Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report

Chinook has been open NW of Gower Point and over in area 17 since July 15^th and here is what is going on.  At Gower there has been some chinook caught in 90-150 feet of water, relatively close to bottom.  This spot in July doesn’t produce a lot of chinook, but at this time it is the closest chinook spot to Vancouver that is open.  If you are in the area, it is worth a try, but if you are serious about hooking a lot of chinook you need to make the run across.

The run from the Bell Buoy (Point Grey) in Vancouver to Gower is about 14 miles, and the run to Thrasher on Gabriola is about 17 miles from the same starting point.  So usually if it is calm enough to fish Gower, as it is an exposed spot that gets hammered by the NW winds, it is also calm enough to run across the Strait of Georgia and fish Gabriola.  There are a lot more chinook off Gabriola, plenty of coho, and it is open for lingcod and rockfish as well.  This definitely makes it worth the bit of extra time and fuel.

 

We have been across a few times this week and the fishing has been very good with limits of chinook and plenty of coho in the mix.  We have also been doing fairly well for lingcod.  The big full moon tides are behind us now and I think fishing should be excellent this week and next.  It sounds like the reports all up the ECVI are excellent, so I would expect the back end of July and all of August to have good chinook fishing in Area 17, just like we have seen the past few years.

Locally there are still plenty of coho off South Bowen and all the way up to Gower and likely well past that.  There are also good amounts of coho from Point Atkinson down to the Cap Mouth and we have been running into some Fraser chinook while coho fishing.  Select areas along West Van will open for chinook August 1^st and that will be a great chinook option only a few minutes from downtown.

Crabbing is pretty slow right now, the commercial fleet has scooped up all the legals, so I wouldn’t recommend dropping pots in the harbour at this time.

There is lots of great fishing to be had in the next 5 weeks and then Sep 1 it will open off the Fraser Mouth.  So, if you want to get out there, especially for chinook, coho, and lings, now is the time to go.

See you in the shop or on the water,

Jason Tonelli

 

Essential Beach Fishing Gear + Beach Report

The Capilano beaches continue to produce a few fish each day. Tides are shaping up to be decent for the weekend so set your alarm and have your gear packed and ready. We have some rain in the forecast for early next week that could provide some cover and prolong the first light bite. I wanted to dive into some of the gear to make the most of my beach fishing season. If you find yourself getting up early and wading the salty flats this gear list is for you. I have some general items and some fly/gear specific items to review.

Waterproof Packs and Bags: Saltwater environments are rough on fabrics and zippers. A fully waterproof submersible bag is the best way to keep your tackle salt free and still be able to wade deep when you need to. These bags often have heavy duty rubber gaskets and closures that have no metals parts to rust out on you.

Salt Specific Boots: Your regular felt boots will start to get torn up on the barnacle and shell encrusted beaches. A few trips is fine but the best solution is a rubber soled boot… specificity a gum sole found on a salt water specific model. These are made to tackle the jagged surfaces and provide excellent traction.

Sun protection: A big part of fishing is staying comfortable when out on the water. A few sun protective clothing pieces will keep you out longer casting to your trophy. A good hat, sun gator and gloves means I don’t have to slap on as much sun screen, and a quality sun shirt will keep you cool under the summer sun. Don’t forget sunglasses! A vital part of the beach fishery kit is polarized glasses. This will reduce eye fatigue and cut the glare off the water to spot those fast moving fish.

 

Fluorocarbon: All anglers will benefit from the stealth and invisibility afforded by these ultra clear lines. This also lets me fish slightly heavier leaders to ensure a proper connection on every encounter. I check my leaders often for nicks and abrasion in the shallows.

Stripping Basket: these are very important for fly anglers. Your ability to managing shooting/running lines will result in longer controlled casts. The basket will keep you tangle free and casting smooth when the waves are rolling. They also provide vital protection for Fly lines… one bad miss step on a razor sharp clam bed can destroy your new fly line.

Salt specific fly lines: a Saltwater fly line generally has a more robust coating for harsher environments. A longer head floating line will give more intermediate casters a delicate presentation at distance. Some more novice casters may opt for a short head shooting line that is quick loading and easy to shoot. This is a quick fix for distance but many not land as delicately.  More technical coho chasers may go to clear intermediate lines for the stealthy approach and the versatility it offers when chasing fish in shallow clear waters… not just the beach.

 

Weighted Castings Jigs: It’s no secret that buzz bombs and zingers can cast a mile. When the sun is out, I pick up a larger offering to cast farther and hopefully dredge something up from off the far bank. Come August we can expect to see retention for chinook off the Ambleside and Capilano mouth areas. A larger zinger on a heavy spin setup just might find you more than Coho off the beaches later in the summer.

Expect the beaches to get busier as fish continue hold up during the low river season. Be courteous to your fellow anglers and pack out whatever you bring down to the shore.

Cheers

Eric Peake