FSC Daily Fishing Report - Saturday, July 25, 2026
A first-time angler visiting from Quebec landed a chrome-bright Chinook on their very first Campbell River fishing charter. Captain Trevor put them on both Chinook and Coho salmon along Discovery Passage on a grey July morning.
=== Conditions Report: Saturday, July 25, 2026 === First light broke at 5:40 AM under a low, heavy overcast, and by the time we cleared Coast Marina the sky had settled into that soft grey a salmon guide learns to love. Air temp sat at 19°C with a light breeze out of the east-southeast at 9 knots, gusting to maybe 17 km/h. Visibility was a clean 10 kilometres.
The marine forecast called southeast 5 to 15 knots with seas 1 metre or less, and Discovery Passage delivered exactly that - a light chop on grey-green water, easy running for our nimble Boston Whaler Montauk. Tides shaped the whole morning. We worked the push toward the 9:03 AM slack before flood at Seymour Narrows, with a low tide of 3.3 feet at 9:46 AM and a big high building to 12.0 feet by late afternoon. The Narrows themselves were ripping nearly 14 knots on the flood, so we stayed on the productive current edges of the main channel.
=== The Catch === With the water warm at 18.3°C, the fish were up shallow and feeding. Captain Trevor ran hoochies - plastic squid lures - behind flashers on downriggers set at just 25 feet, trolling around 2.5 knots to keep them rolling. The waxing gibbous moon had the underfoot feeding window landing 7:40 to 9:40 AM, right on top of our slack, and the bite followed. Two salmon came to the net for keeps and ten more were released, a healthy mix of Chinook and Coho. The highlight was a chrome-bright 14 lb Chinook, fresh from the salt. Our angler, a first-timer visiting all the way from Quebec, watched it come up silver against the grey water, and that first-fish grin said everything.
=== What's Running in July === Summer is prime time in Campbell River. Chinook are the main event, running typical this season at 12 to 16 pounds with always a chance at a trophy 30-plus pounder. Coho move in strong through the summer and fall alongside them. Under DFO Area 13 rules for July 15 through August 31, Chinook retention sits at one per day within a 62 to 80cm slot, meaning anything over 80cm goes back - a good rule that keeps the big spawners in the system. We released our larger fish today to do exactly that.
=== Book Your Trip === Whether you're a seasoned angler or, like today's guest, casting for salmon for the very first time, there's a spot for you aboard the Montauk. Captain Trevor is patient, laid-back, and great with beginners. We run three trips daily at 6am, 11am, and 4pm out of Coast Marina A Dock. View our salmon fishing charters and Check rates and availability at fishingstoriecharters.com. Summer is filling fast.
Weather: Overcast, 19°C, wind ESE 9 knots gusting to 17 km/h, visibility 10km | Water: Light chop, seas 1 metre or less, grey-green water
