Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report
This past week we have had a lot of 5-hour trips and some strong NW winds on some days, so we have been focusing our efforts from Point Atkinson, West Van, and down to the Capilano River Mouth. We have had to work for our bites on some days, but for the most part fishing has been good for coho and chinook in these areas (28-6 and 28-9).
We’ve had to work hard for chinook bites along West Van but the reward has been worth it!
On our longer trips (8 or 10 hour) and when sea conditions allow, we have been crossing the Strait of Georgia, heading over to Gabriola Island. The fishing here has been excellent for chinook, but the hatchery coho fishing has been slower than previous years. We are getting quite a few coho, it’s just that most of them have been wild. The good news is the very abundant and exciting chinook fishing as well as the lingcod and rockfish opportunities have more than made up for the lack of hatchery coho in Area 17.
A productive day in Area 17. Chinook, Coho, Lingcod and Rockfish!
The fishing in 28-6, 28-9, and 17 will continue to be produce for the next few weeks and then we will shift our focus to the mouth of the Fraser River to target the thousands of chinook that will be heading up the river in the coming weeks. The “Fraser Mouth” is scheduled to open for 2 chinook per day, 62cm or great, no max size limit on September 1. This is some of the best chinook fishing of the year and some of the largest as well.
Don’t forget about the SRKW Measures that are currently in effect and impact where you can fish off the Bell Buoy and North Arm. We routinely see people fishing in the closed area and these measures have been in place for a few years now, so DFO will be patrolling and giving people fines this year. Check out the map here Fraser Mouth SRKW Measures.
If you are fishing W to NW west of the Bell Buoy off UBC, so out towards open water you are in closed waters. Stay E of the Bell and you will be out of the yellow zone on the map.
If you are fishing N of the Iona Jetty, you are likely very close to the south edge of the closed yellow area, so that is a good place to turn around and troll S.
Good luck out there, and we will see you in the shop or on the water.
Jason Tonelli