About Shell Island

Shell Island is an outer-exposed rock pinnacle off Port Hardy, British Columbia, rising through water that runs from the surface down to about 65 feet. The structure holds Chinook Salmon and Lingcod from May through August, Coho Salmon from June through September, Pacific Halibut from March through August, and Black Rockfish from May into September, with Canary Rockfish and Pacific Cod also present. Trolling anchovy, herring, spoons, or hootchies works the upper water for Chinook, while mooching cut herring and jigging metal jigs cover the same fish deeper along the pinnacle. Lingcod and Black Rockfish hold tight to the rock, where jigging metal jigs, leadhead jigs, and soft plastic swimbaits reaches them near the bottom. Halibut move through on drift fishing with whole herring, salmon bellies, octopus, or squid across the exposed structure.