Fishing

Vancouver and its accompanying coast and mountains, is known to offer every outdoor activity imaginable, and so it is no surprise that this southwestern region offers the most varied and exciting fishing in all of British Columbia. A spectacular diversity of fish, incredible scenery found only an hour’s drive from the city centre, and the year-round temperate climate, provides easy access and great fishing conditions no matter the season.  Anglers can expect to find a spectacular range including Chinook and Sockeye Salmon, Sturgeon, Steelhead, Trout, Rockfish, and Shellfish.

The Fraser Valley between Hope and Vancouver offers a range of fishing options for those who prefer freshwater. The Fraser River, BC’s largest river system, has been known to produce the largest freshwater Sturgeon in the world, some growing to more than 4 metres (13 feet) long and can weigh over 454 kilograms (1,000 pounds), while the Chilliwack River offers over 30 kilometres (19 miles) of riverside fishing of the prominent Steelhead and Salmon. The Harrison River is a major migrating path for five species of salmon and its soft currents make it an ideal spot for fly and spin casting fishing. Lastly but not least, the Skagit River, which flows through Manning and Skagit Provincial parks, is also a well-known spot for fly-fishing.

If you prefer saltwater fishing, the oceanside communities of the Sunshine Coast, such as Gibsons, Powell River, and Sechelt provide many marinas along this stretch of coastline, and several charter-fishing companies to help you get the most out of your experience.

Just north of Vancouver, first-time anglers may also want to try fishing in the Howe Sound with its year-round protected waters making it a hotspot for many locals and visitors.

Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, Vancouver Island is home to both the ‘Salmon Capital of the World’, in Campbell River, and the ‘Fly Fishing Capital of the World’, in Cowichan River. The year-round protected waters in this region make for consistent-fishing, while the many streams and rivers that flow into the ocean make it easy to walk along the river banks or take a drift boat out to find the perfect spot. Some saltwater fishing highlights in this part of the province are the Rivers Inlet, located North of Port Hardy, renown for trophy sized Chinook salmon; the Pacific Rim, located on the West coast of the Vancouver Island, where many charter fleets and fishing lodges are available; and South island, where fishing expeditions can be arranged from marinas in Cowichan Bay, Ladysmith, and Maple Bay.

For freshwater fishing on Vancouver Island, Campbell and Quinsam Rivers are a must-see not only for great fishing, but also to observe salmon in their pristine natural environment. Gold River, on the West coast, is considered one of the premiere rivers for steelhead in the province, Salt Spring Island—one of the Gulf Islands—offers excellent spots for fly-fishing smallmouth bass, rainbow and cutthroat trout.

With its perfect summer days and more than a thousand lakes, the Thompson Okanagan region provides anglers with many unique fishing opportunities, in particular family-oriented fishing trips, many lakeside campsites and resorts, and other water activities. Every fourth year, Roderick-Haig Brown Provincial Park is home to the world’s largest sockeye salmon run, where millions of salmon return to Adams River. In Kamloops, great fishing can be found at Lac Le Jeune, which has been host to the World Fly Fishing Championships, as well as Roche and Badger Lake. The Clearwater River offers excellent fly fishing for rainbow trout, while Okanagan Lake is better known for trolling this species. Other great fishing spots to check out are Shuswap Lake and the Nicola Valley, where 200 lakes offer ideal places to catch trout, whitefish, and kokanee.

In the Kootenay Rockies, with rivers flowing through glorious mountain scenery and wildlife parks surrounded by calm lakes, freshwater fishing opportunities are plentiful. Kootenay Lake and its accompanying Kootenay River, offers one of the best fishing spots in this region, where it’s best known for its Gerrard trout—the largest rainbow trout in the world—and kokanee, a local name given to BC’s land-locked Sockeye salmon, as well as largemouth bass and cutthroat tours.  The Kootenay River is best suited to drift boat fishing due to its fluctuating water levels.  You may also want to check out Elk River, a renown fly fishing hotspot, and Trout Lake, located south east of Revelstoke, where Gerrard  and bull trout can reach 8 kilograms (20 pounds).

A more rugged fishing experience can be found in Northern British Columbia, where unspoiled wilderness and rich coastal waters has made this region known for its exceptional inland trout and fly fishing. Unique to the northern part of the province are a handful of fish such as walleye, bull and lake trout, Arctic grayling, and northern pike found in many rivers and lakes in this region. Some saltwater fishing highlights can be found in Prince Rupert—a long time commercial fishing hub and northern getaway, as well as in Kitimat, where the Douglas Channel displays not only picturesque waterfalls and scenery, but amazing opportunities to score that great catch. Of course, Haida Gwaii is considered one of the ultimate fishing destinations of the north, providing anglers with an excellent abundance of salmon and halibut.

Great freshwater fishing in the northern region can be found at the Skeena River, accessible by Prince Rupert and Terrace, where game anglers attempt to catch one of the highly prized steelheads—one of the top game fish in the world. There are many lakes to choose from in the north of the province, about 300 of them to be exact. Communities such as Houston and Smithers are great starting points for your fishing adventure, as well as towns along the Alaska Highway such as Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, and Mackenzie.

The remote and scenic Hakai Pass just off the central BC coast is one the largest protected marine areas where coho, chinook, chum and pink salmon are plentiful, as well as halibut, lingcod and snapper.  Further inland in this Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region, you’ll find what is known as the Fishing Highway (Highway 24), where more than 100 lakes are within an hour’s drive of each other and famous for steelhead and rainbow trout fishing.