The Moutcha Bay Kayak Fishing Derby is an annual event hosted by Nootka Marine Adventures at Moutcha Bay Resort. The resort is located 40 km north of Gold River on Vancouver Island and is situated at the mouth of the Conuma River. Every year the event is hosted on the last weekend of August, an ideal time since the Chinook salmon are staging at the mouth of the river right in front of the resort. This year was planned to be the 17th consecutive year of the derby, but with government restrictions on gatherings due to Covid 19, the derby could not be held. Instead a more informal kayak fishing weekend was hosted with some door prizes and fundraising for the local Nootka Sound Watershed Society.
The turnout was significantly less than other years, but there was still a good showing. Around 40 kayak anglers travelled to the resort to try their luck at some huge chinook salmon (Last year the winning fish was a 28 pound male). Myself and 3 other Albertans made the journey to the island - a 17 hour trip including the ferry! We were the only people from outside of BC this year so we had to represent Alberta on our own.
The fishing in the bay was more difficult as the fish were much more spread out than other years, and weren’t in the same numbers either. There were sporadic windows where 2-3 people would hook up into a fish and then no one would catch anything for the next 3 hours. Electronics were essential in tracking the schools of salmon and I was able to locate them multiple times. Every presentation I tried wasn’t what they were looking for and I was skunked in the bay. Luckily a fellow Albertan was able to land a 15.6 lb Chinook in the bay for 2nd Place (good job Curtis!)
After 2 days of fishing in the bay with no luck, I made my way up river to try out one of the deeper pools. I had heard from some locals that the fish were biting on the fly, so I brought out my 8wt pike fly rod. Over the next 2 days, I was able to hook up into multiple fish with both the fly rod and my spinning rod! The fish were aggressive and it was amazing to see the fish stacked up waiting for high tide and rain to make their way up the river to spawn. The fight on a fly rod is unlike anything I have ever experienced. The sheer amount of power that these salmon have is incredible and makes for some sore arms at the end of the day!
Other high points of the weekend include:
- Catching a ton of jellyfish and sea cucumbers
- Having a black bear walk right up to the pool we were fishing (he was very uninterested in us, but we got out of there to give him space)
- Curtis catching 2 starfish
- Catching my first yelloweye rockfish and ling cog
- Seals and Eagles everywhere in the bay
- A family of sea otters sunning near the resort
- And finally a great group of guys to share the yurt with (who knew 5pm noise complaints were a thing?)
Next year’s trip is already booked and I already want to go back!
Terran Bernhard
Aquabatics Ambassador
Wilderness Systems Pro-Staff
Instagram @ saskkayakangler
