Thinkin of putting together a trip to Barkley sound this year (possibly late May or early June). Any info you could share on the area, charters, your fishing success, etc... would be appreciated.

Thanks
Baddawg

Do a search on "Barclay Sound" and you'll find a recent thread with some good info. That time of year you'll have a good shot at the Washington/Oregon kings who stage offshore there before heading south. No real slabs but chances of very good action and some butts to boot.

Or click here:
http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=007166

Regards,
Bruce

have done real good for sockie up in barkly sound around the china creek area during that time of year. outfront you can fish for what the nucks call springers, bottom fish also abound. best of luck. call port alberni tourism office and they will send u a nice package of info also

Speaking of Larger fish:
During Late May and Early June, there can be alot of salmon coming down the way usually offshore but sometimes in Barkley SOund for the spawning herring. They have overfished the herring so alot of the good inside fishing is being pushed out onto the banks. OFf Ucluelet, Wya Pt, The Wreck, SW bank(commercials also hit), Lighthouse, red buoy as you leave Ucluelet harbor. Big Bank is great but a long ways. Many of the WA fish come by and fishing can be good for alot of fish. There are herring, candlefish, pilchards, etc that keep them on the banks. Follow the guides or just ask them at uCluelet. Great fishing right when you come out of the harbor but lots of pinnacles so tide dependant. Early coho in July can be great.
With the decrease in herring the inside of Barkley SOund can have some marginal success unless the larger fish move inside and they can. Bottomfish in alot of the inside of Barkley is OK. Ucluelet and Tofino are superb. Please release ling cod over 20# since they usually are brood stock. I have a home in Barkley so I know it better than Washington waters. Last few years have been restricted but I don't mind catch and release. The king runs have been up and down but we caught around 60 kings over 18# (most released) for last year but I've been fishing there 14 yrs. For May/June if you don't mind the water, I'd go off the banks out of Ucluelet for the most fish. You sometimes have to be fast to go through silvers. On the outside areas of Barkley is also good because some kings coming down stay close to shore. Closer to July might also be good in these areas. May/June bank fishing also gives you halibut. Barkley SOund on the inside may have only 1-2 fish/day limits due to DFO being worried about their 5 yr old fish. Barkley sound kings normal range is 20-32# and the hathery likes large females to keep the size up. Good luck and catch-n-release will keep it good. Canadian PRincess does not and are costing them their future and more fuel costs since they overfish bottomfish. Ucluelet SE bank is close at 4-5 miles from the harbor exit and is close and can be good. Weather plays a big part. I recall Early june had flatter tides. Good luck, nice forum here and I'm new to it. Ucluelet's Forencia bay is 4-5 miles up the coast and has shelter. Some halibut, island, kelp, some inside fishing in calm waters.

I haven't fished Barkley Sound in the May/June part of the year, but my guess is that all the Kings will be offshore at that time, they are all passing through on their way south.

I've only fished the Bamfield side, not the Uculet side.

Regs up there the past two years have been you have to be one mile offshore or more to keep a king. This is not good, as with most places the best king spots are right on the edge of the islands, King Edward Island, Cape B., etc. The charter boats from Bamfield go up to 20 miles out to get halibut and feeder kings. The weather can be rough.

You can stay in Bamfield, or if you want to camp, check out Poet Nook. I heard it had changed hands, but I believe it's still open.

The local returning kings (Roberson Creek, I believe) come back in early to mid August. Three years ago we got three there, 31lb, 36lb, 38.5lb. we timed it wrong, we were there two weeks and caught all the big fish in the last two days.



-Norm.