One glance at Fisherman's Wharf in Comox and it's plain that this is a fishing town. In fact, visitors can buy salmon and halibut straight off the boat. It doesn't get much fresher than that. But it's still an essential BC adventure to enjoy a genuine wilderness experience and land a whopper in the richest fishing grounds on Canada's west coast.
Salmon Fishing in Comox
Much of the coast is sheltered. Hullo, unruffled fishing. Bye, bye, swell and bounce. Fishing is a year-round prospect. Trophy-size Spring or Chinook salmon and leaping, battling Coho salmon await. Visitors can hire a fishing charter or toss a line from shore. In this neighbourhood, black bears, bald eagles, sea otters and humpback whales are frequent and enthralling companions.
When to Fish
The fishing calendar? In winter, Chinook salmon grow from 3.6k/8lb to 9k/20lb. It's the time of year to drop traps for Dungeness crab and BC spot prawns. By June, the salmon are up to 18k/40lb. That's when fishermen have a shot at the "Tyee" - in First Nations parlance this is a salmon of 13.6k/30lb or more. September through November is perfect for the acrobatic Coho and spirited Chum salmon.
Trout Fishing
Spring and fall are the best times for fishing Vancouver Island's rivers for sea trout. In winter, the prize is steelhead trout from the Stamp River. Pontoon boats take to the lakes in pursuit of Island cutthroat, a round-snouted trout, prized for its deep orange flesh and super flavour.
Island Sportfishing Adventures
Courtenay-based Island Sportfishing Adventures offers the works. From July to October, it's fly fishing for salmon and black sea bass in Esperanza Inlet and Nootka Sound in a 7.32m/24ft cruiser. July to November is for beach and estuary fishing for Coho and pink salmon, with fishermen wading out into Johnson and Georgia Straits, rods in hand. Always included are fishing gear and expert instruction. Do-it-yourself fishermen can purchase fishing licences and rent boats and tackle at Courtenay's King Coho Resort & Boat Rentals.
Photographers stroll Fisherman's Wharf at dusk for softly lit images of the Comox fishing fleet at rest. The catch of the day isn't always a fish.