FAQs

WestCoast CustomerWhere is Ucluelet located?
Ucluelet is located along the western shores of Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada. The town of Ucluelet is surrounded by a temperate rain forest whilst bordering Barkley Sound, Long beach and the open Pacific Ocean. For more detailed information on how to get to Ucluelet please visit our “Getting Here” page for more information.

Are reservations necessary when booking a fishing charter?
Charter reservations are highly recommended, especially during the high salmon and halibut fishing season of May, June, July, August and September. Reservations are a good idea for booking any charter throughout the year. It gives us ample time to be ready and prepared for your arrival assuring that your salmon or halibut fishing trip is a successful and positive one. Many of my regular fishing clients book their dates 1 year to 6 months in advance to assure they get their prime salmon and/or halibut fishing dates.

What else can I do in Ucluelet besides salmon and halibut fishing?
There is no shortage of activities in and around Ucluelet or between Ucluelet and Tofino. There is some of the most scenic hiking/walking on the coast with the Wild Pacific Trail and Pacific Rim National Park, which have kilometers of trails and beaches to enjoy. The popular tourist town of Tofino and the Long Beach Golf Course are just a short drive from Ucluelet. Other popular activities here on the coast are surfing, bird watching, and kayaking.

What type of fish can I expect to catch?
In the summer months you can expect to catch salmon, halibut and bottom fish. With Chinook (King)salmon and coho (Silver) salmon being the most common type of salmon encountered throughout the summer. We also catch the occasional sockeye, pink and chum salmon. Halibut are commonly caught starting in the early spring and peaking throughout the summer months into September. Bottom fish such as lingcod and rockfish are common and plentiful year round, though retention of lingcod is not permitted in the winter months. Limits of salmon, halibut, and bottomfish are a common occurrence.

What are the limits for salmon and halibut?
At the present time the limit for salmon and halibut are 2 chinook salmon, 2 coho salmon and 2 halibut per person a day. The possession limit over a two day plus period is 4 chinook salmon, 4 coho salmon and 3 halibut per person.

What type of charter boats do you fish from?
On our charters we fish from 24 foot Grady White fishing machines which are built to withstand the rigours of the west coast. They have an enclosed cabin with a very large aft deck for optimal fishing space and comfort.

How many people can you comfortably fish?
These charter boats can comfortably handle up to 4 guests along with one guide/skipper. There have been several times when we take up to 5 guests plus guide/skipper. Each charter boat comes with top of the line electronics, tackle, gear and marine toilets.

How many fishing rods do you fish at a time?
When fishing for salmon we generally troll using 3 electric downriggers and 3 rods at one time. When mooching or jigging for halibut we can comfortably fish up to 4 rods at the same time. Generally, there is more than enough action so that everybody onboard gets plenty of fishing rod time.

Where do I stay when I come to Ucluelet?
Guests of Westcoast Fish Expeditions stay in a variety of accommodations in the Ucluelet area. Accommodations range from campgrounds, motels, B&Bs, rustic cabins to high end resorts. For a full list of accommodations available in Ucluelet and Tofino see uclueletinfo.com or tofinobc.org

How do you pronounce Ucluelet and what does it mean?
Ucluelet is pronounced “yoo-CLUE-let “, and is derived from the First Nations Nuu-chah-nulth language meaning “people of the safe harbour”.