Port Alberni Salmon Festival and Derby During the 2024 Labour Day Weekend
August 28th 2024
The 2024 Port Alberni Salmon festival and Derby will once again take place from August 31st to September 2nd.
The Port Alberni Salmon Festival Society is hosting the event with the Festival and Derby Headquarters located at Tyee Landing on Harbor Road. This year the largest salmon will win someone $15,000. There are three daily prizes for biggest fish each day at: 1)largest daily Salmon-$5,000.00. 2)Second largest Salmon-$2,000. 3)Third largest Salmon-$1,000.
The Salmon Festival Society has put together a number of events including Salmon dinners and Live Entertainment which is led by new up and coming artist Cameron Whitcomb. The weekend will be fun as well as some great fishing in the Alberni Inlet and out into the scenic and pristine waters of Barkley Sound.
The Fishing in Barkley Sound has been consistent. There has been some fantastic Chinook and Coho fishing especially along the surf line locations. However as the fish are moving daily to migrate and spawn in their natal streams and rivers closer in areas such as Swale Rock, Pill Point, Assets, Diplock and Swiss Buoy, and Ecoole have been very good on various days. The fish are definitely hanging around and gorging on these rich resources of food, if there is bait fish in certain areas. The fish are feeding on the vast amounts of immature herring and needle fish. The best fishing on the surf line has still been at Cree and Austin Islands, Sail Rock and over to Mara Rock as well as Kirby, Edward King, and Sanford. The Chinook are in shallower water anywhere from thirty to sixty feet. Although some anglers are having better success later in the day in deeper water at Sail, Cree, and Mara. Coho have been on the surface to forty feet. Anchovy in purple haze, army truck, chartreuse, and glow teaser heads are working very well. The skinny G blue and green nickel herring aid and No Bananas spoons have been successful as well as the AORL 12 and pistachio hoochies. With a very high number of Chinook to return to West Coast Vancouver Island the sport Salmon fishing should continue strong over the next few weeks.
The Alberni Inlet has been inconsistent over the past ten days. Very Heavy rains for almost a week have driven many Chinook and Coho in the Stamp River. Normally the fish will remain in the inlet waiting for early September rainfall. However the very heavy rains have changed the historical pattern to this date. With warmer days in the forecast it is hoped that the Salmon moving from Barkley Sound to the Inlet will slow their migration. The best fishing to date has been out at Bells Bay and the Franklin Wall. Various anchovy teaser heads have been working the best for those anglers staying in the Inlet waters. Large Octopus Hoochies in the red and pink colors are working as well for those fisher persons having some success.
The fishing should continue in the area into the first half of September. The returns are expected to be very high with many of the migrating Chinook and Coho not arriving yet. The Salmon Festival and Derby during Labour Day should be a fantastic fun filled event.
Tight Lines
Doug Lindores
Slivers Charters Salmon Sport Fishing
1 888 214 7206
