Sockeye Salmon Fishing Port Alberni

[Brandonkop]

I have to admit... this living on the coast now is pretty sweet. It's 30 min to the ferry, 2 hour ferry ride and an hour drive to Port Alberni... the so called Salmon Capital of the World. Went out for our First time last month for the rumors of an epic Sockeye run. A forecast 1.3 million returning fish that didn't care to enter the warm river. They were just piling up in the inlet and waiting to be caught. I was reading about guys limiting out in an hour for a few weeks so thought it was time to get in on the action. Well the First day we got out late but still managed 11... one short of our limit. Then it happened the first rains of the summer for the next two days and the salmon fishing slowed down for us as they started to move into the rivers. Caught 4 the next two days and still lost a whole bunch, but they weren't as crazy after the rain. Had a great time anyways and came home with a cooler full of salmon. I've been eating like a king, bbq salmon every night, haha.

The Pink run is supposed to be epic... so hopefully we get some more cool weather and rain so they can open up the Fraser in September and we can all get out on some Humpies! This is all totally new to me, loving every bit.

Here's a video from our last day... the only nice sunny day, was beautiful out there. I have some footage from the first day I'll have to put together, but was a mess we started to find our grove and figure it out the last day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGZTkBKaQbE


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[-JR-]

Your living all of our dreams. Enjoy reading all of your stores . Thanks for sharing.

[Redfrog]

I love sockeye, any way you can cook them. Smoked then canned are awesome.

How much is the ferry trip now? It's been years since i lived there.

[IronNoggin]

Drop a Dime next time you're wandering this way. Just might have the odd tip or two for you :)

Cheers,
Nog

[Fishslayer99]

Nice haul Brandon, great story and some damb fine eats!

[Brandonkop]

Thanks guys glad you like the adventures.

How much is the ferry trip now? It's been years since i lived there.

For my 42 foot truck and boat it costs over 500 bucks for round trip. If you go during the summer though on Wednesday or Saturday evening after 4 pm its about a 100 bucks less. But I can't always travel those days. Next time will go across on a Wednesday.

Drop a Dime next time you're wandering this way. Just might have the odd tip or two for you :)
Cheers,
Nog

A Dime or a line? What's the dime for? I got a lot of tips in the campsite and from the sportfishingbc board. But problem was I couldn't find the specific colored hoochies and when I tried to stack my downriggers I was getting too many tangles. My little boat is too narrow for all the extra flashers and running four rods. It was easier with just two. If I had electric downriggers maybe would be easier. Will be going to Port Hardy First week of September for springs and coho... got any recommendations?

[weedhaul]

Nice, I was just there last week...should have brought the boat! Fished a bit at Cameron Lake but just caught tiny rainbows. My BC license is just freshwater though...I assume you need a Canadian saltwater license to fish the inlets.

[fish99]

nice catch, I am jealous and wish I could taste those good looking sockeyes cheers,

[Brandonkop]

Nice, I was just there last week...should have brought the boat! Fished a bit at Cameron Lake but just caught tiny rainbows. My BC license is just freshwater though...I assume you need a Canadian saltwater license to fish the inlets.

Yeah you need the canadian ocean license, it's pretty reasonable. 22 bucks for the year and 6 bucks for the salmon stamp. Cheap like borscht.

[7mmremmag]

Congrats. way to go on the pinks!!!
Have you ever gone after Springs or Cohos???
Almost seems like a waste to me to go all what way for a pink

[fishman]

Brandon. I've been living on the island since last July I've fished every month of the year in open water. I fished salmon until end of November then fished lakes until the steelhead showed up and then back to the lakes and stream fishing even did some ocean fishing Hard to get use to. Lol

[Brandonkop]

Congrats. way to go on the pinks!!!
Have you ever gone after Springs or Cohos???
Almost seems like a waste to me to go all what way for a pink

Springs will be open in the fraser as well once they reopen it. I here it is only closed to above HOPE, so if you can get above hope you can keep fishing.

I'm going to Hardy for the first time in September there are supposed to be lots of COHO around and the odd big spring. So I'll let you know.

Brandon. I've been living on the island since last July I've fished every month of the year in open water. I fished salmon until end of November then fished lakes until the steelhead showed up and then back to the lakes and stream fishing even did some ocean fishing Hard to get use to. Lol

Yup life is tough eh. I still like Ice fishing so on the mainland its just a 2.5 hour drive up to Merritt and just past to Kamloops. Lots of great Ice fishing.

[IronNoggin]

A Dime or a line? What's the dime for?

Old School for Give Me A Shout (stems from when a payphone call was but a dime). In this case, a pm will likely work...

I got a lot of tips in the campsite and from the sportfishingbc board. But problem was I couldn't find the specific colored hoochies and when I tried to stack my downriggers I was getting too many tangles. My little boat is too narrow for all the extra flashers and running four rods. It was easier with just two. If I had electric downriggers maybe would be easier. Will be going to Port Hardy First week of September for springs and coho... got any recommendations?

LOL! I saw some of the "advise" you got from SFBC after you mentioned this. As you found out, a few of the Ladz out here are... well... a Little Rough Around The Edges. LOL!

There were places nearby to collect the right hootchies - and btw, many of the better ones never seem to get discussed on the forums.

NO boat is "too narrow for all the extra flashers and running four rods". Really.
Back in the day when we were working on developing the ultralight fishery for these salmon, I ran a 16 foot whaler knock-off that was narrower than your current boat. And... Fished 6 dummy flashers and 6 ultralight rods off it at once on a frequent basis. That was all run off the old "bicycle" type of antique manual Luhr Jensen downriggers. A Hell of a LOT of Fun!

Recommendations regarding Hardy in September? Yeah - look elsewhere unless you want to literally swamped by Pinks! The vast majority of springs will be well past by then, and the pinks will most likely outrun the coho to the gear due to sheer numbers.

Were it me, I'd be looking at one or two of the Real West Coast Fisheries (West side of the Island) at that time. In fact, that is exactly where I plan on being... :)

Cheers,
Nog