ReelCaster
PFMA 29-3Chinook Salmon · Open

The QA Buoy

49.28°N · 123.32°W

Species
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Best score for the day · 6 AM
84/100
GOOD

Now 55 · 8 PM PDT

BEST WINDOW
6 AM-10 AM
Tide flooding
DFO · PFMA 29-3 · Chinook Salmon openRegulations ↗2 per day · min 62 cm · barbless hook and line
14-Day Forecast
Data from: ECMWF + GFS + BlueCaster

24-Hour Conditions

All times PDT

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Conditions
Time
8 PM
Now
Score
55
Fair
Tide
14.3 ft ▲
Flooding
Current
—
Flood
Wind
16 kn
ESE · steady
Sea state
Rippled
0.3 m
Air temp
18°
Mild
Weather
Overcast
100% cloud
Hour 8 PM. Score 55 Fair. Tide 14.3ft Rising ▲. Current +0.6kn Flood. Wind 16kn ESE G18. Sea 0.3m Rippled. Air 17.9°.
Why this score
Light
Sunrise
Prime
Current
0.6 kn light
Tough

Current regulations

In effect now

What you can keep at this spot today

Chinook Salmon
Retention open
Daily limit
2 per day
Possession
2 in possession
Size
Minimum 62 cm
Gear
barbless hook and line
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Mouth of the Fraser River Salmon Closure (portion of Subarea 29-3). Closed Aug 1 to Sep 30.
Season
Aug 1 to Sep 30
Other species here
Bocaccio Rockfish Catch & releaseCanary Rockfish Catch & releaseYelloweye Rockfish Catch & releaseCoho Salmon Retention openPink salmon ClosedSockeye salmon Closed
Always check with DFO ↗

Source: DFO/MPO · PFMA 29-3 · synced 7 days ago

Seasonality

52-week view · today highlighted

When Chinook Salmon is best at this spot

Peak seasonCurrently in peak season for Chinook Salmon
~1 more week at peak
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Peak seasonShoulder seasonOff seasonRelease onlyClosed
SPOT PROFILE
DEPTH
150-450 ft
Sand
LAUNCH
Not mapped
PEAK
Peak now
STRUCTURE
Mixed
Mid

The QA Buoy sits off Vancouver in DFO subarea 29-3, marking a mid-exposure patch of sand bottom that runs from 10 to 50 feet. Chinook Salmon are the primary draw here, with the run peaking from June through August. Downrigger trolling dominates the approach, with anchovy in a teaser head, hootchies, trolling spoons, and flashers worked along the depth contour to find fish holding on the sand flat. Mooching cut plug or whole herring produces when Chinook stack tighter to structure, and jigging metal jigs or soft plastic swimbaits covers the water column when the bite turns vertical. The mixed bottom and moderate depth range let anglers adjust presentation quickly as tide and light shift through the day.

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The QA Buoy is one of the spots we track around Vancouver. See every scored spot in British Columbia.

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