Salmon And Halibut Fishing In Vancouver

By Author: Barton Houston
Total Articles: 12
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The west coast of Vancouver Island is known for being a great hotspot for fishing. The area boasts of several great locations for saltwater and freshwater fishing. Some areas are also world renowned for being the “Salmon Capital of the World” and the “Fly Fishing Capital of Canada”. The most popular fish in Vancouver Island fishing are the salmon and the halibut.

On given months, it is common for anglers to be able to catch large salmon. This is called the Chinook salmon which also goes by other names like spring salmon or king. For salmons weighing 30 pounds or heavier, it is called the tyee. The Chinook is often considered as the king of the seas because it is the largest of the salmon species found in the Pacific. Just like most of species of salmon, the Chinook salmons are found in freshwater. Around a year after these fish are born in freshwater rivers, they begin entering saltwater. The Chinooks become more ravenous in this environment and hunt baitfish like herring, sardines and squid. Of all the salmon species, they stay in the ocean the longest thus also becoming the largest.

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... prime months for Vancouver Island fishing for salmon are around July to August. The Chinook salmons that are reeled in around this time weigh between fifteen to thirty pounds. It is also possible to catch a Chinook heavier than that, even until sixty or so pounds. The best way to catch a Chinook is to use baitfish that it usually hunts like the herring or even anchovies. Using other lures, like spoons, also prove to be effective.

Another one of the larger fishes caught in the waters of the Vancouver Island is the halibut and it is widely considered as the largest game fish that can be caught in the Pacific. Halibuts start off as larvae in the shallower waters. This species typically settles and is found in the bottom of the ocean. It is mostly thought to be the predator fish of the floor of the ocean. The halibut eats shrimp, squid and octopus.

From the depths of the ocean floor and the continental shelf, the halibut moves to reefs and rock piles of Vancouver Island, an area filled with baitfish. This migration occurs during the months of the summer and this is also the best time for anglers to attempt catching this game fish. Mature halibut usually weigh in at around thirty to forty pounds. However, there are many of these species that reach to about a hundred pounds. The prime area for halibut migration can be found at the Swiftsure Bank, in the entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. These waters have the highest concentration of halibut during the summer months in which the species migrate. It might be difficult for anglers to find a good spot to catch halibut because these fish usually move around under rock piles and drop offs. There is a wide range of bait and lures that prove to be effective in catching halibut. These include herring, squid, spoons, or hootchies; not very differently from the lures used for catching salmon.

Truly, the waters of the west coast of Vancouver are home to the best fishing opportunities. This is mostly because of the quality of fish that can be found in this area. Vancouver Island fishing is definitely great for those who love salmon and halibut.

For more information on BC Salmon Fishing, you can click here.