Our Fishing Seasons at the Lodge
What we catch and when—
The Month of June
Waves of chinook salmon (kings) start arriving in late May. By June, they are accessible in the near shore waters. Some of the best chinook fishing of the year is in the latter half of June and first part of July. Early in the season, halibut are often found closer to shore and have not had much fishing pressure, so fishing can be good. Ling cod and rockfish are found during this time as well.
The Month of July
Chinook fishing continues to be steady through July. Both inshore and offshore areas produce plenty of large chinook salmon. The inlet areas less than 5 minutes from the lodge will start to produce fish in the latter part of July. Coho (silvers) also show up in early July, and the numbers build and the size increases as the month goes on. Halibut fishing continues to be productive, as much of the fishing for them is further offshore. Both ling cod and rockfish continue to be available.
The Month of August
During August, chinook salmon from the Conuma and other local rivers enter the inlet in big numbers as they head towards their spawning streams. At this time, there are multiple options for big chinooks. You can fish the protected areas of Esperanza Inlet with flat, calm conditions. Or you can venture a bit further out to the "beach" areas like Pin Rock, Low Rock and Sandstone point. You can also head offshore to try your luck on the famed “Salmon highway”. Coho also invade the inlets, and can be so thick at times offshore that you can't keep them off. Halibut, ling cod and rockfish fishing continues to be steady. During late August, there may also be opportunities to fish for tuna depending on conditions.
The Month of September
September becomes Coho time in the Esperanza area. Large numbers of sometimes very large (15lb+) Coho come into the inlet. There can also be large numbers feeding offshore. The chinook fishing generally becomes less productive as many of the local fish move closer to their home rivers. However, there are still runs of fish going past at the beach areas and offshore areas as they head south. As always, there are halibut, ling cod and rockfish to target. Tuna are also available as an option when conditions permit.