 Rainbow Trout
Richard Lewis photo Venture out on your own or consult a local fishing guide in the area. Guided fishing trips by boat, plane, or 4x4 vehicles take you to remote valley and alpine locations.
Catch and release is strongly encouraged and boat rentals are available. Fishing can also be done off the shore.
A word or two on your excursion:
- Appropriate fishing license(s) required
A word or two on safety:
- Life jackets are mandatory in BC
Cheakamus Lake
Snow-capped mountain peaks, glaciers and snowfields tower 1,600 m (5,248 ft) above the forested shores of Cheakamus Lake. The lake supports a trout fishery with rainbow trout reaching 0.5-kg (1-lb). Dolly Varden also inhabit the lake.
Find your way to Cheakamus Lake through Garibaldi Provincial Park, located approximately 15 km (9 mi) south of Whistler. Access is via a gravel road leading east of Highway 99. Upon arrival, take the well-groomed trail for the short hike to the lake. Float tubes and canoes can be easily portaged along the trail.
> Garibaldi Park website.
Callaghan Lake
If you are searching for a tranquil spot from which to cast your line, look no further than Callaghan Lake. Its shoreline is treed with hemlock, cedar, alder and fir trees, while meadows and wildflowers surround you.
Rainbow trout from 0.25-0.5 kg (1/2-1 lb) are often found in the lake. Some can even reach 1 kg (2.2 lb). Gammarus shrimp as well as chironomids are also common.
Turn off Highway 99 at Alexander Falls, about 20 km (12.4 mi) south of Whistler. Callaghan Lake is located about 16 km (9.9 mi) at the end of this gravel road. A truck is recommended for final access to the lake.
> Callaghan Lake Park website.
Garibaldi Lake
Set amidst the spectacular scenery of Garibaldi Provincial Park, Garibaldi Lake entrances visitors with its turquoise-blue waters, glacial and mountain views and forested shoreline.
Fishing season begins in July and runs till early fall. Trout over 1.8 kg (4 lb) can be found here, but the average catch is around 0.5 kg (1 lb). The mouths of some of the streams are gravelly, which often makes them a congregating point for spawning fish. Due to the number of spawning streams that feed into Garibaldi Lake, stocking is unnecessary.
Garibaldi Lake is only accessible on foot via a 9-km (5.5-mi) trail (approximately eight hours round-trip). The trailhead is located 30 minutes south of Whistler, off Highway 99.
> Garibaldi Park website.
Alta Lake
A convenient fishing spot located in Whistler, Alta Lake is teaming with rainbow trout averaging just under 0.5 kg (1 lb). Dolly Varden are another popular catch, with some reaching up to 2.7 kg (6 lb)! Along the shoreline, there are a number of shallow, sheltered bays from which to cast a line.
Just 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Alta Lake, visit smaller Alpha Lake, which supports a mixed fishery of rainbow trout and Dolly Varden and kokanee salmon. Between Alpha and Alta Lakes on Highway 99, Nita Lake offers smaller rainbow trout and kokanee.
Green Lake
Green Lake is a popular fishing hole. Drift along this 6.4-km (4-mi) lake just to appreciate the small glaciers, mountains, alpine meadows and thick forests of spruce, pine, fir, hemlock and cedar.
Dolly Varden have been reported over 3.2 kg (7 lb), while rainbow trout may reach up to 1 kg (2.2 lb). Southern winds can be quite strong in summer. Rock and loose gravel cover most of the shoreline.
Green Lake is just 3 km (1.8 mi) north of the town of Whistler via Highway 99.
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