Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report
Sockeye Update:
Well, it doesn’t look like we are going to get a sockeye opening. The original run estimate was 9,500,000 and it has been downgraded multiple times and the current run estimate is around 5,000,000. Pretty frustrating considering there has been US commercial fisheries and there are lots of gill nets in the river for First Nation food fisheries. The number of fish required to sustain a modest recreational harvest is miniscule compared to the consumption of these other two user groups, yet we remain closed. Not surprised, as this is consistent with DFO’s lack of respect for public fisheries.
Chinook Update:
We made it across to Gabriola a few times this week and the chinook fishing remains good there. We have been doing well on black or blue glow flashers with blue splatter back hootchies, fished close to the bottom in 150-1250 feet of water.
A nice limit of chinook from a trip on Thursday at Gabriola.
Remember that on September 1st the mouth of the Fraser will open for chinook again, 2 a day, min size of 62 cm, no max size limit. These fish are nice and shallow, usually in the top 65 feet of the water column. Bait is usually the best producer for these fish, so make sure you have some anchovies or smaller herring ready to go for those Rhy Davis teaser heads.
Also remember that the North Arm area is an SRKW sanctuary zone as of Aug 1. Here is a picture of that zone. Probably the easiest way to stay out of it from a fishing perspective is to fish S of the Iona Jetty, which you can see on this map.
Local Fishing Update:
Fishing along the West Van shoreline from Point Atkinson to the Cap Mouth has been decent this week. We have been getting coho and chinook on most of our trips and our best depths on the riggers has been 35-65 feet. There are also a few Cap chinook starting to show up at the mouth and numbers will build there as we get into September.
See you in the shop or on the water,
Jason Tonelli