About Surprise Island

Surprise Island sits off Kyuquot, British Columbia, a rock drop-off with mid-range exposure where the bottom falls from the surface to roughly 505 feet. Chinook Salmon peak from May through August and Coho Salmon from June through September, both taken by trolling anchovy, herring, spoons, or hootchies along the edge, with mooching cut-plug herring as a supporting approach. The rock structure holds Lingcod, best from March through May and again June through August, along with Black Rockfish from March into September; jigging metal jigs, leadhead jigs, or soft plastic swimbaits works the drop for both. Pacific Halibut move through from March to August and respond to drift jigging with leadhead jigs and swimbaits over the deeper stretches, while bottom bait fishing with whole herring or squid covers the same ground. The wide depth range concentrates fish along the break, so working the transition between shallow rock and the deeper edge keeps lines on structure across species.