2023 Nootka Sound/Esperanza Inlet Reports
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Doubleheader
Well-Known Member
I let more go unscathed than I keep…Ahh. Ok. Because one could make the argument you’re tearing up the spawning salmon before they get a chance to do so
sorry why am i like this
Doubleheader
Well-Known Member
2-3oz anchovy hardwired and spinnows have been working well, colour I haven’t figured out yet seems to vary. It’s more the presentation, sometimes aggressive action works but lately just letting it sulk seems to work better. I have theories on why but it’s a long winded convo.
Running squid can be hard on springs, when they’re aggressively feeding its down the hatch. Had to stop using it many days. When they are off the bite they are hard to hook, when they are it’s just by the lip. Apparently squid spawn on the coast from December through September, I’m getting freshies roll in to join the orgy as of late…
Drewski Canuck
Active Member
Are these the large opal squid that you are finding spawning? They really are very large, and would be a good target for an aggressive fish, which may be the reason for the salmon taking them so deep.
I wonder if you were to use a 5/0 circle hook on a buzz bomb or zinger ish jig, so that you would not hook the fish deep?
Drewski
I wonder if you were to use a 5/0 circle hook on a buzz bomb or zinger ish jig, so that you would not hook the fish deep?
Drewski
Fishin
Well-Known Member
Fished Monday-Wednesday overall fishing was fairly slow torrential down pour Tuesday didn’t see many on the dock we picked up a few here and there but not consistently was definitely a grind but they are there if you put in the time picked up a 20lb and a 15lb inside camel/ the wall the first few days and made our way out past friendly on Wednesday and was able to finally get into some nice and consistent fishing biggest was 26lbs wish we had more time can’t wait till next year.
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Doubleheader
Well-Known Member
Circle hooks would definitely be viable with live squid, and perhaps with jigs also. Good tip! Went 6 for 12 and missed a dozen in a few hrs today. Ones we landed were bleeders.
From what I understand these are market squid?
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ebrench
Member
There for literally all of these days. How bad do you think this will affect seas on the inside? Pretty much given up hope of fishing Bajo but hoping it'll be bearable further in.
pescador
Well-Known Member
It'll be bearable around Wash and the Lighthouse in particular and maybe Beano (maybe depending on that NWW prediction). The problem is when Bajo gets hit by a storm it seems to release a ton of crap which all seems to float by Beano on its way to the Lighthouse area. We had days in early July where the weeds were so bad we left the area.
There for literally all of these days. How bad do you think this will affect seas on the inside? Pretty much given up hope of fishing Bajo but hoping it'll be bearable further in.
ebrench
Member
Thanks Pescador, I take it if you think Beano and Wash are bearable, anything more inside like Camel and Hoiss are going to be fine ... Never been to the area. Not sure how wind direction kicks up the sound.
codfather
Crew Member
ebrench, that wind will not bother you fishing inside. The thing about Nootka is there is always somewhere you can fish.
NW winds that are most common mean you can fish Wash, Eagle and the Light as they are protected by Maquinna Pt.
The worst wind that we get is the dreaded SW of SE or anything out of the South. It hammers you at Beano, Maquinna, Wash, Eagle or the Light.
But if it's blowing South anything you can fish Burdwood as it's protected by Discovery Pt.
Hope that helps.
Mike
NW winds that are most common mean you can fish Wash, Eagle and the Light as they are protected by Maquinna Pt.
The worst wind that we get is the dreaded SW of SE or anything out of the South. It hammers you at Beano, Maquinna, Wash, Eagle or the Light.
But if it's blowing South anything you can fish Burdwood as it's protected by Discovery Pt.
Hope that helps.
Mike
ebrench
Member
Thanks Mike! Great info. Yeah --- overthinking it for sure. Good to know as long as the wind direction is ok, wash and the lighthouse is an option.
Just back from trip to Esperanza. Definitely tougher fishing than normal. Nothing for us at Rosa or out at Sandstone but we did have some success out in the deep between Low Rock and High Rock right on the bottom. Ground out our springs and some nice coho around Low Rock.
Most boats heading offshore for the full days doing both Hali and salmon out by the highway. We went offshore one day and got our Hali’s and lings but didn’t want to fish springs out there. Was really weird not to see any boats around Low Rocks, Pin Rocks or Rosa in the afternoon. Some fish around Saltery Bay from friends reports.
And we had rain everyday. West Coast for sure.
Most boats heading offshore for the full days doing both Hali and salmon out by the highway. We went offshore one day and got our Hali’s and lings but didn’t want to fish springs out there. Was really weird not to see any boats around Low Rocks, Pin Rocks or Rosa in the afternoon. Some fish around Saltery Bay from friends reports.
And we had rain everyday. West Coast for sure.
jcon12
Well-Known Member
actually rained on you everyday? Just back from Nootka today and we had steady sun other than a little drizzle on Friday.
nootkaassassin
Well-Known Member
Fishing inside has cooled down the last week. Managed to get the wife out Friday night and trolled from camp to the slide and within 1hr we had a pin popper on a plug and just as she grabbed the rod the fish was gone.
Turned the boat around and dropped the gear down again and I just sat down and bang the rod with the Flash Fly (PD) starts peeling line and the fun begins. After 10 min of a game of tug of war and unfortunately the fish wins lol,
Boat was pretty quite for a while after that episode,We didn’t give up and had and few laughs and about 1hr later we where talking about packing it up and bang her rod goes off again and the battle is on and this round the wife wins!
Next night she wants to go back for more action. So we head to the slide again but we never hit a fish until it was almost time to pack up. She managed to wrestle a decent football to the net on a flash fly(PD)
Mid week I was trolling way out in the middle between camel and the wall and thought I seen a mattress floating down the inlet,
Well it turns out it wasn’t a mattress from critter it was a rather huge Sun Fish..,
My brother-in-law guessed it too be 7-8 feet across
Turned the boat around and dropped the gear down again and I just sat down and bang the rod with the Flash Fly (PD) starts peeling line and the fun begins. After 10 min of a game of tug of war and unfortunately the fish wins lol,
Boat was pretty quite for a while after that episode,We didn’t give up and had and few laughs and about 1hr later we where talking about packing it up and bang her rod goes off again and the battle is on and this round the wife wins!
Next night she wants to go back for more action. So we head to the slide again but we never hit a fish until it was almost time to pack up. She managed to wrestle a decent football to the net on a flash fly(PD)
Mid week I was trolling way out in the middle between camel and the wall and thought I seen a mattress floating down the inlet,
Well it turns out it wasn’t a mattress from critter it was a rather huge Sun Fish..,
My brother-in-law guessed it too be 7-8 feet across
ebrench
Member
Fished out of Critter from Monday-today (Friday). Can confirm it was a grind. Haven't had a time recently where we fished so hard.
They just seem to be scattered around with no rhyme or reason as to where and why. Moucha was the hot ticket after the rains the week before but have completely thinned out there.
We fished the usual Camel, Hoiss, etc
... very mixed results. The fish we did get there were nice but not easy to come by. Anything green at 80-100ft did the trick.
We ended up diversifying our approach and I'm glad we did because we pulled some really nice Lings off pinnacles on the inside. Won't give up too many of the spots but we found a really nice fatty behind Camel.
Went out to Bajo on Wednesday as it was the only day without forecasted no-go winds. White knuckle on the way out though as the swells were no joke. Rewarded with a nice Hali for a couple hours of getting brutalized on the south east side of the reef.
We found a bit of reprieve on the morning we left as reports were that Burdwood was hot. Turns out everyone else heard the rumor and there was an armada of boats out there. Still managed a couple of really nice Chinook and a Coho.
Overall, average fishing but fantastic locale and company at Critter!!
They just seem to be scattered around with no rhyme or reason as to where and why. Moucha was the hot ticket after the rains the week before but have completely thinned out there.
We fished the usual Camel, Hoiss, etc
... very mixed results. The fish we did get there were nice but not easy to come by. Anything green at 80-100ft did the trick.
We ended up diversifying our approach and I'm glad we did because we pulled some really nice Lings off pinnacles on the inside. Won't give up too many of the spots but we found a really nice fatty behind Camel.
Went out to Bajo on Wednesday as it was the only day without forecasted no-go winds. White knuckle on the way out though as the swells were no joke. Rewarded with a nice Hali for a couple hours of getting brutalized on the south east side of the reef.
We found a bit of reprieve on the morning we left as reports were that Burdwood was hot. Turns out everyone else heard the rumor and there was an armada of boats out there. Still managed a couple of really nice Chinook and a Coho.
Overall, average fishing but fantastic locale and company at Critter!!
Dano3232
Member
Thank you for this report. I'll be there 23-27. So hopefully can find a few as I'm bring my little boy out with me for his first salmon trip.
Just got back from a week at Nootka. Stayed at Moucha Bay and its outstanding as usual. Got there Sat Aug 12th by noonish. Set up camp and in the water by 3pm fishing was lights out in the bay. Had 4 in the box by 4pm. 51 fish to the boat by the end of Tuesday. 3.5 days of fishing in the bay cost me less than a 1/4 tank of gas. Fished mostly spoons. The 3” hearing aid and cop car hit and run was the bomb at 87’ on the DR. Now that we’re limited out on Springs what to do
. Wednesday we decided to go to the lighthouse as the the weather called for calm seas…Not. We started at Friendly trolling a green flasher with green flash fly and white flasher with white/ghost flash fly at 49 and 59 ft deep and had 3 springs ( 27,25,24 all released) by the time we got to the Monument. From there we stayed in 60ft of water all the way to Maquinna and hit 4 more spring and 2 wild coho. Then we swung out deeper and back to the lighthouse before the wind picked up. Final tally was 11 spring for the day and 7 coho in the box with at least 20 to the boat. It was a wild coho fest and struggled to find hatchery ones. The weather for Thursday didn’t look good but we decided to hit the lighthouse again. Turns out it was bumpy but not as much as the day before. Fished till 4pm and managed 5 springs to the boat and all 8 cohos were hatchery.
All in all best trip ever for #’s and size. I never knew releasing chinook’s was such a chore.
Unfortunately no bottom fishing this year dew to weather.
. Wednesday we decided to go to the lighthouse as the the weather called for calm seas…Not. We started at Friendly trolling a green flasher with green flash fly and white flasher with white/ghost flash fly at 49 and 59 ft deep and had 3 springs ( 27,25,24 all released) by the time we got to the Monument. From there we stayed in 60ft of water all the way to Maquinna and hit 4 more spring and 2 wild coho. Then we swung out deeper and back to the lighthouse before the wind picked up. Final tally was 11 spring for the day and 7 coho in the box with at least 20 to the boat. It was a wild coho fest and struggled to find hatchery ones. The weather for Thursday didn’t look good but we decided to hit the lighthouse again. Turns out it was bumpy but not as much as the day before. Fished till 4pm and managed 5 springs to the boat and all 8 cohos were hatchery. All in all best trip ever for #’s and size. I never knew releasing chinook’s was such a chore.
Unfortunately no bottom fishing this year dew to weather.
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