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New Trip Log Where is Esperanza Inlet?
Esperanza Inlet (49.8589, -126.8667), located in Vancouver Island Region, Area 25, British Columbia, Canada spans 5250.8 hectares (approximately 12975 acres or 52.5 square kilometers).
Which fish can I catch at Esperanza Inlet?
The most popular species caught here are Yelloweye Rockfish and Chinook Salmon. Please use your best judgement when determining where you can fish, and make sure you follow local rules and regulations.
What does Esperanza Inlet have?
No one has left markers on Esperanza Inlet yet, you can add markers on the map.
Yelloweye Rockfish 
Chinook Salmon 
Pacific Halibut 
Lingcod About Esperanza Inlet
The west coast of Vancouver Island is one of the most productive fishing waters in the world and Tahsis is centred right in the middle of it.
Whether you are going after the world-class prawning grounds in Tahsis Inlet, some big ling cod and halibut along the coast, or the famous Conuma River salmon run in late July, Tahsis offers year-round fishing adventures.
There are four major fishing areas easily reached from Tahsis—Tahsis Inlet, Esperanza Inlet, Nootka Sound and Tlupana Inlet. Each one of these locations holds a unique fishing experience.
Tahsis Inlet is famous for its productive prawning, and is the only place open year-round. John Falavolito, owner of Westview Marina and Lodge in Tahsis, says prawns are near steep drop-offs in about 75 to 100 metres of water.
Falavolito gives one final tip for prawning. “Don’t use fresh fish of any kind. If you do, your traps will be full of slime eels rather than loaded with delicious prawns.”
Esperanza Inlet has experiences to offer anglers, any time of the year. Just off the coast is Six Mile Reef and The Pinnacles. Both are great locations to fish for halibut. You can also catch the salmon as they head into the inlet.
“Lots of people fish the ebb tide [of Six Mile Reef] for halibut and then get their salmon“ says Falavolito.
Moving into Esperanza Inlet, you will pass a number of great fishing locations, such as Double Island, Rosa Harbour and Blind Reef.
He describes the Whale’s tail as “worth its weight in gold. Its structure on the bottom looks just like a whale’s tail ... and the fish hold in this depression.”
Exceptional fishing opportunities exist throughout the inlet, from early spring to late fall. With a little help from Westview Marina, you can be sure to find the hottest fishing spots any time of the year.
Maquinna Point, at the south end of Nootka Island, is one of the first hot spots as the Connuma fish enter Nootka Sound. This is because the bait stacks up here, along the big rocks.
Moving into the sound, along the south side of the island, anglers can try out Wash Rocks, San Miguel Islands and Friendly Cove for more great places to fish.
A lot of salmon travel up Zuciarte Channel—a narrow but deep stretch of water. Fish the walls up and down the channel, mainly the down-island side. Chinook fishing is good from May to August.
Tlupana Inlet begins just past the north tip of Bligh Island and this is where the Conuma River salmon run converges. Fishing this run starts mid-July and runs about two to three weeks.
“Anywhere from 250,000 to 400,00 fish come back,” says Falavolito. “You can fish the mouth of the river, into the estuary and up the river as well, from the hatchery down.”
If you time the run right, the fishing is unbelievable. Three good spots to cover are Hoiss Point, San Carlos Point and Camel Rock.
For more information about fishing this section of Vancouver Island’s west coast, call John at Westview Marina and Lodge.
Call 250-934-7672 or email to [email protected].
Download a high resolution map from AnglersAtlas.com
