In British Columbia, Vancouver Island is widely known as the destination of choice for both fresh and saltwater fishing. Around this area, you arguably have the best salmon and ocean fishing grounds in North America. Sport fishermen around the world acknowledge the abundance and large size of the Chinook salmon caught around the island’s waters. It also helps that these popular fishing spots are easily accessible by boats and float planes. A few hours of travel is all it takes.

Vancouver Island, with its various lakes and inlets, attracts both fresh and saltwater fishermen alike. Every summer, these waters teem with tens of millions of hardy salmon who spawn to begin a new cycle of life.  If you are a salmon fishing aficionado, then this is the place to be. Your choices run from Alberni Inlet to the Campbell, Stamp, and Cowichan rivers. Alberni Inlet is particularly popular in July, when sockeye salmon return and fishermen who are in the water by dawn are rewarded with good catches. The east coast of Vancouver Island is also popular with anglers looking to hook pink salmon. The fish here are looking to feed before they spawn, and are known to be aggressive near the surface.

For anglers who prefer saltwater fishing, the best time to go would be from May to September.  Experienced guides abound in the coastal towns (such as Ucluelet and Tofino). The professional guides here will show you the places where salmon is plentiful. And not just salmon. The areas around Vancouver Island also teem with fish like halibut, rockfish, and lingcod. To top it off, 20-pound catches are not uncommon.

You’ll find plenty of resorts catering to fishing to suit your budget and fancy, but if you’re partial to quieter areas, then the remote areas of Kuoquot and Nootka sound will be what you’re looking for.

If chasing after salmon and saltwater game is a bit much for you, you always have the choice of camping on Vancouver’s numerous lakes, parks, or shorelines. Vancouver Island is well known for its idyllic and laid-back lifestyle. In this setting, one can take all the time one needs to get back to nature and reflect on life to its fullest.

Contact Unreel Charters for fishing charters out of Nanaimo.

Know more about different travel spots of the world at this site – www.emeraldtourism.com, all about travel…

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