Fishing Cartwright Sound

Situated on the extreme western edge of Haida Gwaii the very isolation of Cartwright Sound allows for high quality salmon & halibut fishing in uncrowded waters. With the regions small population and limited access to the Islands “West Side” the number of people experiencing Cartwright Sound’s angling opportunities is small and exclusive.

The areas cold nutrient rich waters are home to massive schools of baitfish – herring, needlefish, pilchard and squid.  Run after run of mature salmon stop to gorge on the abundance of feed as they follow their annual migration route south.

These are hard fighting fish that are fresh in from the open Pacific and will put even the most experienced angler’s skills to the test.

Cartwright Sound is renowned for some of the best and most consistent Chinook salmon fishing anywhere on the coast with generous catches of these chrome beauties from mid May to mid September. The region is also noted for its huge schools of Coho, Pink and Chum Salmon that start showing up in early July.

These schools are so thick at times that larger bait and lures are required to catch Chinook and avoid hooking these smaller salmon every time you put a line in the water. The upside is these aggressive fish and their abundance can create excellent opportunities for the fly fishing enthusiast.

Either casting or trolling baitfish imitation flies can yield some amazing results when the conditions are good.

Most of the Salmon fishing in Cartwright is done around the inshore more protected waters of Skidegate Channel and partially sheltered from prevailing winds and ocean swells. That being said, we often experience favourable weather and calm ocean conditions throughout the summer months allowing us to fish anywhere within the 50 square miles of the Sound.

Venturing offshore to catch Halibut, Lings and Snapper can be productive throughout the entire season.

The banks and pinnacle structures that lie on the edge of the continental shelf are just a short run from the Salmon grounds and attract many different species.

Truth is every time you drop to bottom and “hook up” it could be one of about 30 different species that we catch regularly, only the tell tale head shakes of a halibut will lend clues as to what’s on the line.Cartwright Sound offers a truly unique angling experience, spectacular fishing, stunning scenery and an abundance of wildlife in an uncrowded stress free environment.