Tips for Offshore Fishing in Vancouver
Five years addicted to offshore fishing!
I haven’t gone back to inshore fishing since. The fish are smaller, the quotas are limited, and summer is so short—offshore fishing is the way to go!
🌟 Tofino, Ucluelet, and Port Renfrew are all great options. This time, I went to Port Renfrew, which is just a two-hour drive from Victoria after disembarking. The other two ports are farther away but offer bigger fish.
📅 Day 1: Arrived at Port Renfrew in the evening and did some shore casting at the dock. Using small shiny lures and soft tail jigs, I caught black rockfish and kelp greenling. Wasting no time, I raced against the sunset—once it’s dark, you can’t see anything. Didn’t want to waste the first day’s quota 😉. That night, I went back to the lodge, filleted the fish, and enjoyed a fish soup hotpot. From sea to table in less than two hours!
Day 2: Set out at 9 AM, returned to the dock at 3 PM for a meal and some rest, then headed out again for an evening session. Filled the rockfish quota and returned to the port around 7 PM. After cleaning up the boat, we fired up the grill for some skewers 🍢.
Day 3: Morning and afternoon sessions again, filling all quotas. Aside from three groupers over 65 cm, I managed to catch one over a meter long—my personal highlight!
🔥🔥🔥
Here are some tips to make your offshore fishing trip easier✨:
1. If you’re planning a two- or three-day offshore trip, fillet the fish you catch on the first day into boneless portions, vacuum seal them, and freeze them. This keeps them fresh for the trip back to Vancouver, saves cooler space, and makes them super convenient to cook later.
2. Bring motion sickness medication just in case! It’s crucial—seasickness can ruin your fishing experience.
3. Use a cooler with a drainage valve, preferably one with wheels. Check the valve to ensure it’s intact; a leak can leave your car smelling like a seafood market.
4. Ice tip: Ice at the marina is expensive—$5 for a small bag of crushed ice. Instead, drive three minutes to a nearby market or gas station for a large bag of block ice, which is cheaper and melts slower.
5. Don’t overcrowd the boat. Too many people can lead to tangled lines. A boat with a max capacity of seven is most comfortable with 4-5 people. The captain fishes at the bow, while the back has two fishing spots on each side—perfect setup 😍.
6. Don’t forget sunscreen, and reapply it regularly. Sunglasses are also a must to protect your eyes, especially during peak UV hours from 2-4 PM.
7. When returning to Vancouver, consider taking the Departure Bay ferry from Nanaimo. The latest ferry often offers cheaper Saver fares—usually $65 for a car and two passengers compared to the regular $115.
8. If you’re bringing whole fish back to Vancouver and don’t have time to process them, wrap them in paper, then plastic wrap, and freeze them. Just thaw them before cooking.
That’s all for now—I’m off to sea again! Hope these tips help my fellow cyber anglers. I’ve got more fish than I can eat, so feel free to pick some up in West Vancouver ❤️. Love you all!