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April 2008
After watching the snow fly through March’s last attempt to extended winter, turning the calendar over to April couldn’t happen soon enough. With a broad spectrum of opportunities out there, spring-time weather on the West Coast of Vancouver Island definitely lends itself to more outdoor activities. Gardening and Golf, Sea Kayaking and Surfing, Hiking and Beachcombing are all more enjoyable as spring temperatures rise a few degrees on average.
Sport fishing in the Tofino area is another popular activity that is affected by the change of seasons, and for local Anglers, April is favoured as the true start to local Saltwater and Freshwater fishing action.
The protected inlet waters of Clayoquot Sound have good numbers of non-resident Chinook salmon feeding and growing, ready to provide a battle that will help shake off the winter cobwebs. A popular inshore area for the early season Salmon fishery is in Sydney Inlet, near Hot Springs Cove. This area provides a great mix of marine adventure if you want it, as the triple header of Fishing, Whale watching and soaking in the Hot Springs can make for a memorable day. Many of these transient Chinook Salmon, and a few Halibut are still in pursuit of Herring that have long since spawned in the area, but have not yet left the inlets for the open waters of the Pacific. A short distance offshore from the Tofino coastline, mixed stocks of transient Chinook have begun their migration southward, with intense feeding along the way being a far greater priority than the urge to spawn, as the final stage of their life cycle is still months away. Tofino’s offshore fishing action for Chinook Salmon and Halibut in April can often be as intense as the peak season months of July and August, just a little cooler and fewer fishermen.
The Rivers and Streams of the Tofino-Clayoquot area now have spring run Steelhead entering the lower reaches, chrome bright and ready to spawn along with their summer and winter run cousins from the same family of Rainbow Trout. Over the years of fishing many remote and not so remote river systems on Vancouver Island, I have always found that when the Skunk Cabbage sprouts out of the moist soil in April, and really starts to get the pungent aroma, it is prime time for my favourite Steelhead fishery of the year.
Spring run Steelhead can travel many miles upstream overnight to find their natal spawning beds, and do their deed of nature. Often they will spend a few days to mend after spawning, when these “Kelts” will migrate out to sea, back to the challenges and dangers of the open ocean for another year. I suppose that this amazing and unique spawning cycle has helped ensure future returns, as most other Steelhead will hold for many months in-stream prior to spawning. I would assume that whether you are an angler or not, there is a sign of spring that often brings a smile to your face or provides good thoughts of an outdoor opportunity, one of many that we are fortunate to have on Vancouver Island.
For those of you that do enjoy Tofino’s world class fishing opportunities on fresh or saltwater, have fun while catching your limit, but please limit your catch. Future stocks will benefit from a conservative approach, ensuring opportunities for many more April fisheries in the future.
March 2008
After a winter that didn’t batter us nearly as hard as last year on Vancouver Island’s west coast, the signs of spring are showing in a number of ways.
We know that during this time of year, the overall temperature and weather conditions start to show a marked improvement than the “Storm Watching” months of November thru February. I often see a few different indicators within the local landscape that remind me of Chinook Salmon feeding and growing not to far outside of the Tofino Harbour, as well as spring run Steelhead entering local rivers chrome bright and ready to spawn along with their summer and winter run cousins from the same family of Rainbow Trout.
One obvious indicator for Chinook Salmon at this time of the year is the recent Herring spawn in local inlets, most often near Hot Springs Cove at the mouth of Sidney Inlet. Hungry Chinook Salmon follow the Herring into the inlets during January, and play the chase and feed game until mid to late February when the Herring normally spawn along the rocky shores and Kelp beds. This event is an amazing spectacle of nature, with most forms of local Marine mammals and Birds getting in on the festivities. From below, the Chinook Salmon, Orca Whales, Sea Lions and Sea Birds will push schools of Herring near the surface where the Gulls and Eagles are anxiously awaiting there lunch to boil to the surface. During this time, often the hierarchy of the food chain is prevalent, as the whales will consume Salmon and Sea Lions (though not close to enough of them), while the Sea Lions will consume the Salmon and so on.
After the Herring spawn finishes, Chinook Salmon will again follow the masses of these baitfish back out to the outer coastline, where they resume the feeding ritual on various other species like the Pacific Sand lance, Pilchard and Anchovy.
Around this same time, the temperature promotes budding in the trees and plants, and encourages a common spring time plant that I personally use as one of my main natural indicators. The Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton Americanus) is a smelly plant that grows in swampy or wet wooded areas. The appearance is far better than the smell, and I am always happy to see this bright yellow and green plant, as it is a timely indicator for me to get ready for the spring times best action for Chinook Salmon, Halibut and my personal favourite, Steelhead.
Over the years of fishing many remote and not so remote river systems on Vancouver Island, I have always found that when the Skunk Cabbage sprouts out of the moist soil, and really starts to get the pungent aroma, it is prime time for my favourite fishery of the year. The progressive increase in water and air temperature during this time, encourages spring runs of Steelhead to enter various rivers along the coast, and makes for very enjoyable fishing conditions. I find these Steelhead unique in comparison to most others throughout the year. It is not because they are easier to catch, and definitely not due to their overall numbers, as they can be sparse at best. There is something to be said about an anadromous fish that waits for the ideal timing of water flow and temperature to enter the river system, ripe with Eggs or Milt, and wearing a coat of ocean bright chrome. They can travel many miles upstream overnight to find their natal spawning beds, and do their deed of nature. Often they will spend a few days to mend after spawning, when these “Kelts” will migrate out to sea, back to the challenges and dangers of the open ocean for another year. It is during this ocean survival regime that they have to pass their lives most rigorous tests, hopefully allowing them a return to the spawning beds once again. I am always amazed to catch and release these powerful Silver Bullets, still adorned with natural lice from the sea, already spawned out and heading back downstream. I suppose that this amazing and unique spawning cycle has helped ensure future returns, as most other Steelhead will hold for many months in-stream prior to spawning.
I would assume that whether you are an angler or not, there is a sign of spring that often brings a smile to your face or provides good thoughts of an outdoor opportunity, one of many that we are fortunate to have on Vancouver Island.
2008 Sport fishing Outlook
Following a season that dubbed Vancouver Island’s Tofino and Ucluelet areas likely the most consistent sport fisheries on the B.C. coast, 2008 fishing opportunities might have a hard act to follow.
For fishing near Tofino and Ucluelet B.C., the 2007 season was not unlike being at an action packed NHL playoff game with a line-up of star players that you anticipate seeing all winter, and the “game” unfolds to be as exhilarating as you anticipated. The experience finds you not only satisfied with the time you have committed, but feeds your passion and heightens your interest for the next time you are in the front row seat.
A combination of factors have been building up against the 2008 season’s line-up of Salmon stocks, with fair to poor early stages of marine survival likely creating the biggest challenge. Predation, along with unpredictable water currents and temperatures that effect “normal” food sources during the early stages of local Salmonid life cycle have not been overly favourable. Due to these various challenges effecting various salmon stocks coast wide, we can anticipate a more conservative approach by DFO for some areas of the coast, in an attempt to protect stocks of concern. The Pacific Halibut Commission is recommending a reduction in the total allowable catch for the B.C. coast spread between all sectors, and are in discussion with DFO on how to achieve this goal. At the time of writing, the main proposal from the Sport Fishing Institute of B.C. to DFO in attempts to meet the temporary reduction; Reduce the possession limit from 3 Halibut to 2 Halibut per person, continuing with 2 Halibut per day, and no changes to size limits. Keep in mind that this potential temporary reduction is not based on conservation concerns, but is due to the allocation process of Halibut catch within different sectors on the B.C. coast. For more info on this process, you might consider reading the following backgrounder report;
www.gulftrollers.com/Misc/Commercial_vs_Recreational_Allocation.pdf
Through the Sport Fish Advisory process with DFO, recreational angling opportunities will be protected and provided following necessary conservation, likely being announced by mid spring in 2008.
Though returning numbers have fluctuated recently, run timing for most local Salmon stocks has been quite consistent the last couple years, so this part of your planning should not be in question. Early spring offshore action for Chinook salmon and Halibut is normally a standby, with late spring and early summer seeing more inshore action for Chinook and Coho. The peak months of July, August and early September should again provide the best fishing inshore and offshore for Chinook and Coho, with Halibut and Bottom fish being a great option.
The 2008 season will likely see some of the most reliable fishing opportunities supported by enhanced Salmon stocks such as Robertson Creek Chinook and Coho, as opposed to smaller wild stock systems of Clayoquot and Barkley Sounds. Fortunately the work done over the years by hatcheries has helped provide a variety of fishing opportunities, in both approach and terminal areas. This is proof once again that Salmon Enhancement cutbacks are not only a very poor decision, but detrimental to years of past enhancement work that requires continual “maintenance” to be successful.
Anglers needing moorage while fishing the Tofino area might want to check out the 4th street harbour upgrades, with a new office building complete with two new washrooms, showers and laundry. Plans for expanded parking for vehicles and boat trailers are also in the works for 2008. Make sure to check with local regulations, as well as in-season variation orders for the area you plan to fish. This can be done by visiting the local DFO office, tackle shops or postings at launches and docks.
Remember, if you have a chance to volunteer personal time, or contribute financially to local Salmon Enhancement programs, pleased do your part. Community based enhancement programs and related support are a big part of the future, so get involved where you can to help keep the “game on” for future angling opportunities.
