It's common for anglers to stay in Smithers for two weeks to a month solely for fishing. The big draw here is steelhead.
Smithers is a global destination for steelhead due to their size and easy access in the area. (Note: current fishing regulations allow only catch and release.) Steelhead fishing season in Smithers runs between September and October and is also the busiest time for accommodation in town.
Anglers also come to Smithers to battle four out of five species of the Pacific salmon – chinook, coho, sockeye and pink – as well as other trout such as rainbow and native cutthroat.
The Bulkley Valley offers fishing in rivers and lakes most months of the year – there's even ice fishing in the winter.
Best Fishing Spots in Smithers
Fishers can either cast from the shore, fish from a boat or use float tubes in the lakes. Walk-in fishing spots are hard to find but Smithers has plenty of drive-in spots. Some fishing spots are close to town – such as Riverside Park on the Bulkley River and Tyhee Lake, both which are less than a 10-minute drive from downtown – but visitors may need to venture further depending where the fish are running and biting.
Ask for advice from the local fishing stores, and fishing guides are also available for hire. For anglers venturing on their own, the Fishing in the Smithers Area brochure, available from the Smithers Visitor Centre on the corner of Highway 16 and Main Street, lists popular spots.
Some anglers may choose to stay at exclusive fishing lodges. These tend to be more expensive and should be booked ahead of time.
Fishing Regulations
Note that all fishers over 16 years old, resident and non-resident, need a license to fish even for a day, whether they catch something or not. These can be bought at local fishing stores. The cost depends on where and what you want to fish, and whether you want to keep it or not.
Strict laws dictate where anglers can fish, what kind of fish they can keep, how many they can keep and many other specifics such as which hooks are legal and illegal on which rivers. Due to struggling fish populations and serious penalties, visitors should follow these rules carefully.
Regulations booklets, the Sport Fishing Regulations Synopsis, can be found at the Visitor Centre, or on the BC government's recreational freshwater fishing page.
Double-check with local fishing store staff if you aren't sure about regulations.
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