Keep Two Chinook Over 62cm: Your October Limits Explained

What You Can Keep Right Now

Let's lead with the rules, because that's what matters when you step aboard this week. Winter Chinook retention in Discovery Passage currently sits at two fish per angler per day, with a minimum size of 62cm. That means every keeper you drop in the box is a solid, legal fish — and right now the resident winter Chinook are running 8 to 15 pounds, which puts most of them comfortably over that mark. There are no urgent DFO regulation changes to report today, so you can fish with confidence knowing the limits are stable heading into the back half of October.

Today's Conditions on the Water

This morning we're looking at 5°C under partly cloudy skies — crisp fall air that tells you winter season is settling in. Northwest winds are light at just 10 km/h, and the wave height is reading flat at roughly 0.0m. That's as calm as it gets out here, folks. We're working a morning slack transitioning into the flood, which is prime timing for putting gear in front of feeding fish in Discovery Passage.

Why the Chinook Are Here

These are local resident winter Chinook, and they're parked in the inside waters and the Passage because the bait is here. Unlike the summer migratory runs pushing through Johnstone Strait, these fish hang around Campbell River all winter, feeding steadily on herring and needlefish. That makes them predictable — find the bait, find the fish. The calm water today also makes it easy to spot bait balls and read the sounder clean.

Technique for This Week

We'll be running downriggers down in the 100 to 120 foot range, where these feeders tend to hold on the flood. Glow spoons and small hoochies that mimic needlefish are the go-to this time of year, worked slow with a bit of action to trigger strikes. The flat conditions mean we can fine-tune presentation all day. Guests this week can expect steady action and genuinely good odds at filling that two-fish limit with quality Chinook.

Book Your Winter Chinook Trip

Glassy water, feeding fish, and stable regulations — this is exactly the kind of setup winter Chinook anglers wait for. If you've been thinking about getting out on Discovery Passage, now is the time to lock in your date. Spots fill fast on calm-weather weeks, so reach out to Fishing Storie Charters and let's get you on the water chasing these hard-fighting resident Chinook.

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.