Fishing in Ucluelet

Perched on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, Ucluelet—locally known as “Ukee”—is a remote yet welcoming fishing town that sits at the doorstep of the Pacific Ocean. Located just south of Tofino and adjacent to the famed Barkley Sound, Ucluelet is surrounded by pristine wilderness, steep cliffs, and rich marine ecosystems. The town offers quick access to both inshore and offshore fishing grounds, with a long tradition of commercial and recreational fishing. With its cool, temperate climate and unspoiled coastal scenery, Ucluelet combines the best of Canada’s wild Pacific with top-tier angling opportunities—especially for salmon and halibut.

The waters around Ucluelet are part of the vast Barkley Sound and open Pacific, where nutrient-rich currents fuel a marine food web that attracts migratory and resident fish. Inshore areas near the Broken Group Islands and channels around Effingham Inlet are protected and relatively calm, with rocky bottoms, kelp forests, and submerged reefs. These waters range from 30 to 100 feet deep and are perfect for light tackle fishing. Head just a few miles offshore, and the seafloor drops into deeper structure and open ocean currents. Offshore hotspots like Big Bank, Long Beach Bank, and South Bank offer depths from 150 to 300 feet. These banks and shelves are reached within 45 to 90 minutes by boat, and hold consistent populations of feeding fish throughout the season, particularly from May through September.

Ucluelet is best known for its incredible Chinook (king) and coho (silver) salmon fishing. Chinook runs begin in May and peak in July and August, with fish often weighing between 20 to 30 pounds. Coho arrive later, with high numbers in late summer and fall. The biggest attraction of Ucuelet for salmon fishing, however, is that it goes beyond the river runs - anglers target the royal game fish in its saltwater environment, where it strikes because it’s hungry and not out of aggression or instinct. Ucluelet’s offshore grounds are also one of the top places in British Columbia to catch halibut, with specimens frequently exceeding 50 pounds and sometimes pushing triple digits. In addition to salmon and halibut, anglers can target lingcod, yelloweye, black rockfish, and other bottom dwellers in both inshore and offshore zones. These fish add variety and volume to any trip and are often caught while jigging or dropping bait over reefs and rocky bottoms.

If in the rivers most salmons are caught on the fly, in the seas off Ucluelet trolling is the dominant technique. Anglers use downriggers to keep flashers and hoochies, spoons, or anchovy rigs in the strike zone. Offshore boats often troll multiple lines at varying depths to locate bait schools and target suspended salmon. Nearshore and reef fishing often involves vertical jigging or drop-shot rigs with herring, squid, or scented plastics to entice bottom fish like halibut, lingcod, and rockfish. Bottom and Drift fishing is popular for halibut in deeper water, using large bait rigs weighted to the bottom. Many charters also employ anchoring techniques over known halibut beds when drift conditions are strong. While fly fishing is not the main draw here, some local guides do offer specialized trips for pink and coho salmon in estuaries and rivers during late summer runs.