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Charter Information - Everything You Need To Know And MoreThe FishingOur success depends on providing you with fun and fish, pure and simple. This coming summer we will once again venture up to this renowned area to enjoy the great Chinook (king) salmon and halibut fishing during the peak season. We will be offering fully guided fishing packages from July 15th to August 31st. Our many years of experience in Nootka Sound have proved time and time again that this is the absolute best time to fish this great west coast location. Why is Nootka Sound such a great place to visit?
Three Fishing AdventuresNootka Sound offers three distinct fishing adventures which can all be experienced during your stay. The Inside Fishery targets the large mature summer Chinook (kings) which are returning to local rivers and the Conuma Hatchery located within the sound. The Conuma Hatchery has been one of the best producing Chinook hatcheries in B.C. and is largely responsible for the consistent huge abundance of returning salmon to the area each year. Inside the sound the waters are completely protected from the outer ocean waves and swells. Here you can fish all day long and think your on some small B.C. lake. If you suffer from motion sickness or your balance on a boat is not what it once was, this is the place for you! Fishing takes place close to shore and close to the lodge. The inlets are narrow and deep and there are many places where the water is more than 250 feet deep, a mere 100 feet from shore. There are many hot spots to fish on the inside and it is important to have a good network of guides working together with you. We are constantly communicating with the other lodge boats fishing near us, comparing notes and moving when a hot tip suggests better fishing is somewhere else. The Outer Beach Fishery also targets large summer Chinook as well as coho (silver) salmon. After running down the either Tlupana or Tashis Inlets, we reach the open Pacific and begin fishing along the outer shore of Nootka Island. The outer beach hot spots are staging and feeding areas for salmon about to enter Nootka Sound and also fish migrating farther south along Vancouver Island. The majority of the action takes place in shallow waters just outside the breaking shore waves. Often fish are holding in less than 30 feet of water on the edge of the kelp beds. Salmon found here are often aggressive and the bites are intense, frequent and long lasting. Here is where you will often enjoy playing your fish while watching many others battling their fish at the same time. Along the outer beaches is where you are most likely to see the many family groups of sea otters rafted up and floating on the surface. Many of the rocks are haul-out and sun-basking areas for large groups of Stellar and California sea lions. Grey whales can often be seen close to shore in shallow waters, foraging for food filtered from the seabed. On occasion, we might see transient killer whales hunting for sea mammals. On your trip from the lodge out to the outer beaches it is common to see many black bears foraging on the beaches at low tide in Tashis Inlet. Tashis Inlet has the highest density of black bear on Vancouver Island. The “outer beach” fishery is an open ocean fishery with little protection from the swells that frequently make their way ashore from deeper waters. Anyone not sure about their tolerance level to this motion should come prepared with the appropriate med’s to counteract any potential nausea. The Offshore Fishery is just that, offshore. For the more adventurous, the offshore waters offer not only great salmon fishing but also some of the best bottom fishing on the west coast. Halibut, lingcod and red snapper are found on the bottom in large numbers. Lucky anglers will find halibut over 200 pounds here annually. There is also a “chicken ranch” for those who prefer the tender 15- to 20-pound ones. Not far from the bottom fishing holes is a stretch of water called the “highway”. This offshore location is a contour line that big Chinook seem to follow every year as they migrate to the south. These fish are a long ways from their native spawning rivers so they are still aggressive feeders, super strong and the best eating salmon you can catch. During a three-day trip to Nootka Sound, we will go offshore once, on a day when the sea and weather forecasts are most favorable. We prefer the best possible conditions when offshore as bottom fishing is done by drifting and “jerking” the gear along the bottom. You work the rod while standing in the rear deck. This is much easier to do when the seas are calmer. As with the “outer beach” fishery you should prepare by bringing and taking any motion sickness med’s if you are susceptible to getting seasick.
After the day's fishing (about 4pm), we return to the lodge where your catch can be weighed and photographed. The other lodge boats also return from fishing at the same time so it is quite fun to see everyone pumped up as their catches hit the dock. Often this becomes the cocktail hour. We then clean your catch properly and give you the option keeping your catch chilled on ice or frozen. Vacuum packing is also available on-site at a reasonable cost, as are proper Styrofoam fish boxes and box liners for shipping. After the fish are cared for there is enough time for everyone to relax, have a drink or two if they wish and enjoy some fishing stories. Dinner is served at 6pm. Also, unlike some more northern B.C. and Alaska fishing destinations you can enjoy sunny and warm days on the water wearing shorts and t-shirts! All this and the all-inclusive fishing packages are also about half the price of more distant, fly-in only northern locations. Fishing-Only Day Trips We also offer drive-in and fishing-only guided 10-hour full day trips. These day trips are offered by reservation only. Dates are limited and we suggest making a reservation before March 1st to avoid disappointment. I'm a Single & Looking to Share If you don't have fishing partners to put your own group together we can take your contact info and add you to our "looking for fishing partners" list. You should contact us as early as possible and be fairly flexible with your potential fishing dates to give us the best chance at matching you up with others looking to share a trip. Send us an email or call to add your name to our list. The Vancouver Island Fishing Club may also be of interest to you. Check it out at www.vifishingclub.com. Making a Reservation To make any reservations simply email us at sscl@shaw.ca or call us at either 250-380-7018 or 250-213-3055 to confirm your preferred dates availability. Deposit, payment and cancellation policies are found on the Prices Page. Fish Processing and ShippingAfter each days fishing we return to the lodge at about 4pm and there we will clean and prepare your fish for transporting back to your home. You will have the choice of having your catch filleted and vacuum packed on the spot with the lodge's commercial grade vacuum sealer. If you plan on having your catch processed (smoked, canned, cut into steaks etc) we will remove the entrails and heads and put them into proper fish bags. Depending on your plans you can put the fish into chest freezers or into coolers and keep them chilled on ice. Your catch will hold on ice for a maximum of 4 days. There is a drop-off depot for St Jeans Cannery located in Campbell River if your plans involve having your fish processed and shipped back home. This depot makes for an easy and convenient way to drop off your catch on your drive back home, to an airport or to catch a ferry to the mainland. You can bring coolers with you to transport your catch while in your vehicle or buy them at the lodge. We suggest bringing a few empty plastic beverage containers with you to fill with water and freeze once you get to the lodge. These can be used to keep your catch cold on your drive back home. Note: Airlines will only allow proper blue ice packs on most flights. You should check with your airline for specific restrictions. Fish Daily and Possession LimitsYou are allowed a maximum of 4 salmon total per day and 8 total in possession per person. Halibut possession limits are typically announced sometime in the spring each year.
In most cases normal summer attire is all you will need (including shorts). However, on occasion the weather can become wet if a front moves through. We suggest bringing along some appropriate warm and waterproof clothing just in case. Sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, camera(s) and soft-soled shoes are a must. You are also responsible for supplying your own alcoholic beverages during your stay. Wi-fi is available at the lodge so bringing a laptop or tablet would allow you to keep up with email or upload videos and pictures off your cameras. What Else is Included? (all-inclusive packages and fishing trips only)All fishing charters include free; tackle, gear, bait, coffee and or tea, pop, fish cleaning and fish bags. Crab traps are also set and the days catch is yours to take with you. What Is Extra? (all-inclusive packages and fishing trips only)Proper fish coolers, (airline approved) vacuum packing, ice and video footage of your trip from our "Go Pro" and hand-held video cameras are all available at reasonable cost!
Nootka Sound Fishing Charters |
