OK so this is my firt post after lurking here for a few years...normally a month before our annual trip to Critter Cove. I fished Nootka from 13 to 17 with my family and continued on from 17th to 20th with friends after my family went home. On the 13th went out to 3 bay by myself and had 5 strikes in 2 hours from 6.30 to 8.30, lost 3 released a dark 8-9 pounder and kept a 29 pounder. Caught on glow white needlefish hoochies and coho killers (mother of pearl). Camel rock was too busy for me as I was running gear and boat by myself. I took my wife and family out later in the day, none of which have salmon fished before and we tryed hoiss and strange island lost a couple. My wife was distraught. Next day we all were on the water by 5.30. Heading for friendly cove, kids not really awake and up in the cuddy cabin trying to sleep as I poked my nose around the corner and Charlie my son was not happy to be levitating as we went over some rollers....'family meeting' followed and we turned and headed for burdwood where we released a nice wild coho (my 10 year old daughters first fish...why do we have to release it dad?). Proceeded to then catch 30 mackeral at burdwood and cause my 8 year old to feel sick from the moderate swell that was rolling in. Off to camel rock for another 20 mackeral and a few other places same result. trolling to Critter caught the 51st Mackeral and wifey mutters that this is all we can catch on this trip and that they must have brought bad luck...I said you didn't bring a banana on bourd this morning did you...weird look comes over her face...'Wht didnt you tell me that is not allowed?" Gave us an excuse for the tough day.
15th we didn't fish too hard but got one or two.
There were 2 commercial openings with perhaps 30 commy boats moored between Critter and Conuma river. Heard on 78 that they got 8700 pieces (chinook) and a handfull of chum DFO said that was about 30% of the Conuma run and as the sport fishery had dropped off recently that was likley the end of their fishing. We did not fish the wall; hisnit Argonaught etc due to the gill netters cleaning this out.
16th we picked up 3 springs, wife limited out and 1 for the kids...now they were finally keen to get up early and fish so while wifey luxuriated at Critter on the morning of the 17th me and 2 novice helpers set off for 3 bay again where there were not too many boats. Fishing was hot from 6.15 to 8am using glow needlfish hoochies behind glow flashers. we had 3 rods out and 2 double headers. Sorry to the boat that had to dodge us (we were in a blue and white starcraft islander 191v) as my daughter left the wheel to grab the rod from my 8 year old who was upset that the reel had smashed his knuckles. We ended up the a 30.5 and 7 in the net at the same time! Rods strewn all over the place, with each rod cunningly tangled with the net, then again with each other, someones foot, a half open tackle box and a waywood sleeping bag and the fish slapping around to mix things up a little more....good times. Same morning we hooked into a 25? that we had to the boat 3 times but by the time I had missed netting it twice (boat dead in the water as we had no driver, fish under the boat and around the kicker,... panic, loud firm instructions by the skipper misconstrued as angry shouting, we managed to break it off on the 3rd attempt at netting. It must have looked comical from the other boats. The Tyee was on a purple haze flasher and purple silver coho killer. Had no luck the cop car. Also picked up a fish on grand slam bucktail glow needlefish green/white. Bought one of those gimmicky led flashing hoochies and did get a couple of hits on that also. The fish were darker than I remember them being the last couple of years, but some nice chrome springs coming in from Hoiss pt.
17th headed for Gold river and dropped off my family, Kids and wife ended up with 3 fish each.
Picked up a couple of hard core fisherbuddies. Unloaded gear at Critter and then headed out for 3 bay, san carlos and the island just out from san carlos, picked up a couple springs around the island on large pilchard spoons (tomic), tried hoiss etc as well.
18th headed for bajo and the sea was really flat, we didn't pick up much, fairly slow.
19th decided to do a tour so headed up tahsis? inlet and into Esperanza, saw a flotilla of 30 sea otters and whales everywhere inside and outside. Straight out to the highway as the sea was glassy again. got into a lot of fish, mostly coho with about 1/3 - 1/4 being hatchery fish. Also got 3 smaller springs and had a triple headed at which was a first. The grand slam bucktails in needlefish pattern green/white and blue/white with a little 1/4" by 2" slice of anchovie trailing off the front hook, 39" leader to the flasher was our best set-up outside.
From the highway we motored past bajo for nootka sound, saw a couple of large sun fish wallowing on the surface which was cool.
Blundered onto some gravel/sand bottom on the way home and picked up a couple halibut one was 25lb) on salmon bellies in 200 feet of water.
20th we went bottom fishing and caught half a lug-a-loo full of mackeral at critter cove in the morning before going out. Went out past Bajo again and tried for halibut but no luck, got a few bottom fish. Later we picked up 3 halibut drifting around aimlessly, one being 47 lb, mostly on whole mackeral with their sides and belly sliced open to let out the juicy goodness.
21st clean up and go. Thanks to the Critter Cove team for looking after us so well.
Cheers
Wondermur