Find out what’s working and what’s not when fishing in the Ucluelet area on Vancouver Island’s Pacific Rim. Tips, best practices, places and the go-to lures are just a sample of what you’ll find in our fishing report.
Ucluelet Marine Weather Forecast
Ucluelet Fishing Report
Ucluelet Fishing Regulations Area 23/123
September – October 2024 Ucluelet Fishing Report
September brings a change in energy on the coast, and with darker mornings come darker fish as mature Chinook begin to make their final turns into freshwater.
These cantankerous breeders will often strike at larger spoons and trolled baits at this time of year, either in a last- ditch effort to stock up or just out of annoyance. Many trophy fish will be taken on these last approaches, and there is usually plenty of fight left in them to get your heart pumping.
After the bulk of the Chinook have moved through, we will see coho cruising the nearshore areas and congregating near estuaries in preparation for the fall rains. A faster troll in the top 30′ of water using pink or chartreuse spoons or hoochies will often result in a hard take from these aggressive fish. Check your local regulations for inshore closures late season, as some areas will be set aside to protect stocks in the last legs of their journey.
Offshore opportunities abound in these late-season weeks, with calm seas likely to be found prior to the seasonal shift to southeast storms, bringing much- needed precipitation to the area. Halibut and lingcod fishing can be excellent in September, and you’ll also have the chance to extend your range for albacore tuna or black cod. Check with your local guide for more information on these specialized fisheries.
For those interested in a more active pursuit, there are many spots to swing a fly or cast light spinning gear to coho salmon or black rockfish inshore. Windless days and endless kelp forests provide excellent opportunities to have some fun minutes from the harbour.
James Costello
Maximum Coastal Adventures
[email protected]
www.maxcoast.ca
778-717-3474 (FISH)
August 2024 Ucluelet Fishing Report
As we enter the latter half of the summer season in Ucluelet, we begin to see resident Chinook salmon returning to search out their natal streams along the rocky coastline surrounding our town. Chinook are a special salmon in the sense that they have a large variety of life histories, meaning they can spend different amounts of time either in freshwater before going out to sea or at sea feeding and growing to a much larger size than other Pacific species.
The projected 2024 run is said to consist of a significant portion of 4- and 5-year-old fish, which have spent these extra seasons at sea feeding on an abundance of herring, squid, and other species found in the open pastures of the North Pacific. Upon returning to the nearshore environment along Vancouver Island, they will also be met by a vast wave of young-of-the- year herring migrating seaward after the incredible spawn witnessed during the spring.
What does this all mean for fishers? Buckle up, because the chances of seeing some true “hogust” brutes are looking good!
Along with Chinook, we have seen some larger-than-average coho salmon moving seaward in the early summer, which bodes well for returning spawners as well. These fantastic fighters readily take trolled lures throughout the water column, and increasing your trolling speed a little can often entice a reaction from these athletic fish. One of my favourite tactics is “bucktailing” for these aggressive salmon, using a fly trolled at the surface within 20′ of the motors where the prop wash will give it an extra bit of action. Many times, you will see the fish approach the fly before striking, which is sure to get the heart pounding!
As always, be safe out there. Check the weather and check your gear!
James Costello
Maximum Coastal Adventures
[email protected]
www.maxcoast.ca
778-717-3474 (FISH)
July 2024 Ucluelet Fishing Report
The skies are blue, the hills are green, and the fishing is hot! It’s July in Ucluelet, and visitors to our coastal village are being treated to some of the best combinations of beauty and comfort around. The conditions for all types of adventures are perfectly aligned, and whatever your itch, you can bet there will be a chance to scratch it. Fishing for salmon this month in the waters around Ukee will find you smack dab in the middle of a number of migrating runs converging on the area around Barkley Sound to bulk up and continue their journey. While some still have a long way to go, moving south towards Puget Sound and beyond, many will be heading to the multitude of rivers within Area 23, including the hatchery- enhanced Somass River system.
Projections for returning West Coast of Vancouver Island Chinook this year are “above average” and the adult age composition of the run is expected to have 62% age-4 and 16% age-5 salmon, meaning we are likely to encounter some larger fish!
Alongside the silvery bounty out there, we will also see some great bottom-fishing chances present themselves this month, with halibut and lingcod being found all through the 20+ miles of fishable habitat just outside the harbour. Anchoring on your favourite mark and dropping a tasty piece of bait is a great way to fill your freezer with delicious halibut, and July often offers perfect conditions to do so.
If it’s a little sporty out, you can always troll a swimbait for some aggressive lingcod in and around the rocky outcrops and ledges inshore, as well as targeting rockfish to round out your cooler cornucopia. As always, be safe out there— check the weather and check your gear!
James Costello
Maximum Coastal Adventures
[email protected]
www.maxcoast.ca
778-717-3474 (FISH)
June 2024 Ucluelet Fishing Report
Visiting Ucluelet in June means you are likely to experience the best this area has to offer. Whether strolling through town, taking in the sunshine and blooming rhododendrons, or walking the Wild Pacific Trail along the vibrant waters of the Pacific, your shoreside adventures will be filled with colour and beauty.
For those choosing to pursue a piscivorous pastime, the fishing opportunities abound during this plentiful early-summer season. In the first days of June, you are likely to experience the mass spawning of the opal squid, with thousands of these delicious little cephalopods swarming the coast around Ucluelet, including right in the harbour.
All of our favourite fishing characters will be aggressively feeding on this abundant food source, and jigging live squid to use for bait is definitely the thing to do. If you haven’t had the thrill of hooking a big Chinook in shallow water using a carefully rigged live squid, you are missing out.
As the month progresses, we see good numbers of migratory Chinook transiting the inshore areas of Ucluelet, foraging for juvenile herring and plentiful needlefish on the sandy flats in between the rocky pinnacles and outcrops. Trolling a small spoon on a long (5′ or more) leader behind your favourite flasher will likely entice a bite from one of these aggressive feeders. Many offshore opportunities for halibut are available during this period as well, and while the swells can still be a bit on the “lumpy” side, your chance of a stationary jig or option to anchor up and sit for a bit are very good.
As always, be safe out there. Check the weather and check your gear.
James Costello
Maximum Coastal Adventures
[email protected]
www.maxcoast.ca
778-717-3474 (FISH)
May 2024 Ucluelet Fishing Report
The waters of the west coast are firing on all cylinders now, as the sun shines a little more often and the temperature slowly climbs.
At the base of the food chain we see zooplankton blooming with the increase in daylight hours, joined by a vast number of the larval stages of many species in these nutrient rich seas. This is a period of growth for much of the marine life
in the area, and the larger species like salmon and halibut are keyed in on the abundance and actively feeding.
During the early part of the year, we see many migrating Chinook salmon moving down from their feeding grounds in the North Pacific back towards their home rivers south of the border. Many of these 10- to 12-lb fish are hatchery origin “marked” fish and have their adipose fins clipped for identification. Along with these transitory fish, we also find smaller salmon from our own local systems feeding as they move out for the initial part of their journey.
Encountering undersized fish when trolling for salmon is very likely in this part of the year, and it’s important to watch your gear closely and ensure you are checking it regularly in order to successfully release any of these aggressive little “shakers.”
I like to use a smaller hook in the early season on spoons and hoochie rigs for this reason as well, as they will be less likely to severely injure a sub-legal fish.
May is prime time for bottom fishing as well, as stocks of all species will be at their relative high point after seasonal closures, so it’s a great time to work those inshore areas near banks to find keepers close to home.
As always, be safe out there. Check the weather and check your gear.
James Costello
Maximum Coastal Adventures
[email protected]
www.maxcoast.ca
778-717-3474 (FISH)
April 2024 Ucluelet Fishing Report
Winter can be a tough time for saltwater fishing enthusiasts on the West Coast. As storms lash the shoreline and churn the waters into a frightful mess, we often spend more time looking back at what was instead of looking forward to what will be. While there are always a few days here and there when we can safely scoot out for a brief spell of trolling in our favourite spots for winter Chinook, we often wait long weeks and months before getting our gear sorted again and heading out for a chance at a bit of excitement on the water.
The upcoming herring spawn is a bright light on the horizon, and as we untangle Sabiki rigs and plan out where we might encounter this annual abundance, we wait patiently to hear when the big game of halibut fishing will be opened for the year. Early season halibut can be excellent out of Ucluelet, as nearby Amphitrite Bank is a hotspot, holding fish within reasonable range at depths of 170′ or less that can be trolled, jigged, or anchored on for success. Planning a trip this time of year can be very weather-dependent, so flexibility and communication are key.
April 1 officially marked the start of a new season (Don’t forget to renew your license!), and bottom fishing for rockfish and lingcod opens on the West Coast. Many species of aggressively feeding rockfish can be found minutes from the harbour, and the likelihood of finding some toothy lingcod by jigging or trolling swimbaits near the bottom inshore is very high as the benthic pastures are as fresh as they get.
As always, be safe out there. Check the weather and (especially for that first trip) check your gear!
James Costello
Maximum Coastal Adventures
[email protected]
www.maxcoast.ca
778-717-3474 (FISH)
September 2023
As the leaves begin to turn on the alders, the coast lets out a collective sigh and sets its sights on the winter ahead. For many, that means the excitement and energy of summer recedes, leaving only schoolwork and snow on the horizon, but for those who love all things autumn, September can be glorious.
Many of the Chinook in the area will already be squabbling over riverbed real estate at this time, leaving the multitudes of ever-growing coho to entertain Ucluelet anglers still working the saltwater tacks. Trolling bright- coloured hoochies or spoons closer to the surface at a slightly higher speed than you would for Chinook (3+ mph) will often result in a successful hookup with one of these acrobatic fish.
The ability of coho to spin and shake off hooks is legendary, but at the same time they can become twisted in line and will inevitably lose many scales in a net. Taking care while sorting marked and unmarked wild fish for release where required is key.
Looking further out to sea in the fall, you are likely to find calm waters and abundant offshore opportunities for halibut and other bottom fish, like sablefish, if you are prepared to undertake the 30-mile journey out to get them. Albacore tuna also will be in that range, pushing closer to Ucluelet around now, and the commercial fleet will be joined by well-equipped sport boats in the deep blue waters off the shelf.
Fall is a great time to mix and match adventures in Ucluelet, and in addition to the saltwater activities we have an abundance of shoreside pursuits including bikes, hikes, and foraging that can entertain the whole family.
As always, be safe out there—check the weather and check your gear!
James Costello
MaxFish Charters
[email protected]
www.maxcoast.ca
778-717-3474 (FISH)
August 2023
The rainforests covering the hills around Ucluelet may be misty, but they hide no gorillas. Instead, under the waves off the rocky shores, we just might find “Hogs in the Fog.”
August in Ucluelet brings action right to your doorstep—and your rod tip tight to the rocks! The locals are making their way home now, and these large mature Chinook will be cruising the coastline doing some last-minute snacking while sniffing out their home rivers. These primarily piscivorous parental units are often keyed in on anchovies or herring this time of year, so rolling it right is essential in coaxing a strike out of these burly fish. You are not likely to get dainty takes from them. The smash-and-grab method seems to be par for the course, with the majority of fish being caught in the top half of the water column while they search out that freshwater signal.
Everything is bigger in August, “Hogust,” “Fogust,” or whatever you want to call it, and that goes for gear, too. Larger 4″+ spoons and plugs mimicking mature herring or pilchard will be a wise choice, as well as darker gold, red, and purple flashers to match the outward changes the fish are going through as the shine comes off these mature Chinook.
Offshore there is an abundance of krill and mature herring sustaining fish, whales, and birds—and although you may not be able to see anything through the fog, you will surely hear the action around you!
Sea conditions in August can be very favourable for bottom fishing, with high-pressure systems setting up calm seas and warm temperatures. As the month progresses, the waters off Ucluelet can lay flatter than a pancake and allow easy travel for adventurous anglers. And while fishing pressure may have reduced the number of potential halibut and lingcod out there, your chances of finding the right spot are good!
James Costello
MaxFish Charters
[email protected]
www.maxcoast.ca
778-717-3474 (FISH)
July 2023
As we cruise into our peak season in Ucluelet, we are lucky to be joined by groups of migratory salmon which are hanging around and feeding on this year’s fresh batch of forage fish and squid. As the season progresses, we generally see a larger average weight in Chinook salmon caught—due to a combination of both sampling “larger” runs going by and seeing the results of the abundance of feed available. Because of the variability in habitat for Chinook, some fish are simply built bigger! Bigger rivers can accommodate bigger fish, and bigger tails can move bigger rocks to lay eggs. If you’re lucky enough to meet one of these on your trip to the west coast, it will be a memorable experience!
As the fish get larger, we look a little deeper in the tackle box for larger (4″ to 5″) spoons representing mature herring or sardines, or we roll an anchovy in a teaser setup. As summer swells you will find Chinook and coho feeding along the rocky shorelines, and you’ll often find yourself trolling mere feet from the rocks. Some fish will always be feeding on the bottom, so I try to keep one line deep with an eye on the sounder, while also watching for bait balls and working the other line up or down throughout the water column.
There will be opportunities later in the month to retain Chinook offshore, as anglers join humpback whales, ocean sunfish, and blue sharks 10 to 20 miles from the breaking waves on the beach.
Many species will congregate on the banks and sport fishers can target salmon and halibut simultaneously while trolling the tops of these submerged plateaus.
As always, be safe out there—check the weather and check your gear!
James Costello
MaxFish Charters
[email protected]
www.maxcoast.ca
778-717-3474 (FISH)
June 2023
Everything is in full swing on the west coast this month!
After the springtime awakening brought light and warmth, triggering the abundance of the herring spawn pouring out of Barkley Sound, Ucluelet fishing is set for action. The juvenile herring are a welcome sight for many species, with Chinook being one of our favourites. Downsizing your gear to match this offering means running spoons 3″ or less or small needlefish-style hoochies. Leaders for spoons should be as long and as light as you are comfortable with, since clear water and picky fish can be a tough combo. Inshore, trolling close to the bottom at Great Bear or around the Red Can will always be good bets. Consistent opportunity for smaller resident fish inshore is one of the things that make Ucluelet great year-round, and the local hatchery has an annual production target of 100,000 Chinook that join their wild counterparts in the smorgasbord that is the Pacific.
Bottom fishing in June can yield some great results on the coast, with smaller baitfish drawing rockfish and lingcod into feeding frenzies that can see black rockfish jump clear of the water, and lingcod follow hooked fish right to the boat. Lead jigs and swimbait-style lures in either natural or contrasting colours work well for these feisty species—bright and natural for clear days, dark and contrasting for murky ones.
As the weather improves, offshore halibut fishing really gets into gear. Anchoring for these tasty beasts can be the best tactic, and a combination of attractant and bait will ensure you bring them in. Herring is a go-to in the first half of the season for halibut. Try using an elastic band wrapped around the bait and leader to secure it (rather than something like Spider Wire). Small fish won’t be able to pull it off the hook, and it will still be there when the keeper comes looking. As always, take care with larger fish to keep both you and the fish safe when releasing.
Book your trip now. Let’s go have some fun!
James Costello
MaxFish Charters
info @ maxcoast.ca
www.maxcoast.ca
778-717-3474 (FISH)
May 2023
As the steely grip of winter loses its hold, splashes of colour begin to appear on the coast. The brighter greens of fresh spruce growth join the magenta hues of the salmonberry’s topside, and in the seas around Ucluelet the action starts to pick up.
A good abundance of “feeder” springs, or resident Chinook, can be found working the nearshore areas around Ucluelet and Barkley Sound. As these great tasting fish build their stores up eating recently spawned juvenile herring, they also build their ratios of fats stored in their meat—making for excellent table fare. While local anglers patiently wait for the offshore opportunities of migrating monsters, these 10 to 12 lb bullets will provide both a fun fight and a tasty meal. Small, narrow spoons trolled close to the bottom around the slack tide will often get results by mimicking another of the salmon’s favourite meals—the needlefish, or pacific sand lance. Keep in mind these small fish seek refuge in the sandy bottom, so a close watch on your sounder and gear depth is key as you troll just above the hard deck.
Your chances of encountering a lingcod while trolling close to the bottom are very good, and many a keeper-sized fish has been tricked by what might seem like a snack. If these toothy predators are your target, you can definitely improve your odds by switching to a trolled swimbait and using much the same technique as you would for salmon. There are many different versions available today, with the “Paddle Tail” and “Burbot” styles being most popular.
With summer on the horizon the seas have been calming substantially, and opportunities for halibut on the banks outside of Ucluelet will begin to present themselves more and more often. Herring is a preferred bait as the abundance of other migratory and seasonal prey items have yet to appear in numbers, but that usually means the spiny dogfish have yet to show up too!
Keep in touch if you’d like to talk fishing!
James Costello
MaxFish Charters
info @ maxcoast.ca
www.maxcoast.ca
778-717-3474 (FISH)
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