OUTLOOK
We hope you all had a great Christmas Holiday Break and were able to spend some time out on the water!
As we kick off the New Year, we’re excited to get back to teaching some of our favourite courses. Our full list of January courses is live, with classes starting in just over a week. Be sure to check them out and grab a spot before they fill up.
On the fishing front, the Pacific Angler Guide Team has been enjoying some excellent days on the water when the wind has eased off. For those looking ahead to steelhead season, now’s the time to get out there and start covering water. Be sure to check out our early-season steelhead report below.
And finally, for those following the Salmon Allocation Policy review process, don’t miss the update in the Industry Events section below on how you can get involved. The future of the recreational fishery depends on it!
CLASSES AND COURSES
Happy January! With the kids heading back to school next week, we’re excited to get back in the classroom with you and kick off our winter class lineup. We’ve got a little something for everyone this month - from fly tying classes and a steelhead float fishing seminar to a brand-new course, Nymphing Coastal Streams. Check out the details on our January classes below and be sure to sign up online or give the shop a call before spots fill up!
Tying Essential Steelhead Patterns
This course is designed for the fly tyer looking to get the best start on tying steelhead patterns. In the 3-hour evening seminar your instructor will cover everything from tying techniques, material and colour choices, size and weight. They will walk you through 3 essential patterns that will build a well-rounded steelhead fly box. If you’re looking to get yourself into tying your own flies for steelhead, this is the course for you.
Students are required to supply their own vise, tools and materials. A 10% discount is available on materials and tools purchased for the course.
This course is suitable for fly tyers with a basic knowledge.
Cost: $85.00+GST
Dates: Jan 13
Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm (at the store)
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Steelhead Float Fishing
In this fishery, 10% of the anglers catch 90% of the fish. This is your chance to learn from the 10%! Our 3hr evening seminar will educate you on the gear, water types, conditions and other key variables that put veteran steelhead anglers in that 10%.
You will learn about the top steelhead float fishing presentations including specific presentations for low and clear water, medium "steelhead green" water, and high and dirty water. We will talk about the rods, reels, floats, and leaders that work well for steelhead. You will also learn how to read the river so you know where steelhead will be holding in different water conditions and how to fish those types of water and conditions. Other key variables and secrets will be discussed that will help you become a better steelheader.
Course Instructor: Taylor Nakatani
Cost: $85.00+GST
Date: Jan 20
Time: 6:30pm-9:30pm
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Nymphing Coastal Streams
This course is designed to teach you the secrets to one of the most productive presentations in the BC fly fishermen’s arsenal; indicator nymphing. This deadly method can be used across season for different species of trout, char, and salmon. We focus on fundamentals of nymphing, specifics on egging and a light dive into tight line / euro techniques. We also do a deep dive in to the gear you need to make the most of your time on the water.
Seminar Only Cost: $85+GST
Seminar & Guided Walk’n Wade Cost: $375.00+GST per angler, minimum of 2 anglers per guided day on the water.
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Tying Intruder Patterns
In this one-night course you will learn about the specifics techniques and unique materials used to tie Intruder style flies. At the end of this course, you will have the skills needed to tie a variety of Intruder style flies from multistage, monster flies for high water, average sized flies for everyday conditions, down to small, mini intruders for low water. Students are required to supply their own vise, tools and materials. A detailed list of what materials are needed will be supplied in advance of the course. A 10% discount is available on materials and tools purchased for the course.
This course is suitable for intermediate to advanced tyers.
Cost: $85.00+GST
Date: January 27, 2026
Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
INDUSTRY EVENTS AND UPDATES
Salmon Allocation Policy Review - Update
In previous reports we’ve let you know about the changes being proposed to the Salmon Allocation Policy. Under these proposed changes priority access to chinook and coho for the recreational fishery will be taken away.
The deadline for input has been updated and you now have until January 23 to share your feedback.
As part of their work on this topic The Public Fishery Alliance has put together a letter template that can be filled out to send in. We highly recommend you fill that out and also take the time to submit your own personal feedback as well.
You can read more about the Salmon Allocation Policy Review and how to send in your own personal feedback at salmonforever.ca.
Do not sit on the sidelines on this, as every letter matters!
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
BC Winter Steelhead Fishing Report
It’s time, the rivers have dropped from one of the wettest and warmest Decembers in recorded history and as predicted in our previous reports, the fresh steelhead are now in.
There have been some changes on many of the rivers with the extreme high-water events that we had a few weeks back, so it’s time to get on those wading boots and cover some water to learn this year’s hot spots. The good news is there are some fish around, and quite a few of our customers and friends have been successful on their first trips of the year on rivers out in the Lower Mainland. Squamish Corridor rivers will be slow for steelhead as the fish push in later in the season, but some anglers are having some success fishing for resident rainbows and bull trout on egg patterns or with beads.
Early season steelhead are fresh and aggressive, willing biters that are generally easy to catch, just hard to find. This means you need to cover water and focus on brighter presentations. Brighter and larger soft beads, hard beads, gooey bobs, and pink worms are all excellent choices for the float fisherman. Fly anglers will also be using larger and brighter Intruder style patterns, looking for those fresh and aggressive fish sitting in the tailouts. Colours for gear or fly should focus on your hot pink or cerise shades as well as orange and peach. If you are first through a piece of water, make sure to go bigger and brighter with your presentation as the fish will be aggressive. Later in the day, once multiple anglers have been through a run, trying scaling down your presentation and using softer peach and orange shades.
If you want to learn more about steelhead float fishing, I highly recommend Taylor’s Steelhead Float Fishing Course that will be held at Pacific Angler on January 20th, for the cost of $85. In this seminar you will learn how to read water so you can find steelhead and then how to use the top steelhead float fishing tactics so you can join the 10% of the anglers that catch 90% of the steelhead. You can sign up and purchase the course online or you can call the store to pay and sign up at 604-872-2204.
Good luck out there!
Jason Tonelli
SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS
Vancouver Winter Chinook Salmon Fishing Report
The rain and the wind finally backed off over the holidays and many anglers, including us, headed out in search of winter chinook. We are happy to the report the fishing was quite good, with great catches of winter chinook in Vancouver Harbour, Lower Howe Sound, and the Gulf Islands in recent days.
A limit of winter chinook from a charter this past week. Note all the fish are adipose clipped, so these are hatchery chinook.
Earlier in December it seemed there were quite a few smaller, undersize, chinook around, but this past week a lot more keeper size chinook, 62cm or greater, have moved into local waters. Fishing should remain solid now until later in March, so we are now officially in prime-time winter chinook season.
If you are interested in booking a trip, now is the time as we are launching our annual Winter Chinook Special from Jan 1 to March 31, 2026. This is an 8-hour trip for winter chinook in local waters; we will drop prawn traps as well, and all fishing tackle and gear is included, as well as basic cleaning of your catch.
Winter Chinook Special
8 hours for 1-4 guests, winter chinook fishing, prawning, $1,300 (regular $1,650)
8 hours for 5-6 guests, winter chinook fishing, prawning, $1,500 (regular $2,050)
To book your Winter Chinook Special call us at 778-788-8582 or email us kathryn@pacificangler.ca
