OUTLOOK
This week’s fishing outlook continues to trend in the right direction as warmer temperatures improve conditions across both local and interior fisheries. Interior lake fishing has been productive, with chironomids still leading the way, while balanced leeches and stripping tactics are becoming more effective as fish move throughout the shoals and drop-offs.
Closer to home, local lakes have been stocked again and anglers targeting trout are finding success during the low-light morning and evening windows. Bass fishing has been another standout option lately, with warming water temperatures getting fish more active around shallow structure, weed beds, and docks. It’s a great time to get out with lighter tackle, topwater patterns, or small streamers and cover water.
River conditions remain low and clear on many local systems, making for more technical fishing opportunities for trout and steelhead anglers. A stealthy approach and lighter presentations will continue to be important.
On the saltwater side, we’ve had some great bottom fishing trips in the past week. Locally, we have been continuing with our chinook DNA sampling as well. If you’re looking to drop traps, crabbing has been very productive in our local waters. Don’t miss out on our feature this week with a new recipe for Dungeness Crab Cakes – a perfect addition to the dinner table this weekend.
Check it all out and more in this week’s report.
CLASSES AND COURSES
Introduction to Fly Fishing
Introduction to Fly Fishing Trout Streams
Stalking trout on mountain streams defines fly fishing. In this course we will teach you the fundamental techniques for fly fishing trout streams; dry fly fishing, nymphing, and streamer fishing. This course will get you as close to being Brad Pitt (River Runs Through It) as you will ever be! This course is comprised of one 3hr evening seminar.
Cost: $85.00+GST
Date: June 16, 2026
Time: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
FEATURE
The Pacific Angler Kitchen - Dungeness Crab Cakes with Pineapple/Mango Salsa & Chili Sauce
Crabbing season is in full swing and if you’re looking for some inspiration off the water and in the kitchen check out our blog post for a delicious recipe for Dungeness crab cakes! You won’t be disappointed.
If you’ve never tried crabbing and are interested in trying it out yourself, don't be scared- it is easy to get setup and do on your own! With lots of opportunities to crab from shore or boat locally, we would love to help set you up and get you pointed in the right direction.
Stop by the shop before your next adventure to pick up all your crabbing needs or pick up your favourite gear online and check out our gear recommendations at the end of the recipe blog post!
Another option to enjoy crabbing is to join us for a fully guided saltwater fishing trip. We crab on all our trips in June! Call us on our charter line at 778.788.8582 or email kathryn@pacificangler.ca and she can help you get booked in!
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Capilano River Fishing Report
It's getting warmer, cotton woods are spreading and the water is low. Typically, we look to the Capilano this time of year for some early coho action.
We have had several reports from early season anglers and the fishing is slow. The odd one might have made the trek in the wee hours of the morning, but we haven’t seen larger schools to target… This makes sense with the very low water levels. If you’re looking to try your luck keep your presentations small. Fly fishing will also be a decent option with clear lines or clear tips (Rio Versileader Clear) for stealthy presentations.
The second place to target these fish is at the mouth and beach. The die-hard salty anglers are already out targeting smaller schools that stray close enough to cast to. Anglers can choose to hold up on the rocky points and comb the water waiting for passing fish or walk the beach hoping to intercept cruising fish.
If you’re new to this one a solid medium action spinning combo in the 7- 8 ft range is a great start. For the best performance and casting distance a 9 ft rod is ideal. Check out the popular Fenwick eagle spinning rods or a premium level Loomis GCX salmon spinning rods. Pair the stick with a quality saltwater reel and you’re in the game. Look at the shop favorite Daiwa Fuego or the smooth as butter Daiwa Ballistic MQ.
The usual spinners and spoons will do the trick. Try crocs, kohos, and prime spinners. Get the most casting distance with a good braid like Power pro.
It's still early for the beach and river so don’t lose faith. Saltwater boats are starting to see coho about so it’s only a short time until we see better numbers on the North Shore.
Eric Peake
STILLWATER FISHING REPORTS
Local Lakes Fishing Reports
Local lakes have just been hit with another Spring stocking. Check out Go Fish BC if your favorite pond was stocked!
If you have a trout combo and need some advice, check out our tricky trout how to sheet below:
We are always happy to set you up so you’re confident on the water. If this is all new, then come on in and look at our trout combos:
These fisheries are fun, and accessible for all ages and abilities. If you have mastered the spinning setups then try and fool them on the fly. Small indicator rigs and balanced flies make for some great fun when you can get to the Interior lakes.
Lastly, for those looking to step up the local lake game try to get out on a boat! Small inflatables like the Fishcat LCS are a great platform to explore small lakes and really get in on the action. This can be essential for trout and bass fisherman alike.
Remember its Summer and everyone is just as exited to hit the lakes as you are. Be courteous to your fellow anglers and leave the fishing environment cleaner than when you found it.
Eric Peake
Lower Mainland Bass Fishing Report
The changes in weather this last week have led to a lot of up-and-down bass fishing…I have heard as many reports of mediocre fishing as I have amazing fishing, so it seems that the anglers with the right tricks in their bag are the ones finding success. As much as the topwater bite is exciting, as angling pressure increases, I’ll look more to soft plastics, and I’ll almost always have a Texas/Carolina rod on deck with a few flavours of bait.
If you’ve fished with me, you know that I have a hard time not bringing a half dozen colours in a half dozen different creature shapes to the pond but will end up fishing the same two or three colours of worm. The two that I think are best for beginner anglers are the same two that I fish the most myself, the Yamamoto Neko Worm Fat in green pumpkin and black/blue. If the water clarity is low the black and blue presents as a stronger silhouette against the murky water, but if there’s better visibility, I’ll opt for the tried-and-true green pumpkin. I’m also partial to the Watermelon and White Neko Fat in lakes that are also stocked with rainbow trout.
There’s not a professional bass angler on earth without these two colours on their boat on tournament day!
With more anglers out looking for bass these days, remember to share the water and that you too are the traffic! If you’re looking for more solitude, there are lots of little ditches and sloughs with bass all throughout the Fraser Valley. There won’t be as many people sharing these kinds of spots, so you’ll have to do some exploring but the rewards can be very sweet! Fish in these little systems can become habituated to eating crayfish like the CrushCity Cleanup Craw, so come by and chat with us on how to rig a craw bait in a few different ways for wary ditch pickles!
No competition in sight, just hungry bass…
Jay Awrey
Kokanee Fishing Report
As we move through late May, the weather has warmed up considerably and fish are beginning to push deeper into the water column. We’ll also start to see the thermocline develop in many lakes as water temperatures continue to rise heading into summer. Fishing should remain productive across many of the reservoir lakes in the Lower Mainland, as well as throughout the Interior where anglers are already seeing consistent action.
Kokanee fishing is in full swing right now. These small, landlocked sockeye salmon can be found in a variety of lakes both close to home and throughout the Interior. While many kokanee are on the smaller side, some Interior lakes are known for producing surprisingly large fish. This is a seasonal fishery that typically fishes well from now through August. 
A nice size interior kokanee
Trolling continues to be the most productive method for targeting kokanee. Whether you’re fishing from a large boat, a small aluminum, a kayak, or even a canoe, virtually any safe watercraft can get the job done. As lake temperatures increase, kokanee will gradually begin moving deeper throughout the day, making downriggers increasingly effective. Early mornings can still provide good shallow action, but as the thermocline establishes itself, anglers will want to focus more attention on suspended fish in deeper water.
Willow Leaf Gang Trolls and Dodgers remain excellent producers, especially when paired with a Gibbs Wedding Band or Gibbs Mini G. If fish are holding slightly deeper, adding a small dropper weight can help get your presentation into the strike zone. Adding bait or scent can also make a major difference, particularly when fish are being selective. Small Gulp maggots or the always-popular shoe peg corn are proven kokanee producers and are always worth having on hand.
Kokanee may be small, but they fight incredibly hard once hooked, especially near the surface.
The fishery is only getting better as we move toward summer. Kokanee are abundant, aggressive, and excellent table fare. Most lakes allow anglers to keep up to five fish but always be sure to check the current regulations before heading out.
Jacob Leboe
BC Interior Lakes Fishing Report
Well, it was a typical Victoria Day Long Weekend with rain, hail, and snow just in time for all of us who headed up into the interior of BC to fly fish for trout. Luckily the back end of the weekend warmed up and so did the fishing. The good news about the colder temps is that they extend the season somewhat. The last thing we want with the dry ground and low water levels is a mid-May heat wave that sends water temps soaring, which slows down fishing and sets things up for forest fires. So, the moisture and cooler temps were actually a good thing in the bigger picture.
Chironomids were on the menu on most of the lakes this past week with some strong hatches and good reports rolling in from Region 3, 5, and 8 with water temps in the low 50’s to low 60’s depending on lake elevation. For the remainder of May chironomids will continue to be the focus but keep an eye out for mayflies and damselflies on the lower elevation lakes.
I had the chance to take my daughter and niece out on the Long Weekend and we had blast watching the bobber go down during a strong chironomid hatch in Region 3.
As the fish often start to focus on deeper chironomid hatches as we get into late May and June, casting a long leader with no indicator can be a great way target these fish. There comes a point where casting a 25 foot plus leader with an indicator just becomes a pain in the butt and taking off the indicator and “fishing naked” is often a nice change and can be very productive. To learn more about this technique check out our new video How to Fish Chironomids Naked Line and give it a try on your next trip.
There is lots to do this time of year and all the lakes are fishing, from the lowest to the highest, so get out there and enjoy prime time BC lake fishing while the going is good!
See you in the shop or on the water,
Jason Tonelli
SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS
Vancouver Saltwater May Bottom Fishing Report
Our guide team has had a great week out on the water! Over the past week we have had the chance to do some bottom fishing across the Strait, and the fishing has continued to be productive.
A productive day bottom fishing for our guests!
If you’re heading out for bottomfish, make sure to stop by the shop before your trip, we can help get you rigged up properly and give you the latest reports from our guide teams. One of the most effective ways to target lingcod and rockfish is still by jigging, and it continues to produce consistently throughout the season.
Our go-to setup is simple and reliable: thread a snap swivel or slider onto your braided mainline so you can attach a ball weight, then add a bead and swivel. From there, tie in about 60lb mono leader material to help stand up against the sharp teeth and rough structure that lingcod are known for. To that we add on our favorite jigs the 4oz Gibbs Power Paddles. Gear aside, the most important part of jigging is the action itself!
We’ve found the best method is to keep your rod tip low, make a few quick upward pops, then let the jig fall back in a controlled drop. A lot of bites happen on the way down, so staying connected to the jig instead of letting it free fall will help you hook more fish.
Slack tide periods are usually the best time to target bottomfish. With less current and reduced drift, it’s much easier to stay on structure and effectively fish deeper water, especially when using lighter jigs.
Locally, our catch-and-release chinook trips have continued to have solid action and crabbing is very productive as well. As we have mentioned in past reports we are participating in chinook DNA sampling again this year to help better understand the stock composition of fish moving through our local waters. The long-term goal of gathering this data is to support future opportunities in areas and times where stocks of concern are not present.
Crabbing has been great locally and a great addition to any of our guided trips!
No boat? No problem! Give us a ring on our charter line at 778.788.8582 or email kathryn@pacificangler.ca and we can get you out for some bottom fishing, crabbing and Chinook catch-and-release DNA sampling!
