Campbell River, BC
Saltwater Sportfishing Hotspots

with D.C. Reid

General Description

A town of immense salmon fishing tradition, Campbell River, British Columbia, has continued to earn its reputation as Salmon Capital of the World for almost a century. North from Victoria 264 km on Highways 1 and 19, Campbell River is home to the world-renowned Painters Lodge, overlooking Tyee Pool. Anglers vie for entry into the exclusive Tyee Club by catching a 30 lb. chinook salmon from a guide-rowed dory using designated tackle in a precisely defined pool in front of the river mouth.

The Campbell River area is also known for fast flowing Seymour Narrows where tidal flow can reach 25kph. The infamous Ripple Rock, a treacherous impediment to shipping travel, was blasted from the Narrows in 1958 in the largest non-military explosion in the world.

Winter fishing is influenced by the presence of bait in the Shelter Point, Willow Point and Cape Mudge Lighthouse areas.

Summer fishing is influenced by strong sequential runs of all salmon species, necessitating extensive knowledge of many fishing techniques. Bottom features vary widely from rock to sand to mud.

BC Adventure Members serving this area: A. Rippingales Fishing: Join us on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, and the sheltered waters of Campbell River, for the ultimate salmon fishing adventure -- a family tradition since 1957. You’ll enjoy consistently good fishing and plenty of salmon and seafood, without the crowds. more BC Golf Guide: Everything about golf in British Columbia is in the BC Golf Guide. From the Rockies to Vancouver & Whistler … to Vancouver Island & the Thompson / Okanagan region … you’ll find golf news & course listings, course videos, review & features, golf stay and play ... more Chinootka Lodge: Fish for Trophy Chinook, Coho, Halibut, Lingcod, Snapper on Vancouver Island. Bring your boat or hire a professionally guided 23 - 26 ft. Grady White. There’s accommodation and meals for up to 20 at our unique floating lodge on the inside waters of Nootka So... more Clayoquot Ventures Guide Service: Our premier guide service, with private guest facilities, offers saltwater fishing for Coho, Chinook, Halibut & bottom fish in Clayoquot Sound. There’s saltwater fly-fishing, & Cutthroat, Rainbow Trout, & Steelhead freshwater fishing. Check out Tofino's only... more Coast Mountain Expeditions: Adventure, mountain vistas, rainforest islands & a gentle ocean await in BC's spectacular coastal wilderness … a sea kayakers' paradise. Enjoy island ambience at our waterfront lodge. Learn paddling skills, explore nature's awesome beauty, & a superb sea kayak... more Coastal Spirits Expeditions and Lodge: Kayak with the Orcas from our spectacular ocean front base camp, beside the famous Orca reserve & rubbing beaches. We also feature kayak camping tours including Discovery Islands & Desolation Sound. There’s also lodging, lodge based trips, and day tours. more Cordero Lodge: We are in BC’s world-renowned salmon fishing grounds. Here you’ll find great scenery, salmon or bottom fishing, crabbing, prawning, plus hiking and much more. Enjoy the wildlife, good German cooking and great German speaking hosts! more Dent Island Lodge: Our saltwater & freshwater fishing vacation resort, wilderness retreat, & yachting destination is located on BC’s west coast, north of Campbell River; the heart of the most magnificent salmon fishing area in the world. There’s guided salmon fishing, Jetboat t... more Destiny River Adventures: We offer thrilling whitewater rafting, serene scenic river floats, & snorkeling with thousands of returning salmon. Our focus on the wilderness, wildlife, personal discovery, & attention to detail will create an unforgettable experience & memories! more Discovery Marine Safaris: In search of the amazing Orcas and Grizzlies, we find a lot more amazing wildlife on our half and full day boat tours. Departing from picturesque Campbell River (North Central Vancouver Island) we are travelling along stunning shorelines and inlets. more Golf Vancouver Island: Proudly offering complete Vancouver Island golf packages and vacations including tee times at 11 destination golf courses, accommodation, airfares, ferry reservations, après golf activities such as fishing, whale-watching and spa Our four distinct regions on V... more Island Adventure Centre: Join us for orca whale watching, grizzly adventures, salmon saltwater fishing, wildlife & tidal rapids tours, kayak trips, rentals, and lake rentals … The Island Adventure Centre has it all we’re easy to get to but hard to leave. There’s always more to do & s... more Oak Bay Marine Group: Enjoy the finest world-class BC saltwater fishing adventures with Oak Bay Marine Group. Our seven fabulous resorts throughout coastal BC provide a fishing adventure for everyone! Salmon, halibut and bottom fish, we’ve got it all for people who love to fish. more Pacific Coastal Airlines: Enjoy scheduled service from Vancouver's South Terminal to Anahim Lake, Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Campbell River, Comox, Cranbrook, Kamloops, Klemtu, Masset, Port Hardy (float & amphibious aircraft to coastal communities), Powell River, Trail, Victoria, & Will... more Painters Lodge: Located in Campbell River, the Salmon Capital of the World, we set the standard for all other saltwater fishing resorts. Enjoy Sportfishing, the excitement of a wildlife adventure or whale watching trip. Lounge by the pool, or enjoy a meal in the restaurant o... more Sailcone Wilderness Fishing and Grizzly Safaris: We’ve been providing unparalleled fly-in Salmon, Halibut and Steelhead adventures, in 2 productive areas, for 30 years. Our lodge provides a comfortable, intimate and relaxing atmosphere, so let us fulfill your wildest fishing, grizzly safaris and wildlife ad... more Silver King Lodge: Our fishing charter and lodge operation is on the inside passage to the Alaska King Salmon and in the path of Salmon returning to over 30 river systems. You’ll appreciate the great vacation accommodations for fishing, bear, bird, and whale watching, or for ec... more Spirit of the West Adventures: We offer sea kayaking tours to the Johnstone Strait & the largest pods of killer whales on the BC coast – Desolation Sound, Quadra Island, & Campbell River - & guided excursions to explore ancient native villages. Set a course for a one of a kind wilderness a... more

Annual Cycle of Runs
All five species of Pacific salmon present themselves in Campbell River waters: sockeye, pink, chum, coho and chinook. Chinook and smaller numbers of immature blueback coho salmon reside in these waters as winter feeder fish. Large numbers of Fraser River sockeye divert down Johnstone Strait in summer. The October chum fishery is a new development and extends the summer season right into the rains of November.

Resident chinook and blueback coho inhabit local areas year-round. Fishing for deeper, 12 - 16 lb. winter chinook typically begins in November with 1-2 lb blueback coho showing in March. Consider this a hootchie and plug fishery.

During May, the first summer chinook runs browse the shore; surprisingly these are Columbians - up to 50 lbs. In June, Fraser River, Oregon and Washington chinook follow. During August, the Quinsam and Campbell River Tyee muscle their way through Tyee Pool. Consider bait a best bet at most locations.

During July to September, sockeye and pink salmon migrate by in their millions, including the highly prized Adams and Stuart runs. These are hootchie fish. Pink mill the estuary, aching for pink flies.

August brings summer coho to Campbell River; and September, northerns. Chum begin showing in September and October. Chum prefer a motor mooched live bait

October turns into November and the annual cycle is completed by another cyclical wave of winter chinook. Campbell River is one of the few coastal locations that has feeder chinook 12 months of the year.

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Lures on an Annual Basis
Bait: Live bait motor mooched for summer chinook and live or cutplug bait for fall Chum. When trolling with herring, use a glow green or clear, teaserhead with red and white or black stick-on eyes. A limber 10-12' rod is preferred.

Hootchies: Army Truck, pearly white, purple and white, flourescent green and yellow, Peanut Butter, and needlefish glow-in-the-dark for winter fishing at 80 - 120' depths. Try pink and blue, Bubblegum or pink with white spots for chum. For sockeye utilize pink plankton squirts on a 36" leader.

Plugs: Try the 700, 500 and 565 in 3-5" models for winter chinook. Move to the 602, 500 and Army Truck for summer chinook. Try a 3" 225 for pink and sockeye.

Spoons: Krippled K in pink and red. Gibbs #8 for the Tyee Pool.

Bucktails: Pink Shrimp, Grey Ghost and orange, red or mauve flies for coho. Polar bear hair flies produce better than other materials. Try a purple and white bucktail at the crack of dawn for chinook cruising near kelpbed baitballs, particularly in the winter.

Drift Fishing: Green jig lures, Zzingers,

Overall Strategy and Specific Fishing Areas
Campbell River is one of the few areas on the coast where there are so many hotspots and such a variety of annual fisheries, it is difficult to summarize its angling opportunities; however, the salmon fisheries of Argonaut Wharf, Tyee Pool, Cape Mudge and the Narrows should all be sampled. Be prepared to follow the fish - both resident and migratory ones - as they lumber up and down the strait.

Anglers should be well-versed in technique: trolling, motor-mooching, casting, cutplugging, live bait angling. A guide is recommended when first fishing this area, particularly for chum, which have much different bite behaviour than other salmon species.

Argonaut Wharf presents one of the best opportunities for shore casters in the province; it sits right beside one of the area hotspots.

Tyee Pool at the river mouth is so precisely shaped and the conditions for angling success sanctioned so exactly that a guide is recommended. Fish must be caught in the official July 15 to September 15 'season' on single hook lures of either a plug or spoon configuration. Rules and techniques have remained virtually unchanged since 1924, including 6-9' rods and 20 lb. test line.

Trolling at Cape Mudge presents a typical Campbell River fishing experience; good mid-channel rollers, good tidal flow and back eddies which concentrate bait. Campbell River is definitely a first light, last light bet for salmon. Take a tip from the guides and troll in the same direction as the current; this increases the ground covered and drags the lure directly into the face of the salmon. During summer trolling, use of a Black Box set at .70 volts dissuades advances from local dogfish droves.

The fall chum fishery takes place in 'exciting' Seymour Narrows. This is not an angling experience for the faint of heart. Fishers take up position on either sides of a Boston Whaler and a third person operates the engine, aiming to drop baited lines absolutely vertically 20 - 60' deep in tide rips that run like waterfalls. The water moves so fast it's mesmerizing. Rods must be hand held; chum take up to 30 seconds mouthing bait and have extremely hard mouths to penetrate. Fortunately they are more persistent than other species. Sunny days, fast water and flood tides favour chum success.