About Grouse Island

Grouse Island sits in an outer-exposed stretch of DFO subarea 13-4 off Campbell River, where a mixed-bottom drop-off falls through depths of 260 to 660 feet. The structure holds Chinook Salmon at their peak from June through August and Coho Salmon across a long window from May into September, both taken by trolling anchovy, herring, spoons, or hootchies along the edge. Lingcod stack up on the same drop-off with peaks in May and June and again from August into September, and they respond to metal jigs, leadhead jigs with swimbaits, or bait fished on the bottom. Copper Rockfish, Canary Rockfish, Pacific Cod, and Pacific Ocean Perch also work the mixed bottom here. The exposed setting and steep contour concentrate fish along the break, making the transition from shallow shelf to deep water the focus of most effort.