Victoria is the capital of British Columbia and a big tourist
destination on the southern part of Vancouver Island. You
can always add a day of fishing to your vacation!
The best times of year are in the summer for both
weather and fishing, but Victoria can also produce
some good winter fishing as well.
Recommended times include:
• November to early March for Chinook 5-15 pounds
with the odd one up to 25.
• Late May and Early June for the Columbian run that comes through. You
have a good shot at getting some larger fish over 30 lbs. You may even hear about
the odd 60lb fish.
•July 15 to late August a larger run of Chinook
filter through, though not as large as the Columbia run.
The summer season is also the time when sockeye, chum and coho come home.
The boat's take off out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca on bright calm summer
days from late July until October, with bigger and bigger coho being taken
as the season progresses. Some years this can mean coho greater than 20 pounds
in the late fall just before the winter chinook season begins.
In odd numbered years (for example, 2007) as many as 30,000,000 pink salmon
destined for the Fraser River swell the strait passing by Victoria. The secret
on this one is to find a rising tide in an afternoon as the fish are literally
moved your way as though on conveyor belt. Everyone catches a limit in this
fishery.
You also have a good shot at getting a halibut or two as some top 100 pounds.
Take note that the best eating are smaller than 30 pounds, though it can be
fun to get a lunker on the end!
