curves some 50 kilometres into the sought-after trophy chinook return
mainland. The “Wall,” “Dome,” later, with their runs peaking from
and “Triangle” are popular hot mid-August into early September.
spots on the southern side of the Coho come in big schools starting in
inlet’s mouth. The craggy, indented July, and there is continuous fishing
shoreline along Fitz Hugh Sound, or for these high-speed battlers along
the channels, islets and main islands with pink and chum salmon right into
of Penrose, Ripon, and Wallbran (on the fall.
the northern side of the inlet) are
The Chuckwalla and Kilbella rivers
also good.
offer exceptional winter and spring
As mature fish migrate up Rivers fishing for big steelhead. There is
Inlet, they hold in almost any crack excellent year-round fishing for Dolly
or crevice in the inlet’s steep walls. Varden char and searun cutthroat
Salmon can save energy by staying trout.
out of strong outgoing tidal currents,
Situated some 400 kilometres
and find refuge from predatory
northwest of Vancouver, Rivers Inlet
Orcas. These nooks and crannies are
is only air- or water-accessible. Book
also ideal lairs to ambush schools
a stay at one of the inlet’s many
of baitfish. Draney Narrows, Kilbella
full-service resorts; they will provide
Bay, and Wadham’s Point are some
air transportation, accommodations
of the better-known spots to try,
with all meals, boats, tackle, bait, and
but almost any indentation in the
the care of any catch.
shoreline is a worthwhile place to
.
c
a
drop your bait.
West Coast of
c
a
Rivers Inlet doesn’t give up its prize
Vancouver Island r
o
a
.
c
f
r
o
a
c
f
.
b
tyee willingly. As mature fish are
At the northwestern tip of
.
b
not feeding continuously, a holding
Vancouver Island, the continental
www
spot needs to be worked slowly and
shelf narrows to only a few
www
meticulously until a “bite” occurs —
usually around tidal change. Mature
4 I
spawners tend to occupy shallower
5 I
depths (between three and 15
I 2
metres) very close to the inlet’s sheer
walls, along kelp beds, and hugging I 2
shallow underwater ledges. Slowly
power-mooch a cutplug herring
d
e
u
i
d
e
two metres astern a six- to eight-
u
i
ounce banana or ball sinker, closely
i
n
g G
n
g G
hugging shore structure or kelp beds.
i
s
h
Allow your baits to roll, then flutter
i
s
h
i
t F
like wounded herring throughout the
p
o
r
water column by slipping your motor
p
o
r
t F
C S
in and out of gear. Slowly mooching
C S
a tight-rolling cutplug herring right in
2
0
1
0 B
front of a salmon’s nose may goad 2
0
1
0 B
your trophy into striking.
Pink salmon and trophy coho are
found a bit farther offshore, and
deeper. Simply dead-drifting your
cutplug herring baits to depths of 30
metres is an almost sure-fire way to
entice coho and pink salmon.
The early white chinook from the
Kilbella-Chuckwalla river systems
start to return in June. The Wannock
River’s huge red chinook tend to stay
an extra year or even two at sea to
feed, and grow much bigger. These
Vancouver Island, Victoria & The Gulf Islands Win a Dream Fishing Adventure.
www.bcfroa.ca/duncanby
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79