Situated on the western coast of Vancouver Island, The Somas ( Stamp ) River system offers anglers the chance to employ either artificial lures or bait. However, bait is restricted in the upper Stamp River, so the angler needs to be educated.

The Robertson Creek Hatchery has been crucial in promoting the success of the local river. It offers an accessible option for anglers without boats, who can still enjoy wading in this expansive river system and partake in its abundant fishery opportunities.

Although the area may experience periods of high activity, there is ample access for exploration from the lower section, the Somass River, to the upper portion, the Stamp River. Bait is typically permitted up to the Girl Guide hole, approximately 400 feet upstream from where Beaver Creek meets the river. It should be noted that regulations may differ each year; therefore, it is important to remain vigilant and adhere to all current guidelines.

This year ( 2023 ), I challenged myself and my friends using Cured Roe against BnR artificial soft beads. To our surprise, we had days that had outfished fish roe.

Also, I decided instead of traditionally allowing the weight to tap along the bottom as we drift our floats down the river, we would explore drifting in the 1/2 to 3/4 water column depth.

It led to fewer gear losses caused by snags on river bottom structures. A lack of bottom bouncing also prevented any hooked salmon from being fowled.

My belief in success with beads is to have no boundaries of size or colour in my terminal tackle when targeting spring or coho salmon. 8mm in the early part of the season was successful, and as the season progressed, it changed to 12 mm and 14 mm.

Here is my short video capturing some of our success.