Fishing Reports for June 16, 2021
Washington
Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco)
Ocean salmon fishing opens June 19th.
The recreational coho catch quota this year is 70,000, up from 26,500 in 2020. This year’s chinook quota of 27,250 fish is a slight increase over the 2020 quota of 26,360. In Marine Areas 1 and 2, coho retention begins June 27. Anglers should check the area-specific rules for daily bag limits.
For more info, see this article: http://salmonuniversity.com/archives/8251
Marine Area 2 (Westport)
Ocean salmon fishing opens June 19th.
The recreational coho catch quota this year is 70,000, up from 26,500 in 2020. This year’s chinook quota of 27,250 fish is a slight increase over the 2020 quota of 26,360. In Marine Areas 1 and 2, coho retention begins June 27. Anglers should check the area-specific rules for daily bag limits.
For more info, see this article: http://salmonuniversity.com/archives/8251
For more info, see this article: http://salmonuniversity.com/archives/8251
Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay)
Ocean salmon fishing opens June 19th.
The recreational coho catch quota this year is 70,000, up from 26,500 in 2020. This year’s chinook quota of 27,250 fish is a slight increase over the 2020 quota of 26,360. In Marine Areas 3 and 4, coho retention begins July 4. Anglers should check the area-specific rules for daily bag limits.
For more info, see this article: http://salmonuniversity.com/archives/8251
Marine Area 5
Marine Area 6
Marine Area 7
Marine Area 8.1
no report this week
Marine Area 8.2
Marine Area 9 (Admirality Inlet)
no report this week
Marine Area 10
no report this week
Marine Area 11
Marine Area 11 opened for salmon fishing on June 16th.
Rules: Daily limit 2. Chinook min. size 22″. All other salmon species, no min. size. Up to 1 Chinook may be retained. Release chum and wild Chinook.
For more information, see this article: http://salmonuniversity.com/archives/8240
Marine Area 12
no report this week
Freshwater – Grays Harbor Rivers
no report this week
British Columbia
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is no longer providing printed BC Sport Fishing Guides from previous years or link to access an online PDF version.
Interest in the Guides has diminished and there is an increasing gap between the information in the paper guides and the actual online fishing regulations.
For current fishing regulations in your area, please see the online Sport Fishing Guide at: https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/index-eng.html
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact your local fisheries office at: https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/contact/regions/pacific-pacifique-eng.html
Bamfield, Barkley Sound, & Port Alberni
Sockeye Salmon Sport Fishing Opens in The Alberni Inlet
“BREAKING NEWS” Retention of FOUR SOCKEYE PER PERSON BEGINS JUNE 15th
As we embrace mid June most anglers in this area are excited about the return of Sockeye salmon to the Somass River system and the migration of Chinook salmon and Coho along the surf line of Barkley Sound and areas close to the Ucluelet Harbor Mouth. Not only has the sport fishing along the surf line been good but areas such as Pill Point and Tzarus Island have been fantastic. Sport Fishing opportunities in this area are currently incredible. Sockeye returns are predicted to be approximately anywhere from 350,000 to 500,000 fish. This number is providing for sport fishing opportunity of up to FOUR Sockeye salmon per day beginning on the 15th of June. Possession limits will be four per day and eight over two days as a possession limit. The runs of migrating mature Chinook combined with decent schools of Coho travelling the Vancouver Island West Coast surf line to the large southerly watersheds should give endless opportunities to sport fishing enthusiasts fishing Barkley Sound and areas close to Ucluelet. Sockeye fishing is a great opportunity for everyone and is a very comfortable angling opportunity for people of all ages. The best fishing areas for Sockeye in the Alberni Inlet are from Hocking Point or Nahmint and Ten Mile Point to Lone Tree. Underwood, the Narrows and Cous Creek will provide for some excellent angling. Currently the Sockeye are migrating in shallow water and anglers are having success fishing the top twenty-five to forty feet of water. The best lures are mp hootchies in a bubble gum color or pink-blue or pink-black hootchies or a double tandem or single Black Hook.
Current sport fishing regulations, at the time of this writing, provided by the DFO will allow sport fishing for Chinook salmon within one nautical mile of the coastline until the fifteenth of July. After this date anglers will be permitted to fish offshore waters for Chinook. Pacific Rim areas are often a feeding station to these transient salmon. The islands close to the Ucluelet Harbor mouth and up the coastline to Wya Point and Florencia and the many areas of Barkley Sound often hold vast quantities of bait fish in herring, anchovy, squid and needlefish. To date Sail Rock, Great Bear, The Alley, which are all close to Ucluelet and Barkley Sound locations such as Cree Island, Meares, Kirby, Bamfield Wall, Pill Point, Samatao, and Swale Rock have experienced some very good sport fishing. This trend will continue and become stronger in July and will likely improve two-fold in late July and into early September when the West Coast Vancouver Island salmon begin returning to their natal streams and rivers.
Historically the most common gear and consistent salmon producer when fishing Barkley Sound has been trolling with anchovy behind a variety of colored flashers. How ever that trend has changed over the past couple of years with fish hitting various Herring Aid spoons as well as Skinny G’s, Coho Killer spoons, and a variety of octopus, cuttlefish, and needle fish hootchies. Anchovy teaser head colors that work well are Green Haze, Glow Army Truck, Herring Aid, and Cop Car. Flashers in blue, green glow, chartreuse, and even red with at least a six-foot leader are best. Spoons behind a flasher can vary from forty-two inches to five feet. Hootchie leader lengths behind a flasher are thirty-eight to forty-two inches. Favorite hootchies are the AORL 12, J-79, Jack Smith, and Purple Haze. The salmon have been feeding on large mature herring, needlefish, and small immature herring around Meares, Austin-Cree, Swale Rock and Edward King. Smaller Spoons if the bait is small have been working very well. In areas around Beale, Whittlestone, and The Bamfield Wall there have been mature squid meaning Octopus hootchies and cuttle fish are working best. The best cuttle fish have been tiger prawn UV, army truck and a variety of white cuttle fish colors.
Halibut fishing in June is in full swing. Many sport-fisher people will either drift, jig or anchor. Halibut will often prefer salmon bellies as well as large herring or octopus. If jigging try a Gibbs Hali Hawg tipped with salmon belly. Lingcod fishing is also relatively good. How ever it is important that a good descending device is on board as any yellow-eye rockfish are to be released.
June of 2021 and the rest of the summer should have some world class salmon sport fishing in the Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound area.
Tight lines and Good fishing
Report & pics submitted by Doug Lindores, Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing (888) 214-7206 dlindy@shaw.ca; www.catchsalmon-ca.com
The cover image of this week’s report was also contributed by Doug Lindores — Alberni inlet sockeye for these ladies…
Ucluelet
We had a few days of nastier weather but it looks like the good weather has arrived starting tomorrow. The first couple days of the low seemed to chase the fish and bait away from the normal spots but the salmon are coming back. Fishing has continued to really surprise us in a good way and really not much has changed in the past 6 weeks except the spots where we are catching the salmon.
The salmon are still only minutes from the harbour mouth. If you can get out very soon give us a shout as we had some cancellations in June with the travel restrictions. For the clients that made it out it has been very good.
The Chinook are ranging from 7-15 lbs which is a very good size for this time of year. We haven’t been getting many in the 20lb range but we will probably see a few here soon. The Chinook are biting around tide changes and then we have been going to get our ling cod. 3” silver horde spoons and needlefish hootchies are doing the trick in both green and blue and gold.
We are getting halibut in good numbers about 10 miles out which isn’t far to run. Yesterday was a good halibut day despite the weather. It’s clear skies forecasted for the next week at least, so we should get some good early morning bites for salmon and halibut fishing later in the day.
If you are wanting to come on a fishing charter in Ucluelet with us in July and August expect accommodation to be in short supply like these past few summers. There have been a few cancellations from International guests but those openings are getting booked quickly.
You can check out Ucluelet-Info.com or get one of our fishing packages available at https://www.salmoneye.net/site/fishing-packages.html. We have very little ocean view accommodation but still have some cabins available.
For more info on Vancouver Island also check out https://www.discovervancouverisland.com/.
Report & pics submitted by Sam Vandervalk, Salmon Eye Fishing Charters, Uculet, BC; www.salmoneye.net
Becher Bay
Salmon anglers were having GOOD success catching hatchery marked springs up to 20 lbs within the Becher Bay retention area north of Fraser Island. Some larger unclipped springs weighing into the mid 30’s were caught and released. Depths of 50-70 feet have been the best for catching springs. Cheanuh marina also reported that coho fishing has been EXCELLENT between Aldridge Point and Beechey Head. The coho are still relatively small, under 5 lbs in weight. The DFO is closely monitoring the chinook retention allowed area with spotting scopes and plane and drone surveillance. Halibut fishing was SLOW this past weekend due to strong currents. Lingcod anglers were catching fish when jigging near Aldridge Point. Crabbing has been GOOD inside the bay.
The fishery notice for the retention only area states, “that portion of Subarea 20-5 northerly of a line drawn from 48°19.554’N, 123°37.768’W to 48°19.589’N, 123°36.533’W, then following the shoreline of Frazer Island east to the RCA boundary at 48°19.700’N, 123°36.267’W, then to 48°19.633’N, 123°35.681’W; and effective immediately to 23:59 hours July 31, 2021, one (1) Chinook per day hatchery-marked only.” Anglers were having some success with hatchery marked springs up to 18 lbs being caught on the weekend. The DFO is closely monitoring the area with plane and drone surveillance
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com.
Oak Bay
Anglers are having VERY GOOD success catch and release fishing for chinooks on the Flats. Most of the springs have been from 8-15 pounds and about 80% of the salmon are hatchery marked. This is usually one of the best months for salmon fishing in Oak Bay. Halibut, Lingcod and Rockfish fishing was SLOW near Oak Bay. Crabbing has been HIT & MISS in the Oak Bay and Cadboro Bay area.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com.
Pedder Bay
Halibut fishing was SLOW this past week this past week. The most productive halibut areas were straight out from William Head and the East Race. Most of the halibut were small, from 15-30 lbs in size. Crabbing has been SLOW. It was also reported that fishing was SLOW for chinooks and there no retention is allowed in this area. A few small coho have been caught nearby.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com.
Sidney
Bottom fishing was SLOW this past week. We also heard that it was SLOW catch and release fishing for chinooks near Coal Island, Sidney Spit, Hambley Point and the Powder Wharf, Jigging has been the most successful method for salmon fishing recently. Crabbing and prawning has been HIT & MISS.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com.
Sooke
Coho fishing has been EXCELLENT, but the coho are small, mostly between 30-45 cm in length. Some boats have reported catching between 20- 30 coho during trips. Halibut fishing was SLOW, with the best action coming from west of Sooke. Otter Point, Muir Creek and Jordan River produced a few fish in previous weeks. Crabbing has been GOOD in the basin.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com.
Vancouver
no report this week
Victoria
Halibut fishing was SLOW off the waterfront with the strong currents The best areas to fish were Constance Bank, the Mud Hole, and Trial Island. Most anglers are fishing in over 300 feet of water for the big flatfish. Catch and release salmon fishing was SLOW along the waterfront and at Constance Bank, also due to the big tides. Crabbing is FAIR.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com.
The cover image of this week’s report was also contributed by Vaida. “A great day on the water had by these two! With the help of a 6” Berkley Gulp Grub and some herring, Makayla and John reeled up some of BC’s white gold.”
Lakes and Rivers
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com.
Oregon
Tillamook Bay
no report this week
Willamette River
no report this week
Great Lakes
no report this week