When it comes to fishing on the Campbell River, I break it down to location.
The upper fly fishing area is a good place to start in early summer. You will meet locals who get the fly gear out, and you can start with catching and releasing trout. When the pinks are in, locals will fish the area and anglers from all over the Island will break out the gear and swing some fly patterns. When the pinks arrive, the anglers will come out, and the word spreads fast among the community. You can meet anglers from Vancouver and Victoria. Most locals who have a family will gather at Sandy Pool, and at times, the area is busy, especially on weekends during mid-August when pink salmon are going through. I will often walk across the old bridge and take a look, but that's it. I have access to a great spot for fishing the Campbell River, and you get to meet people from all over the world who come here to fish, and they stay for at least a week.
This year, I met several students who have working visas and will work for nine months and then head back to their homes in Germany or Austria. They travel by car and will end up working the winter in areas like Banff or Tofino. I had a chance to fish the river with a young couple from Germany who recently got married and are working on lavender farms and then travel to their next destination. Since I have extra fly rods and reels, I gave them my equipment and let them go at it. They mentioned that in Germany, it's very expensive to fish, and there is no access to the river where they live. They managed to hook some pinks, and they managed to take a few back to their campground.
I fished alongside a group of tuna fishing guides from Tofino who had a day off from fishing on the west coast, and they took the 3-hour drive to come to Campbell River and chase some chinook. They have the proper footwear. They use the long rods and will swing out tube fly patterns. All catches are released, and it was a learning experience for me talking with the guys who fish for a living, and they still drive and fish here in Campbell River.
The ladies are registered for the Anchor Inn Ladies Fishing Derby from Sept. 19 to 22. Last year, I had a chance to be at the weigh-in location, and this year should be interesting as prizes will be awarded to the heaviest chinook and heaviest other fish. The winner's guide gets a cash prize. This is the time when the gals can get out and experience salmon fishing and get out and enjoy friendship while staying at the Anchor Inn.
Now is the time for beach fishing locally, and I plan a few trips to lakes to finish off the month of September scouting trout lakes around Campbell River.
