West Coast Fishing Spots

[nelsonob1]

I want to take the kids salmon fishing sonewhere near Vancouver - thinking of the Horseshoe Bay area and wonder whether anyone has any experience in that area and can recommend marina and fishing spots? Got my own boat.

[Nickote316]

Went out by bowden island and the suspension bridge two years ago. Only caught one but others in the area were catching quite a bit of fish.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Went out by bowden island and the suspension bridge two years ago. Only caught one but others in the area were catching quite a bit of fish.
Bowen Island? And there's only two suspension bridges that I know of, Capilano and Lynn Canyon, both inland, over 20 miles away in North Van.

[Redfrog]

Haven't fished Howe Sound for a few years now. Lots of pressure around Horseshoe bay and lots of boat traffic. The ferry terminal is there as well.

Depending when you are going, if it were me I'd go to Lions bay up the coast from Horseshoe bay. It is about halfway to Squamish. There is a campground and good boat launch there. Awesome scenery. I don't know how crowded it is now, when I went there it was good.

The salmon fishing can be good or not depending on when you go. We fished Gibson's, across the sound, for coho in August and there are some big spring salmon in the sound as well.

With kids you may want to skip the salmon and go for ling or rockfish. Any place along the shore in 40 feet of water or more is usually busy. My kids liked to catch flounder a couple hundred yards off the shore north or south of the boat launch. We used sea worms for bait. We got the worms under the rocks at low tide. You could also use clam, or mussel meat for bait. They also caught lots of sharks [spiny dogfish] on herring chunks. The sharks have cartilage instead of bones. The y go to about 4+feet. If you clean them when you catch them and chunk them they make good fish for fish and chips. If you leave them all day and then clean them their body chemistry changes and the meat smells of ammonia. They are used in Britain commercially for fish and chips. It's a big deal for prairie kids to catch a shark. Some days we've c/r a hundred. next day zero.:)

We set crab traps in the bay south of the park in about 20-30 feet of water and did well on Dungeness. A fish head for bait works good. We also put out prawn traps in about 200 feet of water south of the park. GO fish off the rocky shore for cod etc. and check the traps every hour or two. Nothing compares to fresh prawns of crabs. Be sure you can see your traps as others may empty them for you.:argue2: Also be aware that low tide to high tide can mean a 20 foot fluctuation. Have enough rope on your traps or they may float away. Be careful where you park your boat or it may be high and dry.

The sound is 7-800 feet deep in places within a few hundred yards of shore so make sure your rods have enough line. we caught Yellow rock cod to 20 lbs+ within sight of the park. Most people put the boat in and think they have to go for miles all over the sound to find fish. It means less pressure right near the park.

some very big salmon get caught trolling big plugs or herring north of Lions bay in front of Brittania Beach.

Brittania beach is about 15 minutes north if you get rained out or want a change for a few hours.. there is an old copper mine there with tours.

[Nickote316]

Bowen Island? And there's only two suspension bridges that I know of, Capilano and Lynn Canyon, both inland, over 20 miles away in North Van.

Oops yes Bowen island lol

Im talking about the lions gate that crosses Burrard inlet (that might be spelt wrong) not the walking suspension bridges ;)

[nelsonob1]

thx for the advice which i shall put to good use.

[Pudelpointer]

Howe Sound is now closed to fishing for all rockfish and ling cod as far as I know.

Check your regs carefully.

[Scott h]

I want to take the kids salmon fishing sonewhere near Vancouver - thinking of the Horseshoe Bay area and wonder whether anyone has any experience in that area and can recommend marina and fishing spots? Got my own boat.

Probably the best bet right now is trolling along the shoreline in front of the Capillano river. They are picking up coho that are headed up to the hatchery on that river. Lots of boats out there so you won't have a problem figuring out where to start. Their is a boat ramp ( free) right at Ambleside but the parking can be a problem sometimes . Their is another very nice ramp at Cates park on the other side of the second narrows bridge but it's 10 or 20 bucks to put in and park for the day. Both ramps have fresh water hoses to flush your motors. It's a no fishing zone between Lions Gate and Second narrows bridge . It is also easy to head across to point grey and you may intercept Fraser bound fish. It's not looking like they'll open the saltwater for sockeye this summer but ............. who knows.
Check out the sportfishingbc forum, you may pick up some useful info.
Good Luck