Barkley Sound & Alberni Inlet

Ucluelet, Bamfield, Barkley Sound, Port Alberni and Alberni Inlet - DFO Areas 23 and 123.

Other west coast waters: Clayoquot Sound & Tofino · Nootka Sound & Esperanza Inlet. Port Renfrew is in South Vancouver Island.

What's working now

The linked September Ucluelet report favours trolled anchovies or larger spoons for late mature chinook, with coho moving inshore around harbour kelp beds. Bucktail flies and cast jigs worked for those feeding coho; larger, faster presentations are the named approach. These are September observations, not confirmed October catches.

Sources: Island Fisherman magazine report, Salmon Eye fishing report - thank you to these sources for their updates. Further details in the linked reports.

Latest reports

Sep 1

Ucluelet: mature chinook darkening and striking out of aggression - trolled anchovy or larger spoon for big resident spawners; coho moving inshore with kelp beds hot for buck-tail flies and cast jigs; calm seas opening halibut, black cod and albacore offshore.

Source: Island Fisherman magazine report, Sep 1 2026.

Jul 26

Ucluelet: fishing good but challenging some days, with a larger average salmon size than most years - good days both offshore and in close to shore.

Source: Salmon Eye fishing report, Jul 26 2026.

Weather, wind and water

Environment Canada weather forecastBamfield
Marine ForecastWest Coast Vancouver Island South

No watches or warnings in effect.

Issued 10:30 AM PDT 13 October 2026

Today Tonight and Wednesday. Wind southeast 10 to 20 knots except southeast 30 northwest of Estevan Point. Wind becoming southwest 15 to 25 this evening except southeast 15 to 20 near the coast. Wind becoming southeast 10 to 20 late overnight then becoming southeast 15 to 25 near noon Wednesday.

Waves: Seas 1 to 2 metres building to 2 to 3 after midnight then subsiding to 2 Wednesday morning.

ThursdayWind southeast 15 to 25 knots.
FridayWind southeast 15 to 25 knots veering to southwest 15 to 25 late in the day.
SaturdayWind northwest 20 to 30 knots diminishing to light late in the day.

Environment Canada marine forecast, refreshed each morning - full details on weather.gc.ca

TidesBamfield - 3-day table

Port Alberni tide predictions - use the station nearest your fishing location.

DFO openings + closuresAreas 23 / 123 - latest notices
Earlier dated DFO notices

Latest DFO fishery notices touching this region, refreshed each morning - full details and regulations on DFO's page

Click here for DFO area map tailored to each area

DFO species limits - Areas 23 and 123 (tap to open)
Species Areas Min size Gear Daily Limits Status
Chinook salmon (hatchery and wild combined) 23,123 45cm barbless hook and line 2 Open
Chum salmon 23 30cm barbless hook and line 0 Non Retention
123 30cm barbless hook and line 4 Open
Coho salmon (hatchery and wild combined) 23-1 to 23-3 30cm barbless hook and line 4 Combined Total
* Consisting of no more than:
  • 4 - Hatchery - marked
  • 1 - Wild - unmarked
Open
23-4 to 23-11 30cm barbless hook and line 2 Combined Total
* Consisting of no more than:
  • 2 - Hatchery - marked
  • 1 - Wild - unmarked
Open
123 30cm barbless hook and line 2 Combined Total
* Consisting of no more than:
  • 2 - Hatchery - marked
  • 0 - Wild - unmarked
Open
Pink salmon 23 30cm barbless hook and line 0 Non Retention
123 30cm barbless hook and line 4 Open
Sockeye salmon 23 30cm barbless hook and line 4 Open
123 30cm barbless hook and line 0 Non Retention
Species Areas Min size Gear Daily Limits Status
Codfish 23,123 angling, spear fishing while diving 8 Open
Eulachon 23,123 0kg Closed
Finfish - all other species 23,123 angling, dip net, herring jig, herring rake, spear fishing while diving 20 Open
Greenling 23,123 angling, spear fishing while diving 3 Open
Halibut 23,123 angling, spear fishing while diving 2 Open
Herring 23,123 cast net, dip net, herring jig, herring rake 20kg Open
Lingcod 23,123 65cm angling, spear fishing while diving 3 Open
Mackerel 23,123 angling, dip net, herring jig, herring rake, spear fishing while diving 100 Open
Northern Anchovy 23,123 cast net, dip net, herring jig, herring rake 20kg Open
Pacific sand lance 23,123 cast net, dip net, herring jig, herring rake 5kg Open
Pacific sardine 23,123 angling, dip net, herring jig, herring rake, spear fishing while diving 100 Open
Rockfish - Yelloweye 23,123 angling, spear fishing while diving 0 Non Retention
Rockfish - all species except Yelloweye 23,123 angling, spear fishing while diving 3 Open
Sablefish 23,123 angling 4 Open
Sculpin 23,123 angling 8 Open
Shark - Basking 23,123 0 Closed
Shark - Blue 23,123 0 Closed
Shark - Brown Cat 23,123 0 Closed
Shark - Great White 23,123 0 Closed
Shark - Salmon 23,123 angling, spear fishing while diving 1 Open
Shark - Sixgill 23,123 0 Closed
Shark - Tope 23,123 0 Closed
Shark - all other species 23,123 0 Closed
Skate 23,123 angling 1 Open
Smelt 23,123 dip net, gill net 20kg Open
Sole or Flounder 23,123 angling, spear fishing while diving 8 Open
Spiny Dogfish 23,123 angling, spear fishing while diving 0 Non Retention
Surfperch 23,123 angling 8 Open
Tuna - Albacore 23,123 angling, spear fishing while diving 20 Open
Tuna - Pacific bluefin 23,123 angling, spear fishing while diving 20 Open
Tuna - all other species 23,123 angling, spear fishing while diving 20 Open
White Sturgeon 23,123 angling 0 Non Retention
Wolf Eel 23,123 angling 0 Non Retention
Species Areas Min size Gear Daily Limits Status
Trout (hatchery and wild combined) 23,123 30cm angling 2 Combined Total
* Consisting of no more than:
  • 2 - Hatchery - marked
  • 0 - Wild - unmarked
Open
Species Areas Gear Daily Limits
Clam - Butter 23,123 hand digging, hand picking 20
Clam - Horse 23,123 hand digging, hand picking 6
Clam - Littleneck 23,123 hand digging 60
Clam - Manila 23,123 hand digging 60
Clam - Razor 23,123 hand digging 12
Clam - Softshell 23,123 hand digging 25
Clam - Varnish 23,123 hand digging 60
Clam - all species combined 23,123 hand digging, hand picking 60
Cockles 23,123 hand digging, hand picking 25
Geoduck 23,123 hand digging, hand picking 3
Mussel - Blue 23,123 hand picking 75
Mussel - California 23,123 hand picking 25
Mussels - all species combined 23,123 hand picking 75
Oyster - Olympia 23,123 0
Oyster - all species except Olympia 23,123 hand picking 12
Scallop - Pink and Spiny 23,123 hand picking, hand picking while diving 75
Scallop - Purple-hinged rock 23,123 hand picking, hand picking while diving 6
Scallop - Weathervane 23,123 hand picking, hand picking while diving 6
Scallop - Weathervane and Purple-hinged rock combined 23,123 hand picking, hand picking while diving 6
Snail - Moon 23,123 hand picking 2
Snail - other 23,123 hand picking 75
Whelks 23,123 hand picking 75
Species Areas Min size Gear Daily Limits Status
Crab - Box 23,123 dip net, hand picking, hand picking while diving, ring net, trap 1 Open
Crab - Dungeness 23,123 165mm dip net, hand picking, hand picking while diving, ring net, trap 6 Open
Crab - Dungeness, Red Rock and King combined 23,123 dip net, hand picking, hand picking while diving, ring net, trap 6 Open
Crab - King 23,123 dip net, diving, ring net, trap 2 Open
Crab - Puget Sound King 23,123 dip net, hand picking, hand picking while diving, ring net, trap 1 Open
Crab - Red Rock 23,123 115mm dip net, hand picking, hand picking while diving, ring net, trap 6 Open
Crab - Shore 23,123 hand picking 25 Open
Crab - other 23,123 dip net, hand picking, hand picking while diving, ring net, trap 4 Open
Species Areas Gear Daily Limits Status
Abalone 23,123 0 Closed
Barnacles - Giant 23,123 diving 6 Open
Barnacles - Goose 23,123 hand picking 2kg Open
Invertebrates - all other species 23,123 angling, dip net, hand digging, hand picking, hand picking while diving, hand picking while snorkeling, hand pump, ring net, spear fishing while diving, trap 20 Open
Limpet 23,123 hand picking 75 Open
Octopus 23,123 angling, hand picking, hand picking while diving, trap 1 Open
Sand Dollar 23,123 hand picking 6 Open
Sea Cucumber 23,123 hand picking, hand picking while diving 12 Open
Sea Star or Starfish 23,123 diving, hand picking 6 Open
Sea Urchin 23,123 hand picking, hand picking while diving 12 Open
Shellfish - all other species 23,123 angling, dip net, hand digging, hand picking, hand picking while diving, hand pump, ring net, spear fishing while diving, trap 20 Open
Shrimp - Ghost 23,123 hand digging, hand pump 50 Open
Shrimp including prawn 23-1 to 23-3 0 Closed
23-4 to 23-11 and 123 ring net, spear fishing while diving, trap 125 Open
Squid - Opal 23,123 cast net, jigging 200 Open
Squid - all other species 23,123 cast net, jigging 20 Open

DFO tables checked October 14, 2026. Subarea exceptions and closures on the official DFO page override these tables. Check the latest before keeping fish.

River levelsSomass River - live read

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River levelsGold River - live read

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Coming up on the water

November 2026

December

January

In the news - noteworthy reads

Updated daily

Guides, charters and lodges

Free listings - real operators serving this region, no paid placement.

Slacktide SportfishingCharter - Ucluelet. Salmon and halibut charters from Ucluelet.Canadian Princess Lodge & MarinaCharter + lodge - Ucluelet. Lodge and marina in Ucluelet harbour with guided west coast charters.Hot Pursuit ChartersCharter - Ucluelet. Trophy salmon fishing charters out of Ucluelet.Castaway ChartersCharter - Ucluelet. Fishing charters out of Ucluelet.Wild Pacific ChartersCharter - Ucluelet. Salmon fishing charters in Ucluelet.Oceans West AdventuresCharter - Ucluelet. Halibut and salmon trips from Ucluelet.Mark's Reel Fishing AdventuresCharter - Ucluelet. Fishing charters out of Ucluelet.Barkley Sound LodgeLodge - Barkley Sound. Fishing lodge and charters in Barkley Sound.Bamfield LodgeLodge - Bamfield. Fishing lodge in Bamfield, Barkley Sound.Harbourside Fishing LodgeLodge - Bamfield. Fishing lodge in Bamfield.Alberni ChartersCharter - Port Alberni. Fishing charters and overnight trips from Port Alberni.West Edge FishingCharter - Tofino / Ucluelet. West coast salmon and halibut charters.

Run a guide, charter or lodge in this region? Get listed free: contact@tightlinesbc.com

Out of the ordinary

Earthquakes (last 7 days, M2.5+), tsunami advisories and weather alerts affecting this region - straight from Earthquakes Canada and Environment Canada, refreshed each morning. Nothing listed? Nothing unusual is on the books.

Tips and techniques - by species

Chinook salmon

Coho salmon

Halibut

Prawns

Bottomfish

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Wind, waves and swell (Windy)

Wave height forecast: Seas 1 to 2 metres building to 2 to 3 after midnight then subsiding to 2 Wednesday morning.

West Coast Vancouver Island South - Today Tonight and Wednesday.

Issued 04:00 AM PDT 13 October 2026 - Environment Canada marine forecast. Regional forecast, not a measurement at your boat. Check the latest before heading out.

Check the regs yourself before you fish. Openings, closures and limits change without notice, sometimes mid-season and area by area. Everything here is an aggregation for convenience, not an official source. Always confirm the current rules for your specific management area directly with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (saltwater / salmon) and the B.C. Freshwater Fishing Regulations before you go.