Campbell River is the Salmon Capital of the World for a reason. From trophy chinook to record halibut — Vancouver Island's waters are world-class.
Five regions worth planning a trip around
Campbell River's Discovery Passage is where Pacific salmon funnel through a narrow channel in enormous numbers — chinook, coho, pink, sockeye, and chum. The legendary Tyee Club requires members to land a 30-lb+ chinook from a rowboat. Summer brings record-breaking catches; the August/September coho run is exceptional.
Ucluelet sits at the entrance to Barkley Sound — one of BC's richest marine areas. Halibut fishing here is world-class; fish of 100–200 lbs are not uncommon. The Broken Group Islands provide sheltered waters for salmon jigging while the open Pacific offers bottom fishing for lingcod, rockfish, and halibut.
Victoria offers surprisingly excellent fishing from the Inner Harbour. Winter chinook (up to 40 lbs) are a local secret — guides run charters from Victoria year-round targeting the resident "feeder" chinook in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Saanich Inlet has great coho fishing and is popular for kayak fishing.
Tofino sits at the edge of the open Pacific, with Clayoquot Sound's protected inlets behind it. Sport fishing here mixes Pacific salmon jigging with halibut and bottom fishing offshore. The remote feel adds to the experience — most Tofino charters combine fishing with wildlife (bears, eagles, sea otters are common sightings).
The Gold, Stamp, and Cowichan rivers are world-famous fly fishing destinations for steelhead and sea-run cutthroat. Strathcona Provincial Park's alpine lakes offer exceptional rainbow and brook trout fishing accessible only to hikers and floatplane. The Stamp River's fall steelhead run near Port Alberni is legendary among BC fly fishers.