Vancouver Saltwater May Bottom Fishing Report
Our guide team has had a great week out on the water! Over the past week we have had the chance to do some bottom fishing across the Strait, and the fishing has continued to be productive.
A productive day bottom fishing for our guests!
If you’re heading out for bottomfish, make sure to stop by the shop before your trip, we can help get you rigged up properly and give you the latest reports from our guide teams. One of the most effective ways to target lingcod and rockfish is still by jigging, and it continues to produce consistently throughout the season.
Our go-to setup is simple and reliable: thread a snap swivel or slider onto your braided mainline so you can attach a ball weight, then add a bead and swivel. From there, tie in about 60lb mono leader material to help stand up against the sharp teeth and rough structure that lingcod are known for. To that we add on our favorite jigs the 4oz Gibbs Power Paddles. Gear aside, the most important part of jigging is the action itself!
We’ve found the best method is to keep your rod tip low, make a few quick upward pops, then let the jig fall back in a controlled drop. A lot of bites happen on the way down, so staying connected to the jig instead of letting it free fall will help you hook more fish.
Slack tide periods are usually the best time to target bottomfish. With less current and reduced drift, it’s much easier to stay on structure and effectively fish deeper water, especially when using lighter jigs.
Locally, our catch-and-release chinook trips have continued to have solid action and crabbing is very productive as well. As we have mentioned in past reports we are participating in chinook DNA sampling again this year to help better understand the stock composition of fish moving through our local waters. The long-term goal of gathering this data is to support future opportunities in areas and times where stocks of concern are not present.
Crabbing has been great locally and a great addition to any of our guided trips!
No boat? No problem! Give us a ring on our charter line at 778.788.8582 or email kathryn@pacificangler.ca and we can get you out for some bottom fishing, crabbing and Chinook catch-and-release DNA sampling!