August is always a fabulous month for sport salmon fishing. This year is of no exception as there should be spectacular salmon fishing on Vancouver Island’s West Coast, all of Barkley Sound, and the Alberni Inlet. The Alberni Inlet has had great Sockeye returns which created fabulous sport fishing. Returns to the Somass River system have been terrific with approximately Two Hundred and seventy Thousand Sockeye returning into the Stamp and Sproat systems. Pre-season estimates of returning Chinook to the area are similar and perhaps even better than the last two years to the Somass River (Robertson Creek Hatchery) and the many other streams and rivers of West Coast Vancouver Island.
To date the sport fishing season in Barkley Sound and the inshore waters of Ucluelet is best described as “improving”. Most of the salmon retained in June and July have been migrating to the big watersheds of the Pacific North-West. August is the month when mature local salmon begin swimming to their natal rivers and streams to complete their lifecycle. Starting in late July and right into September migrating Chinook and Coho swim through the waters of Barkley Sound where they stop and feed heavily before completing their long journey into the Alberni Inlet and finally into the Somass River system or Sarita, Nahmint and Franklin River systems
In August the returning salmon often school and feed heavily at many locations in Barkley Sound. Cree Island, Austin Island, Meares, Whittlestone, Fleming Island, the Bamfield Wall, Gilbraltor, Swale Rock and Pill Point are some of these fishing spots. The early morning, evening, and tide change are often the best bite times. August in the Sound is often the month when Anchovy in a variety of teaser head colors work well. Green and Purple Haze as well as Army Truck Glow and Cop Car anchovy teaser heads with at least a six-foot leader attached to a purple gold, blue or green gold flasher. Depending on the size of the bait a variety of hootchies and spoons are also great lures. The AORL 12 is a great standby as is the Jack Smith and Green Spatterback for both Chinook and Coho. The various Skinny G and Big Eye spoons are excellent lures to have in the tackle box. The Herring Aid Skinny G have been working very well. The bait has been very small in some areas and smaller spoons in the three-inch size or even less are working well. On the Bamfield side there seems to be some squid around so some of the various cuttle-fish hootchies are working as is anchovy. The salmon are often found in shallow water in August. Fishing from twenty-five to sixty feet are the best depths.
The Chinook fishing in the Alberni Inlet often begins by the 10th of August. Hotspots in the Inlet and Harbor are Lone Tree Point and Coulson Mill. The China Creek Wall, the Narrows, and Underwood Cove often hold a good number of Chinook salmon as well. Sport Anglers fishing the Inlet will have the best success using Octopus Pink (O-15) and Red hootchies (O-16) as well as AORL12, Purple Haze, Army Truck and Spatterback. Anchovy is also a very good idea in August especially for Chinook when they are just coming into the area from Barkley Sound.
August also will have some great days offshore for halibut and salmon. The Big Bank, South Bank and Long Beach can have some spectacular action for both Chinook and Coho. The Tomic Plugs and six-and seven-inch Road Runner Spoons are often the best gear. We are looking forward to a fantastic month of fishing on the West Coast of Vancouver Island especially in the Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet areas. The fishing in August and into September of 2023 should be world class.
