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South Island salmon fishing continues to be super hot for Chinook and Coho, for boaters and shore fishers alike!

Sooke fishing is off the charts, with a size limit for Chinook still in effect. Some areas of Port Renfrew still have no size limit on Chinook, and we’re seeing some huge, healthy salmon hitting the cleaning stations.

Local favourite areas like Porlier Pass, Tent Island and Sansum Narrows are producing Chinook and Coho limits consistently. For Coho, try trolling a little higher in the water column, around 30–80 feet. So many beautiful salmon are staging and holding along our coastlines right now.

Gear is varying from 6” plugs and anchovies to Wee Gs, hoochies and 5” spoons. There’s no single secret right now—you just need to get out there!

Reports from Sidney and Bamfield have also been excellent, crabbing is great, and there have been some incredible Orca sightings along the way. Lingcod is still open in most areas, with some size restrictions, so make sure you check the regulations for the area you’re fishing.

Pink Salmon are making their way toward Cherry Point, and right on their heels the Coho will be here as well. It’s shaping up to be an incredible stretch of fishing along our coast.

And if you don’t have a boat, that’s not a problem. There are some great shore fishing opportunities happening, and we’re always happy to share a few local tips and help point you in the right direction.

Don’t miss out on this special time of year!

Pink Salmon are showing up around Nanaimo, including the Neck Point area. Tasmanian Devil lures are working well for anglers, especially when casting or trolling. The Tassie Devil has an erratic darting and diving action that can trigger an aggressive strike. Bright pink and luminous colours are working best, along with small spoons and jigs.

Overall, the Pink Salmon fishing is picking up and should continue to improve throughout August and September. Try working the lures quickly and varying your retrieve. Early morning and evening can be the best times to target them, as well as during moving tides.

It’s a great time to get out and target Pinks, with plenty of fish moving through the Nanaimo area.

Chinook and Coho are still plentiful throughout Area 13 (Campbell River) and Area 14 (Courtenay)—if you can get through the massive schools of Pink Salmon that have moved in!

Some sub-areas of Area 14 around Hornby and Denman Islands have opened retention to 2 Chinook per day within the slot limit, so be sure to check the regulations for your favourite spots before heading out. If you’re specifically targeting Chinook, stepping up to larger plugs or spoons can help you get past some of the Pinks.

Bottom fishing remains about average for this time of year. Rockfish are plentiful, so keep your descender handy. The occasional Halibut is also being picked up while trolling for salmon.

The big excitement right now is the Pink Salmon fishery. Beaches and estuaries are filling up nicely, creating a fantastic and accessible salmon opportunity for anglers without a boat. Smaller pink Zzingers and Buzz Bombs are great choices, along with pink spoons and spinners.

Fly anglers are having success with pink Handlebars, Comets and shrimp patterns. If the fish get lockjawed, don’t be afraid to switch things up—a change to green or blue can sometimes trigger picky or skittish fish.

Pinks have also moved into the Campbell River in excellent numbers, with many anglers targeting them using a float setup and drifting pink yarn.

Fishing in the Alberni Canal has really picked up over the last few days, with some anglers seeing double-digit bites in a morning! Fishing has been productive anywhere from Polly’s Point out to the boundary near 10 Mile Point.

Anchovies have been by far the top producer so far. Rhys Davis UV Purple, UV Magma Green, and Army Truck Glow teaser heads have all been working very well. Fish are currently holding from 35–70 feet, with anglers trolling around 1.8–2.4 mph.

Down in Barkley Sound, fishing has been a little spotty, but with plenty of Robertson Creek fish expected to return, fishing should pick up in the coming days. Right now, your best bets are Pill Point, Kirby Point, Assets Island, San Mateo, the Bamfield Wall, and Swale Rock.

Skinny G spoons in Gold Nugget Herring Aid, Trap Shack, and No Bananas have been producing well. There’s also been a fair amount of squid around, making the Gold Star OAL12R hoochie another great option this time of year.

In the Sound, anglers are trolling a little faster at 2.4–3.2 mph and fishing anywhere from 50 feet down to the bottom.