Good fishing around Vancouver island and BC coast.

A

Atomic_adam

New member
Trying to plan a family camping trip and I want to include some day fishing trips in fairly protected waters. We were planing to go to vancouver island. Does anyone know of any spots that offer great camping as well as easy access to fishing and touring areas?
 
probably the best area to camp and fish over here would be either cluxewe river campground or alder bay resort just south of the Nimpkish river. both are very popular so would advise reservations
 
In Barkley Sound: Consider Bamfield, for camping at the Ohiat-owned and run CG at Pachena Bay, launching in Bamfield (steep ramp), be prepared for a long, rugged gravel road access. Or, consider Ucluelet, with the Parks Canada CG a few miles away, launching at Ucluelet, all paved road access. Ucluelet is a nice tourist town. Bamfield is funky, more primitive. Tofino is maybe 20 miles north of the Parks CG, with a decent ramp and enormous cruising potential in Clayoquot Sound. Pick your time accordingly and there are decent salmon prospects either location.

This will get you started on research.
 
Yes. Reservations for sure. If it's at all worth while camping it will require a reservation. Thanks. I'll look into both those areas.

Cheers.

Adam
 
The fishing is far better on the west side than on the east side. On the SW side - Port Renfrew is fairly easy to get to and there's some campgrounds near the port. From there you have access to the W end of the strait of Juan de Fuca and offshore to Swiftsure bank. Swiftsure is pretty much guaranteed to produce salmon from June -Sept. Bamfield and Tofino are good also on the west side. On the east side, the fishing can be good around Victoria as you can intercept Frasier River bound fish. Once you get N of the Frasier River, the pickings are slim until you get at least to Campbell River. Sure, you can catch fish along the way but the catching is not near as reliable as it is on the west side or in the Strait. IMHO, the Strait doesn't really get good until Aug/Late Aug. For my money, Port Renfrew and Swiftsure bank are the best places to go.
 
Atomic_adam":xqjk8ekp said:
Yes. Reservations for sure. If it's at all worth while camping it will require a reservation. Thanks. I'll look into both those areas.

Adam
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Bamfield might be too remote and too lacking in stuff for the kids to do. Worth visiting West Bamfield, easily done after your boat is in the water. No vehicle access to W Bamfield. Parking, especially long term, is tight to nonexistent in Bamfield unless arranged ahead of time. The band now controls the grocery store as well as Pachena Bay CG. The latter is a beautiful site, and jumpoff point for the West Coast Trail to Port Renfrew, so there is steady visitor traffic to sustain services in Bamfield.

Tofino is also tight on parking and likely will demand prior arrangements to leave a trailer. Handful of private CGs on the route to Tofino. All of the campgrounds in that area demand reservations way in advance. Plenty for the kids to do in Tofino, to include whale watching, kayaking with adults, etc. Tofino kitschy but charming.
 
I have a question? why would any one trailer to bamfield when you can trailer to Ucluelet and then just run over in a hour or less?

We spent a week in the islands between bamfield and Ucluelet in 2007??. Lots to see and do if you like to rough it a bit. Plenty of little islands to pitch a tent that had good anchorage right it front. Any place you need reservations has to many people in it for me. That goes for camp grounds as we as restaurant.
 
Trailering to bamfield isn't something I would recommend. I have done it twice (slow learner). It is way too hard on people and equipment. I think this year I am going to run the boat up the west coast to bamfield. There is excellent fishing near bamfield in July.
 
Bamfield is starting to get some extra regs for inside fishing. Last year it was no Springs after August 1. They are starting to protect the Stamp river run. Might check the synopsis.
 
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