Esperanza Inlet Fishing Report

Esperanza Inlet Fishing Report

Esperanza Fishing Regulations Area 25/125

September-October 2024

September in Esperanza is a well-kept secret! The winds are usually calm during the warm, beautiful early fall days and cool nights and mornings. Lots of anglers are also game hunters, and with school starting back up, the crowd thins out in this September fishery for all species.

The rains, called “freshening” by fish biologists, have not yet arrived so the salmon fishing/catching for Chinook and coho remain strong throughout the calm inner waters of Esperanza Inlet. The coho have come back to full abundance in the area in recent years and are available in the calm waters of the inlet on these gorgeous fall days. Fishing is especially fun for the Northern coho that are milling all around Centre Island waiting to go up Apple and Brodick Creeks on Nootka Island, behind Centre Island. Coho are also staging on the north side of Centre to go up the Park River and Eliza, Espinosa, and Marnat Creeks. The point is there are lots of Northern coho between 16 and 23 lbs to fish and catch all around Centre Island. They will generally be rolling on the surface.

The technique is to go to them, but not through the large schools of salmon. Troll coho with flies, Coho Killer lures, or small anchovies shallow around them, or cast lures or flies to them; if you go through them, they will generally scatter. These Northerns are still fresh and feisty and will perform like steelhead with their aerobatics. Limits are two per day hatchery clipped or wild, with four per trip possession. There will also still be some Chinook around for the catching.

Esperanza is the closest point on the island to the tuna grounds and canyons where albacore feed. With the right weather conditions, there is no better place to catch these wildly exciting fish. With limits of 20 per day, you can produce lots of tuna loins for canning or delicious wintertime dinners. Westview Marina and Lodge will be hosting our “Tuna Extravaganza Festival” August 20 to September 10, 2024.

August 2024

This summer has unfolded exactly as one would expect, and August brings warm, dry weather and hot fishing/catching. The DFO was absolutely correct—the salmon are here in volumes, and most everybody is limiting out. From the top of Grassi Island down the beach at Kapoose, Mushroom, Gregoire, Jurassic, and Sandstone Points; to inner Tatchu Point, High Rocks Reef, outer Black and Low Rocks; and down to Pin Rocks are all holding large schools of Chinook/kings/ springs. The coho/silvers are also here in good numbers. The coho are holding primarily in the rocky area in front of Catala Island. Several of these fish have hit the marina cleaning tables in the 15- to 19-lb range. The 20+ pounder will show up soon to really light up the action. Once a week a 30-lb Tyee Chinook is weighed in.

The Westview Marina Annual Salmon Enhancement Fishing Derby happens on Friday and Saturday, August 23 and 24. It is very likely that a 30+ lb Chinook will take the grand prize, and it could be you who has your name on the trophy. Call 250-934-7672 to join the fun and winnings. Only 250 tickets are sold at $100 each.

All proceeds go to regional volunteer hatcheries and river habitat rehabilitation.
The Albacore Tuna Extravaganza Festival, August 29 to September 10, is not a derby! It is a fun, educational time for the novice as well as a great experience for the savvy tuna fishers. There’s even live music every Friday and Saturday during the festival. Captain and crew meetings happen every evening, and there are lots of sponsor prizes nightly! Everything is open: restaurant, pub, coffee/ice cream shop, lodging, moorage, charters, gas and diesel fuel dock, ice, and tackle shop to meet your needs. We are positioned at the closest point on the entire west coast to the 100 m (300′) continental shelf and have direct access to three canyons where the albacore feed.

As you likely know, tuna fishing is weather- dependent. If the weather becomes an issue for offshore tuna, Esperanza Inlet will still be full of late-summer coho that often hit the scale at 20+ lbs, and there are still Chinook around to be caught.

July 2024

The DFO projections for the largest returns of Chinook since 1985 are true. We are seeing more daily limits (two per person) and more fish in the 26- to 29-lb range. We expect to see plenty more Tyees (30- lb+ fish) this season.

As the weather improves, so does the fishing in our area. Lots of nicer size Chinook, both migratory US-bound and some local area fish, are mixed in together at the more popular areas such as Rosa, Pin Rocks, Outer Black Rock, Low Rock, Ferrier Point, and Tatchu. (The world-famous Ferrier Point closes July 15). We are also starting to see decent numbers of coho, averaging 6 to 10 lbs, with some larger fish mixed in.

Bottom fishing remains consistent as always for our area, with equal opportunities for groundfish such as halibut, lingcod, and multiple species of other codfish. Keep in mind yelloweye are zero retention for the 2024 season. Check your regulations for both halibut and lingcod limits and size restrictions before targeting, including rockfish species and limits.

Current methods that have been successful for area anglers include multiple flasher colour combinations with a 6′ leader and anchovy and trolling speeds of 2 to 2.5 miles/hour. Same flasher colour combination with a 5′ leader using 3″ to 5″ spoons, trolling speeds at 2.5 to 3 miles/hour. Glow cuttlefish hoochies, as well as glow turds behind a 48″ leader, with your preference of flasher, are also producing both Chinook and coho.

Groundfish methods produced constantly by drifting and jigging 8- to 12-oz grub tail and soft tail jigs. Two highly successful methods are anchoring and fishing 3- to 5-lb weights with bait combinations of your choice, or trolling.

June 2024

Esperanza is one of the few areas on the BC coast that is presently and will remain at full limits of salmon, lingcod, halibut, and other ground fish. Summer 2024 salmon projections by Fisheries and Oceans Canada are right on target. Best of all, the largest return of Chinook/kings/ springs in modern history records has arrived.

The fishing/catching is stupid good! The feed is holding as usual on shore from inside Grassi Island on the north all the way across the mouth of Esperanza Inlet. Catala Island and Pin Rocks to the world-famous Ferrer Point are all producing well. Salmon are also inside in the calm waters of Esperanza Inlet from Rosa Harbor inward to Salty Point; plenty of salmon are being boated inside.

We have owned and operated Westview Marina and Lodge for 31 years, and we have never seen the catching this good. Size is up a bit also, with lot of the Chinook in the 27 to 29 lbs. We anticipate record Tyee (over 30 lbs) this year.

All the bait is also having a very positive effect on the bountiful halibut, lingcod, and many other ground fish species readily available for the catching.

The coho will start to show up soon, and their size and numbers will also be up over past years. Chinook, as you know, have the big shoulders to fight hard and can even go so far as to nearly unspool your reel. Coho are the acrobats of the salmon world, jumping like steelhead and twisting like an Albacore tuna. Fun, fun, fun.

Stop by our Westview Marina tackle shop for a one-on-one about what to use and where to go with our general manager Gibran White, a 37-year professional guide.

May 2024

John Falavolito
Owner Operators
Westview Marina and Lodge, Tahsis
(800) 992-3252 – Toll-Free
(250) 934-7672 – Cell
WestviewMarina.com
Successfully Serving the Fishing Public for 27 years

September 2020

August 2020

July 2020

June 2020

May 2020

March/April 2020

Location, habitat rehabilitation, and salmon stock enhancement are the reasons why the 2020 fishing will be over-the-top good in Esperanza and Nootka. We are out of the mainstream where salmon of concern are located, and so we have little to no new restric­tions on limits and areas where we can retain salmon. Two volunteer groups—Nootka Sound Watershed Society and Tahsis Salmon Enhancement Society—are largely responsible for this very positive position.

Trolling with a downrigger has become the most popular method for catching salmon, and it is often the best solution for loading up on fish. But let’s not forget another tried-and-true method: jigging. The best jigging occurs where you usu­ally cannot troll, in kelp beds and rocks. There are places all around Nootka and Esperanza that hold lots of bait and salmon that are ignored because they cannot be effectively trolled. One of the best examples of this situation is Pin Rocks in Esperanza Inlet. There is excellent trolling on the north and west side of the Pins, but it gets very tricky if you venture behind the rock into the kelp. The bait (needlefish/sand lance/small herring) are usually stacked in the kelp behind the rocks where jigging is the most effective way to hook up. When the trolling slows down, a quick change to jigging gear in the kelp really ups the productivity.

Jigging is an art: Start with the rod tip almost touching the water, then lift it smoothly two to three feet—don’t jerk it—then drop the tip down quickly. When the line goes slack the lure drops, rotating erratically as it sinks. This action simulates baitfish when a salmon slashes through a school—first, the bait shooting up to avoid the striking salmon, then the falling, fluttering, and erratic dropping of a wounded or dead bait fish. Fish moving under the school of bait see what looks like an easy meal and strikes. It can be bone-jarring when they try to rip the rod from your hand at the slight­est hesitation in the lure dropping. But set the hook and hold on! In areas like Pin Rocks the waters are dominated by salmon, but bottom fish like quillback, lingcod, and other bottom fish will be caught.

As for the jig itself, try 2- to 6-oz jigs depending on water depth and tide movement. Lots of rigs will work; the keys are colour and action that simulate the wounded baitfish. Greens, glows, and holographic lures work best. For the action, go for rotation or erratic flutter.

Esperanza Inlet Archives

September 2019

This September has been one of the most interesting and fun months of the entire 2019 season.

Yes, the huge schools of coho/silvers showed up both in Esperanza Inlet and Nootka Sound.

In Esperanza, all around Center Island large (12- to 22-lb) coho milled around, poised to return to their spawning rivers and streams in Port Eliza, Espinosa Inlet, and Owossitsa Creek. Further into the inlet, Saltery Bay was on fire, with coho schooling to go up Zeballos Inlet. The same goes for Nootka, with large runs of coho showing up on both sides of the mouth of the sound—on the north side at Wash Rocks as well as the Lighthouse area, and on the south side at Escalante Rocks/Point preparing to enter Escalante River. The largest schools of coho in Nootka were in the Tlupana Inlet area.

These are mostly Conuma River Hatchery stock. There are thousands of them, and like all coho/silver at this time of the season, they are easily caught. A Coho Killer, Wee G, 3-3.5 Coyote, or Skinny G trolled in the top 20 ft of water at 2.5 to 3.5 mph will load your fish box. Tail Waggers and Coho Flies also are working well on the surface for these aggressive fish. Limits are very generous throughout Esperanza and Nootka—4 per day (only 2 of which can be wild) with a total of 8 in possession. That is a lot of salmon to take home!

Yes, the Chinook/king/springs and the coho/silvers have returned to Esperanza and Nootka rivers and streams in good number. The returning salmon more than met the needs for all the volunteer and Conuma hatcheries to fill their incubation egg traces to near capacity. It took lots of energy and effort by many volunteers as well as hatchery staff to get the job done. Thank you to all who participated.

There were sufficient quantities of salmon for acceptable river and stream escapement for natural spawning in most watersheds. Standing back and looking at the big picture for Chinook and coho, all user groups should be optimistic about the salmon fishing/catching in local Esperanza and Nootka waters for next season and beyond.

Westview Marina & Lodge opens March 15, 2020 for winter springs, halibut, ling, and prawn openings.

August 2019

I have fished this area for more than 30 years, and we have operated Westview Marina & Lodge for over 20 years, and I can honestly say this is the best fishing/catching season in 25 years. 2019 is over-the-top good across the board for all species, but especially for salmon. Boats are limiting out on salmon before noon, with 20 spring/Chinook/king to the boat in a morning being the norm. Coho/silvers are also showing in good numbers—11.5 lbs tops the board as of this writing, but they’re bigger every day.

There are huge schools of herring and sand lance bait on the 30+/- meter contour, which runs from Grassi Island/McQuarrie Island on the north side of Esperanza Inlet down to outer Black Rock at the mouth of Esperanza, as well as around Ferrer Point. The great fishing/catching continues south to Beano Creek and Bajo Reef just outside of Nootka Sound. Salmon are moving into both Esperanza and Nootka in good numbers. In Esperanza, in normally calm water, you will find salmon at the Glory Hole at Catala Island, Double Island, Rosa Harbour, Pin Rocks & Garden Point in Nootka, Maquinna Point, Wash Rocks, the Lighthouse, Boston Point, Coopte Point, and Hoiss Point.

‘Match the hatch’ is an old but accurate fishing slogan!! Lures that are working well include Skinny G No Bananas, Peetz Hammer 3.25-in Chartreuse, Coyote 3.5 & 4 Glow/Green/Chartreuse & Live Image/Neon/Green, and King Kandy Candlefish Watermelon. Any and all of these lures work very well running behind a Highliner Guide Series No Bananas flasher. All the above lures are imitating anchovies, so never leave the dock without a good supply of brined bait. Bait usually outfishes hardware.

Halibut and lingcod pile up on the cleaning table daily here at Westview Marina & Lodge. The new rule of one 126-cm/50-in hali in possession is very popular. A 126-cm halibut can be up to 60 lb of great eating flaky white fish n chips. Lingcod to 30 lb are also regularly boated in the bountiful water in Esperanza and Nootka.

July 2019

The middle of the peak of the peak season is here! There’s lots of activity on the cleaning tables every day this time of year—you’ll find anglers filleting salmon, halibut, lingcod, and much more. You’ll also find big smiles, cold beverages, and lots of sharing where, what, and how those fish ended up on the dock.

There is a yellow hazard sign at Westview Marina & Lodge that says “Rubber Boots are Mandatory—Fish Stories told HERE.” Contagious laughter is part of the vibe, one of the many reasons why anglers come to Tahsis. Another is because Nootka, Esperanza, and their offshore areas are some of the most productive fishing salt water on the entire west coast. There seems to be two distinct categories of successful anglers—offshore and inshore.

Blind Reef in Esperanza Inlet and Bajo Reef in Nootka Sound are prime examples: these reefs are just off the mouths of these two bodies of water. Both have prime catching waters for salmon just off the edges of the reefs, both have very productive halibut catching areas in the sandy/gravel shoals just off the reefs, and both have abundant lingcod and many other bottom fish areas up on the reefs. You can literally limit out on all these species within an area the size of a football field.

Offshore is the famous Salmon Highway, the 250 to 300 ft line. It is located 8-14 miles out depending on where you start from. The Highway is exactly what it sounds like—where salmon move south to their final destinations.

Why are they there? Food! The steep upswelling of the ocean contour attracts hundreds of schools of bait fish, and the primary rule of fishing is, “Where there is feed, there will usually be lots of fish.”

Along the Highway there are many contours that come up to 120 to 90 ft. These are prime areas for halibut, lingcod, and all types of bottom fish. It is very common for offshore anglers to come back to the cleaning tables with fish boxes full of salmon as well as bottom fish. Stop by Westview’s tackle shop and we will put you on to in- and offshore GPS spots to improve your catching.

June 2019

This 2019 June will be the BEST on many levels.

Salmon

For Chinook, all of Area 25 (Nootka Sound, Esperanza Inlet) inside waters from one nautical mile offshore all the way into the inside inlets are open for full Chinook limits—2 per day with 4 in possession. That means the hot spots in Nootka—Yuquot Point (the Lighthouse area),Wash Rocks, Maquinna Rocks & Point, Burdwood, Bajo Reef, Beano Point, and much more—are wide open! The hot spots in Esperanza—Outer Black Rocks, Half Tide Rocks on the outside of Catala Island, Rosa Harbour, Tatchu Rocks & Point, McQuarrie & Grassy Island, as well as the world-famous Ferrer Poing area—are also open.

Anchovies with a green header and 5-ft leader with an O‘Ki Moon Jelly Guide Series flasher seem to be the ticket for filling the fish box. Troll at around 2 mph.

For coho, in Area 25 (Nootka Sound, Esperanza Inlet) you can retain 4 per day and 8 in possession, only 2 of which can be wild. We are anticipating a hatchery run of more than 15,000 coho returning here this season. DFO wants these fish caught, and they are available to catch in both Esperanza and Nootka. Do you want to help? Area 25 coho fishing also extends out to the one mile off the shoreline.

Anchovies are your best bet for coho, too, in a tight spin. Use 3″ to 4″ lures like The Hammer by Peetz in Chartreuse, Coho Killer Double Glow, and Coyote Glow/Green chartreuse. Halibut, Lingcod, and other Bottomfish.

We are very fortunate in that all bottomfish in Areas 25/125 remain in good abundance and are relatively easy to catch. Stop by Westview ‘s tackle shop for coffee & to discuss local gear and where these tasty white fish can be caught. See you soon!

May 2019

Lots is happening in the way of regulation changes for the upcoming season. The very good news is that inside water is open, 1 nautical mile (1nm) from the surf line extending in to the terminal areas for all of Area 25. All inside Chinook salmon regulations will remain the same in 2019 as they were in 2018, with retention of two Chinook per day, hatchery-marked or non-marked, and a four Chinook possession limit. Hot spots like Bajo Reef, Beano Creek, Ferrer Point, and Grassy Island will all remain open.

Even better, coho limits in Area 24-4 & 5 (Tlupana Inlet) last season were increased four per day (only two of which could be wild), with an eight coho possession limit. For 2019, the coho limits will remain the same, but the catch area will include all of Area 25, and a mile out off the shoreline.

Anglers who know the Area 25 well know that a large share of all Conuma Hatchery Salmon (Chinook & coho) enter into the area by way of Esperanza Inlet. These salmon travel deep into the usually calm waters of Esperanza and are catchable all the way into Stemmer Point. The salmon continue their migration moving south through Tahsis Inlet into Nootka Sound. Around mid-July most years, there are large schools of Chinook stacked up at Coopte Point, where Tahsis Inlet dumps into Nootka Sound.

Pull up a tide flow chart of the Tahsis Inlet and Coopte Pt. area on your computer, and you will understand very well why these hatchery salmon stack up there. In 2018, anglers in the Esperanza area saw a huge jump in the hatchery-marked coho move in mid-July, and they continue moving through well into September. In fact, it was near impossible to catch an unmarked coho in Esperanza Inlet.
Get ready for a great fun-filled 2019 fishing season!!

Lots more fish and shellfish regulations changes are in the works. Check it out before you fish/harvest: www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

March 2019

2019 will be one of the best seasons on record for Nootka and Esperanza, because of the 14 years of salmon enhancement in six local rivers by volunteers and the Conuma River Federal Hatchery. Together they are all putting four to five million salmon fry in the water annually, on top of the natural spawn for the hundreds of area rivers and streams. Plus, Esperanza and Nootka will be one of the few areas that will have no limit restrictions on salmon.

As we roll into April, openings in regulations and weather for lingcod, halibut, prawns, and winter springs will bring a significant increase in on-water activity. As each high pressure system moves in, the number of boats on the water increases. Winter spring and spot prawns are the early target species. Dropping the prawn traps in the morning on the way to Chinook feeding grounds and picking them up on the way back in is the usual formula for success. Make sure there is plenty of oiled-up bait in the traps for the daylong soak.

Winter spring are plentiful in April and May. In Esperanza, if you see any bird activity around Cee Pee Cee, put the lines in the water; the same thing applies to Steamer Point, Garden Point, and around Centre Island. In Nootka, check out San Carlos, Coopte Point, and Anderson Point. These fish are feeding on small sand lance and herring, so 4-inch anchovies, Coho Killer, or 3.5- to 4-inch Coyote spoons are good bets for loading the fish box.

Bottom fish remain a huge attraction for our area. Halibut, lingcod, and every species of rockfish are abundant, and it is typical for everybody in the crew to limit out in a day’s outing. Large to medium herring on a weighted lure will hook up regularly.

Sept-Dec 2018

As the season winds down, we usually see the largest Chinook of the year appear on the cleaning tables. It all happens just before a large rain event that beckons thousands of salmon up to the rivers and streams for spawning at their final destination.

The local Conuma Hatchery employees and many volunteers are also at the rivers, gathering millions of eggs to raise future generations of salmon for Esperanza Inlet and Nootka Sound.

Fall Halibut Fishery

Pick your weather window carefully and go to Port Eliza and Espinosa Inlet in Esperanza Inlet, as well as Escalante River and just off Wash Rocks in Nootka Sound. As the carcasses of the spawned out salmon are flushed out of the river some of the best inside water halibut fishing is available. Yes, 25- to 70-lb halibut at 40 ft—and lots of them—will be there chowing down on the spent fish. Fish them the same way you do in season, with large herring or salmon bellies just off the bottom. Work the areas just off the dropoffs from the river delta. Halibut will be there picking off the salmon carcasses.

Winter Spring/Chinook/King

December offers some of the better winter spring fishing on the inside waters. Large schools of American Chinook find our area as they move north on their migration path. They stop and feed, and many never go any further north because of the abundance of bait here. Again, pick your weather days carefully. In Nootka, fish the Camel Rock, Hoiss Point, Canal Island, and San Carlos areas. In Esperanza, fish Cee Pee Cee, the mouth of McBride Bay, Saltery Bay, the log dump at Brodick Creek, Garden Point, and the northeast side of Centre Island. Find the bait and you will find these feisty, delicious, red-meat Chinook.

Cop Car is always the ticket this time of year, and you’ll also have luck with Coho Killers, Coyote 3.5” & 4” spoons, Glow hoochies with Black Horizontally Striped— or the best, Black Glow Scale—anchovy header with a properly rolling anchovy.

August 2018

The best of the best fishing for salmon is upon us!! Yes, all the efforts of the federal hatchery at Conuma River and the many volunteer hatchery efforts at the Burman, Gold, and Canton Rivers in Nootka Sound and the Tahsis, Leiner and Zeballos Rivers in Esperanza Inlet are paying off big time. With more than four million Chinook/spring/king fry and two million coho/silver fry being released annually, an average of 84,000 salmon are returning. Come get your share!

Before the first fall rains arrive these fish will be stacked up and hungry at all the usual places. In Esperanza, the sweet spots are between Catala Island and Double Island, Rosa Harbour, and Pin Rocks, while at Nootka they’re at Coopte Pt., Fidalgo Passage, and Camel Rock. All of these areas are basically inside water fishing. While the outside waters of Esperanza and Nootka remain productive, it is usually not necessary to go outside to fill your fish box. For the inside waters, the best gear is Flasher Hi Vis, UV reflective, and Glow patterns; the best baits are Rapala Flash Flys, Double Glow hoochies, Glow Cop Car Coho Killers, and Glow Dark Green Lighthouse lures, and the same colors with Glow Coyote spoons will all get the job done. Have you noticed the theme? Whatever you use, make it glow or double glow.

As always, all of the aforementioned baits are imitating anchovies and needlefish bait. A properly rolling anchovy will normally outfish most artificial baits. The trick is getting it to roll properly. Most of the anchovy headers out there will help with this. Again, Cop Car Glow scale pattern or Green Glow headers work well. Read and follow the instructions on the package, then hold on–FISH ON!

The depth and speed for trolling your bait off your downrigger varies with location, time of day, and tides, but generally you want to fish just above the bait you will be seeing on your sounder–about 30 to 50 ft. at 2.5 mph +/- .5mph.

For bottom fishing, 2018 has proven to one of the best years ever for 35 to 55-lb halibut and 15- to 35-lb lingcod.

July 2018

July is the merge month, the tail end of the U.S. salmon moving south and the beginning of the west coast Vancouver Island salmon moving down the shoreline and entering the mouths of the inlets and sounds to feed on the massive schools of bait. It’s also the start of local Chinook runs moving into Nootka Sound and Esperanza Inlet to feed and ready themselves to complete their journey to the river or stream of their birth. And there will be lots of salmon around to catch. The long cool winter has provided all the necessary elements to make for active feeding salmon all summer long.

Where to Fish

Esperanza Inlet is the sweet spot between the south side of Catala Island and Double Island on an incoming tide. In the area from the outer Black Rock/Low Rock area to outer High Rocks on 75- to 90-ft contour line, fish deep just off the bottom for the best results. The world-famous Ferrer Point is red hot in early July, and Rosa Harbor area and the north side of Centre Island over to Garden Point are always good options, especially on those windy days.

On Nootka Sound in early July, Beano Creek and outer Bajo Reef will produce well. The salmon move into the outer and middle sound from mid-July to early August. Nootka Lighthouse to Coopte and Hoiss Points–and every point in between–will be holding Chinook on the west side of the sound. On the east side Burdwood Point, Fidalgo Passage, San Carlos Point, and Camel Rocks are all hot spots.

How to Fish

Small anchovies, Coho Killers and Coyote Spoons, and Flash Fly and Glow/Pearl/Green hoochies all work well. Trolling deep at 10 feet off the bottom often will load you up on halibut, lingcod, and salmon. When you find suspended schools of bait, run your gear about 10 feet above them. Hold on–fish on!

Bottom fishing/catching is very good in our area, with generous limits. A mixed daily bag would fill your fish box with halibut, greenling, cabezon, lingcod and more! Our guides have been using large durable swimbaits in glow colours for best results recently. Large herring and jigs also work well. If you are fishing out on your own boat, stop by the Westview Marina Tackle Shop, and we will get the charts out with GPS coordinates to help you find the bottom fish hotspots. When bottom fishing, have a descender device in your boat to save these long-lived fish, which you return to the water.

June 2018

In June, at the mouth of Esperanza Inlet and Nootka Sound you will find large schools of traveling springs feeding on the massive bait balls. These sandlance/needle fish start showing up in late May and linger well into July. With that much bait activity the salmon stop to rest and feed.

In Esperanza

Low Rock to Half-Tide Reef is an excellent troll. Blind Reef, which is often called ‘The Pins’, is a great spot for these holding/feeding Chinook. The world-famous Ferrer Point is second to none for large schools of salmon. On an incoming tide the fish usually are near the shoreline contours and kelp beds from Double Rock well into Hospital Bay. Remember, you are fishing one of the best spots on the west coast of Vancouver Island so the action is usually fast and productive. When you hook up, pull out of the trolling pattern if possible. Double Rock always lives up to its other name, ‘Double Hookups!’

In Nootka

Beano Creek holds salmon at the tip of the reef at the creek and out front of the caves just off the kelp. Maquinna Point to San Miguel is another excellent troll. Look at your chart or GPS, and you will see a narrow trough (about 40- to 120-feet deep) that runs from off shore in.

Get in it. The fish are usually 60 to 90 feet down. Watch your sounder, you will see the bait. Fish 10 feet above the bait. Then hold on. ‘Fish On!’

Bait

Keep it small. Use four- to five-inch spoons; Tomic, Coyote, Titan, and Coho Killers.

Colours that work well are Glow/Green, Glow Army Truck, Green Image, or Envy; also Hoochie-Yamashita/Goldstar, Lighthouse LED, Yo-Zuri, North Pacific, and the Jensen Flash Fly; and all with variations of Glow or Double Glow, Splatter Green, Speckled Turds, Confetti, and Oil Slick Glow. As always, the best bait is what all the above are imitating. Yes, a five-inch anchovy in an Anchovy Special, Bulletroll, or Krippled Head. It will roll perfectly at two to three mph behind your favorite flasher and usually out-fish the imitations.

Bottom fishing/catching in the area for halibut, lingcod, and much more is excellent.

Stop by the Westview Marina tackle shop and we will get out the chart and GPS coordinates to the local hot spots for you. We also have the preferred gear–Lighthouse LED nine-inch Flash Green jigs, the new 10-inch Supper Tuf Glow swim baits, Triple Glow B2 Squid 12 ounce jigs, and Large/XL Herring.

May 2018

May and early June is the best time to fish here. Why? The Columbia River and its many tributaries’ Chinook runs come right to our doorstep in the mouth of Esperanza Inlet and Beano Creek to feed on the enormous schools of herring.

This year’s herring spawn is going to be best in the last 10 years. And this year’s run of Chinook/king/spring is expected to be from 700,000 to one million-plus for the Columbia and other Washington and Oregon coastal rivers. Add to that our usual crop of winter springs, and there is a lot of opportunity.

Where to fish

The mouths of Nootka Sound and Esperanza Inlet are both excellent bets.

These areas are on inside and outside waters. For Esperanza inside waters fish all of Hecate Channel. It is especially hot fishing at CeePeeCee, at the mouth of Mc- Bride Bay, Steamer Point and out to Centre Island. Outside waters to fish are Pin Rocks, Low Rock, Catala Island and the world famous Ferrer Point. For Nootka inside waters fish Anderson Point, Marvinas, Burdwood to Escalante and Nootka light area. On the outside fish Maquinna Rocks, Bajo Reef and Beano Creek.

Baits that work

It is all about matching the hatch. Medium size this year—herring, larger anchovies, Coho Killers and five-inch Coyote spoons, Flash Fly and glow/pearl/green hootchies all work well. Trolling deep at 10 feet off the bottom often will load you up on halibut, ling cod and salmon. When you find suspended schools of bait, run your gear about 10 feet above them.

Bottom fishing is very good with generous limits. A mixed daily bag would fill your fish box with halibut, yelloweye, greenling, cabezon, lingcod and more. Our guides have been using large Durable Swimbaits in glow colours for best results in recent spring and early summer. Large herring and jigs also work well. If you are fishing out of your own boat stop by the Westview Marina’s Tackle Shop and we will get the charts out with GPS coordinates to help you find the bottom fish hot spots.

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