Best Pacific Salmon Destinations by: Roger Brunt & Bob McGary 1. CAMPBELL RIVER, BC Campbell River, on Vancouver Island, has long claimed the title of "Salmon Capital of British Columbia," and it still deserves it. There is fabulous fishing for all five species of salmon in both the saltwater and the river itself, and the river is known for its year-round fishing. What's more, the Campbell was Roderick Haig-Brown's home river, and it's still possible to fish the very locations described in his books. From December to mid-March, winter springs are very popular. In April, mature fish move from Alaska down through the area. In June, the chinook bound for the Columbia River in Oregon also pass through the channel, while June through August are the peak months for springs, coho, sockeye and pinks. From September to December, chum salmon make up the best fishing on the river. They weigh on average 10 to 25 pounds, and put up a better fight than even a chinook. The best spots are the "Lighthouse and the Hump" on the ebb tide and areas further north on the flood tide. Local guide Ken Nastrom says that, though trolling or mooching are the most popular methods, vertical jigging with Riptide Striker lures outproduces all other presentations. •Contact: Campbell River Tourism Association, (800) 463-4386. 2. SKEENA/KITIMAT RIVERS, BC In northern B.C., the Skeena is the queen of rivers. It's a huge flow—almost as large as the Fraser—and it has huge fish—chinook reaching 100 pounds and more. It's also easy to get to along its length. Most anglers fish for the big chinook and feisty cohos with heavy still-fishing gear rigged with Spin-N-Glos or bait, while limited spinfishing takes place in the quieter reaches. Three of the most popular fishing locations are Ferry Island, Remo Bar and Shane's Bar, where fly-fishermen and bottom bouncers can target sockeye using sparsely tied, green or pink flies. Be sure to check regulations, as the river is subject to periodic closures to protect its many different runs of fish. The Kitimat sits just next door to the Skeena, and when the salmon are running, the Kitimat is literally full of fish. There are heavy runs of summer-run coho starting in late summer, while northern coho run later and are generally larger—to 20 pounds and better. Gibbs Koho spoons are a lure of choice on the Kitimat. Fishing with roe also produces lots of fish. •Contact: B.C. Fisheries Office, Skeena Region, (250) 847-7260. 3. BRONTE/CREDIT, ON The Bronte and Credit rivers are the original home of salmon fishing on Lake Ontario. The two rivers located at the northwestern end of Lake Ontario have been stocked on a regular basis with chinook fingerlings, which return to the area three years later as mature fish. Late June to September provides the best fishing opportunities a few miles out from the mouth of the rivers. The area known as the "Blue Zone," 16 to 20 kilometres offshore in 350 to 400 feet of water, provides excellent catches. Pre-spawn fish move closer to shore near the middle of August. Near the end of August and in early September, chinooks start to run the river. Most anglers use downriggers and spoons in deep water, while closer to the rivermouths, trolling chartreuse J-13 Rapalas is effective. At the start of the spawning run in September, shore fishing can also produce. Shore anglers cast Cleo spoons or Lymans. Some have started to use West Coast lures such as Buzzbombs and Riptide Strikers with great success. •Contact: Shortwave Marine Electronics, (905) 278-6541. 4. PORT ALBERNI, BC If there's any area that might lay siege to Campbell River's title of "Salmon Capital of B.C.," it's Port Alberni on central Vancouver Island. Alberni Inlet connects the town with Barkley Sound, on the west coast of the island, and the Somass/Stamp River system provides incredible fishing, especially for chinook. However, it's the development of a sockeye sportfishery that has really put Port Alberni on the map. Trolling is the method of choice in the Port Alberni/Barkley Sound area. Sockeye prefer sparse, red hoochies fished behind a flasher. Chinook and coho are often caught on this gear too, but many more are hooked using anchovies in teaser heads fished behind a dodger or a flasher. In the river, drift-fishing gear is the most popular method, with Spin-N-Glos, yarn flies and roe the baits of choice. The Somass/Stamp, first made famous by General Money, has a long history as one of Vancouver Island's top rivers. And anglers still catch fish in the pool bearing his name. •Contact: Murphy's Sport Fishing Guide Service, (250) 723-8022. 5. OWEN SOUND, ON This port on Georgian Bay has long been overshadowed by many of Lake Ontario's hotspots. But not any longer. It's become a primo salmon destination, with a twist—this is one of the few areas in Canada where it's possible to ice-fish for salmon. In April and May, the chinook hug the bottom in 90 to 100 feet of water. Small three- to four-inch spoons, like the Silver Fox in a blue/silver colour, are popular. First light produces the best catches. The fish start to scatter in late May but group into schools in mid-July. Trolling along the west side of the bay in 100 feet of water is a productive pattern, while Thomson's Hole, which bottoms out at 185 feet, is a year-round favourite. In July and August, Lyman plugs are the lure of choice. August finds mature salmon moving back toward Owen Sound and the Indian, Pottawatomi and Sydenham rivers. •Contact: Watsons Tackle House, (519) 371-0090 or Twin River Tackle, (519) 371-6099. 6. TAHSIS-NOOTKA SOUND, BC This location on West Vancouver Island is the one area in B.C. that has "new hotspot" written all over it. It is fast becoming one of the premier destinations for chinook fishing in the province. Tahsis chinook are some of the biggest in B.C., averaging 20-pounds-plus with lots of 30-pounders and a few in the 40s. And 10 to 15 big springs in a morning are a reality. Fishermen who have been to the Charlottes and River's Inlet concur that the two-and-a-half-hour drive from Campbell River is worth it. The protected inner waters of Nootka Sound allow anglers the opportunity of fishing from their own boats in comfort. Trolling with a cut plug or a flasher and anchovy are popular, though many anglers are starting to switch to spoons. •Contact: Vancouver Island North Visitors Association, (250) 949-7622. 7. TORONTO, ON It's hard to imagine that some of the best salmon fishing in Canada is within sight of Toronto. But the shoreline from the Toronto Islands to the Scarborough Bluffs has some of the finest underwater structure for salmon on Lake Ontario. Thousands of years of erosion and water currents have moved debris from the Bluffs west, creating the Toronto Islands. This 16-kilometre stretch of shoreline also has a major drop-off close to shore, which attracts baitfish and salmon. Anglers in the know troll in about 100 feet of water, in a westerly direction, toward the Toronto Islands. Trolling back and forth over the drop-off from 80 to 150 feet of water guarantees passing over salmon. The area in front of the R.C. Harris Filtration Plant and further west off the Leslie Street Spit are popular locations. The shoreline drop-off south of the Toronto Islands is also an excellent area for trolling. Patriot spoons are very popular among local anglers. If the drop-off doesn't produce, a short run will locate water depths of 300 feet. •Contact: Tightlines Fisherman's Warehouse, (905) 837-0544. 8. CHILLIWACK/VEDDER RIVER, BC The Chilliwack River, also known as the Vedder, remains a popular salmon fishing destination in B.C., largely because of accessibility (a good road parallels much of the river's fishable section) and numbers of fish. An intensive hatchery program is responsible for the incredibly high numbers of returning salmon. Runs of chinook salmon are estimated to be 80,000 to 100,000 fish, with coho numbers equally high. Chum and pink salmon become so numerous they're considered a nuisance. Drift-fishing, using a float to keep your bait or lure off the bottom, is the preferred technique on the Chilliwack. Most anglers use a 9-1/2- to 10-foot rod and level-wind reel. A combination of salmon roe and brightly coloured yarn is the preferred lure. Spin-N-Glos, Kitimat and Koho spoons, spinners and yarn flies are also popular. Stout tackle is required—chinooks can weigh up to 60 pounds, chums to 30. •Contact: B.C. Wildlife Regional Office, Kamloops, (250) 371-6200. 9. WHITBY/PORT HOPE, ON The stretch of Lake Ontario from Whitby to Port Hope is sometimes overlooked by anglers, but not by salmon. This 50-kilometre section is a proven staging area for the big fish. Many anglers run 10 or more kilometres out from Oshawa and fish water over 200-feet deep, but last summer, chinook were consistently caught just off bottom in 60 to 80 feet of water near the mouth of the harbour. Other popular areas include: straight out from the Cranberry Marsh in Whitby and in front of Lasco Steel; in front of the St. Mary's cement plant in Bowmanville and the warm-water discharge off the Darlington Generating Station; off Port Hope's legendary Ganaraska River. Fish first appear in late June and stay until October. Some anglers use Luhr Jensen Dipsey Divers. A size-0 Dipsey will run about 35-feet deep and allows you to troll a spoon out to the side away from downriggers. Northern King and R.A.C. spoons in purple/silver and blue/silver are popular in deeper water. •Contact: Gagnon Sports, Oshawa, (905) 725-5798; The Ganny Fly and Tackle Shop, Port Hope, (905) 885-9898. 10. COLLINGWOOD, ON Collingwood, located at the southern end of Georgian Bay, is, as they say in the music industry, a chartclimber. It may enter at number 10 but it's only going to improve, largely because of the stocking efforts of local anglers' groups. Last summer was phenomenal, reminding some observers of B.C.'s Campbell River 20 years ago, with fish averaging 8 to 10 pounds. In April and May, chinook show up close to shore in 30 feet of water. Anglers troll 15 to 20 feet down with Husky Jerks and Silver Fox spoons. The best fishing in spring is off Craigleith, the pumphouse and Sunset Point. The spring fishery really doesn't seem to taper off but slides right into the summer flurry. Five to eight kilometres out from shore near Lighthouse Island is a favourite spot. Most of the year, salmon are caught in depths of 70 to 90 feet of water with early morning being the prime time. Patriot spoons, Northern Kings and Lymans are the favourite hardware. •Contact: Great Lakes Outfitters, (705) 445-1622. 11. QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS, BC  •Contact: B.C. Fisheries Office, Skeena, (250) 847-7260. 12. CHEHALIS RIVER, BC  •Contact: B.C. Wildlife Regional Office, Kamloops, (250) 371-6200. 13. RIVERS INLET/HAKAI PASS, BC  •Contact: B.C. Wildlife Regional Office, Skeena, (250) 847-7260. 14. WELLINGTON, ON  •Contact: Paul Picard Sales Limited Wellington at the Dock, (613) 399-3649. 15. KINCARDINE/PORT ELGIN, ON  •Contact: Lake Huron Rod and Gun, (519) 368-7182. 16. SOOKE/VICTORIA, BC  •Contact: Island Outfitters, (250) 475-4969. 17. PORT HARDY, BC  •Contact: Point Hardy Marine Hardware, (250) 949-6461. 18. ST. CATHARINES, ON  •Contact: Ministry of Natural Resources, Niagara Office, (905) 562-4147. 19. MANITOULIN ISLAND, ON  •Contact: Manitoulin Tourism Association Inc., (705) 368-3021. 20. FRASER RIVER, BC  •Contact: Cascade Fishing Charters, (604) 794-3166. other species destinations