Fishing Charters Tofino, Ucluelet
Tofino is known as the surfing capital of Canada but also has some good salmon and halibut fishing.
Ucluelet 35 mins to the south is known as the one of the salmon and halibut fishing hot spots in BC for the largest feeding grounds for both salmon and halibut in BC and Alaska of any location.
But Tofino can have good fishing too and some of the Chinok coming through Ucluleet also pass Tofino. You can expect to get salmon during your trips here.
if you are just wanting a fun morning or afternoon on the water and catch some salmon or halibut Tofino can definitely fit the bill.
There are times when salmon or halibut fishing can be very good here.
Many salmon from the fall run of Chinook salmon returning to Barkley Sound (next to Ucluelet) starting mid August come past Tofino.
Both Tofino and Ucluelet have a good number of fishing charters to choose from.
If you are looking to choose which town to pick from you have to weigh proximity and numbers of fish you would like to catch.
10 mins drive to the dock in Tofino is more convenient than 35 mins to Ucluelet.
Fishing charter boat sizes average between 24-32 feet in Tofno. Since most days are not sunny and flat calm like the photos, it is suggested to look for a boat with a heated boat abin large enough for your group.
A normal temperature on the water is 50-60 degrees on the water.Chinook salmon (Kings) are the most common salmon caught and you can catch these up to 1 mile offshore until July 15 when you can fish anywhere.Coho (Silvers) are limited to fin clipped Coho except inshore of the surfline. Barkley Sound south of Ucluelet would be considered better for this but Clayoquot Sound also has Coho during sporadic times in the summer. Coho are more prevalent after July 1.

Inshore or offshore.
During 2022 and 2o23 we had an effect where there was colder water closer to shore and many of the Chinook salmon stayed close to shore. During 2024 we had more salmon offshore and it remains to be seen what will happen in 2025.
Clayoquot Sound historically was a good spot for fly fishing but in recent years has been slower. We are hoping that fishery comes back. The last few years Barkley Sound just south of Ucluelet has been good for much of the summer for protected water fishing.
Cost: Tofino commands a slightly higher price probably since the cost of doing business here is a little more.
Tofino can have some good fishing during stretches of the summer and is popular for 4-6 hour trips for those with many other activities planned. If you are a single looking to fish and find others to match up with, you may have have more success with Tofino charters.
Tofino has a busy harbour with float planes, whale watching boats, taxis and personal boats all with a beautiful backdrop. Fishing charter boat sizes average between 22-25 feet.
Fishing charters in both locations will provide all the gear and tackle for your trip. Canadians can find fishing licenses online and Americans should buy their licenses at Method Marine if they want to keep halibut.

Fishing Charters
Salmon Eye Charters – Ucluelet Salmon and Halibut Trips
Salmon Fishing Trips that are action packed and well worth the money. 50lbs a day guaranteed on 2+day Fishing packages Silver-Signature. Watch salmon fishing videos, see a picture blog, and read about salmon fishing techniques on a fishing blog. We have 27-29ft boats with large heated cabins and large
Arc Trips – Top Tofino fishing charters
Find the top guides for Tofino and Ucluelet for both salmon and halibut. Arc Trips only lists the top fishing guides who use top gear, safe and comfortable boats and meet our standard of excelence.
Ucluelet is 30 mins south of Tofino and is one of the hotspots in the world for large amounts of salmon coming to the feeding ground just off Ucluelet. Experience action like you would in very few places. Ucluelet is a destination for salmon fishing where people come from all over the world.
What should you bring?
Most fishing charters will have the gear necessary to take you fishing. Usually the only thing you need to get is your fishing license and motion sickness medication if you haven’t ever been fishing offshore before. You should also check with your charter to see if they have rain gear. Most charter boats in both Tofino and Ucluelet have walk around cabins which mean there is not as much protection for guests, so make sure you are protected from the coastal weather. Most have toilets, though it is always good to ask about the accessibility and space around the head.
Best times of the year:
The best fishing time of the year is usually June 15 to September 15, though April, May and early June can bring some rewarding salmon fishing. Halibut normally picks up after June 1.
Fishing Trends:
As mentioned about, 2023 was a historic run for Chinook salmon into Barkley Sound . To put this in context, a good run to the Columbia River is about 500K. The Columbia River is a huge system so that is a very good sign. Its rare that there is a huge drop in Chinook salmon from year to year, but you really never know. Signs are good though that there will be another good run.
Halibut
Halibut fishing is better after June 1 and picks up as the month rolls on. By July catches often involve limits.Sometimes Tofino can be good all summer and sometimes the offshore area is much better out of Ucluelet. There are years when Tofino pulls good numbers of halibut and years when later summer the offshore of Ucluelet for halibut is significantly better. If you are just going after halibut Tofino recently has been quite good.The catch limits for salmon and halibut are posted below for Ucluelet and Tofino.
Catch Limits | |||
---|---|---|---|
Species | Daily Limit | Possesion Limit | Min. Size |
Chinook (King) | 2 | 4 | 25 inches |
Coho (Silvers) | 2* | 4* | 12 inches |
Pink | 4 | 8 | 12 inches |
Chum | 4 | 8 | 12 inches |
Sockeye | 4* | 8* | 12 inches |
Halibut | 1* | 2* | N/A |
Ling Cod | 3* | 6* | N/A |
* On West Coast of Vancouver Island only | |||
* Sockeye limits subject to change | |||
Possession limit is amount you can take home. | |||
Combined daily limit of all salmon is 4 and possesion limit is 8 |