Roberts Bank

Roberts Bank is a broad, mud-bottomed tidal flat on the south arm of the Fraser River delta near Vancouver, sitting within DFO subarea 29-9 in inner protected water. The bank fishes from around 5 to 50 feet, with the shallow shelf breaking into deeper water that funnels salmon moving toward the river mouth. Chinook Salmon are the primary draw from June through August, followed by Coho Salmon which peak from June into September. Downrigger trolling dominates here, with anchovy in teaser heads, hootchies, trolling spoons, and flashers worked along the drop-off, while mooching cut plug or whole herring on the tide change accounts for holding Chinook. Coho respond well to smaller trolling spoons and bucktail flies skimmed near the surface once fish push onto the flat.