Originally published in 2013, this 2008 Prince Rupert fishing report was updated in October 2026 with additional trip details, photos and videos.
Our 2008 Prince Rupert fishing trip brought some memorable fishing, wildlife encounters and amazing sunsets. Ryan, Neal and Brian enjoyed chinook and coho salmon fishing, halibut and Dungeness crab, along with some beautiful North Coast scenery.
Fishing from Prince Rupert and Port Edward
We stayed at the Parkside Hotel in Prince Rupert and launched the boat from both Prince Rupert and Port Edward during the trip. Launching from Port Edward gave us a shorter run to some of the fishing grounds, and the boat launch had good facilities, including a fish-cleaning table.
Salmon Fishing Around Edye Pass
We usually planned our Prince Rupert fishing trips for late June because it was prime time for trophy chinook. The peak timing of the chinook runs was generally consistent from year to year, even though the size of the runs varied. Just as importantly, the coho usually hadn’t arrived in significant numbers yet, which meant that virtually every salmon bite was going to be a chinook. That combination made late June our favourite time to troll herring for trophy chinook salmon.
For more on how we prepare our bait, see the FishinBC.COM How to Rig a Herring article.
Once the coho started arriving, the mix of fish we caught would change. Instead of catching almost exclusively chinook, we might end up with a 50/50 split between chinook and coho, or sometimes even fewer chinook. Coho are great fish in their own right, but for us, nothing compared to the power of a big chinook salmon screaming line off the reel. That was the experience we were after.
The late June timing worked particularly well in 2008. We had excellent chinook fishing throughout the trip, with coho salmon starting to arrive toward the end of our stay. We fished around Edye Pass, Avery Island and Hooper Point, as well as the waters around Humpback Bay.
Over the course of the trip, we maxed out our chinook limits. Particularly notable fish included two nice chinook weighing 24 and 25 lb landed by Neal, a 32 lb chinook that I caught, and Brian’s 38 lb chinook from Edye Pass, the biggest of the trip. We captured Brian’s fish on video, which you can watch below.
For more on the techniques we use, see the FishinBC.COM Complete Guide to Salmon Fishing.
Halibut Fishing Outside Edye Pass
We had some productive halibut fishing outside Edye Pass, anchoring at a spot near a Rockfish Conservation Area. By the end of the day, Ryan, Neal and Brian had caught six nice chicken-sized halibut, reaching our combined daily limit of two fish per person under the regulations in effect in June 2008.
Brian also hooked a much larger halibut that he brought alongside the boat. It was a real tabletop-sized fish, but we didn’t have a halibut spear aboard at the time. We attempted to gaff it, but the attempt was unsuccessful. The fish sounded back toward the bottom and unfortunately broke the leader.
That experience taught us the importance of being properly equipped to land a large halibut. After the trip, we added a halibut spear to the boat so we would be better prepared the next time a big one came alongside. For more on landing larger fish, see FishinBC.COM How to Land a Halibut.
Back in 2008, our mapping GPS did not automatically display RCA boundaries. We referred to the fishing regulations, obtained the coordinates for each corner of the conservation area and manually entered them into our GPS so we could check our position and fish outside the RCA.
Rockfish protection measures had been developing for years. DFO began implementing its Inshore Rockfish Conservation Strategy in 2002, and the RCA network was put in place progressively, with coastwide implementation completed in 2007—just a year before our trip.
📄 Table 1: Development of Rockfish Conservation Areas in British Columbia.
| Year | Development |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Earlier rockfish protection areas introduced |
| 2002 | DFO began implementing its Inshore Rockfish Conservation Strategy |
| 2004–2006 | Rockfish Conservation Areas progressively established along the BC coast |
| 2007 | Coastwide RCA network implemented |
| 2008 | Our Prince Rupert fishing trip |
Rockfish Conservation Areas remain in effect along the BC coast today. They provide important refuges for slow-growing, long-lived inshore rockfish by restricting fishing activities that could cause mortality. These protections help conserve rockfish populations for the future. For background, locations and current rules, see Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Rockfish Conservation Areas information. Always check current regulations and closures before fishing.
For more on our halibut techniques, see the FishinBC.COM Complete Guide to Halibut Fishing.
Dungeness Crabbing, Wildlife and Sunsets
We set crab traps in sandy areas near Port Edward and enjoyed plentiful catches of Dungeness crab. There was plenty happening beyond the fishing, too, including humpback whales passing through the fishing grounds.
Bald eagles were a common sight throughout the trip. I’ve always considered eagles a good sign when looking for productive fishing grounds. Eagles have been finding fish along this coast long before we arrived, and over the years, I’ve noticed that many of the places where we find consistently good fishing also have eagle nests nearby. If you want to get away from the crowds and find your own productive fishing spot, keep an eye out for the eagles.
The weather treated us well, with excellent sunrises and sunsets. Back at the floating dock in Prince Rupert, boats were returning with good catches and there was plenty of activity around the fish-cleaning stations.
Fishing Trip Videos
Your Turn: Prince Rupert Fishing
The salmon fishing brought us to the coast, but the halibut, Dungeness crab, wildlife and sunsets made the trip memorable. Our next season with the new Striper is covered in FishinBC.COM Prince Rupert Fishing 2009.
Have you fished around Prince Rupert or launched from Port Edward? Share your favourite catches, wildlife encounters or trip memories in the comments below.