British Columbia - Fishing Vancouver Island: Saltwater Options

Fishing Vancouver Island, British Columbia, encompasses two different sorts of angling, both fresh and salt water. For now, let's take a look at the salt water variety and come back to fresh water fishing at a later date.

The seas which surround Vancouver Island are literally teaming with six species of salmon, rockfish, halibut and loads more species of fish which anglers like to catch. There are also a great many unusual and unique species which can be found here and it is a popular island for both boaters and fishermen. Charters are available to take people out or you are able to launch your own boat from one of the many ramps.

If you are planning a weekends fishing in British Columbia, you might want to extend your stay a little, prices are about the same as in the US, but the CAD exchanges at around 64 cents to the dollar, so you make a saving of 33 % on everything you have to pay for apart from gas. This sells per liter and works out to be more expensive. Apart from your savings on the exchange rate of the dollar, there is also a Federal rebate on Goods and Services Tax.

A boat trip will take you from Victoria for a day out on the sea to catch both bottom fish and fly fish for salmon. It is better to avoid the busiest season, because it gets very busy. Reasonably priced and good value for money live on-board operations will take you out to find the best traditional fishing spots and guarantee you a catch worth talking about. Once of the most popular spots is the entrance to the Queen Charlotte Islands, Port Hardy.

During early and late season cheap packages can be found where visitors can get a couple of day's fishing, accommodation and flights out of Vancouver for all inclusive prices. These packages are available across the entire price spectrum and fly lodges will include guides and up-scale accommodation, as well as extras.

The island has many different types of accommodation from B&B's, lodges, hotels, and some people even put up a couple of rooms in their homes. Your accommodation generally includes the price of a day out on the water fishing as well as shrimping, crabbing, clamming, and musseling from the beach.

There is decent camping available as well as motels, cabins and even people who put up a couple of spare rooms in their homes. Bear in mind if you plan on camping that Vancouver Island has a wet and dry season, so in the wet season, camping isn't a great choice. Budget lodging is simple to find except during the peak of salmon season.

If you are planning to fish in Uclet or Tofino, bear in mind they are much further out than Port Alberni, and you should plan to stay longer. Both these towns celebrate a salmon festival when they are quite busy.

Taking a trip to Big Bank is worthwhile if you don't get sea-sick. Fleets of charters are available to do this. If you take your own boat make sure you check the tide tables and weather. Using the locals is a better idea as they know the best angling options. If you don't like boating at all and prefer to stand on your own two feet, you still have lots of angling options. Flies and streamers may be cast from the beach, piers and rocky outcrops. There is plenty of salmon, flatfish, herring, rock fish and perch to be caught. If you are lucky you might even get eel or octopus... Delicious!