July has been spotty fishing for the chinook salmon locally. There is a lingering theory that everything is late this year.

The fishing is quite strong for chinook around Campbell River, and the thinking is that they will be distributing south, soon. In past years when the chinook were thin in July, we have had a strong August fishery for really large fish. You always have to be optimistic to be a fisherman!

The chinook we have been catching have come in the Whalebone area, bottombouncing in 120 to 150 feet of water. Coyote or Golden Horde spoons in Mongoose, or Kitchen Sink, or tiny trip in green/chartreuse have been premium baits.

There is the odd hatchery coho being retained off Nanaimo.

There were three halibut caught in the past 10 days, one in the Thrasher area, and two off the waterfall. These were taken, incidentally, accidentally, while bottombouncing for salmon. Nice to see, though!

The ling have gone deeper, 50 to 100 feet. Try large bait, plastics, or jigs fished on the bottom for best results.

Prawning is starting to rebound after the commercial fishery. Try tuna cat food at 350 feet off the Flat Tops for the “sea bugs”.

 Good fishing!