OUTLOOK
It’s looking like another wet and warmish weekend is in the forecast for us. Rivers have been dropping all week, hopefully the rain coming is a little less than forecasted so it doesn’t blow the rivers out.
In this week’s report we have an update on North side tributaries as well as the Squamish. These systems have later bumps of salmon and can see solid fishing well into early December.
We are also back with a winter chinook saltwater report where fishing has been productive!
Check all that out, with more information, on our holiday shopping event) and upcoming industry fundraisers!
CLASSES AND COURSES
Our classes for the 2025 year are wrapping up!
If you’re thinking ahead to next year, be sure to keep an eye out for our 2026 course listing! The team here at the shop is fine tuning the schedule and we will release it here next month! If you are reading this on the blog and want to be sure you are the first to know, be sure to sign up to receive the Friday Fishing Report direct to your in-box.
INDUSTRY EVENTS AND UPDATES
Pacific Angler Customer Appreciation Holiday Shopping Night!
Join us for an evening of holiday shopping fun at Pacific Angler - exclusive deals and great company, await!
This is an opportunity for you and the Pacific Angler team to get together so we can say thank you for the year and connect. Light food and drinks will be provided, and you’ll find deals won’t be available online or anywhere else. Get a jump on your holiday gift buying and enjoy some time with the fishing community while you’re at it.
Do you know someone who is looking to learn more about fishing? Please pass this invitation along and have them sign up as well!
Date: Wednesday November 26, 2025
Time: 6:30-9:00PM - Drop in for a quick visit or stay for the evening!
Location: Pacific Angler - 78 E. Broadway, Vancouver BC V5T 1V6
Please RSVP by registering for a free ticket on eventbrite by November 24th. Space is limited, so sign up today if you’d like to attend.
Jason Tonelli and the entire Pacific Angler Team
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Steelhead Society of BC – Annual Fundraiser Pub Night!
It’s back! The SSBC Pub Night is back this year. Don’t miss out on attending this great evening in support of steelhead in BC!
Date: Thursday November 27, 2025
Time: 7PM
Location: Golden Parrots Club – 170 Golden Drive Coquitlam
Tickets: $35 at the door (includes burger, a beer and a great night!)
We’ll see you there for a night fishing talk, awesome live/silent auction and raffle prizes along with a 50/50 draw.
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BC Federation of Drift Fishers’ 2025 Online Auction
From November 17 to 28, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts from across BC will bid on incredible items—guided fishing trips, outdoor gear, unique gifts, and more—all while supporting a vital cause.
Your participation helps protect anglers’ rights, preserve river access, and promote the conservation of BC’s wild fish stocks. Every bid makes a difference for the future of our fisheries.
Start bidding today and find something special for yourself or the angler in your life!
Cast your support today: https://can.givergy.com/BCFDF-2025
Together, we can keep BC’s rivers and fisheries thriving for generations to come.
PRODUCT FEATURE 
Garmin Electronics - How to choose the right sonar for your needs and sale pricing!
As the season comes to a close, some of you might be thinking of a new sonar for your lake boat or ocean boat for next season. You don't see Garmin go on sale often, so I wanted to bring to people’s attention some great pricing on Garmin units. Basically, they have deals from Striker up to GPSMAP units.
People often get analysis paralysis when it comes to purchasing sonar, so here are my thoughts on what you might want to purchase, from a guy who has fished all these units from an 8 foot boat up to a 30 foot boat.
You can pick up a Stiker Plus 4 for $200. A lot of people are using these and for good reason. The price is right, you get some great CHIRP sonar, water temp, and you can put in waypoints to mark your hot spots for the next day or trip. If you don't have a sonar and want to keep it simple and affordable, this is the unit. I would rather have this than no sonar any day, and they get the job done.
If you want a bigger screen, check out the Striker Vivid 5CV with a GT20 transducer. The bigger screen is nice, it has CHIRP sonar and also has ClearVu sonar. It has tracks and waypoints, quick draw mapping capability and more screen colour options than the Striker Plus 4. The price is very reasonable at $436 for all those features.
Next, we move into the ECHOMAP UHD2 world. They are available in 5, 7, and 9 inch models. The big upgrade here is these come with charts and the screen resolution is higher. Depending on the model you choose, they will come with a GT20, GT54, or GT56 transducer and package price ranges from $500 to $1,700. This series is also compatible with LiveScope if you go that direction in the future (Striker series is not). We sell a lot of these units to fly anglers as well as general lake anglers who might also troll for Kokanee. If you use your boat in the ocean sometimes, these units also work well for salmon trolling, crabbing, pawning, using the charts and marking waypoints where you set your gear.
If you are interested in forward facing sonar, aka LiveScope Plus, the GLS10 & LVS34 package is on sale, as are the LiveScope Bundles that come with an ECHOMAP Ultra 2 in a 10 or 12 inch screen. These bundles are the way to go if you want to get in the FFS game. We are experts at setting these up with shuttles, batteries, and poles. Happy to answer any questions you may have.
Finally, the GPSMAP units are also on sale. These have the highest resolution screens and will run 600W or 1kW transducers as well as autopilot and radar domes. In short, these are big boat or ocean units. You don't see these on lake boats often, except in the bass world or ice fishing palace world, because they have the highest resolution screen for FFS and they have HDMI ports so you can hook up larger screens to mirror the image.
We are probably going to sell out of some units, so if we don't have what you are looking for, email me at jtonelli@pacificangler.ca and I will bring it in for you and make sure you get the sale pricing.
If you have some sonar questions for lake or salt, please email me and include your cell and I will call you. I like to listen to people’s needs, see what boat they have, then make some specific recommendations.
Make sure to sign up to the Pacific Angler newsletter on the website because I will be doing some free seminars on sonar and LiveScope this winter. They will be in the shop, but I think I will do a livestream as well.
Pricing on all units here on the PA website.
Jason Tonelli
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Squamish River Fishing Report
The Squamish is fishing well late into this season. The weekly bumps of water have come back to shape quickly and moved fish around. Right now, we are seeing low water but expect that to change.
It’s all in the hands of the weather Gods this weekend. Temperatures are flirting with freezing in the alpine but a large amount of rain due on Saturday will definately change the conditions. If you are heading out this weekend, it would be important to note where you cross and be mindful of rising river levels. I don’t think it will blow out but it’s a matter of how high it will get. Bust out the rain gear and be ready for anything. We just had a re stock of some of our Simms key rain gear pieces if you want to extend the season and stay comfy when the weather comes in sideways.
With these water levels in mind, expect the water you fish to change. The same run can fish differently or become non-existent during a quick water level change. At times, I find fish at the heads of runs during low water, but fish farther down in tail outs when it bumps up. Cover water and have a few presentations or methods at your disposal.
Maki showcasing her new angling skills with her first coho! A spectacular late season find with her father Tim.
With some impressive late season catches being reported, fishing is still good. By now you’re tired of me saying spinners spoons and jigs will get the majority of fish… but it’s still true. Flies have been productive in the right water, especially when the water was clear and low. We still have a few coho flies left if you want another shot at a bronze back or late season chrome.
With the increasing number of chum and ripe coho, trout fishing is heating up. Bring your trout rod or light float setup for a shot at some egg eaters. Hard or soft beads whatever you like… just try to match the hatch with a few bright, washed, and dull colours. Don’t be afraid to go back through a run with another colour. When fishing pressured water or behind a friend I sometimes throw a lure colour like bright pink or chartreuse.
Check the water levels before you go and be warned the road is rough so take your time. We have seen many flats and tow outs this year.
Eric Peake
________________________________________________________________________________________________ Fraser North Side Tributaries Fishing Report
The north side tributaries that I talked about last week are continuing to see small waves of fresh coho and as such are still producing fish; they will continue doing so into December... assuming the weather doesn’t act up too much. Speaking of the weather, it feels like the forecast has been even less accurate than it usually is, so it has been a bit tough to predict water levels and conditions. The current forecast looks good until Sunday, at which point we may see enough rain to start causing issues.
Assuming the systems are in decent shape, it can still be worth chasing late coho in the north side tributaries through November and into December; I’ve had some remarkably good late-season days with no other anglers around. Note that there will be quite a few dark fish around at this point, and it’s best to avoid targeting them- leave the spawners alone so they can do their job and focus your efforts on finding clean fish... especially if you’re planning on retaining them!
Taylor Nakatani
SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS
Vancouver Winter Chinook Report
The winter chinook season is here. The weather will tell you that much; cooler temps, lots of rain, and those low-pressure systems that bring in the SE winds. Good thing it’s a long season and we can pick our days. This weekend looks like a wet one, especially on Sunday, but that’s why the winter chinook angler invests in some good rain gear and layering pieces!
I saw a break in the weather earlier this month and luckily it was on a Sunday, so I grabbed the family and we took off to Lower Howe Sound for some winter chinook fishing. The seas were calm, I was down to a t-shirt, and the fish were biting. We ended up with the 3 in the box and had plenty of time to hit Smitty’s in Gibsons for a bite to eat. Sometimes it all works out, and this was one of those days.
A nice mid-November winter chinook to start the season for the Tonelli family!
The fish seemed to be on the brighter chartreuse gear and the Gibbs Bon Chovy and Lemon Lime flashers with the Yamashita OG140R Chartreuse Splatter Back Hootchy put the meat on the deck as usual.
The Gibbs Bon Chovy and Lemon Lime flashers with the Yamashita OG140R hootchy is always a top producer for Vancouver winter chinook.
Chatting with my network of the Pacific Angler guides, other Vancouver Sport Fishing Guides Association members, and our regular customers, I am stoked to report the fish are around. There have been legal fish in Vancouver Harbour, off the Fraser Mouth, in lower Howe Sound and in the Gulf Islands. This past week there seemed to be fewer legal fish (62cm or greater) than the 2 previous weeks, but I am sure this will change. It’s very encouraging to see so many juveniles, this bodes well for later in the season and future years.
That’s a wrap for this week’s report, heading off to the Sport Fishing Institute’s Big Splash tonight. Maybe I will see some of you there.
Jason Tonelli
