| Why Salmon Fishing Vancouver Island is so hot in | | | | Queen Charlottes. Since I am a fishing guide in |
| 2010!! | | | | Ucluelet, we will hear reports of where large salmon |
| The salmon fishing on the west coast of Vancouver | | | | runs are coming down the coast. Salmon will often |
| Island continues to impress us in 2010. We knew the | | | | travel 30-50 miles a day when coming down the |
| fisheries' forecasts had us catching more salmon than | | | | coast, so you are rarely fishing the same runs of fish |
| in years past, but we didn't have any idea just how | | | | from day to day. In our area, we will have large |
| good it was going to be. Media reports in | | | | schools of salmon from many different rivers around. |
| Washington, Oregon and California had many people | | | | Because we are not dependent on one or two rivers |
| wondering if fishing was any good up North. After all, | | | | returning salmon, we have very consistent fishing all |
| if fishing was so poor south of the border, how good | | | | summer. |
| could it possibly be just a ways north? | | | | In 2010 the salmon returns were predicted to be |
| One thing I want to clarify for all American readers, | | | | very large in a few rivers around us and therefore |
| Vancouver Island is much different than Vancouver. | | | | we knew we were going to see a good season-we |
| Vancouver Island is 350 miles long and 150 miles wide | | | | just didn't know it was going to be this good! We |
| at the widest point. Fishing on the west side of | | | | started catching salmon very close to the Ucluelet |
| Vancouver Island is much different than fishing | | | | harbour during March, April and early May. We were |
| around Vancouver. Many people read about fishing | | | | often limiting out in just a couple hours with 6-10 |
| around Vancouver Island and then plan a trip to | | | | Chinook (Kings). Now the salmon are mostly offshore |
| Vancouver, not realizing that Vancouver Island is a 1.5 | | | | and we are getting salmon and halibut in the same |
| or 2 hour ferry ride away depending on which ferry | | | | spot. Often this time of year we see Chinook from |
| you take. If you want to go salmon fishing in some | | | | 6-10 lbs with the odd one around 25 lbs. This year |
| of the best area you can go in the world, make sure | | | | we are averaging Chinook (Kings) from 12-15 lbs and |
| you plan to go to the west side of Vancouver Island | | | | getting a few in the high teens and low 20s. |
| and not just Vancouver. | | | | We are getting so spoiled with fishing this good, but I |
| The rugged west coast of Vancouver Island has | | | | think it will continue all summer! When I first fished |
| always produced great fishing, however, the fishing | | | | for salmon in Ucluelet, I came out with my brother |
| spots have changed there over the years. For years | | | | and followed a friend in another boat to the spot |
| the sport fisherman would fish in close to shore and | | | | from the day before. We saw him get a fish on right |
| the commercial fisherman would fish 20 miles | | | | away! We furiously tried to get our lines down so we |
| offshore. Over the last 20 years with changes in | | | | wouldn't miss out on the bite! Two hours later with 4 |
| technology sport boats are venturing out where | | | | Chinook between 25-35 lbs and having released about |
| commercial boats once fished. With changes in ocean | | | | 20 Chinook I realized this bite wasn't stopping. It was |
| temperatures and bait feeding areas, many salmon | | | | the best fishing I had ever had and since have come |
| no longer came to feed in the in-shore areas but | | | | to realize that fishing out of Ucluelet is so much |
| preferred to stay out where there was more and | | | | better than almost any other area along the coast. |
| larger feed. Salmon will almost always go where there | | | | Locals here take it for granted and when asked how |
| is larger bait fish and therefore will mostly feed | | | | fishing is will give their view based on their |
| offshore if that where the larger bait is. | | | | experiences in Ucluelet, not comparative to areas |
| Areas such as Winter Harbour, Ucluelet and Port | | | | along the coast. So often, a slow day in Ucluelet is |
| Renfrew have continued to produce good amounts | | | | someone else's good day! I know from now having |
| of salmon even when salmon fishing slowed down in | | | | guided at a few different places along the coast and |
| 2008. Last year most of the coast experienced a | | | | then here for the past 6 years. |
| return to good salmon fishing and this included the | | | | |