Nootka Sound / Esperanza Reports - Spring and Summer 2011

[Anyfishlldo]

Hi Doghouse,

Try not to fish near the Moutcha bay area unless you like the darker springs... If you have any Tomic plugs I would suggest bringing them aswell as last year they caught 75% of our fish. Bigger the plug bigger the fish. 7 inch 602 tubby with black on gold scale line on the top kicked it hardcore for us last year. Have used a few different types of teasers and they have all worked with green, red or purple mixes doing the best.

 

[Charlie]

so the fishing should be good in the bay in front of Moutcha bay area? Last year I fished mostly Hoise Point area. What color of Hootch would you suggest or spoon? Some I hear are using Watermelon and a Blue Silver one (not sure the name). Thanks

I would probably suggest listening to this guy?

I usually use greenish or blue teaser heads as a general rule but over the last 20years or so around mid august if I feel they aren't working I switch immediatly to red and I find that they will consistantly outfish the green for the rest of the year. I have fished Nootka for 15 years on a regular basis and the other tip I find helpful is if you aren't catching fish and others are on chovies your leader is probably too short-while 5-6 ft is good off-shore -once the fish are well inside I start heading to 7 and 8 and perhaps no flasher or a dummy or a Kone Zone. My 2 cents!

Well, actually... I do have green, blue, and red "anchovy specials" and personally prefer using the green; however, as stated - over my last 20-30 years or so around mid August, especially fishing the inside, I find I will switch from a "anchovy special" to a red "krippled anchovy" in a heart beat! And... wouldn't think twice about starting with a leader length out at 8-10 feet and slowly cutting it back and playing with that roll, until the fish started hitting it! Just my 2 cents!

 

[Doghouse]

Thanks for the info; This will only be my second time up there. I see why people keep going back. The red teaser you are suggesting is that the ( Bloody Nose ) or what ever they call it? I cant remember all the names. With that teaser head what color flasher do you switch to?

 

[LoveToFish]

I was wondering if there is any halibut fishing on the inside??? If not is there anything around burwood? I love halibut but can't take being out in the middle of the ocean in the rough weather in a 17ft boat! Could anyone send some quardinents if they have any good spots! Would really thank you!

 

[LoveToFish]

Heading to Nootka this weekend!!!! Hope fishing is still good!!!

 

[Shepnoir]

Homes,

Are guys throwing out the pick there or drifting?

 

[Shepnoir]

Tx Holmes!

 

[directmule]

Lot's of dark springs in Nootka even out at Hoiss..................Strange Isl is hot in the mornings, looks like a little city at 4:30 / 5:00am with all the boat lights. Both days we went to the outside and today about 3 miles out from the can. Wife picked up a 23 1/2lb spring................no hali.........for us

She is saying " Hurry up this damn thing is heavy"

Dennis

 

[directmule]

Only had one evening, we got in on the 26th and only put the prawn traps out, last evening we went to Hoiss, saw 1 fish caught nothing for us, a few caught at San Carlos, we spent both days outside, tally so far is 2 nice coho and two springs. Long day today, 73miles on the boat and we were beat so stayed in this afternoon. Never have I seen so many dark fish from the inside coming in at this time of the year.
1/2 day tomorrow as grandson is flying into CR and have to pick him up at 9:00am tomorrow morning.................Moutch Bay Resort is booming, going to get very busy this weekend.

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

I anchor for halis.

 

[devers]

I am going up to CR the second week in August as my buddy has a condo there (free accomodation). If the fishing is slow in CR how has it been in the Gold River/Nootka area (I know longish drive for just one day)? I have fished there a number of times (out of Moucha Bay) and am familiar with area. Any suggestions?

Thx

 

[directmule]

I anchor for halis.

We tried trolling & drift bouncing, neither did any good, do you throw a bait bag down first when on anchor?

 

[profisher]

A scent bag does work when on anchor. But truthfully fishing hali is all about location. The boys from a couple of the lodges there have a very nice spot now for large hali and anchoring works best there. But I won't give it up as it isn't mine to give up.

 

[Derby]

Only had one evening, we got in on the 26th and only put the prawn traps out, last evening we went to Hoiss, saw 1 fish caught nothing for us, a few caught at San Carlos, we spent both days outside, tally so far is 2 nice coho and two springs. Long day today, 73miles on the boat and we were beat so stayed in this afternoon. Never have I seen so many dark fish from the inside coming in at this time of the year.
1/2 day tomorrow as grandson is flying into CR and have to pick him up at 9:00am tomorrow morning.................Moutch Bay Resort is booming, going to get very busy this weekend.

I believe the early and the heavy rain we had 2 weeks ago has brought the fish in early and once those fish get fresh water in the old nose ..change quickly..just my 2 bits

 

[Derby]

I anchor for halis.

Saw a bunch of what looked like lodge boat anchoring ....Do you anchor with that bunch? Just North west of the can?

 

[directmule]

Grandsons fist time salmon fishing & first salmon, 24lb @ San Carlos, 57' down on a white and light green hoochie
behind a silver with green trim flasher. A before & after pic.

Dennis

 

[spring fever]

Nootka was Hot!! Guess it depends on what your definition of HOT is-warmish is probably a fairer assesment. Hit the ramp on a 3ft low 9 am thurs morning. Ramp attendant was very friendly, business like-hit camel rock , 3 finger bay for one pass-nada down onto the san carlos shore, plus bay beyond and the reef which comes off the island. Saw couple of nets one of which was ours for a 20lber. Weather is getting ugly fog,rain and cold wind but in the bay beyond san Carlos we picked up 3 more springs and a couple of ho's . Springs were getting a little bronzie and were in the 23 lb range. All the damage was done by chovies at 35 to 47 ft. Headed down towards the monument and had supper in a little cove, tried the late night bite right on the 77cm line; booted two real screamers which was a great thrill and a disappointment for a new to Nootka albertan. Wound up with another two coho. Spent a quiet night on the hook. First light -Bajo in the fog not too bad a swell -This is where the Grady type boats outshine an Orca I have to steer from the front to see the chart plotter for position which means leaving a chovie on the rod to a newbie-not an ideal situation-However the fog lifts and we take a 20 and release 3 or 4 wild coho. It was only hot for 1/2 hour -Trolled with the fleet for couple of hours with nothing, picked up a bit around 10.30 we landed a 22 and booted a couple of good ones. Managed 4 all told by the time we left for home at 1330 PM. I really hate this wild/hatchery thing for coho-commercials don't differentiate. We kill far more fish than we need to by trying to select. If the limit is 2 then the first 2 is it-if it really mattered then the commercial guys would have to differeniate!! So we wound up for 2 days with 8 springs all between 17 and 23 pounds and 4 coho for 18 hrs of solid fishing for 3 guys-one of whom it was a first time experience. We probably booted another 6 which is a higher average than I like to see but none was to a busted line or pulled knot-probably more to the small hooks I use with chovies. Great trip but realistically you shouldn't expect to go to Nootka and fill your boat-it is not that easy even off -shore. Chovies were the killers and a green and silver #5 coyote was a poor second. By the way if you are tempted to play with the rules the DFO rigid hull came up on us at dusk so fast even I was impressed-they had the lights on and I think they were after a Pursuit which was fishing in the 77 cm zone. So if you love fishing in crowds and watching unbelievable feats of seamanship then Nootka is HOT!!!

 

[VanIslandGuy]

Hello Everyone! Newby here. I'm off to nootka next weekend and was just curious on what the percentage is of dark springs on the inside? Do you have to go to the outside to get a chromer? Also, hows the Hali fishing these days? I'm sure its a little slower but are guys still picking some up here and there? Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Fish Nutz]

Nootka is HOT! I fished purely on the inside since wednesday morning. I was fishing by myself so I released allot of fish. My estimate is around 30 springs in 2 1/2 days. Capped off by a 12 spring morning at strange on wednesday! Still nothing big for me, 29 was the biggest, with tonns of cookie cutter 20's. Chovies all the way at the standard depths!

I'll be headed back on monday afternoon for some more slayin!

 

[Drewski Canuck]

Nootka was OK, not Hot, not screaming, but O K.

Just got back from a week at Tutta Marina with Larry and Shirley. Most boats got fish each day. It was spotty on and off, the weather held, sort of, with some rain on Thursday. Best fish on the inside was 24. Took my 12 year old daughter Sarah for the first time. She got spooled at Hoiss Point. We chased the fish right at a Sea Swirl Stripper named AMAZONIA. Apparently his name is Walter and he is from Campbell River. I yelled for him to cut his engine, which he did. He lifted his main and kicker when I yelled the fish was tangled in his boat. This fellow has a pretty good german accent, but did all he could to help. The fish was on his transducer, and he snagged the line with his boat hook. I couldn't free the line so he proceeded to exercise hand to fish combat with the 24 pounder. It was an amazing feat, but he hand lined the fish close enough to net it. If you see him out there in Nootka, he is a true gentleman. Walter kept looking at my gear when he unhooked the fish, and I explained that I use circle hooks exclusively, and that is why the fish did not get off. Walter, if you PM me, I will send you a pack. I missed you at the dock and you had already left.

Final score for the 3 of us was 10 springs from 14 to 24. Last day we had 8 trip outs and landed 3. Fishing was good at 80 feet in the afternoon at Hoiss Point, and a solid early bite at beer can bay to 8:00 AM. Very little in the way of an evening bite.

Outside there was lots of coho. At the fish cleaning bench, the wilds were all caught inside the Critter Cove Line! There really are no coho inside yet, but sure, I believed you guys.

Fishing should stay steady, and if you pick up some army truck Gibbs Gator spoons, with a green Hot Spot flasher (this was a very good producer) you should do fine.

Drewski