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 for them was already decent, but the size and numbers showing up now are impressive. Some of these coho have been running so hard that they were mistaken for chinook until they hit the net. Most have been wild, but hatchery fish are mixed in as well.
A solid morning haul for some lucky anglers on a recent charter!
Closer to home, the Bell Buoy, West Van, and the Capilano Mouth have all been picking up. Earlier in the month these spots were less consistent, but the past week has seen better numbers of both chinook and coho in the harbour. Bait is still the go-to this time of year, though spoons and hoochies have been producing too. If you haven’t tried running a dummy flasher setup, now’s a great time to test it out. Landing fish without the drag of an inline flasher makes for an even better fight and often boosts landing ratios.
Big shallow bites are what the Fall is all about!
With the lack of rain, Capilano fish continue to stack up at the mouth waiting for higher river levels. The most consistent bites come when trolling gear close to bottom during the flood tide. On a big ebb, fish avoid pushing through the heavy current at the First Narrows. Once the tide flips, they use the slower water near bottom to hold and wait for ideal river conditions. Suspended gear will get fish, but down in the mud is where you’ll find more action. Remember, the Cap Mouth is a tight area. Keep things orderly with the “right rod to the rocks” rule so everyone gets a fair shot at the shoreline tack.
Some nice hatchery coho caught locally this week.
While we’re in peak Fall mode, it won’t be long before winter chinook season is upon us. Late October and November consistently deliver some of the best winter fishing of the year, and we’re already seeing good numbers of feeder chinook mixed in with the mature run. Each year this fishery seems to get better, so don’t be too quick to put the boat away when fall wraps up– there’s still plenty of fishing to come!
Tight lines,
Jake Comrie