Welcome to our Vancouver fishing reports where you’ll find all the information you’ll need to start planning a fun fishing trip here in Vancouver British Columbia. Since 2006 we’ve been the trusted go to for Vancouver fishing trips. Why’s that you ask? Honest local advice that can’t be beat and the most experienced guide staff in the city, it’s just that simple. This monthly report breaks down all the of our best tips for fishing in Vancouver. The Vancouver fishing reports will give you what to expect during each season for all our most popular trips!
SUMMER FISHING REPORT FOR VANCOUVER BC
SPRING FLY FISHING REPORT
March and April are going to afford you some of the best fly fishing opportunities of the year in the Vancouver area. River levels are slowly rising as area temperatures increase and the Winter’s snow begins to melt. The Squamish, Mamquam, Ashlu and Elaho rivers will all have trout fishing through the Spring. In mid February the first push of Winter steelhead enter the Cheakamus River system. By mid March we are seeing better numbers of steelhead in the Squamish River main stem system. The Squamish River has miles and miles of great fly fishing water, perfect for swinging bright flies to wild steelhead. The Cheakamus River also has some nice fly water but is also a favourite of conventional gear anglers.
SPRING SALMON FISHING REPORT
Spring brings with is some more consistent saltwater salmon fishing near Vancouver and some bigger fish. April and May are two of our favourite months for a salmon charter, with nicer weather and water conditions and the good chance at the fish in the 10-20 pound class! The best fishing during this time is generally on the southern Gulf Islands, accessed on our full day Vancouver fishing charters. There is also some solid fishing in Howe Sound, this one of North America’s southern most fjords and offers really good fishing and even prawning during the early Spring months. Remember, our boats are moored right in downtown Vancouver, so planning a day trip is super easy, we are located minutes from all major hotels!
SPRING STURGEON FISHING REPORT
Our Fraser River sturgeon charters kick off their season in early Spring, as temperatures warm so do the fishing on the Fraser River. Sturgeon fishing is highly dependent on water and air temperatures. This is a fun time of year to be out, big fish are on the feed after laying dormant during the colder months and now they’re ready to come out and play. By April sturgeon fishing gets really good and by May Summer is knocking on the door. Fraser River water levels are on the rise in May and June, we suggest fishing with us out of Chilliwack or Agassiz during this time.
SUMMER FISHING REPORT
SUMMER FISHING REPORT FOR VANCOUVER BC
SUMMER FLY FISHING REPORT
There’s no doubt that Summer months are a popular time for a Vancouver fly fishing trip and there is good reason for it! The Summer months is when we enjoy fly fishing on the smaller rivers and streams near Vancouver for bull trout, cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. The bigger rivers are usually too high for quality fishing, due to high elevation snow melt. For Summer fly fishing trips we usually stick to some of the smaller rivers like the Ashlu, Mamquam and Cheakamus rivers. These are all about an hour north of Vancouver and are easily accessible on our guided day trips. Keep in mind there are limited options for fly fishing from mid May to late June, as river levels are at their highest during that time.
SUMMER SALMON FISHING REPORT
Summer is primetime for saltwater salmon fishing tours in Vancouver. It is a great time of year, with nice weather and ocean conditions. We also have all five species of Pacific Salmon in local waters in the Summer months. There is plenty of variety as well when it comes to where we can fish, there is the local stuff, within a few minutes of our moorage, and some interesting fishing on longer runs, especially over to the southern Gulf Islands. Our saltwater fishing charters in Vancouver are offer in full-day and half-day trips but remember, Summer gets silly busy, so it is a good idea to book your trip early.
SUMMER STURGEON REPORT
Summer months are also a fantastic time to plan a Vancouver sturgeon fishing trip on the Fraser River. These unique BC fishing adventures are in their prime season in July & August, with super consistent fishing to be had during those months. Earlier in the Summer we can have some higher river levels that can sometimes make for more challenging fishing. If you’d like the best possible Fraser River sturgeon fishing dates you’ll want to plan a trip starting in early July through to late October. The main focus of our Summer sturgeon fishing tours is on the remote Canyon section, it is an area that is home to the Fraser River’s biggest sturgeon!
FALL FISHING REPORT FOR VANCOUVER BC
FALL FLY FISHING REPORT
Fall is salmon season on our local rivers. Starting in mid September Pacific Salmon are moving their way from the saltwater into the freshwater rivers of BC’s south coast. Our Vancouver fly fishing trip focus on swinging flies for these wild fish within close proximity of the ocean. During this time we are fly fishing the Squamish River north of Vancouver and its tributaries, the Mamquam and Cheakamus rivers. October and November are prime months for salmon fly fishign but we also have resident bull trout that can be caught at this time. Lots of people love fishing with us this time of year and we also offer affordable multi-day Vancouver fly fishing packages, so you can enjoy a few days of Fall fishing.
FALL SALMON FISHING REPORT
Fall does mark the winding down of our saltwater fishing charters in Vancouver but we can still have some great saltwater fishing right into late September. This is the time of year we see some of our biggest chinook (king) salmon as they make their way down BC’s south coast. Big chinooks are moving into the Capilano and Fraser rivers, two systems we have access to on our daily salmon fishing charters. On a good day of fishing we can see 10-15 fish to the boat! As the Fall rains arrive salmon tend to make a run for it into their spawning rivers and saltwater fishing does slow down. The slowing of Fall salmon fishing in Vancouver usually happens early to mid October.
FALL STURGEON FISHING REPORT
Sturgeon fishing near Vancouver during the Fall months is one of the best fisheries we have. September through November proves to be an excellent time for catching big Fraser River sturgeon! They are on the heavy feed before Winter, bulking up, and we can have some absolutely lights out fishing! September has become one of our busiest months for BC sturgeon charters, so it’s not a bad idea to plan early if you’d like to get in on these prime dates. There is usually better availability through October and November, both great months to be on the river.
WINTER FISHING REPORT FOR VANCOUVER BC
WINTER FLY FISHING REPORT
Don’t pack up your fly fishing dreams just because it’s the Winter! Winter is when we have some solid fishing for Bull Trout. Bull Trout are a wild native species found in few places in the world. We target them mainly by swinging sculpin and streamer patterns on 6-8 weight rods. Winter is a great time to be out and we have so much beautiful water to fish. The Squamish and Cheakamus rivers are the two best spots for a Winter trip our Vancouver fly fishing tours will put you into the heart of this wild country. December through February can be a bit early for steelhead fishing, although some early run fish usually do come into the Cheakamus River starting in mid February. If you are interested in a steelhead fishing trip you’ll want to plan your trip for March or April.
WINTER SALMON FISHING REPORT
Winter is easily one of the most underrated times for a Vancouver fishing charter on the salt. There is consistent fishing for Winter Chinook (King) Salmon in local waters starting in December. These are juvenile fish in the 5-10 pound class that are thriving on abundant stocks of herring and anchovies in Howe Sound and surrounding waters. Another key feature of Winter fishing charters in Vancouver is the fact there is dungeness crabs and spot prawns locally during this time. Dropping traps for these can bring a true seafood bounty! We usually suggest looking at our full-day charters for Winter months, this gives us enough time to drop crab and prawn traps and to access the Howe Sound or Gulf Islands areas.
WINTER STURGEON FISHING REPORT
The honest report is that sturgeon fishing can be very hit or miss in the Winter months. If you’re shopping around make sure you get some honest insight from a pro guide who knows what they’re talking about. Some operations are simply looking to book trips during a relatively slow time of their year. The conditions on the Fraser River are cold, often with snow, slush or ice in the river. Some sturgeon become dormant during the Winter months and it is best to let them be during this time of year.