Stamp River Fishing
Murphy Sportfishing
This time of year reminds all of us about how special the salmon are to the entire ecosystem. The presence of larger numbers of black bears fishing alongside us signal the end of the berry season and the transition into full fledge fall. In the next two weeks anglers will also experience the transition from salmon to Fall Steelhead, the most colourful two weeks of the year.
Steelhead feeding on Salmon Spawn
Cooling water conditions have prompted the Chinook to start spawning. This triggered the beginning of the Steelhead season as they have begun to gorge on the salmon spawn. This event turned on like a light switch. River area restrictions that were in place for Chinook have now been removed. This means that almost the entire river is now open to fishing (except the falls pool). We have access to all of the best spots that hold Steelhead and Coho. Yesterday the Lagoon in the upper river opened up for the first time since 2008. There is a huge surplus of Coho in this area.
Fishing for Steelhead has been best with artificial eggs and small wool presentations. For the Coho a variety of spoons and spinners and flies have been the tickets so far.
Effort in the river is dropping so there is very little pressure in the best spots on the river. Watch for the river to continue to drop and lighten up on gear size (line and lure size).
With the popularity of Steelhead fishing, and the opening of the lagoon yesterday, we moved our fourth boat into the upper river. For the past few weeks the lower river has been good for Coho. A good variety of dark and bright fish have been taken every day on our lower river trips. With no rain in the outlook I would suspect that the lower will be good right to the end of the month for Coho.
For the fishing latest conditions, DFO fish counts, water flow trends, weather forecasts and reports from the Lodge please visit the fishing report page or give us a call at 250-723-8022.
Black Bears, their role in helping Salmon
Bears are making their annual migration down to the shores of the local rivers to feast on abundant salmon. Their relationship with the salmon encompasses much more than just food. Black bears play a key role in bringing essential nutrients and in particular nitrogen, to the Forest Ecosystem.
Bears are somewhat selective to what part of the salmon they gorge on (belly) and leave the rest of the carcass to rot on the forest floor in the riparian zone (area of forest that borders the river). This type of nitrogen has a unique value since its source comes from the ocean and it is traceable through tests of trees and other plants. It is known to be of significant value to other life. The abandoned salmon remains are now available for other species to scavenge: gulls, crows, ravens, eagles, marten, numerous insects including ground beetles and fly larvae. Giant trees, forest plants, such as huckleberries and devil's club take up the valuable nutrients from both the rotting carcasses and the scat from bears and other animals.
The fish carcass remains, which are dragged up along the shoreline usually freeze for the winter, get washed back into the river with the spring run off, for the new immature salmon smolt to feed on, before they make their great migration back to the oceans.
This time of year it is common to see a Black Bear on every outing, so if you heading this way and have a good camera, be sure to bring it!
Murphy Sportfishing, 3523 McKnight St., Port Alberni, B.C., 1-877-218-6600 or 250-723-8022, email us at murphy@island.net