2024 Bamfield and Barkley Sound Reports

[JWS]

Just finished up a 3 night and 3 day trip to Bamfield. It was my first time ever using guides and I can’t help but feel disappointed as did the guys that flew out from Calgary. The first day we spent 8 hours trolling around at 27 and 37’ never changed hooks or depths all day. We switched anchovies a couple times but the “guide” was actually straightening them out and they had zero action. No surprise we caught zero fish on that side of the boat all day. The next couple days we were with a new guide and we got all our salmon early in the am. He told us he doesn’t fish for lingcod and won’t clean rock fish… then we were told it was too windy to go off shore because it was blowing 15knots… we actually never touched a jigging rod all 3 days. I guess the lesson I learned is I shouldn’t have sold my boat and to expect very little if I use a guide again. We did end up with limits of Chinook and had a blast at the beach. Over all the trip was great. Just disappointed with the service and quality of the guides… thanks for listening to me vent!

That sucks. I hope the level of service was reflected in the tip…or lack of

 

[SpringVelocity]

Go to Port Renfrew next time. Great guides there!!!!

Sorry there some bad guides there 2. Probably more.

 

[Bottomfeeder1]

Sorry there some bad guides there 2. Probably more.

Wow- how times have changed !!! Spend big money on a guide then get lousy service Tough to swallow!!

 

[Cut Plug]

Wow- how times have changed !!! Spend big money on a guide then get lousy service Tough to swallow!!

Look for a guide that is CTAG certified. They have gone the extra mile to be professionally certified in a similar program to other trades. Filters out the fly by nighters right off the bat.

 

[Shish-kebab]

I’m so sorry to hear about the guides these days, I started fishing CR since 1975 and then guided my first year during EXPO at Painter’s Lodge. I put all my effort into every tide. If we got skunked I would show the guests so many other things that didn’t involve fishing, and still got great tips $. Always repeat customers.

 

[Unreel]

Wow- how times have changed !!! Spend big money on a guide then get lousy service Tough to swallow!!

Unfortunately these days with the labour market there’s not a lot of options for lodges to choose from. They’re lucky if they have enough guides and staff to just operate at full capacity. I remember last year a lot of lodges were still trying to hire guides in July and August. You also used to be able to go work 90 days at a lodge and live off it for the rest of the year, now that’s not even close to possible.

 

[Bottomfeeder1]

Unfortunately these days with the labour market there’s not a lot of options for lodges to choose from. They’re lucky if they have enough guides and staff to just operate at full capacity. I remember last year a lot of lodges were still trying to hire guides in July and August. You also used to be able to go work 90 days at a lodge and live off it for the rest of the year, now that’s not even close to possible.

It’s a little off topic but what does a charter cost now a days and what does a guide take home thanks !!

 

[Aces]

Look for a guide that is CTAG certified. They have gone the extra mile to be professionally certified in a similar program to other trades. Filters out the fly by nighters right off the bat.

Disagree. I fired 3 guys that had C tags due to swelled heads and healthy coke habits

 

[ClintR]

Disagree. I fired 3 guys that had C tags due to swelled heads and healthy coke habits

Not looking for an argument of to **** off anybody and I don’t believe it’s an actual scam but I do think the CTAG board or group plays a little fast and loose with their information to maybe scare folks into taking the certification. I might feel a little different if they honestly represented the fact they are supplying a service that’s basically unnecessary. It’s akin to a guy with a drivers license telling you he also has a forklift ticket.

 

[ClintR]

Wow- how times have changed !!! Spend big money on a guide then get lousy service Tough to swallow!!

Almost 20 years ago I hired a guide out of port Hardy that told me to bring the biggest cooler I could find and blah blah blah. We went home with two salmon. No bottom fish at all. We did hook up the biggest skate I’ve caught but he cut the line as a garbage fish before I could get a pic or before my wife could even have a look. Wasted $1200 in my opinion but shows there’s always been good and bad.

 

[Bottomfeeder1]

Almost 20 years ago I hired a guide out of port Hardy that told me to bring the biggest cooler I could find and blah blah blah. We went home with two salmon. No bottom fish at all. We did hook up the biggest skate I’ve caught but he cut the line as a garbage fish before I could get a pic or before my wife could even have a look. Wasted $1200 in my opinion but shows there’s always been good and bad.

Ouch

 

[Unreel]

Look for a guide that is CTAG certified. They have gone the extra mile to be professionally certified in a similar program to other trades. Filters out the fly by nighters right off the bat.

I will also disagree, the worst guide in my area with the worst reputation ever is CTAG certified. He actually uses it to promote that he's a one of a kind, "red seal" guide that no other guides could possibly aspire to. See his clients pictures of them holding wild coho for pictures before they release them.

 

[Adrenafin]

Started at pill point this morning, had the binoculars on all the boats and didn't see any fish getting caught so i only did a couple passes and moved on. Crossed imperial eagle and tried link/weld island, no luck but i did get to see a humpback whale feeding at close range. Moved over to diplock and got a silverbright 14 pounder on anchovy. Out in front of swiss boy island there is a reef that i found some action, first a 9 pound coho on white hootchie at 63 feet. Circled back and got a smaller spring around 8 pound. Then another coho around 5 pounds. Many shakers on bait. Another smaller spring around 6/7 pounds on the anchovy coming back towards pill.

 

[ship happens]

Ctag mean zero ziltch nada

 

[Smittyeagle]

Ctag mean zero ziltch nada

Has anyone been to big bank in the last week? Near banks have slowed a little.
Coho?
Springs?
Halibut?

 

[TipUp]

Has anyone been to big bank in the last week? Near banks have slowed a little.
Coho?
Springs?
Halibut?

Can report that theres still lots of coho offshore. Was having a blast today mooching for them while hali fishing.

 

[dglass]

Started at pill point this morning, had the binoculars on all the boats and didn't see any fish getting caught so i only did a couple passes and moved on. Crossed imperial eagle and tried link/weld island, no luck but i did get to see a humpback whale feeding at close range. Moved over to diplock and got a silverbright 14 pounder on anchovy. Out in front of swiss boy island there is a reef that i found some action, first a 9 pound coho on white hootchie at 63 feet. Circled back and got a smaller spring around 8 pound. Then another coho around 5 pounds. Many shakers on bait. Another smaller spring around 6/7 pounds on the anchovy coming back towards pill.

Brutal. Sounds slow. Was thinking of ripping down from port on sunday but this report is giving me 2nd thoughts. Maybe a day for bathroom renos instead!

 

[trophywife]

The first day was independent and the second and third day was from lodge. The lodge guide was great at salmon just didn’t want to do anything else. Independent guy only had salmon gear and we weren’t allowed to touch it. It was hard to watch as he wouldn’t check gear regularly and would only stick to his program.

DM me so i can razz them and make sure i dont refer them to anyone if i am overbooked..

 

[Rain City]

DM me so i can razz them and make sure i dont refer them to anyone if i am overbooked..

I thought you were the independent guy he was talking about...

 

[SpringVelocity]

And anyways. Is the sound still slow? May do another day run next week.