Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report
Once again, the coho fishing this week is on center stage. The fishing has been excellent, and our guide boats have been getting quick limits on hatchery coho. The fish are a great size for this time of year, a testament to the number of herring and anchovies in our area. We have had some fun trips with locals, clients from around the world, and lots of families, which is great to see.
Another happy family with some coho for the BBQ this Canada Day long weekend
Best depths have been from just under the surface, around 17-21 on the riggers, down to as deep as 65 on the riggers. Early in the morning that 20-35 zone on the riggers seems to work well and once the sun gets higher 35-55 seems to start producing some more fish. To cover all these zones, you can stack 2 rods on the rigger with a 20-25 foot spread. Lately the fishing has been on the hectic side, so we haven’t been stacking, but if it slows down, stacking is a great way to cover the water and maximize your catch rate.
The coho have been nice and fat for this time of year as they are feeding heavily on anchovies
Productive flashers have been the Gibbs or Oki, Purple Onion and Green Onion, with or without a glow stripe, Purple Haze, Green Haze, and Silver Betsy, either the original or the Super Betsy. We fish a lot of hootchies for coho and the go to is the Yamashita white UV hootchy. We stock a few versions of these at the shop. Some have a pearl finish, some have a glow stripe, some have a pink stripe. All of these have been working well with a short leader in the 24-28 inch range. Keep your speed up while trolling for coho, they like a fast action, so that flasher is rotating quickly, giving that hootchy lots of action.
Best fishing locations have been off South Bowen from Cowan to Roger Curtis and out on the Hump. If you aren’t on the fish, keep moving. This can be a move further along Bowen or out into deeper or shallower water, but if you aren’t getting bites you need to keep searching. Once you get some action, waypoint it and try and stay in that area and drop more waypoints as a reference.
I am getting some questions about the July 15th chinook opening that we have had the past 3 years. No info on that as of yet. I have some emails in to DFO asking when the announcement will come out and will report back to you as soon as I know anything. There are certainly lots of chinook around, as we are getting some while fishing shallow for coho.
Crabbing is decidedly slower as the commercial fleet has been working the harbour hard, as per usual this time of year.
If you want to experience this great coho fishery, give us a call at 778-788-8582 for more info and to book your trip. If you have your own boat, drop by the shop for some expert advice and the hot tackle. Free parking right in front of the shop!
Sunset Marina Update: We heard that Sunset Marina will be shut down for at least Saturday for filming of a commercial. If this is where you usually launch your boat, give them a call first to make sure they will be open for launching.
See you in the shop or on the water,
Jason Tonelli