2021 Bamfield and Barkley Sound Reports

[Brett83]

Well I just got back from bamfield. Our family trip. I spent most of the time fishing with my brother in law. The run up the channel was calm and thick fog. We fish for a while before check in. Tons of shakers on the wall that day. So we spent most of our time for the rest of the trip out at Beal. Tons of Shakers everywhere. We ended up doing better on the wall. We both caught our limits mainly ten pounders with a 19# and 22# mixed in. Our cut off time was ten am Tuesday morning. 10:04 I got the 22# fish. I bet it was the same fish that snapped my rod holder on Monday night.
Overall great trip, the locals in bamfield are very knowledgeable and we got tons of advice. Mills landing was typically awesome. See you next year Bamfield.

 

[SpringFever2359]

Back from Bamfield, a trip like no other.love fishing in the fog.
Wife not feeling well so I took a buddy who's never been there.
Although we could have easily limited on springs we were holding out for decent/normal sized ones, also got coho, lings and easy rock fish limits.
No hali again for me!! I really do suck at finding them!
Didnt matter what you used when trolling, we hit on spoons, bait, needle fish hootchie.

Off shore on Friday, other days we could be found at cree/effingham, kirby,sanford,beale down to harbor.
Fished hard to get decent springs, sooo many smalls/barely legal springs inshore never seen it like that before.
Monday our last day, we went back to Kirby and Cree/effingham area, I kept track of what we caught, 34 springs, kept 2 , 2 coho, 2 sockeye(released outside of cree), buddy snapped off what we beleive would have been our largest spring of trip at Meares, screaming runs that's fishin, when jigging lost track of bottom fish, 3 lings
Good times as always, motors totaled 45.8hrs this trip not including bottom fishing times.
Nice to meet you @morganic see ya again up there
Now the clean up and packaging of fish!

 

[Red Monster]

Sorry about your loss. I love scotty products but their boom mounted rod holders and regular all plastic rod holders will break. I solved the boom rod holder problem by finding an all stainless holder and actually tig welded the off side mounting clamp to the boom. It is rock solid now. As far as gunnel mounted holders scotty’s stryker line has a ss rod down through the base which makes them much less likely to sheer off.

Well here's a cautionary tale because this sort of thing reminds me of my fishing buddy who insists on really tightening the tension on his reel while trolling. When I questioned him about it (WTF), he claimed it "helps set the hook" don't you know? Well, I wasn't there the sunny day he proudly trolled his expensive new Islander reel setup while applying sun screen. Big fish, bye bye new rod and reel-- but he really set the hook!

Salmon took my Islander reel

Sorry about your Islander....I hang around Esperanza all summer...Where did you lose it? I've had 2 Scotty rod holders fail....both at the stem. They were older and were in the sun too long. One I grabbed and the other came back very gingerly on the release clip. I changed over to the Striker...

www.sportfishingbc.com

 

[BigBadBrad]

Well here's a cautionary tale because this sort of thing reminds me of my fishing buddy who insists on really tightening the tension on his reel while trolling. When I questioned him about it (WTF), he claimed it "helps set the hook" don't you know? Well, I wasn't there the sunny day he proudly trolled his expensive new Islander reel setup while applying sun screen. Big fish, bye bye new rod and reel-- but he really set the hook!

You should always tighten the tension and reduce the slack. I agree with your buddy.

 

[Red Monster]

You should always tighten the tension and reduce the slack. I agree with your buddy.

Of course, but I said "really tightening" and if you're breaking and losing gear (having it pulled out of your hands like my buddy), maybe don't over-tighten the tension (drag) on the reel?

 

[SaintSix]

Finally got my new boat, 18ft Silverstreak, and id like to start planning on a trip offshore, just wondering what weather app or site people are using to decide if the wind will be ok for a offshore trip. I'm local to port so I can pick my days buts its a long trip up the inlet to turn around at Bamfield. Also i've seen in the past reports a lot people drift for hali? is anchoring still a better option?

 

[John s]

Finally got my new boat, 18ft Silverstreak, and id like to start planning on a trip offshore, just wondering what weather app or site people are using to decide if the wind will be ok for a offshore trip. I'm local to port so I can pick my days buts its a long trip up the inlet to turn around at Bamfield. Also i've seen in the past reports a lot people drift for hali? is anchoring still a better option?

I like Windfinder pro. I like to troll or anchor up for Hali. When trolling for Hali ,we run 20lb balls on the down riggers.slow the boat speed down to 1-1/2 on the sounder. I use salmon gear, flasher and a anchovy. Ya have to take it easy bring them in. Last trip out 4 unders and 1 over. We do get bigger ones on anchor. Good luck out there

 

[Flywheel]

I like Windfinder pro. I like to troll or anchor up for Hali. When trolling for Hali ,we run 20lb balls on the down riggers.slow the boat speed down to 1-1/2 on the sounder. I use salmon gear, flasher and a anchovy. Ya have to take it easy bring them in. Last trip out 4 unders and 1 over. We do get bigger ones on anchor. Good luck out there

Nice boat. Congrats. I use Windy. Keep a close eye on the wind the night prior as that can have a big lingering impact the next day. I stopped anchoring for halibut as trolling at the banks is far more effective. I personally troll a larger hoochie and flasher dragging bottom with a #15 ball on one side and troll for salmon on the other. I go my typical 2.5 or so MPH and pick up salmon and hali at the same time. If I limit on one or the other I'll switch up tactics a little.

 

[John s]

Nice boat. Congrats. I use Windy. Keep a close eye on the wind the night prior as that can have a big lingering impact the next day. I stopped anchoring for halibut as trolling at the banks is far more effective. I personally troll a larger hoochie and flasher dragging bottom with a #15 ball on one side and troll for salmon on the other. I go my typical 2.5 or so MPH and pick up salmon and hali at the same time. If I limit on one or the other I'll switch up tactics a little.

Ya we do the same. Run one line a little higher , targeting springs and one on the bottom for Hali. Last trip off shore we released two large springs and kept 5 springs, which were just under the slot limit.

 

[sir-vivor]

I've been in Bamfield for five days. Fishing has been slow but really fun. We've worked extremely hard for maybe 7 salmon. We entered the derby and got a 19 # salmon that we didn't take to weigh in. Apparently the prizes were awesome and that was a mistake.

Tonight I took my son and the nephews across from bamfield in the deer island group. There is a little protected bay on the side closest to bamfield. I stacked one side and one rod on the other. We were trolling quick to target the coho. We were getting lots of shakers and the boys were have fun reeling them in. All of a sudden I got the hit of the lifetime and my rod holder sheared I lost a brand new islander and g loomis rod. And a big fish.. crushing blow. Anyone good at rod retrieving it might be worth your while... brand new rod and reel. Got it in January have only used it maybe 30 days.

Brutal , I have been tethering my islander to the boats stern cleat by way of 200lb line and quick climbing clamp, and reducing the tension of the drag line (rather loos the fish then the rod) , I don't know if this will work in case of a blow up but at least its better than it sitting there on its own, I think lol . Sorry to hear about the lose hope you win one in your next derby to replace it

 

[Old Blue]

Finally got my new boat, 18ft Silverstreak, and id like to start planning on a trip offshore, just wondering what weather app or site people are using to decide if the wind will be ok for a offshore trip. I'm local to port so I can pick my days buts its a long trip up the inlet to turn around at Bamfield. Also i've seen in the past reports a lot people drift for hali? is anchoring still a better option?

Wind is only part of the picture, don't forget about current coming out of the inlet while crossing the beach along with swell direction and then also throw in Tide. A local guy I know just plans his day once he pokes his nose out of the harbour and get's closer to Beale while also remembering the forecast.

 

[SaintSix]

Thanks im going to check out that app. very interesting that you prefer trolling. I grew up fishing Sooke and I think majority anchor. But I will have to give it a try. Hopefully will be able to get out this next week and report back how we do.

 

[Brett83]

Well here's a cautionary tale because this sort of thing reminds me of my fishing buddy who insists on really tightening the tension on his reel while trolling. When I questioned him about it (WTF), he claimed it "helps set the hook" don't you know? Well, I wasn't there the sunny day he proudly trolled his expensive new Islander reel setup while applying sun screen. Big fish, bye bye new rod and reel-- but he really set the hook!

To tell you the truth the tension wasn't set to high. Set it just so it didn't creep. As soon as I got back to Vancouver I phoned the fishing store. First thing the guys says " was it the chrome scotty holder?" Well it was. Scotty has great warranty, but some of there stuff is garbage. I'm having a custom aluminum rod holder built. It should have held the rod. Or broke my leader line. I want to be able to trust the holders. I'll post the ones I'm making once it's finished.

 

[Brett83]

Brutal , I have been tethering my islander to the boats stern cleat by way of 200lb line and quick climbing clamp, and reducing the tension of the drag line (rather loos the fish then the rod) , I don't know if this will work in case of a blow up but at least its better than it sitting there on its own, I think lol . Sorry to hear about the lose hope you win one in your next derby to replace it

Thanks. It's been a few days. All I can think about was the fish that got away. It's only a rod and reel. I'm putting in two Saturdays of overtime to replace it. But I'll always be wondering if that was my tyee. Lol

 

[scott craven]

Scotty has great warranty, but some of there stuff is garbage. I'm having a custom aluminum rod holder built. It should have held the rod. Or broke my leader line. I want to be able to trust the holders. I'll post the ones I'm making once it's finished.

If you switched to Scotty strikers, you wouldn't have any more worries

 

[Stosh]

If you switched to Scotty strikers, you wouldn't have any more worries

I agree - go with Strikers if you are fishing for Chinook or Hali

 

[ExFlyGuy]

Any recent reports? Well be back in the sound tomorrow.

 

[Rain City]

It is literally impossible for these to break. Plus there's two. Plus the rods sit lower and closer to you. I cut the stupid boom holder off my brand new 2106's as soon as I saw them. I have no idea how anyone takes one look at that ridiculous setup and thinks "yeah that'll work".

 

[ExFlyGuy]

So, fishing reports? Or is this the new rod holder thread...

I have these. What do you guys have...

 

[Fishtank]

Headed up there Friday anybody from the forum going to be around always nice to work with other boats to help find the fish