About Neilson Island

Neilson Island sits off Tofino, British Columbia, where a rock drop-off falls from the surface to about 45 feet along a mid-exposure shoreline. Chinook Salmon peak from May through August and Coho Salmon from June through October, both taken by trolling anchovy, herring, hootchies, or trolling spoons across the edge. The rocky structure holds Lingcod from May through August and Black Rockfish from May through September, which respond to jigging with metal jigs, leadhead jigs, and soft plastic swimbaits worked near the bottom. Pacific Halibut moves through earlier in the season, peaking March through June, with drift jigging over the drop-off using leadhead jigs and soft plastics or metal jigs. Copper Rockfish holds along the rock year-round with a long peak from February through October, taken on jigs and swimbaits close to the structure.