Q – When is the best time to go salmon fishing in BC?
A – The best time to go salmon fishing in BC is the summer.
At the Rivers Inlet Sportsman’s Club, we make it easy for our guests to time their trip to maximize fishing opportunities. We do this by only operating during July & August when the various salmon runs in our area are at their peak. This affords our guests the most consistent fishing for the world famous, giant Rivers Inlet salmon as well as halibut & lingcod. The summer salmon runs start moving through Rivers Inlet in May & are typically around until October. Our season at the lodge is only 8 weeks in July & August, smack dab in the middle of the summer when all the salmon runs overlap. This ensures our guests the best opportunity for fishing that is a mix between the excitement & non-stop action from the smaller coho/silver salmon, & the expectation & anticipation of catching a hard fighting, monster Rivers Inlet “Tyee” King/Chinook salmon! The other decision you need to make is whether you are coming on our 4 day/Thursday-Sunday weekend trip or during the week on our 5 day/Sunday-Thursday trip. Pick a date with your fishing partner(s) or group. Book your flight to Vancouver BC & hotel. Then you are all set for the ultimate Canadian salmon fishing vacation at our BC fishing lodge.
Rivers Inlet is in a very special geographic location for intercepting some of the millions of salmon that migrate around the North Pacific Ocean each summer. We are a destination for tens of thousands of salmon specifically returning to the 9 major rivers in our huge watershed. We are also a funnelling point for countless salmon migrating down the Pacific West Coast to the hundreds of river systems as far south as California. This fact is evidenced by the yearly results of the Fisheries & Oceans (DFO) hatchery head recovery program. This program involves identifying & returning the heads of marked hatchery fish to DFO for analysis. The yearly results of this program consistently show that salmon from the most variety of river systems are intercepted in Rivers Inlet. This unique combination of returning & migrating runs makes for some of the most consistent salmon fishing anywhere in the world.
There are five main species of Pacific salmon that inhabit our waters in the Pacific Northwest. They are Chinook/King, coho/silver, pink, sockeye, & chum. We target the Chinook & coho as they are world class, acrobatic, hard fighting game-fish. However, the other salmon are fun to catch & a great addition to any fish box, especially the wiley, wide-eyed chum. All Pacific salmon are anadromous, which means they start their life in streams & rivers, & then migrate to the ocean when they are smolts. Why do the salmon make such an incredible long journey from the peaceful tranquility of the freshwater environment to the hostile & dangerous environment of the open ocean? The answer is food. For a top-level predator like salmon, the freshwater environment provides only a minuscule amount of prey compared to what is available in the wide-open ocean. Some salmon travel thousands of miles out into the North Pacific in search of this abundance of food that includes schools of small fish, squid, crustaceans, tunicates, mollusks & zooplankton. The giant Rivers Inlet Chinook salmon can reach over 100 lbs. Despite the dangers out in the open sea from seals, sea lions, whales, salmon sharks & humans, they take the risk & follow these abundant food sources that are crucial to their growth. For the bulk of their mature life, all five species of salmon remain out in the ocean feeding & growing. When their biological clock tells them that it is time head back to the river of their birth to spawn & die, they do so with great determination & precision. The amount of time out at sea varies between species & specific runs. Pink salmon spend the least time at sea, 2 years or less. Coho & sockeye 2-3 years, chum salmon 4 years, & Chinooks are at sea for 4-7 years. Those 6-7 year fish are the giant 50+ lb. monster salmon that make Rivers Inlet a world famous sportfishing destination. Ultimately the best time to come fishing at our BC salmon lodge is anytime in July or August. Pick a date that is most convenient for your schedule & that of your fishing partner(s)/group & of course your wife! However, don’t delay, book your trip today as we are filling up faster than ever for our Summer 2022 season.
Do you have any questions about planning a fabulous fishing trip with us?
Call/Text Your Hosts Simon & Stephanie: 604-938-3677
Email: info@riversinlet.com Toll Free: 1-800-663-2644
