Were in Barkley Sound during Labour Day weekend but did not participate in the Derby. Good thing... got skunked! Fished Friday afternoon, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning. We did not fish anywhere in the inlet but we tried Effingham, Gibraltar, Sattelite Passage, "The Wall" at Bamfield, Junction Passage, Kirby, Numakumis Bay and even a few miles off shore! Tried Hoochies, Spoons and Plugs of different colours (did not have any bait). Tried every depth from 25 to 125 feet. Total... 2 released Jacks Springs, one meal size Coho lost by the boat, and a small Yellow Eye which I gave to an eager Eagle - all taken at Bamfield "Wall" on Saturday morning.
We did not see ANY big fish landed and we heard basically the same story from everyone we talked to - including the attendant at the boat launch in Alberni when we pulled out on Sunday morning.
Warm water (60) and big tide changes may have played a roll but I don't think that there's much doubt that the number of fish in the sound is less than usual! Hopefully the runs are late and will pick up in the coming weeks. If I went there again this year I might try looking for a stretch (hopefully weekend) with minimal tide changes.
Does anyone have any good fishing stories from the Derby weekend in Barkley Sound?
Highlight for the weekend, for us, was sighting three bubble net blowing Humpbacks gobbeling herring at the entrance to Imperial Eagle Channel, and a pod of Dall's "torpedoes" chasing "something" off shore - they are a wonder to behold!
Hans Forssander
North Vancouver, BC
