2020 Port Alberni and Alberni Inlet Reports

[Islander30]

After that last commercial opening I figured it would be....canceled my last trip up. It's too bad really, don't know why the Inlet can't be left for sportfishing. Wonder how many more years before the sockeye run will be nothing more than just another memory of the "good ol days" ?

 

[Olde School]

My boat had some epic mornings, and some epic evenings for sockeye over the past few weeks.
The best memory was going 6 kept for probably about 20 played with 2 of my daughters in about 25 minutes. Neither of them understood me at first when I told them to pull the gear out - they hadn't been counting!
I hope this fishery continues, it is the best for hooking new fishers.

 

[Islandgirl]

Many of us now talk about the good old days...
In the past DFO wheb decided there were 'enough' sockeye in the rivers they brought in the bag fleet and netted everything left swimming. They took the entire back half of the run.
A decade or more later we have lost the last weeks of the runs as they never got to spawn. Fishing used to be good into August 10 to 15 years ago.
I wonder if the FN are still netting the river by boat and beach seine?

 

[meathook]

Anybody getting any sockeye lately.

 

[Oh Sure]

any sockeye for sale in Port Alberni?

 

[getbent]

any sockeye for sale in Port Alberni?

yes at thrifty's....

 

[Fishtank]

No thriftys in port

 

[getbent]

No thriftys in port

basically I meant any supermarket...my bad

 

[Fishtank]

basically I meant any supermarket...my bad

I was joking

 

[Breakin"even]

When does the chinook run usually start to show up at China Creek area?

 

[brutus]

There is a few around already, good numbers mid aug u

 

[Jean Paul Carufo]

After that last commercial opening I figured it would be....canceled my last trip up. It's too bad really, don't know why the Inlet can't be left for sportfishing. Wonder how many more years before the sockeye run will be nothing more than just another memory of the "good ol days" ?

About 10 years ago or so, when DFO was sending someone out to China Creek for the 'Weekly Update Meeting' with all that were interested, under a barage of questions and angry sportsfisherman, it was finally admitted to all in attendence that DFO manages the Inlet for commies only. It is a Commercial fishery and is managed as such. They don't care about sportsfisherman and the millions of dollars they 'used to bring' to Alberni every summer. We fished Sockey there for almost 30 years, but it got so depressing that we now go to Ukie. You talk about the 'olden days'. It used to be that if you weren't on the phone by noon (it usually took 30 or 40 tries to get in) on April 1st, you couldn't get a spot at China Creek from the start of Sockeye the end of May, all the way through to the Spring 'Derby' at the end of August. A million Sockeye were not uncommon with 30 fish MORNINGS the norm to get our 4 fish each. Typically we were done and back for breakfast by 9:00 AM. There was a 'Henderson Run' then too where we would run to fish the 'Blue Roof' past Nahmint for 10# to 12# fish on Coyote spoons. The last year we were there and experienced two seiners just past Pocohantas with nets pulled from both banks leaving only an 8' opening in the middle where our boat could get through, we said 'enough'. It hurts to even read about what it's digressed to now. really sad.
jc Tuna Maru

 

[getbent]

About 10 years ago or so, when DFO was sending someone out to China Creek for the 'Weekly Update Meeting' with all that were interested, under a barage of questions and angry sportsfisherman, it was finally admitted to all in attendence that DFO manages the Inlet for commies only. It is a Commercial fishery and is managed as such. They don't care about sportsfisherman and the millions of dollars they 'used to bring' to Alberni every summer. We fished Sockey there for almost 30 years, but it got so depressing that we now go to Ukie. You talk about the 'olden days'. It used to be that if you weren't on the phone by noon (it usually took 30 or 40 tries to get in) on April 1st, you couldn't get a spot at China Creek from the start of Sockeye the end of May, all the way through to the Spring 'Derby' at the end of August. A million Sockeye were not uncommon with 30 fish MORNINGS the norm to get our 4 fish each. Typically we were done and back for breakfast by 9:00 AM. There was a 'Henderson Run' then too where we would run to fish the 'Blue Roof' past Nahmint for 10# to 12# fish on Coyote spoons. The last year we were there and experienced two seiners just past Pocohantas with nets pulled from both banks leaving only an 8' opening in the middle where our boat could get through, we said 'enough'. It hurts to even read about what it's digressed to now. really sad.
jc Tuna Maru

I too remember those days...it is indeed a shame

 

[Big Green Machine]

About 10 years ago or so, when DFO was sending someone out to China Creek for the 'Weekly Update Meeting' with all that were interested, under a barage of questions and angry sportsfisherman, it was finally admitted to all in attendence that DFO manages the Inlet for commies only. It is a Commercial fishery and is managed as such. They don't care about sportsfisherman and the millions of dollars they 'used to bring' to Alberni every summer. We fished Sockey there for almost 30 years, but it got so depressing that we now go to Ukie. You talk about the 'olden days'. It used to be that if you weren't on the phone by noon (it usually took 30 or 40 tries to get in) on April 1st, you couldn't get a spot at China Creek from the start of Sockeye the end of May, all the way through to the Spring 'Derby' at the end of August. A million Sockeye were not uncommon with 30 fish MORNINGS the norm to get our 4 fish each. Typically we were done and back for breakfast by 9:00 AM. There was a 'Henderson Run' then too where we would run to fish the 'Blue Roof' past Nahmint for 10# to 12# fish on Coyote spoons. The last year we were there and experienced two seiners just past Pocohantas with nets pulled from both banks leaving only an 8' opening in the middle where our boat could get through, we said 'enough'. It hurts to even read about what it's digressed to now. really sad.
jc Tuna Maru

The Commercial fishery has tremendous clout in Ottawa. This is one of the reasons DFO refuses to endorse a plan to have the iconic Thompson River Steelhead declared a Species at Risk. Sad.

 

[Redfisher]

Any current report on springs inside the inlet? The narrows and up?

 

[wildmanyeah]

Any current report on springs inside the inlet? The narrows and up?

i seen this posted on Facebook, by commercial fishermen


“The Barkley Sound Roundtable met this afternoon, August 6th.

Sockeye migration has tapered off to very slow. It is anticipated that they will still occasionally trickle through into September.

Chinook reports seem to be poor so far. Sports fishing has been very slow, and the Area G troll opening was poor. There has been one food fishermen out a couple times for the outer bands, but so far nothing has been caught. It's still quite early, no need to panic.”

 

[Redfisher]

Wishful thinking on my part as we are at China Creek for a few days starting tomorrow......camping with grandkids and hoping for a fish break.

 

[Islandgirl]

I too remember those days...it is indeed a shame

Me three remember those days

 

[Redfisher]

About 10 years ago or so, when DFO was sending someone out to China Creek for the 'Weekly Update Meeting' with all that were interested, under a barage of questions and angry sportsfisherman, it was finally admitted to all in attendence that DFO manages the Inlet for commies only. It is a Commercial fishery and is managed as such. They don't care about sportsfisherman and the millions of dollars they 'used to bring' to Alberni every summer. We fished Sockey there for almost 30 years, but it got so depressing that we now go to Ukie. You talk about the 'olden days'. It used to be that if you weren't on the phone by noon (it usually took 30 or 40 tries to get in) on April 1st, you couldn't get a spot at China Creek from the start of Sockeye the end of May, all the way through to the Spring 'Derby' at the end of August. A million Sockeye were not uncommon with 30 fish MORNINGS the norm to get our 4 fish each. Typically we were done and back for breakfast by 9:00 AM. There was a 'Henderson Run' then too where we would run to fish the 'Blue Roof' past Nahmint for 10# to 12# fish on Coyote spoons. The last year we were there and experienced two seiners just past Pocohantas with nets pulled from both banks leaving only an 8' opening in the middle where our boat could get through, we said 'enough'. It hurts to even read about what it's digressed to now. really sad.
jc Tuna Maru

If you truly believe that DFO manages Alberni for the commercial fleet I suggest you talk to ex commercial fishermen like myself who sold my gillnetter and licence at a substantial loss as you didn’t get enough fish out of the Alberni fisheries to feed a cat. Just big expenses to fish 2-3 times a year. There is one group who dominates the catching piece and have for many years and hint hint ....it’s not commercial.

 

[Redfisher]

So we drug around our 2 hooks this morning and went 3/6 outside China Creek. A few fish around and most people getting something. We had 3 fish taken by the seals which are numerous and aggressive but we managed to get 2 of them back. Very nice morning to fish here. Fished spoons.