Hot-Streak
Well-Known Member
good info about how far the site is from the docks. Cougar creek was an easy walk to the boats.
2025 Nootka Sound/Esperanza Inlet Reports
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pescador
Well-Known Member
Dust. Be prepared for lots of dust mid summer. On the road.
Dogbreath
Well-Known Member
Greasy dust-like You Never Saw.
donnie d
Well-Known Member
Mud is much preferred. I did that once when it was dry. Never again.
adbk
Member
Camped at moutcha bay resort with my dad last year. Power is good, my dad has a pleasureway sprinter van and it powered everything in it no problem. Road to moutcha was fine....but I wouldn't recommend doing the road down to the launch in a minivan, it's steep and can be loose, I can see a minivan having issues with a trailer going up it. I was in a 1500 Ram last year towing our old 17' whaler up it and had some slipping. The stairs down are fine if you're fit. If you're not, it's a slog. My dad has bad knees so we'd shuttle him up and down from the site. Bathrooms and showers are nice and the campground is well kept. Moorage is a must.
Mervillite
Active Member
Just got back from a weekend trip to Nootka. Fished friendly cove and wash rock, small spoons were all we used and the bite was on. Several springs and coho both, more hatchery fish than wild fish. Lost one spring around 20lbs, boated 3 in the mid teens for springs. Some of the coho are decently sized for this time of year. Had kids and grandparents out and everyone had a blast, several double headers.
More commercial prawn boats around the inlet than normal for this time of year, usually late season we are down to 2 or 3 boats, there are still 12 or more and traps everywhere. Best to leave your prawn traps at home for a while.
Great start to the season for salmon!
More commercial prawn boats around the inlet than normal for this time of year, usually late season we are down to 2 or 3 boats, there are still 12 or more and traps everywhere. Best to leave your prawn traps at home for a while.
Great start to the season for salmon!
Esperanza-time
Member
Ferrier (north west Nootka) springs are stacked up like cord wood!
All in tight 40-50’ of water.
Mostly needle fish and a bit of squid for feed.
Nasty water this morning and last few days but worth it!
All in tight 40-50’ of water.
Mostly needle fish and a bit of squid for feed.
Nasty water this morning and last few days but worth it!
Dan The Man
Active Member
Headed up for jack and jill at critter . Any new updates ?
Chinook’s and bottoms is very very good in that area right now.
Saltwater Cowboy
Active Member
Fished there June 12&13. Was on fire from Wash Rock to Beano. 35-65ft blue meanie hoochy’s. Could have caught 100 springs and 100 coho a day if we wanted. Most coho 3-6lbs. Most springs 9-15lbs with a couple close to 20.
i am going jul 11-14 - done some reading but thought id ask: Anything i should expect or lookout for? I've read prawning can be tough as commercial boats have been through but im going to be stubborn and bring my new ones as i have never prawned.... any tips? Long time self guided fishermen at lodges - first salmon trip as a boat owner.... bottom fishing good around then?
codfather
Crew Member
abromle, if your going to try prawning find areas that are tucked away. Commercial boats have to lay a lot of line out each string so they need a big area. Drop them in behind structure that only has room for a few traps. Between 250 and 350 feet and you should get enough for a few meals.
Salmon fishing is very good right now.
Salmon fishing is very good right now.
Thank you kindly for your time!!
Saltwater Cowboy
Active Member
Watch out for muddy bottom as the hagfish will slime your traps like nothing you have ever seen! As for fishing July 11-14 will have some fish on the inside (the wall, camel rock, hoiss point, beer can bay etc.. but most productive fishing will probably still be at the lighthouse and farther out towards wash rock, Maquinna point and Beano creek as well as some fish at Burdwood..I like offshore in am and inside for the pm sun set. small spoons,wee gees, skinny g’s, coho killers etc.. flash flys and hoochys if the squid are still around like they are right now work great.. bottom fishing is hit and miss but I like to head out farther in the am (like to Beano) and then once I’m done with salmon and the wind comes up I troll the bottom with plugs coming home a couple miles offshore and pick up a mix of lings and hali.. earlier in the year is better as they start to move farther out and get picked over by mid July but it never hurts to try.. if weather is good then the find the pinnacles 8-12 miles out and pound the ground. I’ll be up there July 16-20 so hope you do well!
donnie d
Well-Known Member
Codfather - I assume the bait is small again? I’ll be at critter by mid Sunday morning. Appreciate the report! Hopefully the fish hang around.
.
pacemaker
Well-Known Member
Just got back from several days at Critter Cove. The fishing was excellent, all on the outside waters. Lots of ground fish at the normal spots. Good numbers of Springs to about 20 lbs, and enough coho to keep a person occupied for a while. The bite seemed to be either DOA, or truly epic. It was either really on, or really off. First light sometimes, mid day at other times. This morning was truly epic. Decent mix of hatch/wild coho. Very high percentage of hatchery Springs, will be interesting to hopefully see where they originated from when the head tag results come in. Both hoochies and Skinny G spoons worked well for us. All the normal outside spots held fish.
Sounds like a decent trip to Critter. Thanks for post. Heading to Critter for the JJ this weekend. Are you doing your trip in July?
pacemaker
Well-Known Member
codfather
Crew Member
We just had two days offshore that only happens a few times a year.
When you can go 25 miles an hour out and back hours later and not touch the throttle you know its flat.
Yesterday I spent the day offshore drifting around and never had to start the kicker up to back troll one time.
Both days we picked thru the Ling Dingers and kept the nice ones. Fishing is so enjoyable when the weather doesn't beat you up.
Salmon fishing is unbelievable, from Wash to Beano you can catch them anywhere. We are sorting thru them now and only keeping Springs over 16 pounds. You know fishing is good when that happens.
A few days ago we limited out on Coho every day but haven't seen many the last couple days.
Weather looks good for a few more days.
When you can go 25 miles an hour out and back hours later and not touch the throttle you know its flat.
Yesterday I spent the day offshore drifting around and never had to start the kicker up to back troll one time.
Both days we picked thru the Ling Dingers and kept the nice ones. Fishing is so enjoyable when the weather doesn't beat you up.
Salmon fishing is unbelievable, from Wash to Beano you can catch them anywhere. We are sorting thru them now and only keeping Springs over 16 pounds. You know fishing is good when that happens.
A few days ago we limited out on Coho every day but haven't seen many the last couple days.
Weather looks good for a few more days.
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