SPONSORED — There may be plenty of fish in the sea, but there have never been better reasons to get to know the Canadian coast. British Columbia, Seattle’s friendly neighbor to the north, could be the next big thing for beginning fisherman and expert anglers alike.

With a wealth of natural resources — in fact, about 12 percent of its total landscape is composed of parks, reserves and protected areas, according to britishcolumbia.com — this not-so-little province offers plenty of reasons to pack up your gear and head north.

Location and convenience for adventure and getaway’s

If you’re daydreaming about an Alaskan fishing excursion, you might be selling yourself a couple thousand kilometers short. British Columbia offers world-class fishing — without the long trek to Alaska.

In fact, Seattle is just a short 2 hour drive to the Vancouver airport, where after a short hour and a half flight to Sandspit, and an exciting 15 minute helicopter tour over to Haida Gwaii to the west side of the island, a Westcoast Resorts five-star fishing experience is at your fingertips.

The fishing is good … really good

Traveling less doesn’t mean getting the short end of the fishing stick. In fact, British Columbia’s 20,000 kilometers of coastline is home to some pretty impressive creatures. Hellobc.com calls the Chinook salmon the “crown jewel” of British Columbia sport fishing, with individual fish sometimes weighing more than 70 pounds.

But Chinook aren’t the only fish on tap in the rich, remote and pristine waters of the breathtaking Canadian coast. Halibut, delicious rock fish and huge ling cod also call Canadian waters home.

The main reason to place Haida Gwaii on top of your personal fishing destination list, is the amazing consistency of this fishery. Tom Nelson, host of 710 ESPN Seattle’s The Outdoor Line, lifelong angler and enthusiastic fan of Westcoast Resorts knows why.

“The entire biomass of the five species of Pacific salmon migrates right by the west coast of Haida Gwaii,” Nelson says.

“When you book a trip to a specific river or inlet you run the risk of encountering the dreaded poor year. That just doesn’t happen when you plan your trip on the salmon highway”

With this season’s strong Chinook forecasts, the summer of 2015 could potentially be one of the best runs of king salmon in over a decade.

You can take more home

Any angler (or angler’s spouse) wants to know about retention limits before setting off on an expedition. That’s where British Columbia fishing becomes even more attractive.

According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, fishermen can currently keep up to eight salmon in British Columbia, four of which can be Chinook. Compare that with a daily limit of two kings in Alaska.

When you consider the amount of fish you will be bringing home, and the high retail cost of high quality, healthy Omega-3 rich seafood, your trip to B.C. only costs you about half as much as you would think.

You don’t have to be an expert (but you can be)

With a variety of world-class fishing locations, there’s something for every fisherman — and every skill level. According to Morey Maslak, it’s easy to customize an excursion to the individual.

“Between our three different locations, we can tailor the experience from beginners to an expert angler,” Maslak said. “Our trips are really flexible, so there’s something for everyone. There’s no doubt that our trips provide nothing short of an angling education.”

The exchange rate is in your favor

In January, Fortune Magazine recommended Canada as an economically wise destination due to the current exchange rate. With the recent strength of the US dollar, BC sport fishing resorts are looking south of the border as US travelers flock to take advantage of the exchange rate.

Morey Maslak, general manager of Westcoast Resorts, a provider of all-inclusive guided fishing trips, has seen first hand the influence of the strong dollar.

“With the changes in the value of the US dollar, our business has experienced a dramatic shift,” Maslak says. “Our US business has increased 40% this year alone because of the value created by the strength in the US dollar.”

This means you can take advantage of a low-cost, high-reward excursion, right in our own backyard.

Sustainability is a priority

As any lover of the outdoors can attest, it’s important to keep natural resources protected — even while enjoying them. The Canadian fishing industry is committed to doing just that.

In fact, Westcoast Resorts is the largest contributor in British Columbia’s sport fishing industry to the Pacific Salmon Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving and restoring wild Pacific salmon.

There’s more to see than the fish

British Columbia fishing is top-notch, but there is more to do in B.C. than just fish and adventure, Vancouver city life shouldn’t be missed either.

Home to museums, shows, shopping and world-class restaurants, Vancouver is an exciting destination in itself. In fact, in late 2014, Vancouver was named as the second-best city in the world to visit by Telegraph Travel Awards.