By Don Daniels
When I first arrived in Campbell River in 2006, I was happy to find out that Discovery Pier was open to the public and at no charge.
At that time there was a long line of anglers who were spending time throwing out lures in hopes of catching a salmon. Ben Luck was running the concession at the time and fishing was a passion for him and it certainly showed on the Pier. The scoreboard was on display and daily catches were recorded during peak salmon season.
During the summer months there was the early morning anglers who even had their own cup at the concession. If you didn’t have a fishing rod, no problem, you could rent a rod for a few hours and go fishing. A number of people spent countless hours fishing and socializing on the Pier.
Many local residents were employed there over the years working at the concession as a first job in Campbell River.
Even if you don’t fish, you can visit the Pier and enjoy snacks along with coffee and ice cream. Each time I go to the Pier I meet people from all over the world simply walking around enjoying the boat traffic and, at times, seeing whales close at hand.
Last week, I went to the Pier, it was raining and I had a chance to meet Marissa Sheppard and Kianna Danielson who were at work at the concession. Both girls had said they enjoy the people from all over the world who visit. They enjoy the outdoors and get to see cruise ships and whales at certain times of the year. Weather plays a big part of crowds getting together and when its raining and cold, the crowd count is low but at times it can be a steady flow of people getting their snacks and coffee along with a good scoop of ice cream. If you don’t have a fishing rod you can rent one at the concession, you will need a license.
I met a lady from Comox whose husband had sent her to Campbell River to fish on the Pier. She had a trout rod and went home with a salmon. When a fish is caught, crowds gather around to watch. People will give the angler a helping hand in order to get the fish out of the water. Sometimes its a comedy of errors to watch.
If you are new to Campbell River, it’s a good idea to watch the tides and learn how to cast a lure without snagging a person beside you. This year I will try to get a fly rod out and keep the buck tail fly in the current flow just for the heck of it.
There are washroom facilities and dogs are not allowed on the Pier. There are a number of locals that are experienced anglers who will get out in the early morning hours and they do get results.