used tandem red 4/0 last trip and improved our catch rate considerably...also keeping rod tip low to water when guiding the fish into the net helps a bunch.

Was a fabulous weekend, limits all the way around.

Big change this morning. Did a couple hours in the Sproat Narrows and Sawmill Bay , only one fish & a baby at that. Very few boats were scoring anything near their limit (although a couple were). Talked to several old timers that got skunked.
Guess the seiners cleaned up quite well and they were hitting China Creek & north quite heavily when we came home. Then there is also a gill net opening that will clean up the ones sneaking in along the shores.

Anyone know what the current level of escapement is??

Well I didn't get a chance to put my fly rod down...too busy with the one rod I had in the rigger. Took your advice and trimmed the pink squirts down to 3 or 4 legs. Then my 9 year old fly tying daughter took a blue sharpie marker and purpled half the legs and part of the body...out-fished straight pink 5 to 1!

My ass is still sore today from all the standing up to grab the rods on Sunday.

I hope we get another good wave of Sox to refill the canal for others to enjoy.

Cheers,

BL

Not high enough to justify this much commercial activity in my mind yet...but I would prefer to see none and allow our small town economy to thrive off the tourism and money spent by people fishing the inlet.




If anything these numbers on all runs across the coast are just there as maximum exploitation rates that runs can sustain that given year to maximize commercial $$ because that's who takes the vast majority of these fish every given year in the inlet.



Compared to the 105,000 taken by seiners alone this week.

Thanks for the info Tasteless.

Hmm, only half way there. Guess there is still lots of time for the fish to get up the river before it becomes too warm, still snow in them thar hills. While I appreciate the opportunity to fish sockeye, I would gladly cease fishing until the escapement requirement was met. Those are the fish that ensure fishing opportunities in the future.

Looks like this years run is over already.



This opening has them staging closer to the river mouth, but the gillnetters are still allowed to fish anywhere they want in the inlet.

Guess the rumors that escapement was hit were true, they are straight pounding them now as the "clean-up" fishery just like last year except a hell of a lot sooner.

Fished the inlet Saturday morning for Sockeye. Cous Creek - Nada, China Creek - Nada, Franklin Mill - Nada, Nahmint - Nada, Narrows at Pocahontas Pt. - Nada, Pill Pt. - Nada, Swale Rk. - Nada (didn't expect sockeye to be at Swale). Notice a trend here???

Last weekend they were everywhere, it almost seemed like it didn't matter where you tried to fish, you could find them, this weekend was completely the opposite, they were gone, gone, gone! You were lucky if you caught one this weekend.

Don't know if we will get much more of a chance for Sockeye this year in the Alberni Inlet, as the Commercial guys are putting a lot of pressure on them right now, so if any more are coming in they will have a hard time getting up the inlet unless they are swimming deep. We'll see, it would be nice though.

Hit the Inlet Saturday hoping for some sockeye. Up at 4. On the water by 5. China Creek dead. No nets. Kept on till Nahmint. Dropped the gear. Nothing. No nets. Continued to Allen Pt. 21 pound spring in the box by 7:15. Solid action until 2. Springs. A coho. Even a feisty pink. Given the number of commercial boats we agree with others that the best way to get a sock will be to shell out your 10 bucks in town!

Was in PA mon-wed with boat and river gear.
reports were dismal.
Guides are cancelling charters.
Monday night vveerryy few landed at the dam.
First hand report of even several slow days for FN nets, so fish aren't getting past the bigger netters.

Spent last wkd in interior getting dad's new-to-him boat and he wants a maiden voyage this wkd coming up so...any reports on sox?
Has the fleet finished pillaging the inlet?
Looks like the commercial opening ends Fri 15th at the latest...

Driving by Clutesi and seeing that you can park in the ramp lot is unbeleiveable at this time of July.
I hate to think how much $ the valley is missing out on.

I know that we could run to the sound for action but prefer to stay close to town for the first day or 2 to check out the new vessel.

Thanks.

Smiley.