Vancouver Island Fishing Report Archives

Tofino Area Report: May 2005

The month of May undoubtedly provides some of the most diverse fishing options of the season in the Tofino area. Tofino’s offshore and inshore areas, as well as the remote streams and lakes that skirt Clayoquot Sound, all provide great opportunity for a variety of species.

After a great early season for Chinook salmon and Halibut, these offshore fisheries only intensify as the season progresses. For Chinook Salmon, your efforts should be focused on the offshore waters from Tofino’s Portland or Raphael Pts. Trolling from the bottom up to 120 feet, rig your anchovies or medium Herring in a teaser head 6-8 feet behind your favorite flasher. These aggressive fish are notorious for slamming large spoons and plugs, so be prepared with a few of the local proven producers. Watch your sonar, as well as the horizon, for the large schools of Pilchards that are often present. This is when your 6-7 inch spoons and plugs will often out-fish other gear types.
May is definitely “Halibut month” in Tofino area waters, and your efforts should be rewarded with Halibut ranging from 20-60 lbs on average, and understanding the areas tides and bottom structure is very important.

Fishing with Lead Minnow and Pipe style Jigs on the bottom are quite effective, but the method of choice would be to fish baits like Herring, Pilchards, Octopus or Salmon Bellies on a Gibbs spreader bar. The use of scents on your jigs or hoochy skirts is something worth trying.

Abundant numbers of juvenile Coho Salmon have started the local saltwater fly fishery early this year, with the sizes of these feisty salmon increasing rapidly over the next few months. Small flies in orange or pink are the best bet, such as Shrimp, Clousers and Epoxys. Numerous late spring Steelhead have been providing great action on Flies, Marabou Jigs, and light spinning gear. Flies such as the Steelies Nightmare, Clayoquot Prawns and Bunny Leeches have been most productive this spring. Gibbs #35 Koho spoons are a great springtime lure for both Steelhead and Cutthroat.

Trout fishing in the Tofino-Clayoquot Sound area is now prime, with local beaches often boiling with aggressive Sea-runs willing to take any thing that resembles a Salmon fry. Local lakes are active for both Rainbows and Cutthroat with Chironomids, nymphs, dragonfly nymphs and small minnow patterns a focus.

For those anglers on the east coast of the island that are not getting enough action,
Call us at 1-888-534-7422; we’d like to help you get hooked up!

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