Vancouver Island is highly regarded among anglers for both its abundance of fish and wide variety of fishing opportunities. With thousands of kilometres of coastline, hundreds of rivers and close to 10,000 lakes, Vancouver Island offers great variety for both fresh and saltwater anglers. 

The fishing seasons on Vancouver Island are spread out through the whole year, and with the mild climate of the island this means that fishing on the water can take place during all seasons. Vancouver Island is well known for its bountiful salmon runs, with chinook, coho, pink, sockeye and chum salmon all widely fished on the island and in the surrounding ocean. 

Mid-spring through early summer is the best time to fish chinook salmon in the nearby sea. The first migratory chinook usually arrive in early April and sometimes weigh up to 30lbs, a real prize for any keen angler. Chinook are the largest salmon species on Vancouver Island and can be caught right up until the middle of November with a little luck most years. 

Later in the summer, opportunities to catch other salmon species are more widespread. The months of August and September are the prime season for catching sockeye, pink and coho salmon. 

Another sought after prize for anglers is halibut, a large fish that can grow up to 400lbs in weight (although local size limits are much smaller than this) and is well-known for its culinary qualities. Halibut is best caught between April and August and are particularly abundant on the north and west coasts of Vancouver Island. 

Salmon, halibut and most other fish species on Vancouver Island are most easily caught from a boat. Using a boat instead of fishing from the shore enables anglers to access far more fishing areas and provides a superior angling experience. 
Cathers Marine offers a wide range of quality fishing boats to suit any budget and size, including aluminum and fibreglass boat options. Visit our website today to take the first step in owning your own fishing boat!