Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report
Here is the latest on coho and chinook salmon fishing in Vancouver and the Gulf Islands…
The big news is there is now more chinook opportunity locally! Area 28-6 along the West Van shoreline opened August 1st to one chinook a day. Minimum size is 62cm and max size is 80cm, it can be hatchery or wild. This will remain open until September 1st and on that date, it will change to a limit of two chinook per day, no max size limit.
Also on the horizon is the Area 28-9 opening. This area remains closed to chinook fishing until August 11 at midnight. On August 12 it will open to one chinook a day, minimum size 62cm and no max size limit. On September 1st it will also change to a limit of two chinook per day, no max size limit.
With these chinook openings and low water levels on the Capilano, the West Van shoreline is a great option in August. The Fraser River run of red springs peaks mid-month and lots of those fish get pushed over into 28-6 and 28-9 with the flood tide and NW winds. Later in the month the white springs headed to the Capilano River show up and more coho show up in August as well. With the low water levels, these Capilano chinook and coho will stack up along West Van. All those fish combined with the Fraser chinook that stop in to say hi make for some productive Vancouver salmon fishing. So, keep this area in mind for your August fishing trips!
A nice chinook from the 28-6 opening on August 1st from one of our 5-hour charters that morning
South Bowen is still producing some great catches of hatchery coho. Recently we have had some success around Cowan Point, but the schools of fish move around a lot, and the fishing can be good anywhere from Cowan to Roger Curtis on Bowen or up to Gower point. Note you can also retain a chinook if you are NW of Gower Point, 62 cm minimum size and maximum size of 80 cm, hatchery or wild.
A nice hatchery coho from South Bowen!
If you have the boat, the time, and the right marine conditions we recommend heading across the Strait of Georgia and fishing off Gabriola and Entrance Island. We have been heading over on our longer trips and have had phenomenal chinook and coho fishing! The bottom fishing has been good as well! This fishery will produce all of August.
A great catch of chinook, coho, lingcod, and rockfish from one of our guided trips to the Gulf Islands
See you in the shop or on the water,
Jason Tonelli