Shore fishing east vancouver island

John Ingram

Well-Known Member
I have a week at the end of July to fish the shore between Nanaimo and Campbell river and would like to know
if anyone has a favorite spot along the way to try spinning from the shore for salmon??
I was going to try Sayward but that area looks closed unless I can travel to one of the points nearby.
Also the Discovery pier in Campbell River. Maybe neck point in Nanaimo. Any others that come to mind ??
Thanks
John I.
 
Hi John - are you mostly after chinook? Pinks will be starting to show around the last week of July, most likely, and they can be found along a lot of the ECVI beaches. Coho might be around up north (Sayward and up) by then, too. I don't usually fish for chinook from the shore up there until they start to stage near the rivers (early Sept), but I gather the Discovery Pier is good all summer. As is Rocky point, etc. in Nanaimo.
 
Hi John - are you mostly after chinook? Pinks will be starting to show around the last week of July, most likely, and they can be found along a lot of the ECVI beaches. Coho might be around up north (Sayward and up) by then, too. I don't usually fish for chinook from the shore up there until they start to stage near the rivers (early Sept), but I gather the Discovery Pier is good all summer. As is Rocky point, etc. in Nanaimo.
Thanks for the reply deep, Yes I would prefer to go after Chinook. It was a slow year for me last year with only 1 -17# chinook at ten mile point in August. A couple of coho at Port Renfrew in Sept and Oct. I do have all the trolling gear but I rarely get to use it. Haven't been out trolling for 3 years now. I prefer to fish from shore and catching fish on lighter gear. I think Sayward would have been a good place to try but looking at the regs
there just isn't a spot there to try without tramping through the bush to one of the points.
 
Saw quite a few fish hooked close to shore at neck point in Nanaimo last year. Also I did well trolling close to the rocks at pipers lagoon. Just not sure how well you could fish from shore.
Thnanks for the reply,

I have fished quite a few shallow spots and have caught salmon. As long as the depth is at least 20-30' I usually do ok
with zingers and buzzbombs. My favourite spot being the Oak Bay Golf Club and that is only 30' on a high tide.
 
I'm afraid my experience with summer chinook is limited up there, but if you're up there in early September, the first rain often brings loads of fish into the estuaries, and it can be a wild time. Different fishing, for sure, but they're a riot on the fly rod if you can get them to bite. I've caught them from the beach as early as the last week in August.

I would bet that Rocky point and Neck point would be your best bet, followed by Discovery pier, but those are well-known spots and I'm sure you've already scoped them out.
 
I'm afraid my experience with summer chinook is limited up there, but if you're up there in early September, the first rain often brings loads of fish into the estuaries, and it can be a wild time. Different fishing, for sure, but they're a riot on the fly rod if you can get them to bite. I've caught them from the beach as early as the last week in August.

I would bet that Rocky point and Neck point would be your best bet, followed by Discovery pier, but those are well-known spots and I'm sure you've already scoped them out.
Thanks Deepaaaar.
I so rarely get up island that it's a treat to go anytime I can. I will try the discovery pier and rocky point on this trip. Maybe in a year or so I can plan an end of August trip and see what that is like. If you see a crazed senior in a green tilly hat on the rocks at rocky point near the end of July swing by and say hello.
Thanks again.
 
Can you still fish from the Argonaut warf in Campbell River?
No. The wharf is now shut down to us fisher people. Just the Discovery Pier or spinning from the shore.
 
Not so sure that you can't fish from dock at Sayward maybe some can confirm hard to read.
I you can it is a great spot check the webcams.
If you look at the dfo map you sent at the top of the page is a closeup of Sayward. pretty sure that the wharf is included in the pink zone where there is no fishing allowed. I would have to tramp around the shoreline to the north and south to find a spot that would be open.
 
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