About Thornton Islands

The Thornton Islands sit off Kyuquot on the outer, exposed coast of British Columbia, where a rocky drop-off falls through depths of roughly 330 to 1,310 feet. Chinook Salmon run here from May through August and Coho follow from June into September, both taken by trolling anchovy, herring, spoons, or hootchies along the edge, with mooching cut-plug or whole herring a supporting approach. Lingcod hold on the rock structure with peaks in March through May and again June through August, responding to jigged metal jigs, swimbaits, and leadhead jigs. Pacific Halibut work the deeper water from March into August, where drift jigging with leadheads and metal jigs covers ground and bottom bait fishing with whole herring, squid, or octopus takes fish holding tight to the bottom. The exposed break also holds Canary, Yellowmouth, and Copper Rockfish along with Pacific Cod and Sablefish across the deeper reaches of the drop-off.