ESPERANZA INLET 2019 Fishing REVIEW

Overall the 2019 Fishing season was excellent in the Esperanza Inlet area. As everyone knows it started out with some uncertainty with DFO waiting until well into April to announce Chinook restrictions around most of Vancouver Island and the Lower mainland that lasted until July 15th or August 1 depending on the area.

Area 25 including Esperanza and Nootka Sound did NOT have Chinook closures like Campbell River, Vancouver and Victoria had. Chinook limits in the Esperanza Area were maintained at 2 per day, 4 in possession. Total salmon limits were 4 per day, 8 in possession. Chinook fishing was superb from about the 2nd week of June fishing Pin Rock, Low Rock and off of Catella Island. The Low Rock to High Rock tack just kept producing consistent Chinook catches right in to early August, there was usually no need to fish salmon offshore! Halibut fishing was consistent all year on the many pinnacles off shore, anywhere from 3 to 12 miles out. Ling fishing was not quite up to past standards, but there were many lings brought in from 15-30lbs, but you had to work for them.

An unusual August saw a lot of rain, which seemed to bring the Chinook in, and through the inlets very quickly. The inlet spots, Rosa, Double Island, Garden Point, all the way to Steamer Point had their moments, but never consistently produced Chinook all summer. The beach and off-shore areas were better. While coho fishing started off well, they became less common toward the end of August, and there were very few offshore unlike past years where there were so many they were a nuisance. Despite a bit of a disappointing coho season, the Chinook fishing was generally very good, and we look forward to another excellent year in Esperanza Inlet in 2020!

We expect the Chinook restrictions in 2020 to be similar to 2019, so Esperanza and Nootka Sound will still be one of the few accessible areas in Southwestern BC and Vancouver Island that that will have full limits of Chinook available all season.

Port Eliza LOdge

949-456-3719

Ultimate West Coast Vancouver Island Fishing Destination!

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