Self Guided Fishing on Vancouver Island
“I don’t want or need a fishing guide! I have nothing against guides (I’ve learned a lot from them!) but I’ve been fishing the west coast for 20 years and I would much rather run my own show. I couldn’t justify spending $50k on a boat that I would use 2 weeks a year so I started looking into rental boats that I could take to places like Ucluelet, Bamfield, Nootka Sound, etc.
I couldn’t find any rental boats that I actually wanted to fish from!
So I got my fishing partners together and started a company that rents AWESOME boats to guys like me.”
- Casey Woods, Founding Shareholder of SalmonBoats.ca
If you’re like us, you’re a member of the small percentage of Salmon and Halibut fishermen who don’t really need a fishing guide and probably don’t even want one.
We run a mobile boat rental service that allows you to self-guide anywhere on Vancouver Island. Unlike any self-guided fishing operation that we’re aware of, our boats live on trailers. The boats are ready to go anywhere on Vancouver Island where the fish are biting.
Where Can I Fish?
Our boats have been all over Vancouver Island. Ucluelet, Bamfield, Port Alberni, Nanaimo, Comox, Port Hardy, Sooke, Port Renfrew, Tofino, Gold River, Esperanza Inlet, Nootka Sound, the Gulf Islands, Victoria…
Minimum Rental Periods
The normal minimum rental period for our boats is 3 days during mid season (July 1 to September 15), and 2 days during the rest of the season. However, we may have 2 day rentals available during mid season depending on our schedule. Please enquire and we may be able to accommodate your needs.
Preferred Customer Program
If you want to fish Alberni inlet, Barkley Sound, Bamfield, or Ucluelet on a frequent basis throughout the year then our “Preferred Customer” program might be just the thing for you. Our preferred customers receive a discount off of our normal daily rental rates and are eligible for 2 day rentals during mid season (July 1 to September 15). Please contact us to discuss this option.
Option #1 – No Towing At All
If you’re going to fish Alberni Inlet, Bamfield, Barkley Sound, or Ucluelet then there is no need to trailer anywhere. We can simply put the boat in the water in Port Alberni and then you’re off. Ucluelet and Bamfield are easy trips by water from Port Alberni. Why no trailering to Bamfield? The fishing is great, but the road is atrocious and far too hard on trailers and boats. It is a short trip by water (35 miles from Port Alberni) and is easily done in just over an hour.
Option #2 – You Tow
Our boats have been chosen with ease of trailer-ability in mind. If you have a pickup truck or SUV with a class IV hitch (2″ ball) then you shouldn’t have any problem pulling one of our boats. Both trailers have surge brakes so you don’t need to worry about electric brakes.
Please check with your vehicle’s manufacturer to determine your vehicle’s maximum towing capacity. Most V8 equipped SUVs and pickup trucks have a maximum towing capacity of at least 6000 lbs which is more than sufficient to tow any of our boats.
If you’re towing then you can take the boat anywhere on Vancouver Island that has good roads. That gives you access to places like Port Hardy, Port Renfrew, Nootka Sound, Gold River, Tahsis, Campbell River, etc.
Not sure if your SUV or truck makes the grade?
Contact us and we can help you determine if your vehicle’s hitch and wiring will work with our trailers. In many cases there are very inexpensive adapters available which can be easily sourced online.