Bamfield Fishing

gunner3006

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2014
Messages
11,835
Reaction score
10,091
Location
grande prairie
Hey guys. Off chance, has anyone did the drive on the forestry access road to Bamfield on the west coast on van isle. Some guys online are saying it’s about 2.5 hours. In trailering my boat but looking for some first hand experience. Or is it easier just to boat from Alberni? If anyone has experience or info let me know.

Cheers
Chadd
 

Cableguy

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2014
Messages
1,973
Reaction score
4,593
Location
Okanagan
it is quite a wandering adventure but unless your boat is fast and you want to fish the inlet out to there just drive it pretty much all gravel
or at least it was 20 years ago
 

Lund

Active VIP Member
Joined
May 4, 2013
Messages
4,243
Reaction score
11,242
Location
Vernon/Kelowna
Hey guys. Off chance, has anyone did the drive on the forestry access road to Bamfield on the west coast on van isle. Some guys online are saying it’s about 2.5 hours. In trailering my boat but looking for some first hand experience. Or is it easier just to boat from Alberni? If anyone has experience or info let me know.

Cheers
Chadd

I have done it several times, its a long ways towing. About 2 1/2-3hrs towing depending on the road condition, it is dirt.
If your plan is to take your jet sled your best to tow to Bamfield for fishing then putting in at Port Alberni. A jet boat is too inefficient to put in at Port Alberni and take it to Bamfield by water IMO. I have done this two or maybe three times by boat, stayed in Port Alberni and its a long ways to go out and come back in the inlet, better suited for a prop boat. At the time I had a Bayliner Trophy that could run 55mph+ on nearly 1/2 the fuel my current jet boat uses at 35mph....LOL

I use to fish off the reef's 80miles west of Bamfield for Tuna, we would leave around 6am and be back by noon with our catch when I had the Bayliner, with my jet sled forget it, anything beyond 20miles can be sketchy for fuel.
 
Last edited:

acesup800

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2008
Messages
1,371
Reaction score
2,516
Location
BC
I have done it several times, its a long ways towing. About 2 1/2-3hrs towing depending on the road condition, it is dirt.
If your plan is to take your jet sled your best to tow to Bamfield for fishing then putting in at Port Alberni. A jet boat is too inefficient to put in at Port Alberni and take it to Bamfield by water IMO. I have done this two or maybe three times by boat, stayed in Port Alberni and its a long ways to go out and come back in the inlet, better suited for a prop boat. At the time I had a Bayliner Trophy that could run 55mph+ on nearly 1/2 the fuel my current jet boat uses at 35mph....LOL

I use to fish off the reef's 80miles west of Bamfield for Tuna, we would leave around 6am and be back by noon with our catch when I had the Bayliner, with my jet sled forget it, anything beyond 20miles can be sketchy for fuel.
Or just stay in Ucluelet....
 

gunner3006

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2014
Messages
11,835
Reaction score
10,091
Location
grande prairie
Hey guys. I posted this thread last year. I was booked to stay in at bamfield but a week before I went down they had that accident on the road with the coach and university students that were going to the marine biology centre. There were even a few die I believe. Anyways I ended up staying in alberni. It all worked out for the good because the fishing was bad. It was hot the week before and then it rained for 4 days straight and shut everything down. Even the Indians weren’t netting anything. I did run out to bamfield and fish for a day with my buddy who is a local and was slaying them the week before. I fished all the way out and back so lots of time on the kicker. Water was calm and it was a good day. I probably would not run back out there with a jet. Will stay right in bamfield next time. I will be back for sure.

Cheers
Chadd
 

Lund

Active VIP Member
Joined
May 4, 2013
Messages
4,243
Reaction score
11,242
Location
Vernon/Kelowna
Hey guys. I posted this thread last year. I was booked to stay in at bamfield but a week before I went down they had that accident on the road with the coach and university students that were going to the marine biology centre. There were even a few die I believe. Anyways I ended up staying in alberni. It all worked out for the good because the fishing was bad. It was hot the week before and then it rained for 4 days straight and shut everything down. Even the Indians weren’t netting anything. I did run out to bamfield and fish for a day with my buddy who is a local and was slaying them the week before. I fished all the way out and back so lots of time on the kicker. Water was calm and it was a good day. I probably would not run back out there with a jet. Will stay right in bamfield next time. I will be back for sure.

Cheers
Chadd

As mentioned above, you can avoid the dirt road all together if you go to Ucluelet instead. You still will be fishing Barkley Sound and from Ucluelet to Bamfield by boat is about 45min to an hour, well depending on the boat. Either way its not too far. Some of the islands and inlets have great Halibut and Ling fishing. You just need to stay alert about the tides not to get caught on the wrong side of things LOL. Barkley Sound can really swell up, so staying more in within the islands is best and will have better fishing opportunities.
 
Top Bottom