What area to relocate to from Vancouver for best all year salmon fishing?????

[cby]

Victoria hands down for sure, #2 place to live in the world and some of the best fishing on the island year round. People are complaining about the traffic come on. It's not Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle. Yeah it has gotten busier over the past 20 years, yes they are working on it slowly but I would not live anywhere else. We live in the best city in the world. I would not live past Goldstream, Malahat is a real issue. Sooke is a great choice as well. Port Renfrew as well but you can get to both from Victoria. If you don't need to be to close to a major city, then hands down Sooke it is especially on the water, that would be heaven!

 

[SpringVelocity]

"I would not live past Goldstream, Malahat is a real issue."

LOLOLOL. Sorry to raz you but we always find this funny. Sooke Rd is a ****** road BTW. I would live there but I prefer Mahalat over sooke rd anyday especially in snow.

 

[scott craven]

Seems to becoming more of an issue all the time, weekend before last three major accidents had the road shut down for hours...

 

[dabell]

In the 7 years since we have moved, there has been snow once for 4-5 days, once for 1-2 days and another few years with a few hours of snow of the ground total. I would not base my decisions on snow at all ! That is one of the reasons I moved out this way - there is none.

Sooke road is good (and now resurfaced) - yes it has curves, but generally no traffic slowdowns. Once in a while an accident will slow or close, but no different than any road.

 

[SpringVelocity]

In the 7 years since we have moved, there has been snow once for 4-5 days, once for 1-2 days and another few years with a few hours of snow of the ground total. I would not base my decisions on snow at all ! That is one of the reasons I moved out this way - there is none.

Sooke road is good (and now resurfaced) - yes it has curves, but generally no traffic slowdowns. Once in a while an accident will slow or close, but no different than any road.

I trailer my boat down from malahat 2 -3 times a week sometimes ( yes I actually drive). I have been doing that for 6 to 7 years. I always get stuck at sooke rd especially in rush hour just saying. And when there is accident is gets shut down the same.

I won't get in to it if stupid weekend people would slow the F down we would have less accidents. Not the road its the people and many times we see weekend heading up and down island guys acting like idiots...Tunnel hill is my favorite.

 

[cby]

I would still take Sooke road over Malahat any day of the week. Sooke rd is now resurfaced and putting barriers in. Yes it comes down to drivers for sure but if you live past Goldstream and want to fish Sooke you have to do both. I don't fish anywhere but Victoria, Sooke, Port Renfrew, so Malahat not an issue for me

 

[ziggy]

Hope the politicians don't read this thread or it will kill the chances of road improvement lol. But for what it's worth BCAA lists the Malahat as number 10 on their list of 10 worst roads and lists congestion as the issue. Road to Sooke never made the top ten.

 

[SpringVelocity]

OMG guys..lol Anyway I will leave it. But there is nothing wrong with living north of Victoria, and the malahat isn't that bad. I stl=ill disagree on Sooke Rd but we will leave it at that.

 

[Last Chance]

I drive the Sookeahalla every day to work. Yes, there is the odd accident (Usually right before Gillespie so you can't get around it), but I love it, and can put myself on a fish damn near any day of the year. Fish Victoria November to June and Sooke July to Oct! Lord knows I will be, I have retired from Renfrew and will be bringing my charter biz to Sooke/Vic for next season.

 

[pescador]

I find the comments on this thread about traffic in Victoria laughable. Any place worth moving to in this province has traffic. Or for that matter any where on earth. Every household has 2-3 cars today. Our population has probably doubled since the 60's. When you live in a place that has a lot to offer, you continue to attract population growth. Victoria's traffic is a joke....I'd move there in a heartbeat, and may at some point. Why, because it has all the services I'm going to need as a retiree; Good physicians, an airport with flights to US and other major hubs in Canada, cheap ferry service to a major international city (Vancouver), golf, a University for my grandkids, good food and bars, and most importantly.....access to the some of the best salmon and halibut fishing in Canada. Man, I can launch and be in prime fishing territory in 25 minutes. I have caught most of my 30 lb plus fish right in Sooke or off the Victoria water front in the last 30 years. I'd buy in Esquimalt by Sax Point 3 minutes from the launch and be out fishing at least 3 days a week most of the year.

 

[kaelc]

Good point on all fronts Pescador. Esquimalt is still affordable, I even have a friend selling a house there for $340,000. Esquimalt Anglers is one of the best launches in the world, hats off to the Association. Collwood, is a nice place to buy "affordable" waterfront as well. One other alternative is Courtenay, Comox, Campbell River where the fishing has been pretty good the last couple years with excellent access to North Island, Nootka.

 

[SpringVelocity]

I drive the Sookeahalla every day to work. Yes, there is the odd accident (Usually right before Gillespie so you can't get around it), but I love it, and can put myself on a fish damn near any day of the year. Fish Victoria November to June and Sooke July to Oct! Lord knows I will be, I have retired from Renfrew and will be bringing my charter biz to Sooke/Vic for next season.

Not another guide in Sooke. LOLOL Stay in Renfrew your boat it to big... Congrats I sort of heard a rumor you were coming down.

 

[ziggy]

Nothing wrong with living where you're happy and it is obviously different for everyone. I just found it ironic that two of the routes locals love to complain about were being defended. You don't hear that very often.

 

[Fisherf]

sooke is awsome!
some reasons why......
-great northern coho from october to mid noveber
-year round springs
-crabbing, prawning and oysters
-halibut
-lingcod and rockfish
PLUS you have access to swifture bank.

 

[Last Chance]

Don't forget Mill Bay. Houses there cheap like borscht, and if you want a day of hali or spring fishing it's a 45 minute run around the peninsula to Vic, or 20 to Sidney. However, Vic is sure more consistent then Sidney (For me anyway, not so much for the guys who really know SIdney).