August 2007

Most often considered the prime time of the year for Salmon fishing in the Tofino B.C. area, on Vancouver Island’s beautiful and rugged west coast, this August is shaping up to fulfilled everyone’s expectations. A considerable hype to this August’s fishing outlook is the pending return of numerous large 4-5 year class Chinook salmon to Vancouver Island’s main Hatchery river systems, which consistently supports our fisheries along the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

With great fishing opportunities in most of the traditional areas along Tofino B.C.’s coastline for these maturing Chinook Salmon and feisty Coho Salmon, all indications are pointing to one of the better August fisheries in many years. The offshore banks from Tofino that provide fantastic Salmon and Halibut fishing during the early season have become very popular for the August fishery as well. Huge masses of Sardines and Needlefish have helped slow these maturing fish for extended periods, helping create a phenomenal fishery for the season’s largest Salmon.

For fishing the outer coastline areas, as well as the offshore banks during this time of the year, be prepared with large baits, spoons and trolling plugs to resemble the size of the baitfish that the Salmon are actively feeding on. Anchovies will often work as well, but this time of the year supports the old adage “Big bait big fish”.

Coho Salmon fishing among the many islands and reefs of inner Clayoquot Sound is once again providing a dynamic fishery for many different angling interests. World Class light tackle fishing opportunities within a safe and fuel efficient distance from the protected Tofino harbour has become increasingly appealing to many over the last few years. Gear options vary between flashers and small spoons to light jigs. Fly fishermen have enjoyed great Coho fishing since early June, with a surprising number of Chinook salmon hooked on the fly as well.

Flies to strongly consider are the chartreuse Clayoquot Clouser, Pink, Chartreuse or Orange rubber leg Streamers, as well as tandem hook Bucktails in orange or pink fished in the prop wash. This fantastic inshore fishery will stay strong until mid October for gear and fly anglers alike.

Don’t disregard the great bottom fishing opportunities that prevail offshore. Halibut, Ling Cod and various other bottom fish provide great action through the late fall. The offshore reefs and outer bank contours provide great habitat and food sources for these varied bottom-fish that range in size, color and species.

July 2007

After a month of not so typical July summer weather in Tofino B.C., contrasted by the commonly great fishing for Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon and Halibut that July normally provides, we have had a lot to write about but very little time to do it.

 After last season’s poor return of Coho Salmon to Tofino and Ucluelet area waters, this past month has reminded us of how dynamic the action can be for these hard fighting and always feeding Salmon in the 6-10 lb range. Hatchery Coho in the offshore waters have provided anglers with fair opportunity for retention, but the inshore areas of Area 23 and 24  (Ucluelet and Tofino) have provided great rewards of two Coho per day for those who choose to retain any of these tasty fish. It has been normal while fishing the inshore areas of Tofino/Clayoquot Sound to connect with an average of 15-20 Coho Salmon for a half day of fishing. As always the right speed, depth and location helps, but the choice of gear has not been a major factor in determining success. Most small spoons or needlefish hoochies behind a Red Blade flasher have been a hit, with bait being very productive, but not overly necessary to ensure success. We’ve been tying a variety of new epoxy fly patterns for casting as well as Buck-tailing for Coho Salmon, with some blends of Chartreuse and Kelly Green being very productive. A very short trip to Tonquin Island recently to test a few of these new patterns allowed 5 quick Coho Salmon in the 5-8 lb. range that preferred a slow to medium retrieve while casting the flies in 25 feet of water.

 Chinook Fishing has been very good overall. Not dynamic, but very consistent action for Chinook averaging 16-28 lbs with most experienced anglers and guides finding limits or near limits of these powerful fish on a daily basis. With an unstable barometer for most of the last three weeks, the Chinook Salmon that were encouraged to stop and feed locally on our normally prolific bait stocks, were also prematurely encouraged to continue there Southward travels as the rains came down on us. Some of the larger fish to date have been caught offshore from Tofino B.C. with either medium Herring or medium to large Spoons trolled 110-140 feet deep. Last week we saw numerous Tyee Class (30 lbs plus) Chinook Salmon hit the dock, with a few over the 40 lb mark. This should be the front end of the run that is forecasted to bring a strong number of large 4-5 year old Chinook Salmon to the West Coast of Vancouver Island, normally peaking by the 3rd week of August, and tapering often by mid September. It has been very common to experience a great extended Chinook fishery in the offshore waters into late September, but we have a lot of days, and a lot of fishing to do before we reach that point. As the Pacific Sardine (Pilchard) numbers have arrived again in very impressive masses both offshore and inshore, we will be turning to larger baits and lures to match this bait size which has been attractive to both Chinook and Coho Salmon. The 6-7 inch Tomic Plugs, 5-6 inch spoons and medium to large Herring not only act as a very effective lure for Chinook and Coho, but the size also helps avoid too many encounters with Pink Salmon that can be great fun, but also a detriment in keeping your gear out of the water when it could be effectively fishing for other species.

 Very notably, August 1st marks a change in Chinook Salmon fishing regulations along the coastline of Tofino and Ucluelet B.C. with larger Chinook Salmon getting protection with a slot limit of 77 cm in specific areas. Please consult with current regulations through the Fisheries and Oceans website as well with local outfitters and Tackle shops for specific details.

Halibut fishing in the Tofino and Ucluelet areas has been consistent for most of the season, with ample numbers of “Chicken” sized Halibut in the 18-25 lb range on average, with numerous Halibut exceeding this size by up to 80 lbs.

Overall, the month of July was excellent fishing and only fair weather, but a great warm-up for the peak month of August ahead of us, which looks to be some of the better Chinook and Coho fishing in years.

June 2007

What a month Junuary has been!!!! You wouldn't think that we passed our summer solstice over a week ago, as the weather has been what we would commonly see in January, February and March. Although the air temperature has been pretty moderate, the chance of an early summer water shortage in the Tofino area is extremely unlikely.

The low pressure systems that have continued to push in from the South East open Pacific have not been a total detriment to our fishing though,..Chinook and Coho Salmon have been encouraged to travel down the coast into to the Tofino area waters, but most specifically the inner waters of Clayoquot Sound. June has normally provided a good fishery in these same inshore waters over the years, but over the last two weeks, many vessels have opted to focus on the inshore waters for their Salmon action, as opposed to the traditional offshore areas that normally provide the area's most consistent action for Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon and Halibut. Chinook Salmon in the 12-28 lb. range, and Coho Salmon averaging 5-8 lbs have no doubt been enticed to stay inshore for prolonged periods and feed on the very abundant Needlefish (Sandlance) and juvenile Herring stocks that we have not witnessed in such solid masses for a few years now.

Gear of choice for the Salmon fishery both inshore and offshore has been trolling with Anchovies behind a Red or Purple/Silver Oki Flasher.
Some of the new bait teaser head colors from Rhys-Davis have been helping with success rates, most notably the Glow/Bloody nose and U.V. Clear getting the majority of front line action.
Halibut fishing in the Tofino/Ucluelet area has definitely been good as normal for June, even with days of tough weather conditions. Fortunately for our local offshore fishery, the moderate South-East wind patterns don't create much of an ocean swell, so wind waves were the only challenge to fish effectively, therefore providing access to our baitfish rich banks 4-10 miles offshore for Halibut and mixed stocks of abundant Bottom fish species.
Large Herring fished on a spreader bar in the 145-200 ft. depths has been the best for our Pacific Halibut averaging 18-40 lbs, but the stinky artificial baits now available from numerous companies have been consistent producers, especially when tipped with a little fresh bait.

Ling Cod and Bottom fish are spead all over our outer coastline, with specific reefs and pinnacles becoming guide favourites, often requiring specific GPS coordinates.

Large fish to date for the Tofino area have been Halibut to 105 lbs. caught by Clayoquot Ventures Guide Blake Klopfenstein, and Chinook Salmon 34 lbs. also caught by a guided Clayoquot Ventures Vessel. Numerous Coho Salmon released offshore have easily broken 15 lbs. and will only get bigger considering they have over 3 months to mature.

Saltwater Report: A busy week for Clayoquot Ventures offshore vessels, the first two weeks of June proved to be very fruitful. With both offshore and inshore waters producing the quality Chinook Salmon that we love, there is a good chance you’ll see that rod-tip plunge and hear that reel scream. The offshore waters of Portland Point have been the location of choice for Clayoquot Ventures Charters. Only seven nautical miles Southeast of Lennard Island Lighthouse, this hot spot is a short run from the Tofino harbor. The close proximity of these waters to Tofino is certainly in our favor, as less time traveling always translates into more time fishing. Columbia and Fraser River stocks have provided a steady stream of migrating fish throughout early June. The quality of these fish has been high with Chinook Salmon around 20 lbs. being the most common. On this past Friday, the true finesse of both guides and guests was tested as Clayoquot Ventures boats intercepted an extremely ‘hot’ batch of migrating Chinook salmon. Fortunately, the opportunities were many as this particular batch of fish turned out to be some of the hardest fighting salmon our guides have encountered all year. Anchovies and double-glow squid baits have certainly been producing the best numbers over the past seven days. Although most fish have been caught mid-water column, when the salmon fishing has slowed down all it takes is a drop of the downrigger ball to get into some solid halibut bites. If anything, the Halibut fishing has picked up over the past week with multiple fish in the 50+ lbs. range being hooked. Trolling for halibut with Anchovy rigged teaser heads has been nearly a sure thing in places such as the C&B bank approximately 8 miles offshore from Tofino. In addition to solid offshore fishing the inshore fishery is also beginning to pick up steam. With fish in the 25lbs. range being hooked at a number of different inshore spots over the weekend, inshore fishery is a great option for someone wanting to get out of the open ocean swell and into some nice fish .Clayoquot Ventures guide Conor Mackenzie helped his guest connect with 5 great Chinook Salmon as well as 2 Coho Salmon yesterday in the protected inshore waters of Clayoquot Sound. Great fishing for such a short run from the dock in protected waters, which should only get more consistent as the season progresses!!

Freshwater Report: Solid trout fishing was very characteristic of our remote drift this past week. Clayoquot Ventures guide Blake Klopfenstein drifted our remote system twice over the pat week with both drifts producing nice numbers of both resident Rainbow trout and Cutthroat trout. Although Steelhead hook-ups are becoming slightly less common, they are certainly not loosing their intensity as sea bright fish are still holding in some of the deeper, cooler pools throughout the lower river. Once again silver spoons and egg-sucking leach imitation flies have proved to be the most effective means of hooking into these fish. This week we start our Fly in lake fishing trips on a regular basis, with Trout action anticipated to be as good as ever. Fly fishing with light 5-6 weight rods is most common from our personal pontoon boats, with light tackle/spoons/spinners an option as well on these catch and release trips.

Highlights of the Week: With out a doubt this week has had more highlights than any other yet this year. Guide Blake Klopfenstein hooked his guest Richard Schaps into a dandy 50+ lbs. Halibut at the inshore Blunden Island tack, while on the same afternoon, guide Conor MacKenzie managed to team up with his guest Mark Witten of Florida State to land a second halibut over 55 lbs. The next day, Blake guided his guests from Texas onto a monster Halibut over 100 lbs, which is Tofino’s largest fish of the season. A halibut this size combined with a half dozen Chinook salmon fights makes for one memorable afternoon regardless of your fishing experience!! Clayoquot Ventures guides Lochie Mackenzie and Steve Penfold also had some great fishing this past week, setting their guests up to fight some quality early-June chromers. Steve has found success at the Portland Point offshore tack, while Lochie has worked his magic at some of the classic shallow water spots on this inside of Clayoquot Sound.

Springtime Specials: We’ve got Anchovies! If you want to get hooked up out there, you’ve got to come here and get hooked up first. Fresh Rhys Davis Anchovies, (some of the finest I’ve seen in the last few year), are now available in our shop. Come on in and one of the guides will outfit you with the latest ‘killer’ baits, rubber hoochies, and flasher combos. Also, if you’re going Hali fishing, be sure to check out the latest baits by Berkley. Some say the new ‘Gulp Bait Swimmers’ are a sure thing, so you’d better come and try one out for yourself… We are still overstocked with Patagonia and Cloudveil outerwear, so there is always a good deal to be had!!

May 2007

Spring 2007

Before outlining details of the new fishing season in 2007, it is hard not to reflect back on the “Season of Extremes” in 2006. Relentless winter storms gave way to really nice spring time conditions, which helped start off another great year for Salmon and Halibut fishing in the Tofino B.C. area. Halibut fishing on the west coast of Vancouver Island near Tofino and Ucluelet B.C. stayed very consistent, turning out as the best season experienced by local anglers in many years. Chinook Salmon fishing was very good as well, but in comparison, fishing for Coho Salmon was unfortunately the slowest, and lowest return we have seen in many years for the Tofino B.C. region. Summer weather patterns were so nice, that it lead to the driest summer in many years, and eventually a lack of water in local rivers and reservoirs. Imagine living in a rainforest and you run short of water, it happened in the Tofino area last year? When the rains returned in the fall, nature’s water tap was opened full blast, coinciding with some of the nastiest wind storms to hit the B.C. coast in years. More than one storm on Vancouver Island’s west coast reached “Hurricane” force winds, causing damage that is still noticeable when you drive the Pacific Rim highway that leads west to Tofino and Ucluelet B.C. Similar rain patterns have been quite consistent leading into 2007, meaning there is definitely no shortage of water for Tofino, but it has also created a positive snow pack in the coastal mountains of Vancouver Island. The abundant snow will undoubtedly help our young Salmon in the rivers throughout the spring and early summer, as well as the freshwater needs of the community to host our many guests throughout the season.

For the 2007 fishing season, our early season Chinook salmon fishing has already been very good, supporting the outlook of a consistent season ahead for the west coast of Vancouver Island. Consistent catches of Chinook in the 6-18 lb. range have been caught in the protected inlet waters of Clayoquot Sound, as well as the offshore waters from Tofino and Ucluelet. The Chinook Salmon fishing action in the Inlet waters and the near shore coastline will stay consistent until mid May, when we normally see the first runs of transient Chinook salmon that begin to migrate in a southern direction along Vancouver Island’s west coast. Trolling with Herring and Anchovies as bait is very common, as well as utilizing a variety of artificial baits that mimic these same baitfish species, which are the most prolific along out local coastline. Early season Chinook fishing is favoured by many anglers, as the fight is as good as the flesh, and both are high quality. A highlight for Chinook Salmon fishing opportunities forecasted in the Tofino area, are for an abundance of 4 year old Hatchery origin Chinook Salmon in August and early September. Coho Salmon numbers are forecasted to be better than last year for sure, supporting local inshore fly and light tackle fishing opportunities, which are perfectly suited for smaller vessels and family fun. The 2007 season will again be a high cycle year for literally millions of Pink Salmon that pass by the Tofino coastline, adding to the action of your day. Pink Salmon are a fun fish for all light gear types, and provide great action while casting or trolling small lures and flies that are pink, orange or red. These colours resemble Plankton, the Pink Salmon’s main food source. For the many anglers interested in Pacific Halibut, the Halibut biomass is considered strong and stable, so we anticipate another great season for these powerful and tasty flatfish in the offshore waters from Tofino. Last season we experienced fantastic Halibut fishing on Tofino’s near shore banks, out as far as 16 miles. This season should provide a very similar Halibut fishery in these same bait fish rich areas, where many of the Halibut caught in recent years have been while fishing the contour areas offshore that average 160-200 feet deep. Many anglers have been using artificial baits such as Berkeley Power Baits and trolled spoons, along with the baited lead jigs along the bottom. The Tofino area’s remote freshwater fishing excursions will continue to provide great action, along with a very memorable wilderness experience for folks while they pursue Steelhead and Trout in the pristine mountain lakes and streams of Clayoquot Sound. Using primarily float plane access, these unique excursions are enjoyed by many who want their own space while enjoying some great Steelhead and Trout action in a temperate rainforest environment.

Although great fishing opportunities are plentiful from early May to mid October in the Tofino B.C. area, the months of July and August tend to be the busiest for Tofino, which can make accommodations difficult to find during these two months. If coming from outside the Tofino area, you are encouraged to plan as soon as possible, to ensure that you can secure your desired dates for a memorable vacation in the Tofino area.