Steelhead Fishing
...in the Stamp/Somas River System.

Alex Discovers Vancouver Island

Alex introduces us to Steelhead Fishing.

For Steelhead fishing at its best drift the Stamp -- Somas river system on Vancouver Island . Do it with Dave Murphy, a professional fishing guide from Port Alberni.

The Stamp and Somas rivers flow out of central Vancouver Island lakes and both support great steelhead trout runs. The rivers blend together before spilling over a weir and flowing into Alberni inlet at Port Alberni. The Robertson Creek fish hatchery ensure continued runs of salmon by the production of eight million chinook, a million coho, salmon fingerlings and quarter a million steelhead trout annually.

The last time I drifted the Stamp with Dave from his place on the river bank, I was tying on an eight pound leader with a size 4 hook and Dave said “Here put on this size 6 hook on a 6 pound leader,” he said, “ the river’s clear and you’ll be using roe bags.”

I’d never fished so light for steelhead, but I thought, you’re the boss Dave, so I tied on the leader.

“Colin is going to use roe on it’s own,” he continued. “We’ll see who wins.”

Dave drove the jet boat up to the white water near the fish and game clubhouse and we started to drift.

We both had a fish in the boat within the hour. The first fish I brought to the boat I thought looked a little dark. “Oh, I may have released that one,” I said.“It was a hatchery fish” said Dave. “I’m not allowed to release it -- I’d lose my licence -- we have to kill hatchery fish.”

Later when we approached the dam at the end of the drift Dave said, “Cast there Alex,” pointing to a rock near the bank I did, the float hit the water and went straight down. I struck and felt the fish then the line went slack and I was reeling as fast as I could on my Silex.

The fish swam straight towards the boat and leapt six feet in the air a few yards from us. It was gone. “Not much of a chance with those,” said Dave. “The ones that come straight at you and then aerial.

We hooked nine steelhead that day. I don’t know if Dave the fishing guide was the real reason for the catch or if it was the roe bags. Dave tells you exactly where to cast and expects the ardent steelheader to drop the lure exactly on the spot.

It was a great day steelhead fishing on the Stamp river. Try it sometime to get to Port Alberni drive north on Highway 19 and take Highway 4 near Parksville. If it’s in the winter, that’s steelhead time, make sure you have chains or four wheel drive.

There is nothing more stimulating than steelhead fishing on Vancouver Island....and the Stamp/Somas river system could be the best place of all.

Dave Murphy, Fishing Guide, can be found at:
[http://murphysportfishing.com.]

Steelhead Fishing to Fishing on Vancouver Island

Steelhead Fishing to Discover Vancouver Island

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