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[Truecast]

With the Pinks still a couple or more weeks away from the Fraser, I'm itching for a fishy fix. So I'm heading over to Vancouver Island to try my luck in the chuck. I will be north of Nanaimo in the straight, around the Hornby/Denman island area.
So my question is.... does anyone know where the bulk of the Fraser river pinks come from? Do they migrate down from the north, up from the south, or do the spend much of their lives in the straight itself?
It could of course be a combination of all of these.
I would like to try and intercept them before the arrive in the lower mainland but don't know where to start. Any knowledge will be helpfull. I'll talk to the locals as well while I'm there and report in next week.

[RalphH]

the go outside to the Pacific to feed and grow. Migration is usually back through both Juan De Fuca (south) or Johnstone (north) tough the % varies cycle to cycle with Juan De Fuca usually favoured I think.

The PSC new releases give some idea what's up.( http://www.psc.org/NewsRel/2013/NewsRelease04.pdf). At present there isn't many Fraser Pink Salmon showing in the test catches. Remember the bulk of the fish show off the Fraser and the Harbour late in August and early in September.

[HOOK]

Why in the world would you target pinks in the salt when there is springs and coho. I know a guy that has gotten his limits of either of these or both almost every trip he has done in the last couple weeks. I am not sure where he launches from but he isn't on the island

[Rodney]

What RalphH said. If you are fishing along the ECVI, you should still be able to have some successful pink salmon fishing days right now. They were just starting to show at the north end of Vancouver Island this past week and will make their way into many streams along the ECVI soon. Departure Bay and Nanaimo Harbour just opened for pink salmon retention:

http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/fns/index.cfm?pg=view_notice&lang=en&DOC_ID=152753&ID=recreational

You should also ask the guys at Nike Creek Fly Shop while you're there as they seem to be pretty updated on this beach fishery.

[Truecast]

I probably will go for some coho as well but I'm relying on my Father in laws small boat and gear as I'm not bringing much of my own, and don't think he has the deep water stuff for Chinook. He has told me that there has been good coho and chinook numbers in the area.
Thanks for the links Rod and Ralph. We'll probably be doing alot of chatting with locals to see what is up. I think we'll start around the Qualicum and go from there.

[Truecast]

Nile creek is just south of my Father in Laws place. I'll stop in for sure.

[zabber]

Either you don't mind your inlaws, or you hate banging the gong 

[Truecast]

Ha!! A little of both.