Best Fishing Spots
on Vancouver Island/Haida Gwaii
Chinook (King) Salmon Fishing
Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii are arguably the best salmon fishing hot spots for Chinook (King) salmon which is considered the premier salmon for both power in the fight and versatility in cooking.
Some locations have both protected water fishing and offshore fishing. For 2022 and 2023 some Chinook returns in Barkley Sound (Ucluelet) and South Thompson were the best in many years.
The northern British Columbia rivers are seeing a decline in Chinook returns though not as dramatic as Alaskan rivers.
Coho (Silver) Salmon Fishing
Coho salmon aren’t as large as Kings but can put up a fun fight and can be very acrobatic. A comparison may be between Marlin and Sailfish.
Coho can be lot of fun and for people that just want to reel in a salmon, Coho can fit the bill.
Halibut fishing
The halibut fishing off the BC coast is very good. Anywhere you go on the west coast should get you your limit of halibut during July and August.
Ucluelet:
Ucluelet has the largest feeding grounds of any location on the BC or Alaska coast for Chinook salmon and Halibut including the protected Barkley Sound. Ucluelet may have the largest amount of “feeder” Chinook which make it very consistent. There are also larger returning Chinook that follow the shoreline on their way to their respective rivers.
2022 and 2023 were very good for catching Chinook salmon close to shore or in protected water. There were also some days in July that were good for fishing with live squid for Chinook.
It is not uncommon tol see 10-30 Chinook hooked between 10-30 lb when on an experienced fishing charter. Big Bank is the famous location that many people think of when talking about Ucluelet.
Halibut limits usually come in June to mid to late August and you can catch Lingcod along the shores from April to October.
Because of the large area for fishing, boats are generally spread out. It could also be the most cost effective hot spot along the BC coast. For some it is just the favorite place. Salmon Eye Charters has a 50lbs a day guarantee on all 3 day Silver to Signature fishing packages which include accommodation, vacuum packing and freezing. .
They have a 50lbs a day guarantee unlike any other charter or fishing resort in BC or Alaska.
Haida Gwaii:
Haida Gwaii:
Located along the migratory path of some of the largest Chinook salmon in the world, this is arguably the best location for landing a Tyee – a term used for Chinooks weighing over 30lbs. The Chinook pass through here in good numbers on the way to their remote spawning rivers in the wilderness of Northern British Columbia. The best time of year for fishing here is June, July and early August. While it costs more to get up here, if you are looking for the largest possible Chinook (King) this is the place to do it. For most people it is best to fly in to a fishing resort here. Check out our guided fishing packages for Haida Gwaii…
Winter Harbour:
This remote place is one of the hardest to get to since you have to fly in and then drive over gravel road, but there is some good Chinook fishing that happens here for small to medium sized Chinook. June, July and early August is peak time. Winter Harbour has been know for its bottom fish mostly though unfortunately DFO just closed down Yellow Eye for the whole BC coast.
Kuoquot:
Another remote place where most people fly into or drive and then catch a boat. The runs here have been very consistent the past few years. Late June, July and August is the peak time here.
Nootka Sound:
A little easier to access than Kuoquot, this is a very large area of protected water and offshore fishing for Chinook salmon, many of which are returning to Nootka Sound. June, July, and August is the peak time to fish here.
Port Renfrew:
1.5 hours from Victoria, Port Renfrew is accessible and also has some great fishing. About 30 miles by boat from Port Renfrew is the Swiftsure Bank which can be very productive.
Victoria:
The most populated city on Vancouver Island, Victoria is on this list for its winter salmon and halibut fishing. The winter Chinook are usually in the 5-10lb range and halibut usually range in the 20-50lb range and Victoria can be one of the better places to fish during the winter. Check out our guided fishing packages for guided fishing packages for Victoria
