Pacific Angler Friday Fishing Report: August 22, 2025

OUTLOOK 

It’s the third week of August and there is a LOT going on in the fishing world this time of year.  The ocean is teaming with pinks, sockeye, chinook, and coho.  Millions and millions are not an exaggeration, and fishing has been very good close to home.  Check out the Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report for details. 

In the river scene, the rivers are at their usual summer lows and that makes for some low and clear conditions.  The Fall rains in September will bring in fresh coho and chinook, and for now we would suggest focusing on the Fraser and the pink and sockeye fishing opportunities. Details of the openings are in the Fraser River & Tributaries Pink & Sockeye Update.  Taylor also has some tips and tricks on how to catch pinks and where to go, so make sure you read that before you head out. 

Sturgeon fishing has been excellent and our recent Fraser River sturgeon fishing charters have been fantastic.  This is a great time of year to fish for Fraser River sturgeon.  The water is warm, and the fish are charged up, ripping line, taking huge jumps, and they are on the heavy feed as the salmon enter the river.  Check out the Fraser River Sturgeon Fishing Report for pictures and details. 

Lakes are cooling off very quickly with some single digit early morning temps reported in Region 3 this past week.  Jason squeezed in a day of lake fishing this past weekend.  Check out his Interior Lake Fishing Report to see how he did. 

The PA Team 

CLASSES AND COURSES 

Introduction to Fly Fishing Course

FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS 

Fraser River & Tributaries Pink & Sockeye Update 

The sockeye run is now pushing around 10,000,000 fish!  As a result, a lot of areas are now open for sockeye.  The mouth of the Fraser River (29-3) is not one of them.  Unfortunately, about half the fish staging there are what we call “late runs”, and those fish didn’t come back in the same numbers as the early and mid-run fish.  This means the ocean guys are closed while the river guys are open.  As frustrating as this is, there are still a lot of openings in the Fraser, and I will list them below.  

 In these openings you will notice the Lower Fraser, below Mission Bridge, is open for sockeye.  The reality is the sockeye don’t respond well to lures in this section of the river.  So don’t expect to catch any sockeye while casting spinners or spoons from shore for pinks.  Further up the river, anglers will bottom bounce and floss sockeye.  So, if you want to harvest some sockeye, that is likely where you are going to need to go.  If you figure out how to catch sockeye in the Lower Fraser, you will be the first, so give me a call and you will become famous!  

Back down in the Lower Fraser, millions of pinks are on the way, and the next few weeks should see some red-hot fishing for pinks, and they love to eat pink spinners, spoons, jigs and flies.  It’s a great fishery and with 25,000,000 fish coming back, it’s going to be a lot of fun in the Lower and Upper Fraser River. 

So here is the barrage of Fisheries Notices for you to read and decipher.  If you have any questions, give us a call, but as you can see there is plenty of places to go try for pinks and sockeye.  Remember to check out Taylor’s article on the how to and where to when it comes to fishing for pinks. 

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Lower Fraser River Non -Tidal Pink and Sockeye Opening 

Effective one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset each day between August 22, and September 1, 2025, in the waters described below you may retain two (2) sockeye salmon per day: 

Non-tidal waters of the Fraser River from the downstream side of the CPR Bridge at Mission upstream to the Highway 1 Bridge at Hope; and 

Non-tidal waters of the Fraser River from the Highway 1 Bridge at Hope to the downstream side of the Alexandra Bridge.  In the waters described below you may retain four (4) pink salmon per day: 

Non-tidal waters of the Fraser River from the downstream side of the CPR Bridge at Mission upstream to the Highway 1 Bridge at Hope - Effective one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset each day between August 22, and September 21, 2025; and 

Non-tidal waters of the Fraser River from the Highway 1 Bridge at Hope to the downstream side of the Alexandra Bridge - Effective one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset each day between August 22, and September 25, 2025. 

Management measures:   

- No fishing for chinook, coho, or chum salmon. 

- You must not use bait when fishing for salmon. 

- Fishing is permissible during daylight hours only. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ Lower Fraser River Tidal Pink & Sockeye Opening: 

Tidal Waters of the Fraser River - Subareas 29-11 to 29-17 - Opening - Effective August 18, 2025 

Effective 00:01 hours August 18, 2025, until 23:59 hours September 18, 2025, the daily limit for pink salmon is four (4) in the following waters: 

Subareas 29-11 to 29-14 and 29-17 (tidal waters of the Fraser River below Port Mann Bridge).  Effective 00:01 hours September 19, no fishing in all waters listed above.  

Effective 00:01 hours August 18, 2025, until 23:59 hours September 20, 2025, the daily limit for pink salmon is four (4) in the following waters: 

Subareas 29-15 and 29-16 (tidal waters of the Fraser River below Mission Bridge to Port Mann Bridge).  Effective 00:01 hours September 21, no fishing in all waters listed above. 

Tidal Waters of the Fraser River - Subareas 29-11 to 29-17 - Opening - Effective August 22, 2025. 

Effective 00:01 hours August 22, 2025, until 23:59 hours September 2, 2025, the daily limit for sockeye salmon is two (2) in the following waters: 

Tidal waters of the Fraser River (Fraser River downstream of the CPR Bridge at Mission, BC to the mouth of the river, PFMA 29-11 to 29-17). 

You may not use bait when fishing for salmon.  Effective 00:01 hours September 3, no fishing for sockeye in all waters listed above. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ Harrison River Sockeye Salmon Opening: 

FN0854-RECREATIONAL Salmon - Sockeye - Region 2 - Harrison River - Opening - August 22, 2025.   

Harrison River (from the outlet of Harrison Lake downstream to the confluence with the Fraser River). 

Effective one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset each day between August 22 and September 2, 2025, in the waters described below you may retain two (2) sockeye salmon per day. The aggregate daily limit for all salmon species is four (4) per day. 

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Fraser River Tributaries Pink Salmon Opening: 

FN0853-RECREATIONAL Salmon - Pink - Region 2 - Fraser Tributaries - Opening - August 22, 2025 

Waters: Chilliwack/Vedder River (including Sumas River) from a line between two fishing boundary signs on either side of the Chilliwack River 100 m from the confluence of the Chilliwack River and Slesse Creek downstream including that portion of the Sumas River from the Barrow Town Pump Station downstream to fishing boundary signs near the confluence with the Fraser River. 

Waters: Harrison River (from the outlet of Harrison Lake downstream to the confluence with the Fraser River). 

Waters: Stave River (downstream of BC Hydro Dam to the CPR Railway bridge). 

Effective one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset each day between August 22 and September 30, 2025:  The daily limit for pink salmon is four (4).  The aggregate daily limit for all salmon species is four (4) per day. 

Jason Tonelli 

________________________________________________________________________________________________ How and Where to Catch Pink Salmon in the Fraser River  

The current estimate for the 2025 Fraser River pink salmon return is sitting at just under 27 million fish... if that estimate is accurate (and current data is showing that it is), this could be one of the largest pink salmon returns in recorded history. Thankfully, the DFO has granted us recreational anglers an opening in both the tidal and non-tidal portions of the river, and with there being so many pinks around, the fishing is going to be excellent.  

The openings, as of writing this report, are as follows; for simplicity’s sake I’ll only be talking about pink salmon and ignoring all other species:  

The tidal portion of the river (downstream of the CPR train bridge at Mission) has been split into two sections- downstream of the Port Mann Bridge, and from the Port Mann Bridge to the Mission Bridge. Both sections opened for pink salmon on August 18th, and the daily limit in both sections is 4 pink Salmon per day. The regulations are the same in both areas, with the only exception being the closing dates- the section downstream of the Port Mann Bridge will close at 11:59 PM on September 18th, whereas the section between the Port Mann and Mission Bridges will close at 11:59 PM on September 20th.  

Note that the Fraser River is considered “tidal” downstream of the CPR train bridge at Mission, but this opening only mentions the waters below the Mission Bridge- thus leaving a ~600 yard section of the river between the bridges in a bit of a “grey zone”. My advice would be to avoid that particular area until clarification has been received from DFO.  

Also note that Garry Point Park (a well-known and popular spot) is in area 29-9, which is not included in this opening. As such, Garry Point Park is not open for pink salmon fishing as of writing this report. 

The non-tidal portion of the river has also been split into two sections- from the downstream side of the CPR train bridge at Mission to the Highway 1 Bridge at Hope, and from the Highway 1 Bridge at Hope to the downstream side of the Alexandra Bridge. Both sections will open for pink salmon on August 22nd and will share the same daily limit- 4 pink salmon per day. Once again, the only difference in regulations between the two areas will be the closing dates- the section between the CPR train bridge at Mission and the Highway 1 Bridge at Hope will close at 11:59 PM on September 21st, whereas the section between the Highway 1 Bridge at Hope and the Alexandra Bridge will close at 11:59 PM on September 25th.  

You may not target chinook, coho, chum or steelhead.  Also, you may not use bait, this includes natural or artificial scent, and all other provincial/federal fishing regulations must be followed... obviously.  

Now that the complicated and boring, but important regulations have been reviewed, I can talk about the fun stuff- how to actually make use of these openings and catch pink salmon in the Fraser River.  

Luckily for us, pink salmon are usually quite aggressive and are more than willing to take a lure at any time of day; so you don’t have to be an experienced angler to do well- Pink fishing is extremely beginner friendly and is a great way to introduce new or young anglers to the sport... and it’s also a ton of fun for experienced anglers!  

Targeting pinks in the tidal portion of the Fraser is incredibly simple- just cast and retrieve a lure; that lure should be either pink or chartreuse. It can be a spoon, spinner, twitching jig, Spin-n-Glo, or even a Tasmanian Devil; all will work if the fish are around. For what it’s worth, I’ve found that twitching a pink jig has consistently been the most productive method, especially when you have a good spot in which the fish run close to shore... Pinks go nuts for a twitched jig. I’ve also had luck on pink versions of spoons such as the Gibbs Croc, Gibbs Megawatt or Prime Lures Glory Spoon, and pink spinners such as the Prime Lures Clean-Up Crew or Blue Fox Vibrax (ideally in size 3 or 4) will definitely work great. The Tassie Devil can also work alright in the river, though I’ve found them to be a bit overhyped and perhaps more effective in saltwater environments than they are in freshwater environments. There’s not enough current or visibility to float fish effectively, so don’t bother. Before you ask... no, bar fishing has never been a particularly effective method for pinks (especially when you can’t use bait), so your best bet will be to stick to casting and retrieving lures. Tides will play a role in how good the fishing is- you can definitely catch fish during any tide, but I’ve found that the ebb has been most productive in the areas that I fish.  

The non-tidal portion of the river can be fished in the same way as the tidal portion, though the faster current upstream of Mission means that many areas will be too swift to effectively fish with lures... as such, you’ll have to look for areas with less current if you want to make it work. This is not a particularly tall order, as there are plenty of side channels, wingdams, seams and slicks that will all fit the bill nicely, and as a bonus you will often find that the fish will concentrate themselves in areas with less current- thus making them easier to target.  

Faster current also opens up the possibility of bottom bouncing, though I personally believe that bottom bouncing shouldn’t be used to specifically target pinks- they're more than willing to bite, so there is absolutely no reason to snag them in the face.  

There are a ton of spots to fish from shore on the Fraser, so you don’t need a boat to access this fishery. Any park that offers access to the water will likely be a good place to fish, but here’s a list of some easy-to-access spots that are worth going to:  

-No. 3 Road in Richmond 
-River Road in Richmond 
-Deas Island Park in Ladner 
-Brownsville Bar in Surrey 
-Derby Reach Park in Langley 
-Glenn Valley Park in Langley 
-Matsqui Park in Mission  

 This fishery will be peaking in early September, but there are already quite a few fish around, so it’s definitely worth getting out there. Pink salmon fishing is supposed to be fun, so remember to be respectful to the resource and other anglers... and don’t forget to enjoy yourself.  

Taylor Nakatani  

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Fraser River Sturgeon Fishing Report 
We’re getting into the good stuff now! August has already been phenomenal for sturgeon fishing on the Lower Fraser River, and things are only looking better from here. According to the most recent Pacific Salmon Commission report, an estimated 46,700 pink salmon passed Mission this past week. With a preseason forecast of more than 27 million pink salmon, these early numbers are right on track with predictions. The true bulk of the run is still a few weeks away, and when it arrives, combined with the abundance of sockeye and chinook pushing through, we can expect some outstanding sturgeon fishing. 

This is go time for sturgeon. Winter brings scarcity, so right now they are working hard to pack on weight. Expect hard bites and long runs. While often called bottom feeders, white sturgeon are known to actively hunt when salmon are plentiful.

A 9'4" monster caught minutes from the dock!

Water levels have been steady the past few weeks, making fishing more comfortable compared to early summer highs. The lower river is in good shape on both incoming and outgoing tides, though the ebbs still produce fast flow. Look for soft back eddies to help keep your bait still. Smaller sturgeon often hold in these slower spots, while the big ones tend to roam the faster current. It’s not a hard rule, but worth considering if you are finding mostly juveniles. 

Make sure you've got a pair of gloves onboard– the scutes on these smaller fish are sharp.

When it comes to bait, salmon is still the key. With this year’s pink retention opportunities in both the ocean and the Fraser, getting prime bait has never been easier. Waste pieces from sockeye and chinook are also excellent choices. Just a reminder that only non-edible parts of salmon are permitted for bait. To keep it simple, stick with heads, spines, and fin chunks. 

Tight lines! 

Jake Comrie

STILLWATER FISHING REPORTS 

BC Interior Lake Fishing Report 

I managed to get away for a day of lake fishing this past weekend.  I can report that things are cooling down quickly.  A friend was at a well know lake on the weekend and it was 8C at the boat launch in the morning.  When I left the lake I was fishing, I was noticeably cold and surprised to see it was only 10C when I got into my truck.  No wonder I was cold!  It does look like the heat is back for this last week of August but then it gets cold again in the first week of September. 

Overall, it’s been a cooler summer and once we get past this last little bit of heat, things will cool off very quickly and the fish will be back on the feed.  On a lot of lakes this means the fish will be feeding on fall chironomid hatches and bloodworms.  This was the case where I was fishing last weekend.  There was a decent chironomid hatch and some good size fish were focused on chironomids, which means you have a good chance at success. 

A nice size Blackwater rainbow, the chironomids it was eating and the productive fly. 

If the fish aren’t on chironomids or bloodworms, a leech pattern under the indicator or retrieved will also work well.  Staple food sources like scuds and dragons are also worth trying.  Blobs can be the saviour on many an early fall day as well.  If you really get desperate, break out the sinking line and some boobies! 

Fall is the air folks, so I will see you out there! 

Jason Tonelli  

SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS 

Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report 

Fishing has been great this past week.  On our 5-hour trips we have been fishing Vancouver Harbour.  If we want a LOT of action, we have been fishing around the Bell Buoy and Mile Markers with pink hootchies and getting a lot of pinks and some sockeye.  If we are looking for chinook salmon and fewer pinks we have been fishing from Point Atkinson down to the Cap Mouth.  Both strategies have been productive and providing world class salmon fishing only minutes from downtown Vancouver. 

The fishing for pink salmon has been fantastic with lots of action close to home.  This is perfect for the kids, family and friends, or new salmon anglers. 

On our longer trips we have been making the run to Gabriola Island.  The chinook fishing continues to be absolutely fantastic there and with some coho and pinks around too.   

 An absolutely gorgeous Gabriola Island chinook salmon! 

This August has truly been one to remember and this last week should see some more exceptional fishing.  September 1st all areas open up for 2 chinook a day and we will be focusing our efforts off the Fraser River mouth.  It doesn’t look like we will get a sockeye opening in this area (29-3) this year.  There are too many late run sockeye staging here, so DFO is keeping it closed as the late run has not been as strong as the early and mid summer runs.  This is a disappointment for sure, but with the best local chinook fishing of the year about to happen in one week, we can live with it. 

See you in the shop or on the water, 

Jason Tonelli  

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Beach Fishing Report Howe Sound/West Vancouver

Good weather and good news this week, as we’re seeing more and more pinks roll into range of the beach anglers along the West and North Vancouver shoreline.  While the number of anglers at Ambleside can be intimidating or off-putting, remember that there are other opportunities along the West Vancouver shoreline to find schooling fish.  This is the time to make sure you’re stocked up on your essentials – Buzz Bombs and Zingers, Tasmanian Devils, Prime Spoons and Spinners, Gibbs Megawatt spoons are all legendary pink presentations for different reasons.  Adjusting size/shape/density/sink rate of your lure will help keep you in the zone for pink salmon and catch more fish than adjusting colors within a single lure shape or style. 

On previous runs we’ve seen the pinks elect to travel up the West side of Howe Sound and out of reach of the Furry Creek anglers, and unfortunately that trend does seem to be holding true this year.  It’s still early days of the return, though, so I wouldn’t rule out that fishery just yet!  Furry is also a great spot for fly anglers looking to smash pinks. Your standard 9’ 8wt is more than enough but you can fish them in a 7 or even a 6wt. if that’s all you’ve got.  Andre from Frenzy Flies, has got our feature fly board well stocked up front near the till for beach fishing for pinks and coho!   

Don’t forget your chartreuse gear on Ambleside, either - there are some lovely hatchery coho mixed in with the pinks and they love something bright green! 

Jay Awrey