• Blue Boat Calendar (Honda Engines)
• Silver Boat Calendar (Suzuki Engines)

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Looking for a great deal? We have awesome shoulder season (April 1 to June 30, September 10 to to October 31) specials available. We fish for salmon on the west side of Vancouver Island from April until October. It isn’t just about July & August!

Who needs to go fishing in August when there are 30+ pound Chinook getting caught in late June? We still have a few weeks available in early July. What are you waiting for?

Sportfishing BC – Bamfield Reports

This post is a listing of tackle that has worked for me consistently when fishing Bamfield, Ucluelet, & Barkley Sound. However, the great thing about fishing is that there is always more than one way to skin a cat! Even within our little group of anglers we have some differing opinions about what tackle we should be running. So take this post with a grain of salt, but I think it should give you a pretty good start.

Flashers
We almost always troll with an 11″ hot spot flasher. We usually run them inline, but have been known to use a false flasher clipped onto the downrigger cable when running spoons. Most locals seem to run green or red. I’m not totally convinced that the color of the flasher is really THAT important (although I do own many different colors so maybe I’m a hypocrite?), but I do know that the glow and UV flashers seem to work best when trolling deep out on the banks.

Natural Bait
A lot of sport fisherman run anchovies in teaser heads approximately 5-6′ behind an 11″ flasher. We’ve had good success with all the different colors of teasers, but we seem to come back to the clear, glow, and purple haze ones. However, feel free to throw down chrome or anything else for that matter. The guides don’t seem to be quite as keen on running bait, but that could be because spoons and hoochies can be just as effective and don’t require the additional hassle of dealing with bait. If you like running bait, then go for it. You certainly won’t be alone! We used to run anchovies almost exclusively, but a trip with a guide in Ucluelet cured us after we saw how effective Coyote spoons could be…

Hoochies
2007 was the year of the hoochie for us (much to the chagrin of one of my fishing partners who is addicted to Coyote spoons!). Our best producers were glow and UV patterns (particularly when fishing deep out on the banks) with our favorites being Purple Haze, Glow Below, Army Truck, and Green Splatter Back. We generally fish them on a 30″ leader behind an 11″ flasher. However, we had one trip in 2006 when the only way to catch fish was on a 6-8′ leader! The favourite squid pattern on my boat the last couple of years has been the 5″ UV purple haze B2 squid. It catches fish like crazy.

Spoons
The biggest Chinook we landed in 2007 was 38 pounds and was caught trolling the bottom about 6 miles SW of Cape Beale (near Bamfield) with a green glow 4″ Coyote spoon. We’ve had great success with Coyotes over the years and our favourite patterns are Army Truck, the Grey Ghost (its just bare metal), Cop Car, Watermelon, and Green Glow. We generally fish them on 6′ leaders behind an 11″ flasher. The quality of Coyote spoons has diminished since this was first published so we now predominantly use Tomic Spoons now. They are made on Vancouver Island and are commercial quality lures. Pilchards (BIG sardines) are back in a big way in local waters, which means that 6-7″ spoons are often the best thing to have on the end of your line. See this blog post for more info on the return of the Pilchard and what it means for you.

Plugs
Tomic Plugs can be deadly. We’ve recently started running them more frequently now that the big Pilchards are so common. I really like to run plugs because you can’t use an inline flasher which results in a much better fight. We sometimes run a false flasher off the cannonball, or run them without a flasher if the action is fast and furious.

Trolling Speed
Don’t fish too slow! If you’re fishing with flashers then you need to go at least 2 MPH to ensure the proper action. We’ve had many days in Barkley Sound where we have outfished the fleet and been lapping the other boats around us. The only difference was our faster trolling speed!

Depth
The salmon are usually in the top 60 feet when fishing in Barkley Sound or along the surf-line during the summer. Offshore, you can pickup salmon anywhere from 20 to 250 feet down! We usually vary our depths until we find the fish and then stay there until they stop biting. It is not uncommon to pickup 8-10 fish in an hour from all over the water column. The advantage of having one “deep” rod down in the mud is the possibility of picking up a Halibut while you’re down there. We frequently pickup up Chinook salmon and Halibut when running spoons or hoochies down on the bottom.

Get the Word on the Street
A few days before your trip you should be checking out the most recent Ucluelet and Bamfield fishing reports. You can also do a search over at the Sportfishing BC Forums.

I also recommend dropping by Gone Fishin’ in Port Alberni on your way through. They will know what is currently hot for Alberni Inlet, Barkley Sound, Bamfield, and Ucluelet and they have great selection. They will have what you need.

Finally, ask around on the dock when you first arrive. Some fishermen are very secretive, but we’ve found that most other sport fishermen are quite glad to share what and where has been working for them.

We still have a few good openings in August (particularly late August) and the first few weeks of July are wide open.

Seriously think about coming in July. Here’s why:

• The Columbia River is expecting a massive Chinook spawning run this year. The biggest run since 1980. Most of those salmon swim right past Tofino/Bamfield/Ucluelet on their way to the river. Details
• Save Money!! – We have significantly reduced our July rates! ($340/day in July vs $425/day in August).

We’ve been using St. Jean’s for many years and have never been disappointed with the results. The really nice part about St. Jean’s is they will ship your frozen catch world wide!

We usually choose a combination of canned, smoked and filleting and vacuum packing.

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If you’re looking for a great place to stay be sure to checkout Natural Elements Vacation Rentals in Tofino and Ucluelet.

Don’t Forget About Spring!
You might also want to take note of our reduced rates from April 1 to July 15th. There is lots of great fishing during the spring and early summer out of Bamfield, Barkley Sound, and Ucluelet.

Book Your Accommodations Now
The strong American dollar means that everything in Canada is now on sale for 25% off. We expect the number of American visitors to be up this summer so its best to get your accommodations booked now so that you won’t be disappointed.

Take into account the shoulder season rates and it makes for a very compelling fishing experience.

We just returned from 3 days in Ucluelet and had a great time fighting chinook and coho salmon up to 20 pounds. The weather was warm and clear with calm seas. Beautiful!

Got the fishing itch? The fishing is good until mid October. Get out here!

If you’re looking for an inexpensive place ($160/night) for 6-8 people then this is your spot! It is very cozy with lots of space, a kitchen, wood burning stove, hot tub, big screen satellite HDTV, fish freezer, and more. Check out there website for more details.

You can’t beat the price or the location. We’ll be back!

What most people don’t realize is how great June can be! There is a “Salmon Highway” that runs past Barkley Sound as millions of Salmon migrate down the west coast of Vancouver Island from the North Pacific to the Puget Sound, Strait of Georgia, Fraser River, Columbia River, and beyond. June is also a great time to drop the lines down to the bottom and target the huge number of Halibut that move onto the offshore banks.

The fishing in June is actually pretty easy: Head offshore 5-8 miles and then drop the downrigger balls down to the bottom (150-200 feet) while trolling between 2-3 MPH. Its not tough to find the banks because there will be plenty of other guides and commercial boats around. Troll a purple haze or glow hoochie behind a glow or purple haze flasher. You’ll pick up Chinook Salmon and Halibut on this setup. It’s actually a very leisurely way to fish!

If the wind and waves don’t cooperate then simply head to one of the protect island hotspots in the surfline of Barkley Sound. Places like Effingham Island, Great Bear, Meares Bluffs, Austin Island, and Kirby Point all off good fishing for Chinook (King) Salmon when the North Pacific isn’t cooperating!

The great thing about fishing in June is the lack of crowds and the off-season rates. Accommodations are cheap and easy to find, and our boat rental rates are significantly lower than they are in July, August, and September.

So what are you waiting for? Get out here and get your lines in the water!

Many anglers don’t realize that fishing in June & July can be just as hot & heavy as the fishing in August and September! There aren’t as many big fish around, but I think a 20 pounder Chinook is better than nothing! Just bring some lighter action rods and have some fun.

Remember: The daily and total possession limit for Halibut is now 2!

Fishtactics.com Fishing Reports

By Road

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You can pickup the boat(s) in Port Alberni and then tow them to Ucluelet on highway on highway 4. The trip is 102 km (63 miles) but it is a hilly and winding road which will limit your speed. The trip usually takes about 90 minutes if traffic is good. You’ll need a truck or SUV with a V8 that is properly equipped to tow a 4500 pound boat and trailer (or we MIGHT be able to tow for a fee – contact us).

By Water

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The other option available is to launch the boat(s) in Port Alberni and then run them out to Ucluelet by water. It is approximately 50 miles (80 km) by water and takes you through Alberni Inlet and the protected waters of Barkley Sound. The trip typically takes just under 2 hours depending on water and weather conditions. We tend to prefer this method as it is a beautiful trip and the ramp in Port Alberni is great. In our opinion it is a lot less stressful than towing on the Ucluelet highway in summer traffic and then waiting around at the Island West ramp in Ucluelet!

Here’s the relevant announcement on the DFO website.

UPDATE: The daily and total possession limit has been reduced to 2 Halibut from June 1 to December 31. This is significantly less than previous years so please take note!

The areas surrounding Bamfield, Ucluelet & Tofino are often the hottest fishing spots on Vancouver Island during the month of June. The Halibut are abundant on the offshore banks, Chinook Salmon to 20 pounds have moved into the area, and Coho are also beginning to arrive.

The great thing about fishing Bamfield and Ucluelet in June is the easy proximity to Barkley Sound if the weather and waves don’t cooperate to allow fishing on the nearby offshore banks. Chinook Salmon begin moving into Barkley Sound at this time and can be caught in the “surf line” spots along the outermost islands of the Broken Island group.

We still have availability for at least one boat is most weeks this summer, but we anticipate that will change soon as the weather improves and people get into “summer mode”.

Our experience last summer is that most people tend to call us to enquire about a boat in the next couple of weeks. That is great if we still have anything, but it’ll probably mean you have a tough time finding a place to stay! This is going to be especially true with all the California, Oregon, and Washington Salmon fishermen coming up to BC to get their Salmon fix this summer!

Kenmore Air is beginning air service between Seattle’s Boeing Field and Tofino Airport (serving Tofino and Ucluelet) starting on May 15, 2008. This is great news for American fishermen looking for a quick way to get fishing!

We’re based in Port Alberni, but we can deliver a boat to you in either Ucluelet or Tofino if you intend on taking advantage of this air service. Give us a call and we’ll see if we can work something out!

• Fishtactics.com
• Canadian Princess

More links will be added as I come across them.

Oregon Fishery Managers Impose Sweeping Closure

Are you an American fisherman wondering how you’re going to get your Salmon fishing “fix” this summer? Have you considered coming up to Vancouver Island, British Columbia?

The extreme measures taken by California, Oregon, and Washington fishery managers are largely due to the failure of the Sacremento River Salmon run, and some weakness of the Columbia river Salmon run. We applaud them for their efforts and sincerely hope that these two rivers can be brought back to their former glory.

The situation on the west side of Vancouver Island is much better, which means that it is business as usual for the summer of 2008. The fishing in Bamfield, Ucluelet, Tofino, and Barkley Sound was awesome last year and we see no reason to believe the 2008 will be any different.

Never fished north of the border? We’d be happy to show you the hotspots and all the gear that the locals use.

Give us a call and we’d be happy to share our local knowledge!