Species Guide

Chinook Salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

The largest Pacific salmon and the top target for BC and Pacific Northwest boat anglers. Chinook feed aggressively around tide changes and along structure.

Peak: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Coho Salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

Acrobatic and aggressive, coho are the shore angler's salmon. They push baitfish against beaches in the fall and hit fast-moving lures.

Peak: Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct

Lingcod

Ophiodon elongatus

An aggressive ambush predator of rocky structure. Lingcod hit jigs hard and fight dirty around the reef — heavy tackle and quick pressure win.

Peak: May, Jun, Jul, Aug

Pacific Halibut

Hippoglossus stenolepis

The heavyweight of the coast. Halibut sit on gravel and sand edges where current delivers food, and reward patient anchoring or controlled drifts.

Peak: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug

Rockfish (Sebastes spp.)

Sebastes spp.

Dozens of species share one habit: structure. Rockfish are the reliable backbone of BC bottom fishing and perfect for new boat anglers.

Peak: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Rainbow Trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

The most accessible freshwater target in BC. Rainbows feed on chironomids in lakes and take spinners, flies and bait in rivers.

Peak: Apr, May, Sep, Oct

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides

Ambush predators of warm, weedy water. Bass reward anglers who fish cover precisely and slow down when the sun is high.

Peak: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Smallmouth Bass

Micropterus dolomieu

Pound for pound the hardest-fighting freshwater fish in the Northwest. Smallmouth live on rock and eat crawfish imitations year-round.

Peak: Apr, May, Jun, Sep

Kokanee

Oncorhynchus nerka (landlocked sockeye)

Landlocked sockeye that school in open water and bite tiny, bright offerings trolled at the exact depth of the school.

Peak: May, Jun, Jul

Walleye

Sander vitreus

Light-shy predators that feed hardest at dawn, dusk and after dark. Walleye are a jig fisherman's game: bottom contact is everything.

Peak: May, Jun, Sep, Oct