Halibut Fishing BC,  Alaska - How Ucluelet compares to hotspots

Which Halibut fishing location gets the most media?

The most famous spot for halibut fishing is Homer Alaska.

I have been there and said it is good. Very good.

There are many other great spots along the BC and Alaska coast that I will include.

How does Ucluelet halibut fishing rank to all the rest?



Compared to other places mentioned below,  Ucluelet is generally not #1 but....

But there are some BIG reasons why I would choose Ucluelet over any of the other places if you are wanting either both salmon and halibut or even just halibut:

1. We normally get our limits of halibut in any given day from June 1 to Sept 15. Even the best places aren’t on fire every day.

2. The Chinook (King) salmon fishing is more consistent with a larger catching window here than any place on the coast. Need proof? We have at least 1000 photos of people with 8-12 salmon caught in a day. Most lodges, charters show you 1 or 2 fish being held up.

3. Our slow salmon fishing days are like many areas good salmon fishing days.

4. Ucluelet has  a number of halibut fishing spots. 2023 was a good year for us and we often didn’t have to run more than 30 minutes out. In Homer we ran for 1.5 hours at top speed though our boat did run past a few other boats.



5. Our proximity to civilization is great. You can fly  drive here very easily.

6. The weather here has less wind and rain and slightly warmer temperatures. For some though the wind and rain is part of the adventure.

7. This area is one of the most beautiful in the world. The beaches and trails around Ucluelet and Tofino are breathtaking. You can do private flights, kayak, visit hot springs and more.



8. We have a 50lbs a day guarantee on our 3 day Silver to Signature packages during July and August.

We talk about the best part of the fishing season for halibut  in Ucluelet here.

Okay here are some of the other areas that have good halibut fishing:

Homer Alaska Halibut fishing

Homer is the most famous place to come. The good thing about Homer is that if you are a single person, you can find another charter to hop on very easily. It is a beautiful drive and if you are already in Alaska I would suggest going at least once to experience it.  Most of the boats have large cabins like our boats which means you are protected from the elements. There are many sea otters along the boat ride and it is very scenic.

Homer is about a 4.5 hour drive from the Anchorage airport on paved roads and the first part of the drive is spectacular. 

Sitka Alaska Halibut fishing

I haven’t been to Sitka but have heard that the fishing is good for halibut about an hour boat ride offshore. The location is right on the west side of Baranof Island. The driest months to come are May and June.

 

Haida Gwaii Halibut Fishing:

Haida Gwaii An archipelago off the northern coast of BC. The halibut fishing is great here most of the summer and the halibut average slightly larger.

Weather:

Northern BC gets more rain and stormy weather than the southern half of Vancouver Island but this can be part of the adventure. Most resorts provide rain gear though bringing your own isn’t a bad idea. Make sure you bring water proof gear and not water resistant. It can rain all day there and having the right gear makes a difference in comfort.

Getting there:

Flying is the only option besides a long boat trip or ferry ride. There are flights from South Terminal at the Vancouver airport.

If you want recommendations for fishing in Haida Gwaii lets us know.

Kyuquot Halibut Fishing

You may not be able to pronounce the name but this place has great halibut fishing as well as other bottom fishing like Lingcod, Vermilion and other rockfish.

Weather:

Its remote location and weather is be part of the adventure.

Kyuquot is in the northern half of Vancouver Island so gets more stormy weather and it should be expected that you will be in 15-25 mile an hour winds. It is not always like this but it is frequently like this. The good thing is that the fishing is often not too far off shore and you rarely have to travel more than 10 miles out.

Directions:

From Nanaimo, drive north on highway 19, and keep straight though Campbell River and follow signs to Woss. At kilometer marker 320 turn left at the road marked Zeballos/Fair Harbour which runs parallel to the highway for the first few mins. (approx. 15 minutes past Woss Camp turn off). Proceed on an unpaved logging road and follow the signs to Fair Harbour. It is approx. an hour drive on gravel roads.

There are no public phones or cell phone service in Fair Harbour so you must phone ahead from either Zeballos, Woss or Campbell River to confirm your water taxi pick up time.

A truck is recommended but not necessary. Make sure you have a spare tire on board. From Fair Harbour is half an hour by boat to Kyuquot.

There are a few fishing lodges and charters in Kuyoquot. Let us know if you would like a recommendation.

 

Nootka Sound Halibut Fishing

Nootka Sound is a great place to halibut and other bottom fish. You have to pick and choose your days but the halibut fishing isn’t far offshore normally. For lodges inside Nootka Sound the distance can be a bit longer.  

The remote nature of Nootka Sound is a draw for many who come there.

Driving: Drive to Gold River, keep straight on Head Bay Rd, following the signs to the Village of Tahsis.

The final stretch of road is gravel with some steep grades (15% and 18%), The road is better when it was graded and the weather conditions are good but the state of the road can vary so just be prepared. This area gets more rain than other areas of Vancouver Island. Make sure you have working brakes and headlights and a spare tire. Take it slow, pull over for larger vehicles, and keep your headlights on at all times!

There are a few fishing lodges and charters in Nootka Sound. Let us know if you would like a recommendation.

Weather:

Nootka Sound is in the northern half of Vancouver Island so rain and higher winds are common here. The good thing is that when fishing can be good in protected water for salmon.

Port Hardy Halibut fishing

The Halibut fishing out of Port Hardy is normally good. The main spot to catch halibut is about 20 miles offshore so you have to pick your weather days.  

Port Hardy is at the northern tip of Vancouver Island and most of the best fishing is offshore here.

Getting to Port Hardy:

You have the option to drive or fly. Most people don’t realize Vancouver Island is 456 Km long. From Nanaimo Duke Point ferry , it is about 4.5 hours driving time plus stops.

Alternatively you can fly from South Terminal in Vancouver to Port Hardy. If you are going to fly our recommendation would be to fly to Haida Gwaii.

If you are interested fishing  check out our fishing packages.

Other places in BC to catch halibut:

Prince Rupert, Tofino, Port Renfew, Port McNeil,  and Victoria (during winter months). You can catch halibut in Campbell River if you are lucky at the hump but its not normal.