Two Chinook Over 62cm Is Your Keeper Limit This November
Winter Chinook retention is 2/day over 62cm, with resident fish feeding steady in Discovery Passage on today's calm, foggy flood tide.
Know Your Limits Before You Launch
Let's start with what matters most if you're heading out this week: retention on winter Chinook is currently 2 per angler per day, with a minimum size of 62cm. That's the rule in Discovery Passage and the surrounding inside waters right now, and there are no urgent DFO changes to flag for November. Keep your tape measure handy, release anything short, and you'll stay on the right side of the regulations while still boxing a couple of quality fish.
Today's Conditions on the Water
It's a classic Campbell River November morning out there. We're sitting at 7°C with foggy skies and a soft SE wind at 15 km/h, keeping the chop down to around 0.4m. That's about as comfortable as winter fishing gets. We're working the morning slack into the flood, which is prime timing — the tide change tends to switch the bite on as bait gets pushed and pinned against the structure.
Why the Chinook Are Here
These are local resident winter Chinook, feeding hard in Discovery Passage and the inside waters. They're not migrating through like the summer runs — they're staying put and fattening up on bait, which means they're actively hunting and willing to eat. Most fish are running 8 to 15 lbs, perfect eating size and a genuinely fun fight on the downriggers.
How We're Fishing Them
The program for winter Chinook is consistent: get your gear down deep and work the bait schools. Glow hoochies and spoons behind a flasher are the go-to, run down around 100 to 130 feet where these fish are holding on the feed. Keep an eye on your sounder, mark the bait, and put your gear right in that zone. The fog and calm water actually work in our favour — less boat traffic and a mellow surface make it easier to read the water and stay on fish through the flood.
Book Your Winter Chinook Trip
Winter Chinook fishing in Campbell River is one of the best-kept secrets on the coast — quiet water, chrome-bright fish, and plenty of room to spread out. With comfortable conditions like today's and fish feeding steady in Discovery Passage, this is a great stretch to get aboard. Give us a shout and let's get you out there before the season really ramps up.
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.
