FSC Daily Fishing Report - Sunday, July 5, 2026
A Campbell River fishing charter delivered the fish of a lifetime this week — a chrome 24lb Chinook salmon off Cape Mudge on a flat calm summer afternoon. Here's how the day unfolded.
Conditions Report: July 5, 2026
Some afternoons the strait goes quiet and gives you a perfect day. This was one of them. Air temp sat at 21°C under a few high clouds, with a light southerly wind at just 2 km/h — barely a breath on the water. Visibility ran out past 10 km, the Coast Mountains sharp and clean on the horizon.
The marine forecast called for seas one metre or less, and that's exactly what we found. Flat calm. Glassy. No chop to fight and no swell to speak of. The tide was building from a 3:11 PM low of 5.8 feet toward a 10:19 PM high of 13.1 feet, and we worked the afternoon current change around the Seymour Narrows slack before flood at 4:35 PM. Moving water is what turns these grounds on, and it did.
The Catch
We fished Cape Mudge — the historic Tyee grounds off the southern tip of Quadra Island. Trolling hoochies (plastic squid lures) behind flashers, we ran the downriggers deep at 220 feet where the fish were holding. Water temp read a warm 17.9°C.
The bite was genuinely hot. Five Chinook kept and thirty released across the afternoon, most in the honest 12-16 lb range, chrome bright and fresh. The last quarter moon and a Good solunar rating had the fish feeding, with the best window landing near the tide change.
Then came the fish of the day. Lars, visiting from Europe on his first trip out with us, wanted one thing — a big fish. The rod loaded up hard, the drag sang, and after a good fight a 24-pound Chinook came to the net. The biggest fish of his life. In his words, he wanted a big fish and he got it.
What's Running in July
July is prime Chinook season around Campbell River. Cape Mudge and Discovery Passage produce solid feeder Chinook through the summer, mostly in the 12-16 lb range with a real chance at a trophy over 30 pounds. Under current DFO Area 13 rules, Chinook must be a minimum 62 cm to retain, and from July 15 onward a 62 to 80 cm slot limit applies, meaning larger fish are released. We frame those releases as a good thing — they keep the run strong for the seasons ahead. Coho begin to show through summer and add to the mix.
Book Your Trip
The fish are here and the water has been kind. Our 27' Boston Whaler Conquest offers a heated cabin, private washroom, and Starlink WiFi, with room for up to four guests, departing Coast Marina A Dock with free parking at Tyee Plaza. View our salmon fishing charters and Check rates and availability at fishingstoriecharters.com. Summer dates are filling fast.
Weather: 21°C, few clouds, light southerly wind at 2 km/h, clear and bright | Water: Flat calm, blue-green water, no whitecaps, glassy surface
