2020 Nootka Sound/Esperanza Inlet Reports

Status
Not open for further replies.
There are still some Chinook around Esperanza. Picked up a 27 on an anchovy at 32 feet at Sandstone a couple of days ago (picture). Some guests fished Rosa this morning got 2 Chinook, a 25 and a 15, a 12 lb coho and 4 jack sized coho. Hopefully it means the main coho run is coming!

PE S8.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
While it seems to be windy in around Vancouver and Victoria it is dead calm on the West Coast of the Island. Fished a couple of hours at Rosa, boated a nice bright 20lb fish on a coho killer at 32 feet. Had another on but lost it on the Anchovy I was running on the other side. Some guests took advantage of the calm weather and headed out tuna fishing this AM, hoping I have a positive tuna report later Today! 20200908_093222.jpg
 
While it seems to be windy in around Vancouver and Victoria it is dead calm on the West Coast of the Island. Fished a couple of hours at Rosa, boated a nice bright 20lb fish on a coho killer at 32 feet. Had another on but lost it on the Anchovy I was running on the other side. Some guests took advantage of the calm weather and headed out tuna fishing this AM, hoping I have a positive tuna report later Today! View attachment 56765
Those spoons are one of my faves :) Great color combo.
 
Those spoons are one of my faves :) Great color combo.
This one was killing it all summer too. I just found it in the bottom of some gear otherwise would have been using it. We bend the tail flukes a bit extra than how they come, and of course you have to keep rebending them after every fish as they get straightened out and don't flutter as much.

20200908_180834.jpg
 
This one was killing it all summer too. I just found it in the bottom of some gear otherwise would have been using it. We bend the tail flukes a bit extra than how they come, and of course you have to keep rebending them after every fish as they get straightened out and don't flutter as much.

View attachment 56873
Right on ya the metal is soooo thin tin. Why they make them so thin its ridiculous. Interesting about bending the tail tighter. Will have to try that.
 
Right on ya the metal is soooo thin tin. Why they make them so thin its ridiculous. Interesting about bending the tail tighter. Will have to try that.
The wee g's from Gibbs are thicker and stand up better, but being heavier dont seem to flutter quite the same. That no bananas in the picture has probably caught 10 or 12 chinook. I just keep bending it back. The paint is coming off it now though. I usually go pretty long on the leader too. 7feet.
 
The wee g's from Gibbs are thicker and stand up better, but being heavier dont seem to flutter quite the same. That no bananas in the picture has probably caught 10 or 12 chinook. I just keep bending it back. The paint is coming off it now though. I usually go pretty long on the leader too. 7feet.
I'm a long leader spoon guy too. 8-10' for me Yes my net handles are looooong lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RBL
Does anyone know how the crabbing and prawning has been lately? Looking to go up there in early October. Also, does anyone know if the cougar creek dock is still open in October?

Thanks!
 
There have been a few guys out in Esperanza the fishing has slowed down, there are some coho around, but they are spread out and not plentiful. If you troll around for a few hours you will pick up a couple, off Rosa, near center Island, in the middle of the channel have all spit out a few fish. Anchovies, coho killers, 3 inch spoons have all worked.
 
Esperanza Inlet Season overview:

The 2020 season was dominated by Covid, having to rebook American guests for 2021, and scramble to be Covid compliant for the guests we had. The weather was more windy than usual in 2020, particularly early in the season where we seemed to constantly have winds from the South bringing rough seas. Ferrer is the main place to fish in that weather, and it was producing this year.

CHINOOK: There was excellent chinook fishing at Ferrer through June right up to the closure on July 15th (we got 6 in an evening fish the last night). Overall 2020 for Chinook was an on-shore fishery. The fish were travelling along the beaches and Ferrer, Pin rocks, Rolling Roadstead, Sandstone, Mushroom and Grassy all produced fish throughout the season. Unlike 2019 we had a good fishery in the inlet as well, with good fishing at Rosa in late July thru August, and we were still getting fresh fish out of there into mid September until it rained. The offshore for Chinook was hit and miss, most Chinook fishing was close in, 40 to 60 feet or water. The biggest fish at the Lodge was 30.5 lbs (caught by me at mushroom) so there weren't a lot of really big ones.

COHO: Coho fishing was a bust this year. They stayed offshore all summer, way offshore. The biggest we had was 15lbs, and they were rare, unlike 2019 which had good coho all summer. There were some in the inlet in September. Hopefully 2021 reverts back to normal with lots of coho around as we can retain hatchery or wild fish in the inshore areas (area 25)

TUNA: With warm water coming North there was some Albacore Tuna fishing. We had one group get 19, and other groups go out with moderate success. anywhere from 25 to 50 miles out!

HALIBUT: With less pressure the halibut fishing was good, and known spots were less busy. It was nice to have the regulations change mid season to allow two under 90cm per day to get your possession limit on smaller ones in one day.

We are booking for 2021, we offer fully guided fishing and Bring your own boat packages. If you wnat to come up early season (May through mid june) we offer bring your own boat and food options. You can use the BBQs and the full commercial kitchen to make cook for yourself and just rent a room from us. We are looking forward to the 2021 season already!

July 4 30.5.jpg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top