VANCOUVER ISLAND , VICTORIA & THE GULF ISLANDS
addition to massive runs of mature salmon on their final spawning migrations. During the summer, pods of killer whales congregate to feed on this bounty of salmon. Daily Orca sightings are a near-certainty, especially at Robson Bight south of Telegraph Cove. Mature salmon returning to the Kokish, Nimpkish, Keogh, and Cluxewe rivers will respond to both hardware and flies. You can find exceptional beach-fishing in each of these river’s estuaries from late summer throughout the autumn. Pick up a free copy of the Recreation and Logging Road Guide (at North Island Tourism B.C. information offices) for directions to dozens of the area’s freshwater lakes and streams. Victoria, Bonanza, or Nimpkish lakes hold easily deceived Dolly Varden char, rainbow trout, and lunker cutthroat trout that willingly take trolled hardware. In smaller, seldom-fished lakes like Maynard, Kathleen, or Benson, naïve
cutthroat and rainbow trout will strike almost any small offering. On the mainland side, remote Bond Sound, Knight Inlet, and Kingcome Inlet have excellent fishing for salmon, steelhead, cutthroat trout, and Dolly Varden char in many feeder creeks and streams. The shallow estuaries roil with huge schools of pink, coho, and chum salmon from late summer and throughout the autumn. The fish are not finicky, and will take any kind of small pink lure or fly, as well as hardware. This part of the mainland is prime bear country, especially grizzlies – be bear-aware when fishing ashore!
Several fine museums and
interpretive centres are amply worth a visit. The Whale Interpretive Centre, located at the end of Telegraph Cove’s historic boardwalk, has a fascinating display of marine mammal skeletons and whaling artifacts. At the U’mista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay, on Cormorant Island, you will learn about First
Nations art, history, and culture. View the remains of carved canoes and mortuary poles, and marvel at the massive, exposed log supports of a huge longhouse, during a guided tour of Mamalilaculla, an abandoned First Nations site on Village Island.
Campbell River Area
Campbell River is always one of the first towns to come to mind when considering salmon fishing on Vancouver Island. It has earned, and still boasts, the moniker “Salmon Capital of the World” (although there is a friendly rivalry for that nickname with the town of Port Alberni). Many protected passages among the islands and islets of the narrow strait between Campbell River and the mainland allow fishing for salmon and bottomfish in any season, but most of the action takes place from early spring through to mid-autumn. You can even cast lures from the public Discovery Fishing Pier right on Campbell River’s
22 The SPORT FISHING Guide 2012
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