Campbell River fishing report

Happy Canada day!
Only 14 more days until we can keep a Chinook salmon! 
This season we have to release any fish above 80cm or 31.5 inch long from July15-Aug31. This size is usually 17-18LB, I did have one fat fish last year that tipped the scales @ 20LB below the 80cm limit!!
Sept1 our area opens up for any size and TWO per day! The first few weeks of Sept can produce some big fish before they hit the river as well as nice 7-12LB feeder Chinook!

The fishing this year has been really good for Chinook all over the Salish sea! This should continue through July and August with big number days for all! The herring are stacked up thick around the Green can to the Red can in Campbell River and the Chinook are loving it!

Coho fishing is hatchery only with 2 per day retention. There seems to be some fish showing up in shallow water (30-70ft) off the south end of Quadra Island now. Trolling any small spoons without a flasher is a great way to catch these fish! "Coho Killers" in any bright colors are a good choice.

For Chinook fishing lately I have been sticking with hootchy's with some glow like the Army truck cuttlefish or a light green with glow belly. I like to squirt herring oil inside the hootchy as a bonus attractant for Lingcod and the allusive Halibut! 
Trolling right on the bottom in 160-260ft around Campbell River or Kitty Coleman hump will produce Springs, Lings and other things with this set up. Usually by mid July, I switch to large plugs and pick up the trolling speed. This helps to avoid the summer schools of Dogfish(shark) but also produces well on all other fish!

Looking forward to the season even if its a short one this year!
Tight lines.