COASTAL FISHING
Port Hardy Salmon Fishing Getaway with Bear Cove Cottages
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Rich in history and tradition, the first known inhabitants of Vancouver Island lived in the quaint coastal town of Port Hardy. Towering cedars, pristine coastline and a prolific saltwater fishery make Port Hardy a mainstay attraction to those visiting Vancouver Island every year. Owned by Wade and Shannon Dayley, Bear Cove Cottages provide anglers and adventurers alike a multitude of accommodation and package options. Offering three different accommodation options for singles, couples or groups, Bear Cove Cottages and Wicked Salmon Charters work in unison to provide an authentic Vancouver Island fishing experience. All five species of Pacific salmon, halibut, ling cod and various rockfish are available throughout the summer months in the waters surrounding Port Hardy. Some of the largest migratory Chinook salmon found anywhere in the Pacific tuck into Bear Cove Cottages’ fishing grounds as schools of Herring congregate near rock shelves and rock islands. If the desire to explore some of the area’s additional activities, guests can partake in beach-combing, kayaking, whale watching, or hike the lush forest of Cape Scott Provincial Park.
COASTAL FISHING
Port Hardy Fly Fishing with Tides and Tails Sport Fishing Adventures
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From the moment you leave the dock, you will likely not finish your coffee before you arrive at the fishing grounds. Beginning in mid-August, Coho salmon are abundant and willing to chase a well-presented fly. Tides and Tails Sport Fishing Adventures specializes is a multitude of salmon and bottom fishing methods, with fly fishing for Coho salmon being a unique challenge for the saltwater angler. Amongst the schools of dime-bright Coho salmon are the occasional Chinook, Sockeye and Pink salmon. Coho salmon tend to swim high in the water column, making them a prime target for saltwater fly fishing. Using a variety of herring and baitfish imitations on sinking fly lines, their thunderous grabs and aerial display are what make Coho such a pleasurable species to target on the fly. Port Hardy is located on the northern reaches of Vancouver Island, and provides numerous salt and freshwater fly fishing opportunities in a serene setting.
COASTAL FISHING
Port Hardy’s Angling Adventures Also a Gateway to Region’s History
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For A Whale Of A Time Fish Northern Vancouver Island
Port Hardy, at the northern end of Vancouver Island, perches on the edge of Queen Charlotte Strait. The strait squeezes waters from the open Pacific Ocean into a relatively narrow funnel between Northern Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland. All five species of salmon – especially much sought-after, mature trophy chinook and coho returning to eastern Vancouver Island and mainland rivers – lurk in channels between innumerable islands and islets to ambush immense schools of bait pushed by powerful tidal currents. There are multiple options for oceanside accommodations in Port Hardy. With so many fish passing through, it’s also a prime location to view resident populations of orcas, whose main diet is salmon. Learn about the history and culture of Port Hardy’s Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation, the town’s early beginnings, European settlement, and resource industries at the Port Hardy Museum and Archives.
