Bringin’ It in Bruin Bay
This fishing tip was first published in the Spring, 2006 edition of the Salmon News, a free publication for all Oak Bay Marine Group guests.
Located almost directly across from the MV Charlotte Princess is Bruin Bay, one of my favourite places to fish in the Queen Charlotte Islands. Bruin Bay is close to the ship and most guests unconsciously feel that the further they travel the bigger the fish are. Not true! Historically some of the biggest fish every season are caught here, less than ten minutes away by boat.
Most of the action happens during the flood tide as the currents push the fish in from the open waters through Parry Passage. The “honey hole” is the western tip of the bay. Your depth sounder will show 140′ then quickly jump to 80′, and when you look at the water you will notice the current sweeps around the point and into the bay.
The fish lay behind this drop off as the current sweeps overhead and dart out to eat passing baitfish. The trick is to fish close to the bottom as you pass by 20 to 25 pulls, and then put the engine in reverse as soon as the sounder shows 100′. Some days the fish are lying on the top of the shelf, some days they are in tight, but on the flood tide they congregate around this point.
For something a little different, fly fishers find the middle of this bay very productive for Coho salmon. Get into 30′ – 40′ of water in August and get ready. This is also one of the only spots I have seen Chinook taken on the fly.
Often there are no crowds at Bruin. You’re out of the wind and the seas are almost always calm. Sounds like heaven to me.