Salmon Fishing In Vancouver

Salmon Fishing in Vancouver By Simon Kidd

 Vancouver Island lies off the south west coast of Canada in the pacific Ocean. Here, British Columbia provides perhaps the most spectacular setting for Salmon and Steelhead fishing anywhere in the world. Whether drifting a river by boat or approaching over land, the rivers run deep and clear much of the time with, at certain times of the year, thousands of Salmon, hundreds of thousands of Salmon all queuing up in black solid masses to return to the nursery grounds where they were born and start the cycle all over again. If you see a fish move, look again, there may be 50 or more beneath it forming a swathe of moving, glistening muscle all heading one way - up river. 

To the game fly fisher and adventurer, this is heaven on earth and if the rivers aren’t enough the Sea fishing for these same magnificent fish in their rich, natural off shore feeding habitat offer a different challenge, as spectacular as anything I have experienced anywhere. 

In late September 2007 year I travelled with Russell Weston, Managing Director of Snowbee Uk Ltd and visited our distributor and guide in Vancouver Island, Courtney Ogilvy. He lives near Qualicombe, where he treated us to some rare and memorable fishing on the Stamp and Campbell rivers, plus showed us some popular shore marks along the Island coast facing eastwards towards the mainland. 

We started in kick boats on the head waters of the Stamp river. Methods were simple, short 12 foot XS-P Tamar Salmon rods for Russell and Courtney, whilst I was happier with a single handed but powerful 10 foot XS Pro on this relatively small river. Reels were all the same, Snowbee XS of course with its no nonsense, remarkably reliable drag system and what else but Snowbee floating and sink tip 3D Spey and Scandinavian lines for us all.  

The deep pools took your breath away as one passed over them and the sight of the first 30lb King Salmon, upon reaching a wider part of the river, was awesome - but then there was another, and another – a simply amazing spectacle. Wild Rainbows and Cutbows (Cutthroat x Rainbow cross) provided the initial sport  and Russell hooked into a decent Steelhead on the double hander which promptly unhooked itself after the first run. Wild Black Bears were everywhere and the fish were too …but catching them proved more than a challenge on this bright day. We were well equipped and fishing with mostly marabou, chain bead eyed patterns in various shapes and sizes all on single barb-less of course. When one of these Kings did finally grab hold and pull back it was like pulling into a prehistoric monster that had survived in this wilderness since time began and was not about to have that change. The power was phenomenal, the reel screamed and 10 minutes or so later it too decided enough was enough and simply slipped the hook in the heavy boulders of Black rock Pool. Elated and still shaking from the excitement and rush it was time to gather up and try again.  

An Intermediate line by now had done the trick, these fish were hard on the bottom and not in aggressive mood. The next fish was no monster but at probably 15 lbs was still a powerful mass of silvered muscle and once safely returned, left one again trembling and truly in awe ….this was paradise and only day one!  

The next day saw heavy rain fall and a long drive several hours north to the Campbell river, proved fruitless initially. Fish could be seen running but the water was up and very coloured, even dangerous in the immense surge of tumbling turmoil river flow and torrential, non stop rain.  A nearby tributary came to the rescue however as the running fish branched off and could be found in much clearer water. These were mostly Pinks and some of the cock fish had already developed their spectacular humps and kypes and surprisingly slim in profile compared the Atlantic Salmon we are used to back home. They were in numbers though and smaller flies proved most effective and the Tamar rod again came into its own here. Eventually Russell hooked into our first Coho which was a king amongst these smaller pinks and put up a tremendous scrap before being returned once again to relentlessly press on up stream, spawn ….and then ultimately die once successful.  As the rains eased and the rich autumn colours of the leaves served as a reminder of the coming season, the Eagles soared over head in numbers anxiously awaiting the coming feast that would present itself as it does every fall. Shouts of “Bear coming!”  woke one from any sense of nostalgia in an instant and focussed the mind again. Anglers retreated rapidly from the spectacular river side, climbed up the Golden autumn tree lined banks to their 4x4’s and away home for a toddy by the fireside and reflect…

 The third and final day dawned clear and it was time for the salt. Courtney selected a longer spey rod whilst Russell opted for the Deep Blue Fly and for me I opted again for the trusted XS Pro.  Salmon Point was our first port of call and as the sun broke the horizon it was obvious we were not alone.  The Salmon were returning hard to the rivers now and the word was out, they were still feeding hard too before going up river. Huge splashes of 20-30lbs fish plunged back into the sea and one could wade 40-50yds out to meet the incoming tide and immerse oneself right alongside these passing shoals of giant Pacific Salmon. Russell’s first fish came on the very first cast a flounder of all things …we were in for a good morning.

 With our floating lines however we persevered and odd fish were caught but the fish that were moving at first light had gone. Seals had moved in and so we headed south. We stopped at a rocky cove where odd huge fish could just be seen cruising well out and hardly reachable even with the best of the new Countdown lines we were now testing.  With their extended distance casting heads 120ft on length, they proved just enough and when the local flies failed to do the trick a Barbless Minky booby stripped across the top provided some spectacular heart stopping moments for half an hour or so as Submarine sized bow waves appeared from the depths and surged after the fly to no avail. Countless offers proved fishless and then they were gone too. Finally it was time for one last move and with slightly deeper and rocky shore with the tide making rapidly, a medium fast Coundown 3 line and Polar Minnow fly proved the undoing of several Passing Cohos and arm wrenching fights ensued as these massively powerful fish dived and leapt northwards up the coast with a frenzy of activity to remember them by forever.  The most exhilarating few moments ever for me with a fly rod in hand!

Just 8 hours flying time away from these shores, this truly is gods country and god forsake any man who ever thinks or tries to make it otherwise. The wilderness and the Bears were a constant reminder of mans fragility and may we learn from this experience of how important it is we look after this precious place we call earth!!.