Step Aboard This Week: Trophy Chinook on a Glassy Morning Flood
Trophy Chinook are stacking in Discovery Passage on a glassy morning flood — the best fishing of the year is happening right now.
What You'll See When You Step Aboard This Week
Picture this: it's a calm July morning in Campbell River, the thermometer sits at a comfortable 13°C, and partly cloudy skies stretch out over Discovery Passage. A light NW breeze of just 10 km/h barely ripples the water, and with wave heights around 0.1m, it's about as flat and friendly as it gets. You climb aboard, coffee in hand, and by the time we clear the harbour the morning slack is already easing into the flood — the exact tide window we've been waiting all year to fish.
Trophy Season Is In Full Swing
This is the moment. Chinook retention opened July 15, and the fishing right now is the best of the entire year. Most of the fish we're hooking run a solid 12–16 lbs, but this is your genuine shot at a Tyee-class monster in the 30–35 lb range. These big chrome bruisers are stacking through Discovery Passage on the flood, and every rod on the boat has a chance at the fish of a lifetime.
It's not just Chinook keeping the reels screaming, either. Coho are on the chew and hitting surface gear hard, while pink salmon are adding steady action between the bigger bites. When the Chinook go quiet on a tide change, there's always something to keep your line tight.
How We're Fishing It
The name of the game is timing that flood tide along the Quadra Island shorelines and the ledges of Discovery Passage. We're running anchovy in glow teaser heads down in that 40–50 foot zone where the Tyee are traveling, and keeping the coho gear closer to the surface. Slow trolling with the tide, staying on the bait balls, and working the current seams is putting fish in the box. Under regulation, you can keep one Chinook per day, minimum 62cm and maximum 80cm — so bring a cooler for that fresh fillet to take home.
Book Your Seat Now
Calm seas, easy weather, biting fish, and the best trophy odds of the season all lining up at once — weeks like this don't come around often. Whether it's your first time on the water or you're chasing a personal-best Chinook, this is the week to be out here. Spots are filling fast during the peak of Tyee season, so lock in your charter today and let's go put a trophy on your line.
Ready to experience world-class fishing in Campbell River? Book your charter trip with Fishing Storie Charters today. Captain Jason and the crew are ready to put you on fish.
