Curly definitely nailed it. All good spots to try but as he mentioned be careful and don't push things in a boat your size. The mouths of the Fraser depending on tides and wind can be some dangerous water in a boat that size. In saying that.....you should see what people are out there in right now chasing sockeye! Those tasty fish bring people out in pretty much anything that floats!
Cap mouth and along West Van will be kicking out springs and coho right now and have good reports; will have my own on Wednesday to chime in with as I think we're finally retiring from the sockeye extravaganza. As Curly said....stay out of the pack if it's your first time out there as it turns into a sh*t show this time of year. Also keep out of the shipping lane as the freighters and cruise ships come thru and Harbour Patrol doesn't have a lot of patience for the sportfishermen there. Hopefully guys start "getting it" about staying out of it as I'd really hate to see that area right around the mouth of the Cap get shut down as a safety precaution due to negligent, stupid fishermen.
All along Spanish Banks along the channel markers to the big red Bell Buoy out off the end of Point Grey will have fish (springs, coho, sockeye) this time of year. Heck there was sockeye jumping last week all over along there right into Royal Van Yacht Club. If intending to fish along that side you can launch at Vanier Park right down by the Planetarium kind of underneath the Burrard Bridge. You shouldn't have too many troubles with a boat your size there but you may want to avoid trying to launch or retrieve at an extreme low tide. They are doing work at the ramp but it's pretty much just the dilapidated docks that were there and not so much the ramp itself.
Earlier in the year/summer (or thru the later winter months) you can also fish "hole in the wall" and launch either in Horseshoe Bay or Sunset Marina which is just north on 99. Hole in the Wall is that area along highway 99 in Howe Sound from Horseshoe Bay up towards Lions Bay.
As you can tell....LOTS of areas to fish but just be sure to do it within your limits and comfort level. Definitely take a look at the conditions at various spots before going out. I take the "marine FORECAST" from Environment Canada with a grain of salt as it is FAR from being consistent. In saying that though you can check current conditions at many spots locally at the link below. Click the tab that says "weather conditions" and you can see what is going on at various spots around the Greater Vancouver area.
http://weather.gc.ca/marine/forecast...3&siteID=14305
"Where" is good at any time can really be dependent on what species of salmon you are chasing. Now for example the Fraser mouths are crazy with sockeye but there are definitely springs and coho out there too. When the pinks are coming it can be crazy out there or even along West Van as those fish head towards the Seymour River and places beyond. The Cap fishery is all coho and Chinook that return into there. Through August and September out by the Bell Buoy off Point Grey can be great for springs and coho as well. The spring fishery around the lower mainland tends to be a bit more focussed out off the south end of Bowen at "the hump" or across the Strait around the east side of Gabriola. (Thrasher Rock) In saying that though we were getting springs through May out off the north Arm between the Bell Buoy and the QA marker which is a navigation buoy about 3 nautical miles due west of the Bell Buoy.
Definitely keep up to snuff on the regs as there is a lot to pay attention to on this side.....like NO rockfish or ling cod despite what you may see some boats doing out there.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/r...-carte-eng.asp
One thing to take note of is that even though you will be in cell coverage areas locally here, it is not a bad idea to invest in a handheld marine VHF. It is a very good piece of equipment to have when out on the saltchuck. There are also courses you can take as to the proper use which are I think a couple of days on a weekend but well worthwhile. You can definitely listen to the radio and tell that quite a few don't know how to properly use one!
"If" you do happen to get one as a quick tip as well; read the manual and find out how to change it to US mode as opposed to Canadian. You will still get the Canadian channels but it will also allow you to get 88A which tends to be the local fishing chatter station. I leave mine in US mode all the time but it is quick and easy to change over whether fishing or just cruising.
Feel free to ask away.....I know Curly and others here have a lot of experience locally as do I and more than happy to help out.