Esquimalt Harbour Entrance

Esquimalt Harbour Entrance is an outer-exposed corridor off Victoria's western shoreline, where tidal flow funnels between headlands over a mixed bottom in DFO subarea 19-3. Working depths run from 25 to 90 feet, with structure transitions and current seams concentrating bait along the entrance. Chinook Salmon push through from June to August, followed by Coho Salmon peaking June through September, while Lingcod hold on the rockier edges with peaks from November to March and again April through June. Dungeness Crab occupy the softer mixed patches adjacent to the corridor. Tide changes drive the bite here, as moving water stacks feed against the contours framing the harbour mouth.