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Fishing Tips for Quatsino Sound (North West
Vancouver Island)
 This
information is to introduce you to good fishing in the North
Vancouver Island region. The Sport Fishing Guide (BC Tidal
Waters) should be consulted and local Department of Fisheries
& Oceans officers contacted to receive up to date information
on closures, quotas and interpretation of regulations.
For Quatsino Sound, Neroutsos Inlet and Rupert Arm
(Information compiled by L. Sandberg)
PICK (Humpback) SALMON:
On even numbered years, pink salmon arrive in large numbers.
These feisty fish are voracious feeders and put up strong
fights.
In June, when they first appear, herring strip, red &
white flashtails or pink Henry Smith Specials work well behind
a small dodger or flasher. In July & August, try a bright
pink hoochie. For fly fishermen, a dark red works well with
a small silver strip. Spin fishermen do very well with red
or pink buzz bombx & zingers or a red 1 oz. stingzilda.
Size: 3-8 pounds. Excellent fresh on a barbeque, smoked or
canned.
Note: Early pinks are often mistaken for small Chinook –
consult the identification section of your regulations, so
you don’t waste your Chinook tags!
COHO (Silver) SALMON:
When the coho are in, the fun begins: These fish are acrobats
– they hit hard, dance across the surface and scream
the line form your reel!
In May, choh (or bluebacks, as they are called at this time)
show up on a hit & miss basis. A green & white, or
red & white action flashtail works well, with a flasher
and 6-8 oz. of weight. 4 inch green or red Apex also fairs
well. As you get into July, try herring strip, or green hoochies
with a flasher. They like the bait presented fast! As August
comes around, try bucktailing or spincasting, with a dark
stingzilda, a green & white buzz bomb or zinger.
A general rule of thumb is the later the season the darker
the colour, and get rid of factory treble hooks – use
sharp singles!
Coho are here from May to October and range in size from 3
– 25+ pounds. Excellent for steaks, smoking or canning.
CHINOOK (Spring, King, Tyee) SALMON:
Just the mention of chinook salmon gets the attention of sports
fishermen. The word Tyee starts excited talk! A Tyee is a
chinook salmon over 30 pounds and the Rolls Royce of sport
salmon.
The local run into the sound starts about July 15. The run
has fish to 70+ pounds!
Trolling with whole or strip herring is often productive.
Dark green, or green & blue hoochies also work well, with
a flasher. The large green & Grey Apex, and large light-coloured
plugs have produced well at times.
Chinook are usually deep, so a downrigger is almost essential.
If you don’t have one, try 8 oz. of weight near the
kelp or shoal areas.
Size range is 5-30+ pounds (with 20# being common). Large
Chinook are best smoked while smaller 5-8 pounds are great
on the BBQ.
Note: December – May, excellent feeder chinook runs
are in the Sound, bound mainly for the rivers of Washington
& Oregon. Range 5-35 pounds. Best results obtained by
trolling 50-140 feet deep with green hoochies, strip, or a
large green Apex.
CHUM (Dog) SALMON:
The lowly chum salmon shows in the Sound in late August and
continues through October. They have been caught on almost
everything from small hoochies to yell & black buzz bombs
– more by accident than design.
If you manage to hook them, they put up a tremendous fight.
Size 5-20 lbs. Chum are best smoked.
Fishing tips:
This information is to introduce you to good fishing in the
North Vancouver Island region. The Sport Fishing Guide (BC
Tidal Waters) should be consulted and local Department of
Fisheries & Oceans officers contacted to receive up to
date information on closures, quotas and interpretation of
regulations.
For Quatsino Sound, Neroutsos Inlet and Rupert Arm
(Information compiled by L. Sandberg)
PICK (Humpback) SALMON:
On even numbered years, pink salmon arrive in large numbers.
These feisty fish are voracious feeders and put up strong
fights.
In June, when they first appear, herring strip, red &
white flashtails or pink Henry Smith Specials work well behind
a small dodger or flasher. In July & August, try a bright
pink hoochie. For fly fishermen, a dark red works well with
a small silver strip. Spin fishermen do very well with red
or pink buzz bombx & zingers or a red 1 oz. stingzilda.
Size: 3-8 pounds. Excellent fresh on a barbeque, smoked or
canned.
Note: Early pinks are often mistaken for small Chinook –
consult the identification section of your regulations, so
you don’t waste your Chinook tags!
COHO (Silver) SALMON:
When the coho are in, the fun begins: These fish are acrobats
– they hit hard, dance across the surface and scream
the line form your reel!
In May, choh (or bluebacks, as they are called at this time)
show up on a hit & miss basis. A green & white, or
red & white action flashtail works well, with a flasher
and 6-8 oz. of weight. 4 inch green or red Apex also fairs
well. As you get into July, try herring strip, or green hoochies
with a flasher. They like the bait presented fast! As August
comes around, try bucktailing or spincasting, with a dark
stingzilda, a green & white buzz bomb or zinger.
A general rule of thumb is the later the season the darker
the colour, and get rid of factory treble hooks – use
sharp singles!
Coho are here from May to October and range in size from 3
– 25+ pounds. Excellent for steaks, smoking or canning.
CHINOOK (Spring, King, Tyee) SALMON:
Just the mention of chinook salmon gets the attention of sports
fishermen. The word Tyee starts excited talk! A Tyee is a
chinook salmon over 30 pounds and the Rolls Royce of sport
salmon.
The local run into the sound starts about July 15. The run
has fish to 70+ pounds!
Trolling with whole or strip herring is often productive.
Dark green, or green & blue hoochies also work well, with
a flasher. The large green & Grey Apex, and large light-coloured
plugs have produced well at times.
Chinook are usually deep, so a downrigger is almost essential.
If you don’t have one, try 8 oz. of weight near the
kelp or shoal areas.
Size range is 5-30+ pounds (with 20# being common). Large
Chinook are best smoked while smaller 5-8 pounds are great
on the BBQ.
Note: December – May, excellent feeder chinook runs
are in the Sound, bound mainly for the rivers of Washington
& Oregon. Range 5-35 pounds. Best results obtained by
trolling 50-140 feet deep with green hoochies, strip, or a
large green Apex.
CHUM (Dog) SALMON:
The lowly chum salmon shows in the Sound in late August and
continues through October. They have been caught on almost
everything from small hoochies to yell & black buzz bombs
– more by accident than design.
If you manage to hook them, they put up a tremendous fight.
Size 5-20 lbs. Chum are best smoked.
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