2025 Bamfield and Barkley Sound Reports
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Spent the last 4 days up in bamfield. Only put in about 5 hrs fishing. Managed 2 small 5 lb fish around wizard. Word around was Kirby was going off Monday Tuesday and then went dead. Buddy up there fishing got a morning bite Friday for half hour at cree with everyone around hooking up and then that went quite. He'd put in 12 hours and had only scraped up 2 fish. I'm back up Wednesday for a few weeks and will be fishing hard
Will report. Mo
Will report. Mo
Rimshot999
New Member
Last Friday had lines in the water for about 10 hours - 1 small chinook at Pill Point. Skunked Saturday morning (Kirby, King Edward, Austin), went out to 5 mile and caught one 12lb hali, went out again after dinner and fished the Wall. Not much to show for 10+15 hours on the water. Sunday - limited out with 8 chinook for 4 guys, with a nice 22 pounder at the end of the day (Diploc, Austin, Meare's). We ran 3 lines - anchovy, wee gee (coho killer) and army truck hoochie and everything brought in chinook. Oddly, no coho after 3 full days of fishing. Day 4, we fished Meare's for the morning and brought in 4 coho and 2 small chinook. Fishing 35-120 feet, most fish caught 40-70 feet. Had crab and prawn traps down too, we did ok there, the prawns are larger this year, as someone else mentioned, for some reason.
Proframer
New Member
Just spent 3 days in Bamfield. June 22nd -25.
I unhooked about 50-60 Chinook, not one keeper.
After the first day of this I picked up some large herring hoping to keep the little guys off, it did work somewhat. Size improved but not enough.
We tried Swale, Vernon bay, cape beale, and a couple other. All fish were caught between 90 and 160ft deep. All the the usual spoons were working.
ebrench
Member
Will contribute my update. Spent the last 5 days fishing the sound. Pretty decent weather meant plenty of opportunities to move around to find the fish.
Limits on Lings, Rockfish and Coho. 1 nice Hali and some mid range Chinook, but nothing chunky. For salmon, they seems to really to activating at first light and in the usual entry points to to the sound: Beale, Cree, Kirby. Some fishing moving down though. Not easy salmon fishing by any stretch but they're there. Tons of Coho moving in at the moment. Mostly wild but you'll get your hatchery fish if you stick at it. Very, very small bait around. Not much squid yet.
Limits on Lings, Rockfish and Coho. 1 nice Hali and some mid range Chinook, but nothing chunky. For salmon, they seems to really to activating at first light and in the usual entry points to to the sound: Beale, Cree, Kirby. Some fishing moving down though. Not easy salmon fishing by any stretch but they're there. Tons of Coho moving in at the moment. Mostly wild but you'll get your hatchery fish if you stick at it. Very, very small bait around. Not much squid yet.
Umos
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the report. Needed to read one like this as I contemplate bringing the kids for a weekend boat camping and fishing in the sound.
Fished Barkley out of Poett Nook Sat June 21 to Thurs June 27. Started slow for us, fishing peaked a few days in, then slowed down a bit again. 3 guys for the first 3 days, then down to 2 for the rest - unfortunately for #3, the most consistent chinook bite we found was the day after he left. Was my first time fishing Barkley but Captain @JWS knew the waters pretty well, so we moved around. Best chinook fishing for us was Tuesday trolling a little out of the crowd down from Cree to Effingham and back. Got one at Swale as well. Other days we got one at Kirby, a couple at Edward King, and a decent morning bite at Beale. I think we retained 10 chinook between the 3 of us and 1 coho - which was the only one we encountered. Small spoons (Wee G size) were the most consistent producers, with a No Bananas pattern standing out. Also got a couple on Skinny G size, and the old white hoochie fooled a few as well. We were fishing mostly deep, 100-140 on the rigger. Missed a few good ones along the way. Mix of size classes, some of the 65-70 centimeter range, and 3 over 15 lbs, 17lbs being the largest of the trip. Releases a few that were probably west coast legal. Lots of shakers. LOTS of shakers.
On Monday weather was exceptional so we went offshore a bit and drifted for hali. We got our 3 - largest 80 something centimeters and other 2 smaller. We weren't being picky about size, we were just happy to be out there and actually hitting them.
Thursday (yesterday) we were already limited on chinook so went and banged on some rock piles for ling while we waited for the tide to come up enough to pull the boat. Got 3 in the boat, released a couple more just under legal size.
Great first trip for me, and will definitely be back.
On Monday weather was exceptional so we went offshore a bit and drifted for hali. We got our 3 - largest 80 something centimeters and other 2 smaller. We weren't being picky about size, we were just happy to be out there and actually hitting them.
Thursday (yesterday) we were already limited on chinook so went and banged on some rock piles for ling while we waited for the tide to come up enough to pull the boat. Got 3 in the boat, released a couple more just under legal size.
Great first trip for me, and will definitely be back.
trophywife
Crew Member
try trolling consistently faster and you may find it helps keep the smallies to a minimum.
Proframer
New Member
Appreciate the advice, I'm just getting into this type of fishing. I also noticed most boats were closer to shore than I was. I'll be back out in a few days to try again.
I achieved my main goal on the trip anyway, had my 17 year old daughter with me for the week.
Proframer
New Member
checked the regs tonight, isn't the usual minimum size 65cm for Chinook?
It now says 45cm, is that a recent change?
I'm pretty sure it said 65cm last week
45cm on the west coast. 62cm in the Straight.
Umos
Well-Known Member
Trailer decided to rip itself apart on the trip up to Bamfield yesterday. Managed to get parts and make it onto the water by evening. fishing was slow, but managed to find this beauty w a glow white hoochie 85’ down off Cree. Been burning the candle at both ends for a while now, so just letting the kids sleep while I drink coffee among these stunning islands
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That’s either a young kid or a hog of a fish…or both!, either way, he looks pretty pleased with himself! Well done!
RBL
Well-Known Member
Cree, 87 feet with needle fish hootchie and #3 kingfish spoons
?
Proframer
New Member
I was doing some reading regarding VHF radios.
Some mixed info online. Maybe some people on here could confirm some of my info.
- boats rated/capable of carrying 6 or people must have a radio.
- you must be licensed to operate a VHF radio
Anyone use a handheld? I know their distance is limited.
Some mixed info online. Maybe some people on here could confirm some of my info.
- boats rated/capable of carrying 6 or people must have a radio.
- you must be licensed to operate a VHF radio
Anyone use a handheld? I know their distance is limited.
trophywife
Crew Member
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