About Ballenas Islands

The Ballenas Islands sit in DFO subarea 14-3 off Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, where a kelp-covered rock reef drops across depths of 70 to 220 feet in outer, exposed water. Lingcod hold over this structure through their winter peak from January to March, taken by jigging metal jigs, swimbaits, or leadhead jigs, or on bait fished with whole herring, squid, or live greenling. Chinook Salmon move through from July to September and respond to trolling anchovy, herring, spoons, or hootchies, while Coho Salmon run June through October and take hootchies, trolling spoons, and bait strips behind a flasher. Rockfish work the reef year-round, with Black Rockfish concentrating from April to September and holding along the rocky edges where jigging leadhead jigs and soft plastic swimbaits reaches fish over the drop. The exposed outer position and rock bottom keep bait and predators tight to the reef structure across the full depth range.