Freshwater Fishing in BC

Spin, drift or fly-fish just minutes from Vancouver in the vast Fraser River system. Fly or boat into Pitt River Lodge for a weekend of guided fly-fishing, jet boat to remote angling spots on the Lillooet River, or follow a day of salmon fishing with a spa treatment at Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa.

For a real challenge, try landing a giant white sturgeon, North America’s biggest freshwater fish. These massive prehistoric beasts – which can leap clear out of the water when hooked – can grow to be more than 3m/10ft long and can tip the scales at more than 500kg/1,100lb. Professional sturgeon fishing guides, including Aqua Ventures and Great River Fishing Adventures in Chilliwack, STS Guiding Services in Mission and the BC Sportfishing Group in Harrison Hot Springs, support a sustainable catch-and-release sturgeon fishery.

Peace-of-mind is your first catch along the Fishing Highway. Highway 24 in the southern Cariboo region winds past more than 125 fishing lakes, all within about an hour of each other. Can’t choose? Try fishing at Sheridan Lake. One of the area’s bigger lakes, it's home to plus-sized rainbow trout and plenty of angler-friendly resorts.

You will find that the Thompson Okanagan region boasts thousands of lakes and streams alive with trout, steelhead and kokanee. And the bonus is that this area is known for its wealth of sunshine, sandy beaches, hiking trails, golf courses, spas and wineries that keep non-anglers happy too.

Relax on a Shuswap Lake houseboat, or go canoeing on Murtle Lake – North America’s largest paddle-only lake located in wildlife- and waterfall-rich Wells Gray Provincial Park. For fly-fishing and spin fishing, pick any of the dozens of trout-stocked lakes near Kamloops; try Roche Lake, it’s loaded with rainbow trout.

For glacier-fed rivers jumping with trout, aim for BC’s Kootenay Rockies region. Here mountain scenery, natural hot springs and artsy alpine towns add to the outdoorsy vibe. Try fly-fishing in trout-filled Elk River, near the quaint ski town of Fernie, or kick back on a houseboat on mountain-fringed Kootenay Lake; it’s famous for Gerrard rainbow trout, one of the biggest rainbow trout species in the world.

In Northern BC, rivers run thick with salmon, steelhead-fishing is legendary, and solitude is almost guaranteed. Try the Lakes District around Burns Lake, three hours west of Prince George. Many of the area’s 300 rainbow-trout-, char- and kokanee-packed lakes are easily reached from Highway 16. And don’t forget a photo op at the world’s largest fly rod in Houston. For all you fly-fishing enthusiasts, head for Rainbow Alley Provincial Park north of Smithers, famous for world-class rainbow trout fishing.

Fancy going 12 rounds with a wild steelhead on the Skeena River? Northern BC's Skeena River system, including the Kispiox, Bulkley and Babine rivers, is a top producer of steelhead, one of the most prized – and feisty – game fish found anywhere. And they’re big: 4.5kg/10lb on average, with some tipping the scales at more than 13kg/30lb. Salmon, Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout are biting here too.

One of the planet’s longest undammed rivers, the powerful Skeena River, flows beneath snow peaks along Highway 16 between Terrace and Prince Rupert. Vast ancient forests, a wealth of wildlife and a thriving local Aboriginal culture add to the adventure.