2022 Central Coast Reports
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Wondermur
Crew Member
We are spending 2 weeks July 15-30 leaving from Port Hardy to Hakai, Milbanke, half the time based from Shearwater. Our 4th time doing this trip. Last year had to work for the springs in Hakai and Milbanke. Bottom fishing off the charts with no fishing pressure for a few years.
if you get a chance try McInnes lighthouse area for Springs. i have had some epic fishing out there
was up in milbank last year for the end of July. We anchored where king pacific lodge normally is. Cheney point is about a 2 minute boat ride from there. Had are best luck at cheney with whole or cut plug herring. Seemed we were in between runs. First couple days fish were mid to high 20’s with the first fish we hit 5 min in to the first pass of the trip was a 38,biggest fish of the trip. Then it turned off and the one day we only hit one small spring. Day after that we started getting them but fish were a lot smaller 10-18 lbs .We fished mcinnes, Cheney and cape swaine and they all produced fish. Mcinnes lighthouse is a pretty cool place to fish reccomend getting out there atleast once. Got are halibut but all 15-20 lbs. awesome country up there. Good luck on the trip
Wondermur
Crew Member
We will hit McInnes for sure when the weather allows. Had a great day there in 2020. Last year we got there with high expectations but the springs were hard to find that day, a beautiful spot. There are some frighteningly large lings out from McInnes and on Emmaline bank.
Sharphooks
Well-Known Member
Well it’s still a bit early...it’s still April isn’t it? No wait—-it’s almost July! WTF?
This is a little scary. Should be fish around there by now. Hope it turns on soon.
anorthernhunter
Active Member
Heading up to River's Inlet (Duncanby) in a week ... any update on the fishing to date?
Thanks.
Northern
Thanks.
Northern
Reel Time
Well-Known Member
Fished Rivers Inlet July 1-2. Very slow, few fish caught at Cranston over 2 days with one in mid teens. Slow.
We hit a halibut I presume as we moved out offshore and it screamed a reel almost empty, we caught up to it a couple times and then it hunkered down and was under the boat while we brought up at 5-10 feet per minute. A few more line screams then it stalled again and the rod blew up. Hand pulled for another few minutes and the line broke. So we figure the thing was gigantic Hali. Ive caught one over 100 pounds before, but this thing may have been many hundred. So that was the main excitement. We ended with a 22 pound spring at Bremner on the way home.
We hit a halibut I presume as we moved out offshore and it screamed a reel almost empty, we caught up to it a couple times and then it hunkered down and was under the boat while we brought up at 5-10 feet per minute. A few more line screams then it stalled again and the rod blew up. Hand pulled for another few minutes and the line broke. So we figure the thing was gigantic Hali. Ive caught one over 100 pounds before, but this thing may have been many hundred. So that was the main excitement. We ended with a 22 pound spring at Bremner on the way home.
easydoesit
Active Member
Fished Caamano Sound, Beauchemin and Laredo Channel over 4 days, last day was July 1. Based at North King Lodge, Aristazabal Island. People fishing out of the lodge were nearly all guided. Fishing was excellent. Location is one of the most remote places for salt water fishing in BC. Weather was sometimes nasty and some days flat calm and sunny. First day was a monsoon conditions improved over time. With so many islands and resulting shoreline, finding the fish was often the biggest challenge. Lots of feed, herring and Sandlance.
Halibut fishing was pretty steady, a few fish over 133 cm were released. Most people fishing for halibut were successful in catching and retaining “overs”.
Chinook fishing was mostly in the 13-19 lb size range until July 1 when a run of fish in the over 20 lb class showed up. Chinook fishing really turned on at that point. Fought and lost a Tyee on a Skinny G. Early for Tyees, one 35 landed. Still early for cohos, few caught.
Ling cod results were spotty. Came home with plenty of fish, a mixed bag for sure.
Hope this is useful Or encouraging to anyone headed up there.
Halibut fishing was pretty steady, a few fish over 133 cm were released. Most people fishing for halibut were successful in catching and retaining “overs”.
Chinook fishing was mostly in the 13-19 lb size range until July 1 when a run of fish in the over 20 lb class showed up. Chinook fishing really turned on at that point. Fought and lost a Tyee on a Skinny G. Early for Tyees, one 35 landed. Still early for cohos, few caught.
Ling cod results were spotty. Came home with plenty of fish, a mixed bag for sure.
Hope this is useful Or encouraging to anyone headed up there.
anorthernhunter
Active Member
Thanks for the update Reel Time and Easydoesit. Sounds like the salmon and hali are around.
Will report back from River's Inlet when we are back.
Will report back from River's Inlet when we are back.
Last_Call
Well-Known Member
off to hardy tomorrow and then shearwater for 4 nights (if weather allows). Looks a little sporty tomorrow for our crossing from hardy so we will play it by ear. I've heard fishing at Milbanke has been pretty hit and miss this week. Weather hasn't been great either which doesn't help. Hope both take a turn for the better and I'm able to provide a decent report upon my return. Only one more sleep... like a kid on xmas eve 
Wondermur
Crew Member
We are 1 day behind you @Last_Call we probably won’t cross till Monday am tho.off to hardy tomorrow and then shearwater for 4 nights (if weather allows). Looks a little sporty tomorrow for our crossing from hardy so we will play it by ear. I've heard fishing at Milbanke has been pretty hit and miss this week. Weather hasn't been great either which doesn't help. Hope both take a turn for the better and I'm able to provide a decent report upon my return. Only one more sleep... like a kid on xmas eve
You could always try Sutil and stay in Bull Harbour overnight. Then 20 miles to Cape Caution when the sea looks ok.
We had a great morning there this time last year with white hoochies in the sand, released 3 over 20. I never measured this one but I reckon it was a tyee, by the time I got the hooks out it was gasping so not official
I’m 7’ tall for scale by the way ;-)
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Last_Call
Well-Known Member
Day 1 a success I suppose. Out to cultus early today and fished for 4 hours or so. Bonked 4 coho with 2 nice ones in the 11-12 lb range. Also got 2 springs including a nice 25lber. Let a few smaller spring and Hos go and then headed to Cheney in the afternoon and it was slow there. A couple small cohos that we released and a 12 lb spring that we also let go. Constant rain all day but greet seas so can’t complain. Did a quick tack by purple bluff on the way to Cheney but just a small coho to show for our efforts there. Beautiful spots to fish tho!
Last_Call
Well-Known Member
Well, today was the last of our 3 full days of fishing out of Shearwater. Overall, fishing was very slow. We put in solid shifts and worked some of the most reliable spots (Cheney, cultus, spider, McInnes, etc) and while we did get our limits of both chinook and coho it was a grind. We were looking for big fish and went without flashers for most of the time and for us whole herring in teaser got most of our fish. We had chovies and small spoons out a fair amount as well but herring seemed to get most of our bigger fish. 25 lbs was our biggest and a few others around 20.
im sure the bite will turn on soon but this was as slow as I’ve seen it here in my 6 or so trips during this time of year. Hope others coming up here soon have better success with more/bigger fish! If you are coming up feel free to DM for more details.
im sure the bite will turn on soon but this was as slow as I’ve seen it here in my 6 or so trips during this time of year. Hope others coming up here soon have better success with more/bigger fish! If you are coming up feel free to DM for more details.
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