Anchovies at 50 Feet, Glow Spoons Down Deep: What's Working
Glassy 0.1m seas and a morning flood have Chinook hammering anchovies at 50 feet, with peak Coho and Pinks rounding out the best variety of the year.
On the Water Today
It's a clean morning out here in Campbell River — 14°C, clear skies, and a light NW breeze at just 10 km/h barely putting a ripple on the water. Wave height is sitting around 0.1m, which means glassy conditions and easy running through Discovery Passage. We're working the morning slack as it rolls into the flood, and that tide change is exactly the window you want to be lines-down for.
What's Actually Working
Let me get straight to the gear, because that's where the day is being made. Anchovies in a glow or UV teaser head are the top producer right now, run at about 50 feet down. Rig them with a slow, wide roll and the Chinook are hammering them. If the bait bite slows, we've been switching to glow and army-truck spoons pushed a little deeper, into the 80-90 foot range, and picking up fish that are holding down in the water column. Downrigger spreads staggered between 45 and 90 feet let you cover the whole zone until the fish tell you where they want to eat. Glow hootchies behind a flasher are still a reliable third option, especially through the low-light hours.
Species Running
Chinook are the headline and they're biting hard. Most fish are landing in that solid 12-16 lb class, but August is prime time for a trophy — this is genuinely your best shot of the year at a 30-plus pound Tyee pushing through. Retention is open: guests are keeping one Chinook per day between 62 and 80 cm, and fish are going home in the cooler. Coho are peaking right now too, and Pink Salmon are stacked in for good measure. Between the three species, this is about the most variety you'll see all season.
What to Expect This Week
With settled weather, calm seas, and bait balls firing on the flood, the conditions couldn't be much better. Expect steady action from Discovery Passage right up toward the mouth of Johnstone Strait. Bring a camera — the trophy odds are real this month, and the mixed-bag days keep everyone's rods bent.
Book Your Trip
August fills fast, and with the Tyee window wide open and Coho at their peak, now's the time to get on the water. Give us a call and let's put you on a trophy Chinook before the run winds down.
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.
