Nootka Sound
Nootka Marine Adventures
Saltwater: We are very fortunate to be strategically located directly in the migratory path of so many different runs of South Bound salmon, both Canadian and US. Our season begins mid-May targeting primarily “clipped” US fish aggressively feeding on schools of Herring, Needlefish, and Squid. By the first week of June these fish are consistent, and routinely caught on a daily basis. Rolled baits as well as a variety of hootchies and spoons work best. The target method is a simple one all season long, find the bait and you’ll find the fish! By late June we will start to encounter decent sized Coho regularly while on the hunt for Chinook, only increasing the angler’s success for solid action all day long.
Prime time shellfish opportunities are also best at the beginning of our season, with outstanding prawning starting as early as mid-March. Oysters and crabs also are the best eating throughout the months of spring and early summer while the seawater temperature remains cold, and there has not yet been any plankton blooms to raise any safety concerns. However, always check local regulations and DFO postings for all shellfish before harvesting and consuming.
Once we move into July and August we start to increasingly see more of our local mature Conuma, Burman, and Gold River fish arrive, which are generally larger and are feeding on tides and tide changes more instinctively, rather than heavily all the time like migratory fish will do. These fish will soon be staging for their run up these local river systems to spawn, and at times they can become a little pickier than heavily feeding migratory fish from the months previous. By now Coho are increasing in size, as they are ferocious feeders during these months, putting on necessary weight and fat for spawning, during the final months of summer, and will continue to do so right up until the end of September.
Nootka Marine Adventures also targets the large runs of Albacore Tuna that migrate by our offshore waters, this is a short but action packed opportunity, generally beginning mid-August and continuing on through until mid-September. Everything is dependent upon off-shore temperature conditions, school locations, and of course weather. If you haven’t tried this fishery yet, you have no idea what you’re missing!!
The bottom fishing in our area never ceases to amaze us as every year it is constantly outstanding, from the very first day we open (May Long Weekend) until the last day we close in (mid-September). Halibut, Ling cod, Yellow Eye and every species of rock fish under the sun are readily available for those willing to invest the time to target them, making area 25 and 26 one of the finest fisheries located on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.
Both the US and Canadian preliminary DFO outlooks are looking very similar to what we experienced last year, with the exception of our local rivers. We encountered many Jack springs and four year old mature fish last season, indicating a return of slightly larger averaged sized mature fish in 2015, something we can all look forward too while angling the waters of Nootka Sound and Esperanza Inlet this coming season.
Tight lines, good luck, and safe fishing!