Sport Fishing on Haida Gwaii

The waters surrounding Haida Gwaii are well known for excellent salt water and fresh water fishing. Salmon and Halibut provide for exciting fishing adventures!   Crabbing and catching prawns is part of the experience too. Throw some traps over the side of your boat or place them on North Beach on Graham Island, and simply wait for the tide to roll in and out! The most popular salmon species for recreational fishing are Chinook and Coho. Chinook salmon are the largest salmon and can be caught from spring to early fall. The 'smaller' Coho salmon can be caught in the summer and early fall. Groundfish such as Halibut and Ling Cod are delicious! Halibut, the largest flatfish in BC waters can weigh over 200 kg! The following is a general guide to salt water sport fishing schedules on Haida Gwaii: Spring (Chinook) Salmon          April to September Sockeye Salmon                      May to July Coho Salmon                           July to September Chum Salmon                          July to September Halibut                                     March to September   Spend a day on the water with a local guide. You can have your catch cleaned and packaged at a local fish processing facility in Masset or Queen Charlotte or ‘do it yourself’ and enjoy a feast of fresh caught fish. Visit http://www.gohaidagwaii.ca/what-to-do/ for a list of local charter operators. The best known areas for ocean fishing include the west coast (via Skidegate Narrows) and north coast (via Masset).  Freshwater fishing is also popular. Salmon are abundant in local rivers in the fall while Cutthroat Trout and Dolly Varden are readily available year round. Throughout the winter, there are excellent Steelhead runs on Haida Gwaii. The Tlell, Yakoun and  Copper Rivers are great for Steelhead fishing.  Come visit us - supper's waiting!