2023 Nootka Sound/Esperanza Inlet Reports

[Samnjoe]

Just back from a few days in Nootka.... Had to work for Chinook at the usual stops Beano, Bajo, Maquinna,Wash. Had a decent last a.m. Burwood / Discovery. Killed it trolling the reefs offshore w/ swim baits for ling... a few Hali in the mix. Back in a few weeks for some Canuma fish... can't wait!

What swim baits are you using for lings?
Trolling off the downrigger?

 

[Oscar162]

What swim baits are you using for lings?
Trolling off the downrigger?

The Rapala X-rap I think its called.... and the Gibbs power paddles worked best for us.... 6'ish off the rigger tight to the reefs. The rigid Rapala is nice cause it doesn't get shitkicked like the rubber tails. Couple bi-catches pictured... but worked well for ling.

 

[Aces]

I have fished Nootka for many many years and in fact wrote the article for salmon univercity .com so I have a few insights that might help. I noticed that over the years and particularly when there are a real gaggle of tight fishing boats the big Springs tend to get a little flasher shy. I tend to really lengthen my leaders for bait and spoons. especially inside the lighthouse to as much as ten feet. Try no flasher one side and run a flasher per usual the other side with no more than a 10 ft differential in depth. When you get the right combo it is like a switch was tripped. So if you aren't catching and others are--lengthen the leader or try dropping a flasher-give it a try.

Or adjust your set back from the ball

 

[Fishalot]

Or adjust your set back from the ball

That is good idea for smaller boat for netting.

 

[Aces]

That is good idea for smaller boat for netting.

I meant the distance from the cannonball to where you clip your line in the release

 

[Tom Gordon]

I have fished Nootka for many many years and in fact wrote the article for salmon univercity .com so I have a few insights that might help. I noticed that over the years and particularly when there are a real gaggle of tight fishing boats the big Springs tend to get a little flasher shy. I tend to really lengthen my leaders for bait and spoons. especially inside the lighthouse to as much as ten feet. Try no flasher one side and run a flasher per usual the other side with no more than a 10 ft differential in depth. When you get the right combo it is like a switch was tripped. So if you aren't catching and others are--lengthen the leader or try dropping a flasher-give it a try.

How long of a leader do you use for Hoochies?

 

[Loghauler]

I have fished Nootka for many many years and in fact wrote the article for salmon univercity .com so I have a few insights that might help. I noticed that over the years and particularly when there are a real gaggle of tight fishing boats the big Springs tend to get a little flasher shy. I tend to really lengthen my leaders for bait and spoons. especially inside the lighthouse to as much as ten feet. Try no flasher one side and run a flasher per usual the other side with no more than a 10 ft differential in depth. When you get the right combo it is like a switch was tripped. So if you aren't catching and others are--lengthen the leader or try dropping a flasher-give it a try.

Would running the the flasher on the ball work ?

 

[spring fever]

How long of a leader do you use for Hoochies?

Hootchies are another animal entirely-they need the flasher for action- inside I use 42 inches on the hiway 36 to 39

 

[spring fever]

Would running the the flasher on the ball work ?

not the same thing-never tried

 

[spring fever]

So your telling me a fish knows the difference between 36/39” or 39/42“ thats 3“ even 36 to 42 is 6”. A fish can tell that traveling 3 mph rotating how many rotations per min. What do they line it up to to tell the difference.

I'm not telling you anything-I am just saying what I do-works for me-you are welcome to try any length you like-who knows what the fish think

 

[walleyes]

All good SF. You are right and i should have kept out of it. I just think some times for the less experienced they can get caught up in details that aren't maybe as important as the bigger ones. Like speed, location direction with flow of water.

We all have our little things we depend on may seem not important to others but they work for us.

Was solid good advice from you.

 

[Fishboom]

At Port Eliza now after having a great day. 2 springs, 2 short halibut’s, 3 nice ling cod an a couple of vermilion rock fish. Can’t get much better than that. Springs are less than 20 but can’t complain.

 

[RiverBoy]

All good SF. You are right and i should have kept out of it. I just think some times for the less experienced they can get caught up in details that aren't maybe as important as the bigger ones. Like speed, location direction with flow of water.

We all have our little things we depend on may seem not important to others but they work for us.

Was solid good advice from you.

it’s all about the action the flasher imparts on a certain spoon teaser head, or hootchie, of course the fish don’t know the difference in leader length.

but certain things like speed and action trigger their little pea brain. same as how far back you hook your release clip from your flasher. it can make or break your day.

 

[coastalmarinesafety]

I have fished Nootka for many many years and in fact wrote the article for salmon univercity .com so I have a few insights that might help. I noticed that over the years and particularly when there are a real gaggle of tight fishing boats the big Springs tend to get a little flasher shy. I tend to really lengthen my leaders for bait and spoons. especially inside the lighthouse to as much as ten feet. Try no flasher one side and run a flasher per usual the other side with no more than a 10 ft differential in depth. When you get the right combo it is like a switch was tripped. So if you aren't catching and others are--lengthen the leader or try dropping a flasher-give it a try.

Yup! Had best success past several years running 6-7’ chovie leader off bead chain, no flasher. Key with chovies (for me) always been a tight bullet roll. Any flop, no point in dropping inmho, reset hook position or whatever till you get that tight tight roll. But at 17.50/pack; a skinny or wee gee or glow white/green hootchie seems more desirable this year. If running chovie though, I did well with the general rule of thumb glow white teaser head early morn, switching to purple haze or other non glow for midday tide changes. Or small small brass or gold nugget coloured spoons when they were feeding on those juvie rockfish a couple of years back and nothing else seemed to work (on the inside). But one year couldn’t miss with purple haze army truck hootchies, so who knows, lol. It can be a slog some days in Nootka if fish are picky or deep or whatever, but sure feels good to figure it out and get on them, like Spring Fever says. Midday, if nobody catching, drop a little deeper too. 80-90ft mid day inside can produce if shallow depths are dead. First light (early early) and then going back out to target a midday tide change… those that go there their first time and come back with limits tend to have those two things in their reports. Cheers. Can’t wait to get back out there!

 

[Jig on]

Finishing our trip in Esperanza tomorrow. Bait (if you can get a loan for it) and wee gee or coho killer in herring aid. Tatchu has been the most consistent and everybody is out there. 120ish water and on the bottom at 120 and 100 on the riggers. And 6’ from the flasher if that becomes an item for discussion.

 

[Stoisy]

All good SF. You are right and i should have kept out of it. I just think some times for the less experienced they can get caught up in details that aren't maybe as important as the bigger ones. Like speed, location direction with flow of water.

We all have our little things we depend on may seem not important to others but they work for us.

Was solid good advice from you.

Speed is obviously important, but is directly related to your gear choice.

If you travel faster, at 3 mph, then you can lengthen your leader, in that 40" range (I'm talking hoochies). If you travel slower, you can drop your leader lengths down, ~30", and still impart a similar level of "action" on the hoochie, but at slower speeds. Speed is important, but matching your gear to the speed you want to travel is equally important. Sometimes fish want more total speed, sometimes they want it slower.

As you say, it's about personal preference and experience that develop the "what's important" but also the what/how you want to fish. I know a few highliners that fish much slower or way faster than the majority. They've got the gear to match it. Sometimes covering ground is important, sometimes sitting in the pocket is important. ... Now it's getting complicated again.

Amazing how productive that Tatchu, High Rocks area has been this summer. Seems like an impenetrable wall of bait holding the Chinook out there. Non-stop bait on the sounder... Very cool to see the level of productivity happening. And all fish seem to be close to the bottom.

 

[TomicTime]

we put in some days last week pulling spoons and sparse mylar flys from Mcquarie to Magic at Ferrer, even a run thru Sandstone. Final Tally was 12 Springs, 5 Coho, 4 Lings and 2 Hali. Lots of wind and full moon tides. Ferrer held fish outside. As others mentioned 110-150’ off Tatchu good but not great - no real pronounced bite. Most stomachs empty. Best spoons for us were Cyote and Skinny G about 5’ behind flasher. 23# Spring and 28# Ling were our best. Up there again….. soon….

 

[Fishboom]

Waiting on Northwest Seaplanes at Port Eliza lodge. Full card in 3 days. Full limits of Springs to 21 lbs, Cohos to 10 lbs, 2 - 80 cm Halibut, 6 Ling cod to 15 lbs, and a full limit of Vermilion Rock fish to 10 lbs. a great trip once again and a great job by the lodge and their guides. Back again next year.

 

[WB59]

fyi
Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Salmonstyle='mso-special-character:line-break'>

Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN0654-Recreational - Salmon - Northwest Vancouver Island - Areas 25 to 27 and 125 to 127 - West Coast Vancouver Island Chinook Management Measures- Effective July 15, 2023

This notice advises fishers of the recreational Chinook fishing opportunities and Chinook management measures, which include finfish closures, salmon non-retention areas and Chinook non-retention areas for Area 25 (Nootka Sound and Esperanza Inlet), Area 26 (Kyuquot Sound), Area 27 (Quatsino Sound) and associated offshore waters in Areas 125 to 127 that are in effect July 15 2023.

For all areas, any in-season changes or terminal opportunities based on abundance will be announced by subsequent Fishery Notice(s). Fishers are reminded to check the DFO website before they go fishing for current regulations in effect that day.

Unless otherwise specified below the daily limit for Chinook salmon is two (2) per day with a minimum size limit of 45 cm in Areas 25 to 27 and 125 to 127.

PLEASE NOTE FOR 2023, ALL MANAGEMENT MEASURES REMAIN THE SAME AS IN 2022.

 

[Port Eliza Fishing]

After a bit of a lull, fishing has picked up again. Most boats getting limits of Chinook with some coho around too. Bottom fishing has been good with light winds.