Months come from each species' own season curve around Comox. A strong month is strong for that fish, not a ranking against the others. Time of day, when it is shown, is today's forecast and moves with the tide.
Each row is shaded against that species' own best month here, so a dark cell means a good month for that fish rather than a comparison between them.
| Species | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook Salmon | ||||||||||||
| Coho Salmon | ||||||||||||
| Lingcod | ||||||||||||
| Black Rockfish | ||||||||||||
| Surfperch | ||||||||||||
| Flounder / Sole (Flatfish) | ||||||||||||
| Herring |
Chinook Salmon: January poor, February poor, March fair, April good, May excellent, June peak, July peak, August peak, September good, October poor, November poor, December poor. Coho Salmon: January none, February none, March poor, April poor, May good, June peak, July peak, August peak, September peak, October poor, November none, December none. Lingcod: January fair, February good, March good, April fair, May fair, June good, July good, August good, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair. Black Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March good, April fair, May good, June good, July excellent, August good, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair. Surfperch: January fair, February good, March fair, April fair, May good, June excellent, July good, August good, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair. Flounder / Sole (Flatfish): January fair, February fair, March good, April good, May good, June good, July excellent, August excellent, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair. Herring: January peak, February peak, March peak, April poor, May poor, June poor, July poor, August poor, September poor, October poor, November poor, December fair.
These are today's forecast windows, taken at the spot leading each species. They are not a standing schedule.
Peaks in June, July and August.
Comox (northern Strait of Georgia near the Comox Bar and Cape Lazo) holds resident 'winter' feeder Chinook through the colder months at moderate levels, with the dominant peak in July–August as mature Fraser and local Puntledge-bound fish stage and migrate through. A secondary spring build-up (April–June) reflects immature feeders fattening on herring and needlefish before the summer surge tapers in fall after the run passes.
Peaks in June, July, August and September.
Comox-area coho peak in late August through September as mature fish stage in the Strait of Georgia and approach the Courtenay/Puntledge systems, with the strongest abundance mid-Sept before rivers pull them in. A secondary summer rise reflects feeder/immature coho building through July–August, while winter and spring show only scattered juveniles and low presence as most fish are absent from local salt water.
Good in February, March, June, July, August and September.
Lingcod are resident year-round in Comox-area waters around Cape Lazo and the Strait of Georgia reefs, so abundance stays near baseline all year. The late-winter to early-spring peak (Feb–Apr) reflects males aggregating on nest sites and guarding egg masses in shallower rocky structure, making fish highly concentrated and catchable, with a modest secondary rise as summer feeding intensifies.
Excellent in July.
Black rockfish are resident, non-migratory reef dwellers in the Salish Sea near Comox, so abundance stays fairly flat year-round with no true absence. A modest summer-to-early-fall peak reflects warmer water pushing fish shallower and more active feeding, while winter fish sit deeper and less concentrated but remain present.
Excellent in June.
Shiner and pile/striped surfperch are resident in Comox-area estuaries and eelgrass year-round, so the curve stays near baseline. The spring peak (Apr–early Aug) reflects the pregnant females gathering nearshore to give birth to live young, with a modest secondary bump in late summer/early fall as juveniles recruit and fish stay shallow before winter dispersal into deeper water.
Excellent in July and August.
Flatfish (starry flounder, English/rock sole, Pacific sanddab) are resident year-round in Comox's sandy/muddy shallows like the Comox Harbour and Baynes Sound flats, so abundance stays broad and never zeroes out. Spring (late Apr–Jun) shows a rise as fish move into warming shallow flats to feed and spawn, with a strong summer-early fall peak (Jul–Sep) when water temps and prey (worms, shrimp, small crustaceans) are highest; winter dips modestly as some fish shift to slightly deeper, cooler water.
Peaks in January, February and March.
Comox/Baynes Sound hosts one of BC's largest Strait of Georgia herring spawns, with a massive pre-spawn aggregation and spawning event peaking late February through March (weeks 8-12) when adults pile into shallow nearshore waters. After spawning, adults disperse offshore and abundance drops sharply, with juveniles and dispersed schools maintaining modest, stable presence through summer and fall.
It depends on the species. Chinook Salmon peaks in June, July and August. Coho Salmon peaks in June, July, August and September. Lingcod is good in February, March, June, July, August and September. Black Rockfish is excellent in July. Surfperch is excellent in June. Flounder / Sole (Flatfish) is excellent in July and August.
On November 1, 2026, the forecast windows are Chinook Salmon 3 PM to 6 PM, Coho Salmon 3 PM to 6 PM, Surfperch 9 AM to 6 PM, Flounder / Sole (Flatfish) 9 AM to 6 PM and Herring 9 AM to 6 PM. These are today's model windows, not a standing schedule.