Your preferred place to live on Van Isle for sport fishing?
- Thread starter Aquaholic
- Start date
kaelc
Well-Known Member
Victoria. I ride my bike with my fishing rod everywhere, especially like going the wrong way down Douglas and running red lights. Once my buddy Trudeau approves opioid vending machines en mass we will be rocking 
In all seriousness, biking is super great in Victoria and getting a few people out of cars speeds up vehicle traffic, which has been way better since the vid and Mackenzie interchange is now working. It’s all relative, I remember getting half out of my Truck with road rage in Vancouver 20 years ago and realizing I better move and start listening to less rock and rap while driving. The traffic wasn’t the problem I was.
Finding nice homes, in good locations with good boat parking isn’t easy anywhere on the island, so I wouldn’t get too hung up on location, but pick a few and then look for the best house/neighbourhood where your kicker and downrigger or whole boat has less chance of being ripped off. It took me 6 months in Saanich and I have to park my camper off site or bastardize front lawn but 30 feet of Boat trailer Fits nicely. A member just had 100k offered to him after he had an accepted offer on a nice place. Crazy with 10% unemployment, but unless you want a reno project, not a lot of great places out there.
One that may not have been mentioned is Royston, not great for bottom fish? but good access to Nootka, Bamfield.
Don’t know what kinda 8’6 boat you are getting but if you can access the Gulf islands or Desolation for overnight and cruising may be a good backup activity during continued dfo closures. Gulf islands has good pubs and Restaurants to visit by boat.
Good shoes to be in cashing out of Van.
In all seriousness, biking is super great in Victoria and getting a few people out of cars speeds up vehicle traffic, which has been way better since the vid and Mackenzie interchange is now working. It’s all relative, I remember getting half out of my Truck with road rage in Vancouver 20 years ago and realizing I better move and start listening to less rock and rap while driving. The traffic wasn’t the problem I was.
Finding nice homes, in good locations with good boat parking isn’t easy anywhere on the island, so I wouldn’t get too hung up on location, but pick a few and then look for the best house/neighbourhood where your kicker and downrigger or whole boat has less chance of being ripped off. It took me 6 months in Saanich and I have to park my camper off site or bastardize front lawn but 30 feet of Boat trailer Fits nicely. A member just had 100k offered to him after he had an accepted offer on a nice place. Crazy with 10% unemployment, but unless you want a reno project, not a lot of great places out there.
One that may not have been mentioned is Royston, not great for bottom fish? but good access to Nootka, Bamfield.
Don’t know what kinda 8’6 boat you are getting but if you can access the Gulf islands or Desolation for overnight and cruising may be a good backup activity during continued dfo closures. Gulf islands has good pubs and Restaurants to visit by boat.
Good shoes to be in cashing out of Van.
Gear'n'beer!
Well-Known Member
Alright......I like spending other guys money as much as the next guy.
I have lived around Vic for 20 years. Before that about a dozen in cr. my personal preference would be some place just outside of Courtenay. South down to royston as mentioned or north to say Saratoga. That is where my personal sights will be set when it's time to pull the pin. Enough with the sooke combat fishing and dudes anchoring on top of you. Just came back from a trip up island and its peaceful fishing.....although the deep isn't necessarily my favourite but whatever.
Good luck!
I have lived around Vic for 20 years. Before that about a dozen in cr. my personal preference would be some place just outside of Courtenay. South down to royston as mentioned or north to say Saratoga. That is where my personal sights will be set when it's time to pull the pin. Enough with the sooke combat fishing and dudes anchoring on top of you. Just came back from a trip up island and its peaceful fishing.....although the deep isn't necessarily my favourite but whatever.
Good luck!
Thunder21
Well-Known Member
I’ve lived in CR , Nanaimo, Victoria , Powell river and now Alberni. If I had my choice I would live in CR. The fishing there is great and you have good access to the west coast. There’s a place on realtor right now north of CR about 10 mins. It’s waterfront near Painters lodge with its own dock and a bit of property for around 1.2mil. That’s where I would go.
acrowe
Active Member
I grew up near Victoria but lived off the Island for a long time. I think it depends a bit on what sort of environment you are looking for. Coming back from Vancouver you might really value having a huge variety of restaurants and urban activities, and if that's the case probably a larger center is a good choice as there is fishing right close anywhere on the island and its never too far to the West Coast spots. I am now in CR and we really love it. My partner works in health care and says that the hospital is excellent (we always had plans to get medevacced to winnipeg in case of serious illness or injury where we lived previously in a smaller place in Manitoba).
I find the fishing in CR is really good, in fact I think I average more fish than with my father as a kid around Sidney, Saanich Inlet and Sooke in the 70s and 80s. I also like that CR is close to so many of the islands great rivers, as that is something I also love, fishing and just being around them. There are many lakes for camping and fishing just north of CR, although trout fishing in lakes on the island is a bit different than trout fishing in lakes in Manitoba.
Winter Harbour is not too far from CR, the Westcoast without the crowds. And of course Nootka Sound is hardly farther than Sooke from downtown Victoria (you trade traffic for variable road conditions)
Housing is more affordable than further south on the island, I would assume especially coming from Vancouver, leaving more resources available to do stuff you actually want to do. It still has lots of the small town vibe, and still shows its industrial side but is fairly touristy in the summer. These things are worth considering, some people want that environment others want the urban vibe.
My thoughts
I find the fishing in CR is really good, in fact I think I average more fish than with my father as a kid around Sidney, Saanich Inlet and Sooke in the 70s and 80s. I also like that CR is close to so many of the islands great rivers, as that is something I also love, fishing and just being around them. There are many lakes for camping and fishing just north of CR, although trout fishing in lakes on the island is a bit different than trout fishing in lakes in Manitoba.
Winter Harbour is not too far from CR, the Westcoast without the crowds. And of course Nootka Sound is hardly farther than Sooke from downtown Victoria (you trade traffic for variable road conditions)
Housing is more affordable than further south on the island, I would assume especially coming from Vancouver, leaving more resources available to do stuff you actually want to do. It still has lots of the small town vibe, and still shows its industrial side but is fairly touristy in the summer. These things are worth considering, some people want that environment others want the urban vibe.
My thoughts
casper5280
Crew Member
STOP That's right near me. No more Barclay/Painter fishers. CR has highest property tax, no fish, need to fish 250ft and down, real bad area. This thread has just gotten way to close.
HM
TheHurtLocker
Well-Known Member
I too was raised on the island, Qualicum area and moved to the lower mainland as a teenager.
I’ve just moved back to the island in the last year. Campbell River was the area we decided on. We’re so glad we made the decision, lots to do in this community. Obviously for me it’s fishing, boats in the marina, easy to go to the west coast and lots of rivers as well.
More importantly my wife really loves it as well, she was actually born here and moved to the lower mainland as a young kid as well, but she never came back so it was new to her.
I have noticed that since we bought our home prices have been steadily going up, lots of people are moving here.
Good luck
I’ve just moved back to the island in the last year. Campbell River was the area we decided on. We’re so glad we made the decision, lots to do in this community. Obviously for me it’s fishing, boats in the marina, easy to go to the west coast and lots of rivers as well.
More importantly my wife really loves it as well, she was actually born here and moved to the lower mainland as a young kid as well, but she never came back so it was new to her.
I have noticed that since we bought our home prices have been steadily going up, lots of people are moving here.
Good luck
17 ft sea ranger
Active Member
Campbell river is terrible......please stay away.
ok, i kidding.....Campbell River
ok, i kidding.....Campbell River
https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/21913667/2845-north-beach-dr-campbell-river-campbell-river-north
Dock, shop, boat parking, and the house is OK too
Dock, shop, boat parking, and the house is OK too
walleyes
Crew Member
Geez that’s a sweet place. Too bad it’s in town stacked on top of everybody else like ants.
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Ground Tackle
Active Member
We live in Maple Bay (I work in Victoria and husband in Nanaimo) so its the in between for us and we do like where we are. Husband retires in 4 years and I can go in 6, we have always discussed retiring to Campbell River for some time now just because of the boating. So, I have kept an eye on the housing market as it was cheaper to where we are here. That doesn't seem to be the case any longer, prices are definitely going up there....but we are as well, more people live here now and commute to Victoria for work.
Reeltime
Well-Known Member
Wow not bad maybe time to sell and move there nice water front
Original
Well-Known Member
There is an affordable home that came on the market in CR today
$439,000. 872 Somerset St mls #854478 sorry can’t seem to link it.
Room for a boat , shop in rear and only a few mins away from launch.
My preference is still Langford, Colwood purely based on winter weather and so many different fishing options.
Which way you leaning there Aquaman?
$439,000. 872 Somerset St mls #854478 sorry can’t seem to link it.
Room for a boat , shop in rear and only a few mins away from launch.
My preference is still Langford, Colwood purely based on winter weather and so many different fishing options.
Which way you leaning there Aquaman?
Aquaholic
Crew Member
well....I have family in Chemainus so probably not there. (ha) I do really like the Gulf Island access from that Cow Bay to Ladysmith stretch. Still a while before the move happens but some great choices and excellent first hand feedback on the fishing quality of different areas. I thank thee.
Thats a great house !! decent location and lots of RV/Boat parking ! belongs to a friend of mine.
CRGreg
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