely inside. Hard to beat the experience out around the corner though...rounds out a trip out to Nootka. Depending how Thursday and Friday go on the inside I may make the run out to Maquinna Saturday morning, windy shows it not being bad in the morning.

If the winds are from the NW you can tuck into Beano with relative calm. It has some protection. It can be a snotty ride tho from Maquinna to Beano if there’s any wind from the West. But once there you’d be surprised how different it can be to Maquinna.

 

[dmurph]

Year of the wind, every time I check the forecast it’s like a hurricane, that being said the forecasts have been quite off lots and I’ve been able to get out usually in glass like water, reference to Vancouver island not Nootka specific. Good luck on the trip

 

[sir-vivor]

Thanks for info. Towing with ram 1500 too. Gale warning all week which sucks for Hali and bottom fishing I guess

Just a heads up, when leaving the gold river launch keep to right ( when returning keep left) because it REALLY SHALLOWS on the opposite side where the pebbles are, they look deep but are shallow I know I came in really slow and still bent my engine Skage on a slight grounding , if it's the same now USE CAUTION ! Tight line and be safe and post all those big fish u catch !!

 

[Crali2014]

Just a heads up, when leaving the gold river launch keep to right ( when returning keep left) because it REALLY SHALLOWS on the opposite side where the pebbles are, they look deep but are shallow I know I came in really slow and still bent my engine Skage on a slight grounding , if it's the same now USE CAUTION ! Tight line and be safe and post all those big fish u catch !!

I had same circumstance across from the Seaplane Tie up. No word of a lie, we were coming in, the pilot looked right at me, could see we were coming in, untied, started up and boxed me out (well that's how I felt). I ran aground , bent my prop slightly but was going slow enough I stalled out.