Fishing Reports for June 30, 2021
Washington
Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco)
Ocean salmon fishing opened on June 19th. Some boats found limits early on chinook up to about 17lbs. Not many coho yet – but if you find the chinook, the bite seems consistent.
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 opened June 19th. Chinook averaging up to about 18lbs. have been caught, with the largest chinook so far being about 27lbs. The charter boats are doing well so far.
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
The Quileute Nation has announced that La Push will open to the public on July 12th. For more information, please check the Quileute Nation website here: https://quileutenation.org/
In the meantime, any sportfishers fishing in Area 3 are running there from Area 2 or Area 5. We do not yet have a report from Area 3.
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 4 (Neah Bay)
Ocean salmon fishing opened June 19th. Sportfishers have been doing ok off Neah Bay for chinook and halibut. The chinook are still averaging in the teens, and the coho so far are small.
The Makah Nation, including Neah Bay continues to be closed to the public due to COVID-19 – so any sportfishers fishing in Area 4 are running there from Area 2 or Area 5. As of June 16, 2021, the Makah Tribal Council’s decision is that the Makah Nation will be closed to the public until at least October 1, 2021. For more information, please see the Makah Nation website here: https://makah.com/
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)
Salmon fishing opens here on July 16th. Stay tuned for a report once it opens.
Marine Area 10
Chinook fishing has been spotty so far, with lots of shakers and small fish. There are some coho around as well, but they are very small, in the sub-4lb. range.
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
Retention of FOUR SOCKEYE PER PERSON BEGAN 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 – Barkley sound salmon…
Ucluelet
Salmon: Chinook Fishing has continued to be good during June with the exception of a few days around some stormy weather. Chinook fishing has continued to be good close to the harbour and lately in mostly protected water. Some of the spots are shallow water which makes the fight even better as Chinook are a deep water fish, generally wanting to dive deeper when hooked. It seems that it isn’t necessarily more baitfish hanging around the shore but rather higher numbers of salmon along the coast since we have seen consistent fishing during April and May as well. We are now going into what we consider our prime season though the fishing has been so consistent it is possible that there will be a large jump up in numbers of Chinook caught.
Halibut: The halibut fishing has been very good in quite a few places. Recently it started to get good closer in again. Whether we have had to drive 17 miles out or fish 10 miles out, the fishing has been quite consistent. It looks like we should have great fishing going in to July and it may just be the best we have seen in a while.
If you are looking to book a fishing trip make sure you do so right away as there is not a lot of space or accommodation availability. We do have our packages which include accommodation. 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
Cheanuh marina reported that coho fishing has been GOOD between off Beechey Head NS THE Trap Shack. The coho are still small, mostly, between 30-45 cm in length. Salmon anglers were having FAIR success catching hatchery marked springs up to 15 lbs within the Becher Bay retention area north of Fraser Island. Depths of 50-70 feet have been the best for catching springs. Halibut fishing was SLOW this past weekend. 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 wee 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 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 FAIR 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. The most productive halibut areas were straight out from William Head, West Constance Bank 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 FAIR, 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. The Bluffs, 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. 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 but better at Constance Bank, Crabbing is FAIR.
Submitted by Tom Vaida, Island Outfitters, 3319 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC (250) 475-4969 info@fishingvictoria.com; www.fishingvictoria.com.
Lakes and Rivers
Cowichan River
It is SLOW for fly fishing at the top end. The water temperature in the river is rising and the “float tube hatch” is strong on warm days. The water level is now at close to the summer lows. Insect activity is good, and dry fly fishing has been good in the early morning and evening. Tried and true fly choices at the top end include Prince nymphs, stonefly nymphs, pheasant tail nymphs, rolled muddlers, wooly buggers, and egg patterns. Elk Hair Caddis and Goddard Caddis flies work well as dry flies.
Trout
Trout fishing has been SLOWER at local lakes. The water temperatures is increasing and the trout have started going deeper in many of the local lakes. Shore anglers are catching trout on Powerbait, Gulp Eggs, and worms fished just off the bottom. White, Pink, Chartreuse and Fluorescent Yellow have been good choices recently for Powerbait. Fly anglers are mostly fishing Wooly Buggers, Leeches and Chironomid patterns. Chironomid hatches have been happening at most lakes. Trollers are catching the most trout with worms fished on Gibbs Wedding
Here is the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC spring stocking report for the Greater Victoria area. On June 3rd, Lookout Lake received 250 trout averaging 235.38g in size. On May 20th, Elk Lake received 500 trout averaging 207.4g in size. On May 17th, Lookout Lake received 250 trout averaging 205.5g in size. On May 5th, Langford Lake received 1,200 trout and Lookout Lake 250 trout averaging 235.98g in size. On April 30th, Elk Lake received 1,507 trout averaging 219.11g in size. On April 22nd, Lanford Lake received 1,500 trout, Durrance Lake 1,000 trout and Glen Lake 500 trout averaging 202.01g in size. On April 21st, Elk Lake received 1,993 trout averaging 227.43g in size. On April 20th, both Prospect and Elk lakes received 1,500 trout, Ida Anne Lake 150 trout and Colwood and Poirier Lakes 150 trout averaging 220.64 g in size. On April 14th, Spectacle Lake received 1,000 trout averaging 209.07g in size. On April 13th, Lookout Lake received 250 trout averaging 218.67 g in size. On April 9th, Prospect Lake received 1,800 trout, Durrance Lake 1,000 trout and Thetis Lake 500 trout averaging 218.67 g in size. On April 7th, Elk Lake received 2,000 trout, Langford Lake 1,500 trout and Colwood Lake 200 trout with a 194.93 g average size. On March 10th, Dougan Lake received 1,000 trout and Shawnigan Lake 600 trout averaging 232.77g in size. On March 1st, Thetis Lake received 1,000 trout and Glen Lake 500 trout averaging 259.23g in size. On March 3rd, Lookout Lake received 250 trout averaging 228.72 g in size. There were no trout releases this past week in the South Island.
To find out about fish stockings all over the Island and the province, as well as the different strains being released, click on the link http://www.gofishbc.com/Stocked-Fish.aspx
Bass
Bass fishing continues to be EXCELLENT. Big Largemouth and Smallmouth bass have been quite active and four pound plus fish are being caught regularly. Hot lakes continue to be Quennell, Langford and Prospect Lakes. Elk/Beaver Lake has slowed a bit due to the carp spawning. Topwater fishing is picking up and anglers are having good luck with wake baits, frogs and poppers, Subsurface soft plastics continue to trigger the most bites, with wacky and Texas rig worms at the top of the list.
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
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