Stamp River Chinook in Season

The Chinook run this fall has been one of the best resembling the 80s and early 90's. With an epic Chinook run underway all sectors are having bonus access to abundant hatchery surpluses bound for the Stamp River.

Following please find a details report including:

Run Size
Historical Timing
Environmental Conditions
Regulations

Coho are in the system now as well but are less abundant than the Chinook.

We are running both gear and fly fishing trips daily. Available Dates

photo credits Anders Bo Jensen and Super Model Linnea

Featured Trip

Fall Salmon & Steelhead Fish-Lodge-Dine

1 Night Lodging & 1 Day fully guided fishing. Breakfast, Lunch, Gourmet Dinner, Fish Care . Stay as many days that fit your schedule!

Featured Trip

Fall Salmon & Steelhead Fish-Lodge-Dine

1 Night Lodging & 1 Day fully guided fishing. Breakfast, Lunch, Gourmet Dinner, Fish Care . Stay as many days that fit your schedule!

Featured Trip

Salmon & Steelhead - Guided Day Trips

1 Day Guided Fishing for Chinook, Coho and depending on the timing possibly Steelhead. Stamp Somass River System

Our updated availability is also online but be sure to call before making travel plans since bookings are moving quickly.

Run Size:

AREA 23 CHINOOK PRE-SEASON EXPECTATIONS

Somass/Robertson Creek Hatchery Chinook

The forecast terminal return of adult Stamp/RCH Chinook to Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet in
2021 is approximately 133,000 (range: 98,000–167,000). With the pre-season forecast in the
“Abundant” category, the fishing season opened with directed Chinook fisheries in the Alberni
Inlet area for all sectors.

CATCH TO DATE AND IN SEASON RUN SIZE INDICATORS - CATEGORY 4 ABUNDANT (The highest category)

Using a standardized run timing model and the total accounting to date of 108,175 (Table 3;
Figure 13), a final run size of 115,000 was calculated based on the idea that 96% of the final run
had entered the Inlet by 13 September. Given uncertainty in the regression model and the total
accounting to date, the Area 23 roundtable agreed on 13 September to proceed with a reforecast abundance of 115,000 adults for ongoing fisheries management.

The run is so big that all sectors were able to fish these surplus stocks to date.

Catch Estimate: 81,234
Somass First Nations – 32,550
Recreational – 20,471
Maa-nulth First Nations – 1,785
Area D Gillnet – 15,700
Area B Seine –9,970
Test Fishery – 688 Stewardship – 70

The River fishery remains strong and we are only part way through the season. We look forward to more strong weeks ahead.

HISTORICAL RUN TIMING

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

REGULATIONS

DFO Online Link
www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region1-eng.html (scroll down to Somass River)

All retained chinook and sockeye must measure 30 cm or more from tip of nose to tail fork, and all coho must measure 25 cm or more.
An "adult chinook" in Region 1 is defined as being over 50 cm.

Somass River

All
June 1 to Aug 24
Bait ban

Except in those areas and times listed below

Chinook
Aug 25 to Dec 31
2 per day, 1 of which may be more than 77cm in length.

Coho
Aug 25 to Dec 31
2 per day

Approximately 200 meters above and 150 metres below the island near the boat launch at Somass Park near Service Road.

Sockeye
July 5 until further notice
No retention of sockeye.
FN0620

From the tidal boundary at the Papermill Dam to white triangular fishing boundary signs approximately 0.5 km upstream (Falls Road Gravel Pit and the southernmost end of Collins Farm/Arrow Vale Campground-Hector Road).

All
Aug 25 to Nov 15
Finfish closure

Somass River tributaries

All
May 1 to Oct 31
Bait ban.

Sproat River

All
May 1 to Oct 31
Bait ban

All
Apr 1 to Mar 31
No retention of salmon.

Sproat River from Sproat Lake to fishing boundary signs approx. 300m downstream of Hwy 4

All
Jun 15 to Nov 15
Finfish closure

Stamp River

Except in those areas and times listed below

Chinook
Aug 25 to Dec 31
2 per day, 1 of which may be more than 77 cm. in length

Coho
Aug 25 to Dec 31
2 per day

From the confluence of the Ash River upstream to the Great Central Lake Dam

All
Jan 1 to Apr 30
Finfish closure

Between fishing boundary signs approximately 200m upstream of and 500m downstream of Stamp Falls

All
June 15 to Nov 15
Finfish closure

Hatchery Lagoon - from boundary signs on either side of the Stamp River located at the inlet of the Stamp River hatchery lagoon continuing downstream approx. 250m to the cable car crossing

All
Aug 25 to Oct 31
Finfish closure

Powerline Crossing - from boundary signs on either side of the Stamp River at the powerline crossing downstream approx. 500m to boundary signs on either side of the Stamp River located at the inlet of the Stamp River hatchery lagoon.

All
Oct 1 to Oct 14
Finfish closure

Upstream of signs located at Girl Guide Falls approximately 250m upstream of the Beaver Creek and Stamp River confluence

All
Apr 1 to Mar 31
Bait ban

Downstream of signs at "Girl Guide Falls" approximately 250m upstream of the mouth of Beaver Creek.

All
Jun 1 to Aug 24
Bait ban