Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report Welcome to mid-October, the days are getting shorter, the weather is getting moody, and most of the mature migratory fish are in their rivers now.  So, what does the Vancouver ocean salmon fisherman do this time of year?  Well, we go winter chinook fishing of course. It’s that time of year where we start to poke around the usual winter chinook spots in Lower Howe Sound.  It seems there are more winter chinook around each season and there are already a few being caught with many more on the way.  These are also known as feeder chinook, so these are fish that hang around our local waters and feed on the abundant herring and anchovy all winter long, making for some great fishing. It’s a long season, so pick…

Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report The past week required a bit more finesse, but the saltwater fishing has still been productive at the Fraser Mouth and closer to home. The weather over the past few days limited our ability to head south, but earlier in the week, before the northwest winds set in, boats at the Fraser Mouth had no problem hooking into chinook and coho. Later in the week, stronger winds kept the guide boats in the harbour, though this is the time of year when the Cap Mouth starts to heat up.  The Capilano has shown some good moments but remains a bit tricky. Bite timing has not been very consistent throughout the flood tide, although the PA guide boats have had the…

Vancouver Saltwater Fishing Report  We’re halfway through September and the fishing is shaping up right where we’d expect it to be for this time of year.  The action off the Fraser Mouth has been steady, and the local hotspots are improving by the day.  Mid-September is typically the peak of the fall migration of white chinook heading for the Fraser tributaries.  Year to year it can shift a bit, but history tells us we’ve got a few more weeks of solid fishing before it begins to taper off in early October. That said, it’s not uncommon to see lights-out days well into the Fall.  This past week also brought a big push of coho that has nearly doubled the action off the Fraser mouth.  Fishing…

Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report  Fishing has been great this past week.  On our 5-hour trips we have been fishing Vancouver Harbour.  If we want a LOT of action, we have been fishing around the Bell Buoy and Mile Markers with pink hootchies and getting a lot of pinks and some sockeye.  If we are looking for chinook salmon and fewer pinks we have been fishing from Point Atkinson down to the Cap Mouth.  Both strategies have been productive and providing world class salmon fishing only minutes from downtown Vancouver.  On our longer trips we have been making the run to Gabriola Island.  The chinook fishing continues to be absolutely fantastic there and with some coho and pinks around too.    This August has truly been…

Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report  The fishing off West Van from Point Atkinson down to the Cap Mouth continues to be productive with a mix of chinook, coho and pinks.  We have also had some good success off the Bell Buoy for pinks and the occasional coho.  A reminder that fishing for chinook off the Bell (Area 28-7) is closed, and by that I mean it says “no fishing for chinook” so you can’t be targeting that species.  What is opening in 28-7 is sockeye, albeit for a limited time.  “Subject: FN0810-RECREATIONAL – Salmon – Sockeye – Areas 11 to 15, 17 to 20, 111, 121, 123 to 127, and Subareas 16-1, 16-19 to 16-21, 28-1, 28-2, 28-7 – Opening – Effective August 16, 2025 …

Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report  Wow, August 1st already.  That happened quickly, didn’t it?  Looking back at July, no complaints at all as we had phenomenal local coho fishing.  When we went across to Area 17 it never disappointed with plenty of chinook, coho, and lingcod. Overall, fishing in July was as good as I’ve ever seen it before and the red-hot fishing for chinook, coho and lings will continue all of August in area 17 for our boats on full day trips.  So, what to expect in August locally?  Well, the pinks have shown up in force off South Bowen and that has changed the fishing in a big way these past 3 days.  These fish are likely destined for the Squamish River as…