74 ROD & CREEL 



THE STAMP RIVER 



This river drains Great Central Lake and runs into the Somas 

 about six miles from Alberni. The best place to fish it from is 

 the lodge on the lake. 



BARCLAY SOUND 



This sound is best reached by launch from Alberni, a dis- 

 tance of over thirty miles. There is no hotel accommodation and 

 a launch is a necessity. 



It has the finest salmon fishing of all southern waters and is 

 the most likely place for anybody who wants to beat the present 

 record salmon of seventy-two pounds. 



For the past two years it has been greatly exploited by pro- 

 fessional trollers, and tons and tons of salmon have been mark- 

 eted. So far little harm has been done but with the ever increas- 

 ing number of professional fishermen it can only be a matter of 

 a few years before the fishing becomes greatly depleted. 



A few fish are running there from year's end to year's end, 

 but the " springs" do not generally come into the sound in any 

 numbers much before March. This run continues on and off 

 right along until well on in July when the fish move out to the 

 Banks, some twenty-five miles right out in the Pacific, and they 

 stay there until the end of August, when they return to the sound 

 and gradually work their way up Alberni Canal, so that by the 

 end of the first week in September you can troll right from the 

 hotel at Port Alberni and stand a good chance of a fifty pound 

 fish. If, however, you want the fish in prime condition, do not 

 wait until they get up the canal as, while some good fish will be 

 caught, most will be just a bit off colour and not put up such a 

 strenuous fight. 



To get the finest and biggest fish the thing to do is to fish 

 the Banks, and to do this you must have a really good boat or 

 you will be taking your life in your hands. Fogs are very preva- 

 lent on the Banks, and the west wind has a nasty trick of getting 

 up just when you want it least, moreover, the entrance to the 

 sound is a mass of rocks. If you go, be sure you have a good 

 boat with an experienced skipper. 



Supposing, however, you decide to try it you are quite cer- 

 tain of getting big fish, even if you do not beat the record, pro- 

 viding you only fish with a good spinner. Last year the biggest 

 fish that I positively know was caught was sixty-seven and a half 

 pounds. Reports of a fish of eighty-six pounds were not verified, 

 but certainly monster fish were hooked in numbers and all broke 

 the tackle, which is not to be wondered at, seeing little or no 

 attempt is made to play a fish. 



So far as I know the ll Banks" have never been fished for 

 sport. The professionals fish entirely from launches, with four 



