Nov. 30, 2006
The area is into that time of year where weather plays a very important role. With high winds and heavy rainfall over the last 10 to 14 days saltwater fishing has been very slow. Not only has the poor weather played havoc with the saltwater fishing but it is that time of year when returning adult salmon have now returned to their natural spawning grounds. Freshwater steelhead fishing in the Somass-Stamp River system has been reasonably good even with the high water.
Somass-Stamp River
Steelhead have been found in big numbers in the upper Stamp River close to Robertson Creek Hatchery. Guide boats have done very well on fall steelhead. Most of the steelhead have been hatchery fish and have weighed between 8 to 12 pounds. There is a bait ban above “the bucket” so guides and sport anglers have had success on Janson eggs and spin and glows.
Because of the large numbers of hatchery steelhead returning to Robertson Creek Hatchery 600 summer steelhead have been returned to the lower river in hopes that they will spawn naturally. This has increased the lower river angling. If the water level lowers over the next few days fishermen will have some excellent fishing opportunities. Bait can be used below “the bucket” making the Drift and Jet Boat fishing fabulous. The last few days of November has seen a large number of winter steelhead enter the system. The river is now just over 60% winter steelhead.
Steelhead fishing opportunities will continue until the end of March. It is expected that winter steelhead will be very good. Winter steelhead guiding and angling will commence by mid December. E-mail dlindy@shaw.ca for more information on steelhead fishing and lodging possibilities.
Ucluelet (West Coast)
November is an excellent month to travel to the West Coast of Vancouver Island and storm watch. Of course storms hinder possibilities of saltwater fishing as sport boats find it unsafe to fish. This has been the situation for the past 12 days. There are large numbers of winter springs at the South Bank and The Wreck. Guide Jon has had a couple of excellent days fishing for these fine feeder Chinook, between storms, which are weighing 8 to 18 pounds. The best methods of fishing have been using glow hootchies, white hootchies, purple haze hootchies, and various coyote spoons. Purple Haze and green hot-spot flashers have also been excellent attractors. Feeder chinook will stay in the area as long as the bait remains. Winter Spring sport fishing is often best from January through early April.
Slivers Charters will be offering a Seafood Safari during the later part of this winter and the spring of 2007. This is a wonderful guided fishery in which we offer the opportunity to sport fish prawns, crab, salmon, some rock fish, and oysters. E-mail dlindy@shaw.ca to receive more information about this fabulous opportunity.
Port Alberni Inlet and Barclay Sound
The Port Alberni Inlet will have some excellent sport prawning during the winter months. On occasion feeder chinook will move up into the Franklin-Nahmint area if bait has moved up. The last two winters some fortunate sport fishermen have come across big schools of feeder chinook in the area and have caught fish weighing up to 20 pounds.
Winter chinook fishing in Barclay Sound has mostly been in the Vernon Bay and Swale Rock area. Bait has been located in the area which is the main reason why the fish have come into the area. Meares and Pill Point have also had some fishermen find some success. Barclay Sound has had some window days between storms and heavy rain making it possible to have some successful fishing. Guides and sport anglers have picked up these feisty salmon between 80 and 130 feet on anchovie using a glow Rhys Davis anchovie head teaser. Leaders have been 5 to 6 feet with a purple haze flasher. Winter chinook fishing will pick up in February and March when the herring move into Barclay Sound to spawn.
