barkley sound

[beyond kelp]

Anyone been to Barkley sound? We are planning the summer vacation and were wondering if anyone had knowledge from a cruisers and/or fishermans perspective.

[bobbyhoth]

I'v been going to Barkely sound for 15 years or so. What would you like to know? What size boat are you in? etc. What time of year?

bobby

[beyond kelp]

We are 28 ft.(photos in the gallery) We have explored the inside passage for the last three years and wanted to go somewhere different for a change. I am concerned about fog and good anchorage etc. Im told august can be foggy at times. Is there a place to ship your fish home? What times are good to go, how crowded does it get, any recommendations by one as experienced in the area as you are would be really welcome! Thanks! :D

[bobbyhoth]

I have done the inside from Victoria to Port McNeil. Very pretty on the inside. If you can nav the inside. You will have no problem with the outside. There is alot of fog, if you don't have a radar, that would be at the top of my list. The last couple of years with the radar was heaven.

Heading into Barkley sound from the the south. On the right is (SE) is Bamfield. On the left (SW) is Uclulet. To me, there were more places to anchor on the Bamfield side. Start off in Bamfield itself first. There are two channels when you come into Bamfield. Go to the right, is the town itself. Gas, Store, etc. Two goverment docks. One on each side of the inlet. If you go to the "left" channel. is great anchorage.

A little further up past Bamfield. On the "right" side of the inlet is "Poets nook" (going from memory here, thinks thats what it was called.) Great place to anchor and gas again. Hard to see the entrance! I usually missed it if I wasn't watching real close. Any further up the inlet towards Port Alberni is very windy in the afternoon. Not really many place's to anchor.

All of the Broken Group of island is simply AWSOME! Lots of spots. When you get to Uclulet, its a much larger town then Barkley. With really only one place to eat, Islands west pub. Order the fish and chips! Damn good.

Seems to me, the later in August the foggier (sp) it was. But the fish were bigger. If you don't like crowds. Don't go anytime near Labor day. Port Alberni holds their "Salmon Days Derby" The inlet to Port Alberni all the way to Barkley sound looks like SeaFair on lake washington! You are really Pole tip to pole tip fishing in the "hot spots" Other than that time period, its not bad, you can get away from people fairly easy. After Labor day, its great. All the people seem to leave. As far as shipping your fish. Never did that. We just froze them, and brought them back with us at the end. The laws have changed I think in the last couple of years and they count fish at home in your frezer towards your "possession" (sp) limit. It was more fun just catching big kings and silvers. For halibut, you have to head to what the locals call "big bank" and "south bank" basicly, go out of Uclulet on 180 degree's for 7 miles is "south Bank" or go 25 miles for big bank. (I may be wrong on the name of big bank, just what we called it.) We almost always fished south bank. Its 180 feet deep, sand, and flat for miles. You'll see it on a chart. Don't tell anyone, but the way to fish it, use HEAVY down rigger wire, 15# ball, drop it to the bottom and drag the sand. Have extra line and balls, sometime you will hit an "old drager's net" and lose your stuff. Not to often though. We have caught, at the same time, a halibut, King and Lingcod. Just don't tell anyone how you do it. (Shhhhhhh) Look for the Islands West charters, they wont' tell you **** if you ask them, but thats how they do it. Its worth the time to stop at Islands West in Uclulet and see what the boats look like.

Not sure what else you want to know. Any help I can give just let me know.

bobby

[beyond kelp]

Thanks for the information! It sounds like its worth a looksea. The northeast Campbell River area is a tough act to follow for sure but its great everywhere out on the water! :D

[bobbyhoth]

I couldn't agree more. :) Both incredible places.

bobby

[Randygh]

My dad and I followed the Lady Rose from Uclulet to Port Alberni back in 1964. We trailered our 21' Tolly from Port Alberni to Tofino. At that time the road was an incredibly rough, dirt road. We broke off one of the trailer's fenders and a spring leaf. Couldn't take the boat back on the trailer. Tofino was a little Indian fishing village and Uclulet wasn't much better. We had no maps of Barkley Sound so we followed the LR into the Alberni Canal. What I remember most about the trip was the nasty rocks in Barkley Sound and the incredible number of dead heads floating in the canal. Other than a freighter hauling logs from Port Alberni I don't think we say any boats.

[beyond kelp]

I bet the fishing was smokin in 1964 :!: