Big Chinook are showing up all around Vancouver Island right now. This is perfect timing as the slot size restrictions should end September 1st in some areas. Check your local regulations first. It looks like this year has more 6 year old Chinook than we have seen in past years. This means if you want to catch a Tyee, this might be your year!
In the mid-Island areas like French Creek and Nanaimo we are seeing some big oversized fish that are giving local fishermen more than they bargained for. And better still there are some fat slot sized fish in the low 20's being caught. It seems some of these are White Springs, likely headed to the Fraser. I love White Springs as they have the highest fat content of any salmon and stay moist on the BBQ. If you want to know more about white springs follow this link to an article I wrote about them.
On the East side of the Island glow plugs like 602 are still dominating. But purple haze and chrome cop car spoons are also taking lots of fish. You will actually catch just as many big fish with the spoons, but you will catch more small fish too. So plugs are good for reducing time spent releasing undersized fish.
The top late season flasher for me are always either Purple Watermark or Purple Phantom.
On the West side of the Island Bamfield, Ucluelet and the Alberni Canal have been very hot. The big springs are streaming in Barkley Sound, and the top lures are Barkley Beast spoons, Bloody Nose Teaser Heads, and Game Changer Plugs.
The top flasher has been our custom made Harbour Chandler Raspberry Gold Mirror and or custom Dirty Dog flasher.
The Pinks are now streaming into the rivers to the North of Nanaimo. So now is the time to gear up for beach and river fishing!
