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Fishing
Reports - Pacific Rim: Tofino/Ucluelet
January/February 2000
Jay
releasing a Gold River steelhead |
Finally,
the worst of winter has past. The howling winds and driving
rain that usually keeps most locals thinking of warm clothes,
rain gear and the days being too short, have turned to more
pleasant thoughts like feeder chinook, hungry halibut, estuary
cutthroat and bright spring steelhead.
Some of us are consumed with these finer thoughts all year long,
while others need the returning spring conditions to awaken
the fishing bug.
Other springtime reminders on the west coast are very prevalent.
The Gray Whales are just down the coastline, on their annual
migration from Baja to Alaska. With numerous 'local' whales
returning to Vancouver Island's west coast each year, and the
thousands of others that pass our nearshore areas, visitors
from all over the world arrive here to witness this stage of
the Gray
Whale's journey.
Among the masses of whale enthusiasts, are those that aren't
satisfied with just seeing these large mammals up close, or
smelling their foul breath when they blow upwind. These focused
individuals arrive on the island in pursuit of the hard fighting
Chinook Salmon, halibut, trout and steelhead that have helped
make our area so famous.
Current conditions are favourable for most of our local fisheries,
with opportunities increasing as spring progresses. Chinook
fishing is best in the offshore areas of the coastline, with
the more protected inshore areas producing some smaller fish.
Trolling spoons, glow green or white hoochies or bait near the
bottom will produce the best results. Watch for schools of herring,
as the salmon will be near this bait fish, feeding throughout
the day. Halibut fishing in the offshore waters is just starting
to turn on. Watch the weather and tides before heading out,
with whole herring and a spreader bar being the gear of choice.
Steelhead fishing is in full swing right now with good numbers
of wild fish to be found in the Gold
River and a mix of wild/hatchery stock in the Stamp/Somass
Rivers. For drift fishermen, bait has been the best producer,
along with gooey bobs, wool and rubber worms, while spoons or
spinners are always worth a try. Fly fishermen have been successful
with the standby winter patterns like black and orange General
Practitioners, large versions of the Puntledge Worm, Glo-bugs
and large articulate leeches tied with either marabou or rabbit
strip. Most of these fly patterns are weighted to get down to
the 'strike zone'.
The smaller, more remote systems along the west coast start
to see a handful of fish this month, with the main run yet to
come in March and April. The same fly patterns apply, but usually
in smaller sizes. Estuary cutthroat fishing is best on the flooding
tide, with small spoons, spinners or small fly patterns like
the rolled muddler, mickey Finn, epoxy shrimp or stickleback
patterns in chartreuse or olive.
For any further information or help planning a fishing excursion
to our area, call me Toll Free at 1-888-5FISHBC or e-mail jay@steelheadsalmonhalibut.com.
Visit us online at www.steelheadsalmonhalibut.com
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