SOUTH COAST
Barkley Sound • Campbell River • Clayoquot, Nootka & Kyuquot Sounds •
• Southern Vancouver Island • Northern Vancouver Island • Sunshine Coast •
• Strait of Georgia (Courtenay, Comox & Nanaimo) • Vancouver & Howe Sound

Known as the “Salmon Capital of the World”, Campbell River is indeed blessed with an unbeatable combination of great fishing and world-class resorts. Although saltwater fishing is king, with Chinook, Coho, Sockeye, Chum and Pink salmon all being available, lake and river fishing in the Campbell River area are also excellent.

Other destinations in Central Vancouver Island East area include: Johnstone Strait, Kelsey Bay, Sayward, Port Neville; mainland inlets such as: Loughbourough, Bute and Toba Inlet; as well as the fabulous fishing areas around Sonora and Stuart Islands.

Chinooks are present in the area year round however migrations start moving into the area in earnest during late spring. By June fishing for springs is good. Peak time is mid-August and then starts tapering off until mid-September when they start moving into their home streams to spawn.

Coho start arriving during the summer months and peak in September. Large northerns are best from late September through mid-October.

Fly fishing for these magnificent sports fish is becoming more and more popular, however more traditional methods such as trolling with bucktail flies, plugs, spoons, plug-cut herring, or mooching, drift fishing with live herring have a better success catch rate.

Pink, Chum and Sockeye make their appearance during late summer and fishing remains good on through October.

Good quantities of bottom fish such as Yellow Eye and Quillback Rockfish are available to anglers year round while Lingcod can be good when in season. (See Game Fish of BC)

Centrally located on the east side of Vancouver Island, Campbell River is easily accessed by car, bus or plane. Ferry services to nearby Quadra Island can also be found at Campbell River. Although known best for its fishing, Campbell River offers the vacationers much more: excellent camping, golfing, lake and river fishing, hiking, mountain biking, beach combing, wildlife and sea-life viewing, fine restaurants and accommodations, float plane and charter boat services and shopping.

For further information contact:
Campbell River Tourism
P.O. Box 482
Campbell, River, B.C. Canada
V9W 2C1