2025 Central Coast Reports

[Howzer]

We will be up in our 27 Whaler "Hull Pass".
Leaving Bowen Island Jul 24 for the two week trip.
Potentially first heading to Aristazbal / Campania islands, Maybe as far north as Hartley bay for fuel. Definitely hoping to fish Chaney for a few days if the fishing is on there as we've had great success there in the past. A lot obviously depends on weather and fishing conditions. We don't plan on fishing Rivers.
Do you guys that are heading up in that same time frame want to share your boat names and agree on a radio channel for chat? 69?

South end of Campania has been ok, also outside Barnard Hbr. Watch out for humpbacks, they can rise beside or in front of the boat unannounced!
This year we have seen more humpbacks in that area then ever before.

 

[Fishing24/7]

South end of Campania has been ok, also outside Barnard Hbr. Watch out for humpbacks, they can rise beside or in front of the boat unannounced!
This year we have seen more humpbacks in that area then ever before.

Cheers!

 

[spoiler]

We will be up in our 27 Whaler "Hull Pass".
Leaving Bowen Island Jul 24 for the two week trip.
Potentially first heading to Aristazbal / Campania islands, Maybe as far north as Hartley bay for fuel. Definitely hoping to fish Chaney for a few days if the fishing is on there as we've had great success there in the past. A lot obviously depends on weather and fishing conditions. We don't plan on fishing Rivers.
Do you guys that are heading up in that same time frame want to share your boat names and agree on a radio channel for chat? 69?

You should try McInnes Island on your way to Cheney Point. I have always had good luck there.

 

[Rockin Johnny]

We will be up in our 27 Whaler "Hull Pass".
Leaving Bowen Island Jul 24 for the two week trip.
Potentially first heading to Aristazbal / Campania islands, Maybe as far north as Hartley bay for fuel. Definitely hoping to fish Chaney for a few days if the fishing is on there as we've had great success there in the past. A lot obviously depends on weather and fishing conditions. We don't plan on fishing Rivers.
Do you guys that are heading up in that same time frame want to share your boat names and agree on a radio channel for chat? 69?

We will be fishing out of shearwater July 26-Aug1 in “Fishy Smashy”. I’ve ran over 300 miles for 4 days of fishing up in those parts but we will giver a go on 69 anyways….

 

[InternetCharlie]

What happens to limits in The Head after Aug 10th? Current emergency order says "Effective immediately to August 10, 2025, the recreational daily limits for Chinook salmon will be zero (0) in Subareas 9-3 to 9-9." The Area 9 DFO page also lists 9-3 to 9-9 as non-retention.

 

[Howzer]

What happens to limits in The Head after Aug 10th? Current emergency order says "Effective immediately to August 10, 2025, the recreational daily limits for Chinook salmon will be zero (0) in Subareas 9-3 to 9-9." The Area 9 DFO page also lists 9-3 to 9-9 as non-retention.

Limited to fishing outside towards the mouth...

 

[Rockin Johnny]

Love to see all the plans for fuel burning!

If anyone has intel on ice situation this year (ideally salt ice though haven’t heard anyone has that) let me know. Likely just fill coolers in Bella Coola…

The last time we were there they sold chip ice at the bc ferry dock (north side) on the Bella Bella side. It was on the pricey side but available. I just got word that the fish plant is still in operation although no confirmation that they are still selling ice but I would think so.

 

[Fishfight]

Nice to see they’re making
It a catch and release fishery up there ! Shame to see the big ones get bonked

 

[Aces]

Nice to see they’re making
It a catch and release fishery up there ! Shame to see the big ones get bonked

What if they are hatchery clipped? They are definitely there

 

[Fishfight]

still think we should be promoting the release of any big fish , i have witnessed to many big springs get bonked it that area . If you want to keep catching big fish we have to stop killing them.

 

[Chuck]

You should try McInnes Island on your way to Cheney Point. I have always had good luck there.

We will be up in our 27 Whaler "Hull Pass".
Leaving Bowen Island Jul 24 for the two week trip.
Potentially first heading to Aristazbal / Campania islands, Maybe as far north as Hartley bay for fuel. Definitely hoping to fish Chaney for a few days if the fishing is on there as we've had great success there in the past. A lot obviously depends on weather and fishing conditions. We don't plan on fishing Rivers.
Do you guys that are heading up in that same time frame want to share your boat names and agree on a radio channel for chat? 69?

 

[Chuck]

We will be up in our 27 Whaler "Hull Pass".
Leaving Bowen Island Jul 24 for the two week trip.
Potentially first heading to Aristazbal / Campania islands, Maybe as far north as Hartley bay for fuel. Definitely hoping to fish Chaney for a few days if the fishing is on there as we've had great success there in the past. A lot obviously depends on weather and fishing conditions. We don't plan on fishing Rivers.
Do you guys that are heading up in that same time frame want to share your boat names and agree on a radio channel for chat? 69?

We will be up in our 27 Whaler "Hull Pass".
Leaving Bowen Island Jul 24 for the two week trip.
Potentially first heading to Aristazbal / Campania islands, Maybe as far north as Hartley bay for fuel. Definitely hoping to fish Chaney for a few days if the fishing is on there as we've had great success there in the past. A lot obviously depends on weather and fishing conditions. We don't plan on fishing Rivers.
Do you guys that are heading up in that same time frame want to share your boat names and agree on a radio channel for chat? 69?

I’ll be hitting all those areas fishing the way south from Kitimat to Hakai first week of August. I’ll holler on 69 handle is, Chuck, 30’ Weldcraft tinner w/white cabin raised radar arch. Not interested in hitting Rivers either not worth the effort. No fuel in Hartley Bay on weekends plan accordingly, Shearwater and Bella Bella has fuel.

 

[ebrench]

I’ll be hitting all those areas fishing the way south from Kitimat to Hakai first week of August. I’ll holler on 69 handle is, Chuck, 30’ Weldcraft tinner w/white cabin raised radar arch. Not interested in hitting Rivers either not worth the effort. No fuel in Hartley Bay on weekends plan accordingly, Shearwater and Bella Bella has fuel.

Will be in and around the area as well for those dates. Will monitor 69.

 

[canadian_bacon93]

Me four. I’ll be up there August 8th, it’s a beautiful day. IYKYK. Always on the pleasure channel too. Tight lines boys!

 

[the force]

Just on our way back home. Lots of pinks, a few beautiful 6-8lb coho and springs were hard to find. Boxed one at 16lbs. Black bass and lings were excellent. Fished south mostly, didn’t make it to Cheney. Weather was amazing.

 

[Rockin Johnny]

We are still out here for a few more days. The pinks are insane (catching 30 plus a day), it’s been hard to get through them to find springs. Biggest spring so far 17# biggest, coho 10#’s. Small bait weegees and skinny gees have been working best for us.

 

[the force]

We are still out here for a few more days. The pinks are insane (catching 30 plus a day), it’s been hard to get through them to find springs. Biggest spring so far 17# biggest, coho 10#’s. Small bait weegees and skinny gees have been working best for us.

Yep, spoons were best for us - coho killers and AP sandlance. That said, I think the pinks also prefer the smaller spoons vs sized up to plugs or whatever.
We didn’t fish the outside of spider but should have in hindsight. Best coho we found was across Idol area, though never made it out further out to ivory as was only a quick trip. Heard that coho were good in Fisher Channel but didn’t have time to fish it either.

We couldn’t find any halibut, there was a commercial boat working the RCA line at south end of goose group which I like to tell myself may have had something to do with that - though it is probably more that I’m a ****** halibut fisherman and didn’t have the patience to anchor haha.

Fuel was $2.06 in Bella Bella, didn’t confirm price in Shearwater but is apparently higher.
There is a local guy (Frank) in Whisky cove that had the cheapest ice for $3/bag (bigger bags than the grocery store). Shoot me a pm if you want additional details.

 

[CBsqrd]

Just back from a week and a half between Hakai and Shearwater. TLDR version: PINKS. Bloody pinks freaking everywhere really put a damper on the spring / coho fishing. Probably about a 10:1 to 20:1 ratio of pinks to springs and coho. Bottom fishing was great as per usual.

• Cohos were pretty scarce, we picked up a few, but way more springs when we did get through the pinks. Not sure if it is an off year for coho, or the mass of pinks is out competing them, but the fewest coho we’ve seen in the eight years we’ve been coming up. Even the east side of Calvert took about an hour to get out last two coho after releasing 20+ pinks.
• Got two chums which we usually don’t see. For a while it seemed there were more chum than coho.
• All the bait was really small - 2” - 3” herring. Gold Nugget Skinny G was the top producer. Tried running bigger spoons and plugs to get away from the pinks, but not a sniff. Anchovies worked well, but much easier to gaff release the pinks on a single hook with the spoons.
• Halibut was a grind, all our go-to offshore spots seemed to have nothing but yelloweye and a few sole. Released one 150+ cm, and finally found two in the 80 cm range.
• Mentioned the pinks already, but it seems like every year is now a pink year on the Central Coast. Last year it was a big pink year for the North Island and now this year is a big Fraser year - although some of ones we released were already pretty dark so you’d think they didn’t have far to go. Regarding last year, Billy Proctor (R.I.P.) said he’d never seen so many pinks in the Broughtons, and figured it was because it was the first cycle after the fish farms had been removed around there.
• Springs picked up the last couple days of our trip, so hopefully more moving in. Talked to some North King lodge guys in Bella Bella who said about 1 - 2 weeks ago the pinks moved on and spring fishing improved. All ours came on the outside - Cheney / Breader / Spider, none on the inside - Idol / Pointers. The one day we ran out to McInnes it was deadsville; only one pink for us, and didn’t seem much else happening with the other five boats that were there. No big fish this year, but quite a few in the high teens and low twenties. Released a bunch in the 6 - 10 lb range. Interestingly, at least half were clipped; usually we get almost all wilds.

 

[myles]

Just back from a week and a half between Hakai and Shearwater. TLDR version: PINKS. Bloody pinks freaking everywhere really put a damper on the spring / coho fishing. Probably about a 10:1 to 20:1 ratio of pinks to springs and coho. Bottom fishing was great as per usual.

• Cohos were pretty scarce, we picked up a few, but way more springs when we did get through the pinks. Not sure if it is an off year for coho, or the mass of pinks is out competing them, but the fewest coho we’ve seen in the eight years we’ve been coming up. Even the east side of Calvert took about an hour to get out last two coho after releasing 20+ pinks.
• Got two chums which we usually don’t see. For a while it seemed there were more chum than coho.
• All the bait was really small - 2” - 3” herring. Gold Nugget Skinny G was the top producer. Tried running bigger spoons and plugs to get away from the pinks, but not a sniff. Anchovies worked well, but much easier to gaff release the pinks on a single hook with the spoons.
• Halibut was a grind, all our go-to offshore spots seemed to have nothing but yelloweye and a few sole. Released one 150+ cm, and finally found two in the 80 cm range.
• Mentioned the pinks already, but it seems like every year is now a pink year on the Central Coast. Last year it was a big pink year for the North Island and now this year is a big Fraser year - although some of ones we released were already pretty dark so you’d think they didn’t have far to go. Regarding last year, Billy Proctor (R.I.P.) said he’d never seen so many pinks in the Broughtons, and figured it was because it was the first cycle after the fish farms had been removed around there.
• Springs picked up the last couple days of our trip, so hopefully more moving in. Talked to some North King lodge guys in Bella Bella who said about 1 - 2 weeks ago the pinks moved on and spring fishing improved. All ours came on the outside - Cheney / Breader / Spider, none on the inside - Idol / Pointers. The one day we ran out to McInnes it was deadsville; only one pink for us, and didn’t seem much else happening with the other five boats that were there. No big fish this year, but quite a few in the high teens and low twenties. Released a bunch in the 6 - 10 lb range. Interestingly, at least half were clipped; usually we get almost all wilds.

Good acuate report from what ive seen. I have seen alot of guys using small skinny g's hooking more fish than us but lots of small fish so I assume mostly pinks..the bait in the water is mostly smalls yup..bigger baits up north coast earlier this year cant figure that out.

In the past week we have been hitting good to great fish sticking to the basics with 2 hooks and a blue label herring. Less bites but fish are nice 15-22lb and uppp . I haven't noticed an abnormal amount of pinks but those little bastards love flasher and skinny Bs. Coho bycatch has been consistent. 8-10lb with the very odd 14lb in the mix.

Tomic Plugs, superior spoons and herring has been the only thing on our lines. With the latter being the "go to" until we run out.

Anyone fished rivers recently and willing to share a report?

Cheers!

 

[coastalmarinesafety]

We are still out here for a few more days. The pinks are insane (catching 30 plus a day), it’s been hard to get through them to find springs. Biggest spring so far 17# biggest, coho 10#’s. Small bait weegees and skinny gees have been working best for us.

Got to troll faster and/or switch to 6” spoons to clear those pinks. Spent many summers up there and even with cut plugs, as soon as you slowed down or did a turn, pinks were on it. They are generally pretty lazy and fishing faster and bigger gear can help.