Chatham Sound

Chatham Sound is a broad, island-sheltered body of water fronting Prince Rupert on British Columbia's north coast, with fishable ground running from 60 to 300 feet over a mix of soft bottom, rocky pinnacles, and current-swept channels. Pacific Halibut hold on the deeper flats and edges from April through August, while Rockfish concentrate on the harder structure and peak from February into July. Chinook Salmon move through in two windows, February to April and again April to July, followed by Coho Salmon building from May into September. Anglers work the deeper contours with drift jigging using leadhead jigs and heavy metal jigs for halibut, and drop metal jigs and soft plastics tight to rock for rockfish. Salmon are targeted with downrigger trolling using whole herring, anchovy in teaser heads, spoons, and hootchies behind flashers, with mooching cut-plug herring a productive option for Chinook on the tide changes.