April will see the opening of the Ling Cod and crabbing seasons, along with a Halibut season that is predicted to be a good one.  Chinook fishing will pick-up off Swiftsure in May, and will continue to improve into June.  The selective marked Coho fishing will be good from June forward, with a marked to wild ratio that has averaged between 40% to 50% in our area over the past few years.  Chinook salmon returns that go by our area are in very good shape and we have seen record catches the last few years. The coded wire tag data in our area has shown a diverse Chinook stock fishery returning to both U.S. and Canadian coastal areas. Sockeye returning to the Fraser River remains strong and if the diversion is towards the West Coast we will see some good fishing towards the end of July and into August. There has been record returns of Pink salmon to the Fraser River in recent years (2 year cycle) and should produce some excellent fishing from July into August. In September our local Coho will be returning to the San Juan River. These Coho are very large in size by nature and the returns have been as high as 100,000 in recent years. The wild (unmarked) Coho opening in San Juan bay will take place the day after Labour Day.

For catch limits and current regulation changes, visit the Department of Fisheries and Oceans web site at www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish.