OUTLOOK
It’s been another week of river anglers keeping a close eye on water level graphs and weather forecasts, trying to time their outings just right! Those who managed to get out between storm systems were rewarded with some excellent fishing.
If you’re planning to wet a line this weekend, be sure to check out the latest reports for the Chilliwack/Vedder, Squamish, and Harrison areas below. As always, keep an eye on both water levels and the forecast.
Saltwater anglers have also been enjoying good winter chinook action from the Fraser Mouth through the Gulf Islands and up into Howe Sound. Jason has all the latest updates from the Pacific Angler Guide team in his report this week.
He’s also sharing a lake fishing update from his recent trip to the Interior. If you’re planning to take advantage of an extra day off this coming week and head that way, don’t miss his insights.
And finally, a quick reminder - the shop will be closed on Tuesday, November 11th for Remembrance Day.
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
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 of fishing talk, awesome live/silent auction and raffle prizes along with a 50/50 draw.
2025 Sport Fishing Institute of BC - Policy Conference and Big Splash Gala and Fundraiser
The SFI’s Big Splash Conference, Gala and Fundraiser is here next month. The theme for this year’s annual conference is Balanced and Sustainable – Sharing Responsibility, Opportunity, and Resources.
Date: Friday November 21, 2025
Tickets and location and timing details: Get more details here!
BC’s public fishery is almost continually impacted by changes to opportunity and access. Looking ahead, there is much work to do. Without the ceaseless efforts of the SFI and your support over the years, public access to sustainable fisheries would look very different than they do today. In addition to continuous efforts to make the social and economic benefits and values of the recreational fishery known to the government and the public, the SFI addresses emerging and ongoing issues that affect the community and fisheries. Challenges with reliable access to sustainable fisheries opportunities have caused significant impacts for BC's public fishery over the years and require continued attention and focus.
If you are not familiar with The Sport Fishing Institute of BC, it is a non-profit organization established in the early 1980’s and is dedicated to promoting, enhancing, and protecting sustainable sport fishing opportunities in BC.
Please attend to support sport fishing in BC, and to meet with like-minded friends and colleagues. Get your tickets here and we’ll see you there!
PRODUCT FEATURE
Moby Nets
Moby Nets are back in stock! Moby offers a variety of quality built nets that meet the needs of the most discriminating angler. You will not find a stronger or more durable wooden landing net anywhere. Made in BC with durable fish friendly mesh and rubber bag options. These nets are highly sought after for still waters and avid walk and wade adventures... they never last long in shop.
Get yours before they are gone - available in store and online.
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Chilliwack/Vedder River Fishing Report
As was expected, last week’s downpours resulted in a significant blowout on the C/V system which rendered it basically unfishable for the weekend. The river did drop significantly and shape up nicely by the middle of the week, but another dump of rain blew it out again on Thursday. As of writing this report, the river is dropping again and should be in pretty good shape for the weekend... I think. It looks like all the rain has made the clay slides slightly unstable (again), which basically means they dump a bunch of mud into the river at the slightest hint of rain.
With water levels being higher and the clay banks being unstable, any amount of rain is likely to cause viz to drop significantly.
There are still decent numbers of coho in the system, though that run is certainly past its peak and starting to peter out; there will still be the odd fresh coho pushing into the system until December... though it’s debatable if it’s still worth looking for them at that point. Chum numbers have ended up being much better than was originally expected, though still not good enough for retention opportunities. As for the chinook, that run is pretty much done- there may still be a few dark fish around in the upper, but your odds of catching one that’s still in decent shape are very, very slim.
If the above paragraph didn’t make it apparent, the 2025 salmon season is winding down on the C/V system. It was a great year, and there will still be some great opportunities to target coho and chum before the season ends for good... assuming mother nature cooperates. While it being the tail-end of the season means that there won’t be as many fish around, it also means there won’t be as many anglers around either, so now is a great time to get out there if you prefer a quieter, less snaggy and more enjoyable fishing experience.
Taylor Nakatani
Squamish River Fishing Report
Squamish has been fishing well for anglers making the trip between the powerful fall storms. Our guides and customers had plenty of luck with feisty coho and eager trout when the river was in shape. Keep an eye on the water levels because this week could be a hard one to predict.
Coho anglers will do well fishing spinning gear. Jigs have been king with darker colours showing well when the visibility isn’t ideal. Larger spoons are great for swinging large runs, and spinners will make short work of slow water pools.
A freshly caught in slow water on a blue fox.
The fly anglers are getting in on the action. It can be harder to find the ideal slower water, but it is not impossible. High water will present plenty of side channels and confluences that can hold fish… once the river levels settle these spots get too shallow and dry up. Have a variety of flies and sink tips at your disposal. I carry a selection of large medium and small sized flies. Big bright flies or big dark on a fast sink tip will get fish in poor visibility, with light sink tips and small flashy stuff working when things clear up.
We had some fun fishing with our salmon course when water levels stabilized. Pat and Josh both pulled in some great “first coho on the fly”.
Trout fishing has been good in tributaries with beads and egg imitations on float or fly gear. This is a fun addition to Coho fishing. You will usually find me packing a second rod to target trout this time of gear.
We have another mixed bag of weather in the forecast, so keep checking the forecast before you go. Riverbanks can be unstable after high water so be cautious as you adventure up the valley. Bear spray is an essential carry this time of year as more chum salmon enter lower river spawning channels. Our groups have seen plenty of bears in the area, so keep your head up and make noise when hiking.
Reccuring Notice: Road is closed at 21 km and will not open until spring. Also, the road is in rough shape so take your time to head up.
Take care, stay safe, and go prepared!
Eric Peake
Harrison River Fishing Report
The Harrison River has seen its ups and downs as of late in regard to water height and flow but has only seen ups with the quantity of fish moving through.
When conditions allow, anglers have found success from both watercraft and foot, with various presentations finding fish.
For fly anglers wanting to cast and strip for coho, the slower channels and side pockets have been holding fish in groups. Anglers found bites on a variety of patterns - from smaller, sparser muddler-style patterns, all the way through the mix of small and flashy to large and gaudy. As water colour and clarity changes, having a variety of sparse, natural patterns can help when it starts to clear and drop, but as it dirties and climbs, larger crystal-bugger patterns can prove worthy.
This goes for lure anglers as well: larger twitching jigs and spinners/spoons can be great fish-finders in dirty or stained water, but don't be scared to tone it down when conditions become more favourable. Having a mix of spoons such as Koho #35-#55 is a great idea, with #55 probably not being reached for often enough.
With spinners, having a mix of weights can help as current flow can play a role in how fast you need or want to retrieve the lures. From slower retrieved Blue Fox spinners all the way to deep and fast Prime spinners, anglers will want to be ready with a variety. Even small-to-medium Wardens Rooster Tail's find good success, especially in smaller, more intimate back channels.
If twitching jigs is on the menu, a variety of 3/8ths and 1/2oz jigs should be the norm, but anglers will want a mix of dark and bright. Notice how I did not suggest a colour, but rather shades. Mixing it up and changing it up between dark and bright shades usually equates to consistent success versus sporadic or spread out.
Remember to always fish safe and allow time to hike out before dark if you've gone for a wander. Using a marker of sorts to mark water height can be a good idea, especially if you've been hiking across channels and sloughs: sometimes the way in is not going to be the same way back...
Be safe, have fun!
Jordan Simpson
STILLWATER FISHING REPORTS
BC Interior Lake Fishing Report
Things are truly cooling down as one would expect for early November. Even the bigger, lower elevation lakes like Stump are cooling off. I was up there this past weekend, and the water was 45F. The highway was clear, the weather was good, the winds were calm, but the fish were not happy that day, at least where we fished. We caught a few, but it was slim pickings, with the fish being very spread out. We saw lots of refusals on the LiveScope, despite our best efforts with leeches, blobs, boobies, baby damsels, etc. Some days are just like that, especially in the fall. Either way, it was a nice day to be out there, and I am sure it was good for somebody somewhere, just not where we were.
When the leaves turn golden its prime time fall lake season!
So where do we go from here? Well, there is still some great fishing to be had, but for us in the 604, it’s all about highway conditions lining up with the weather conditions. My friends in Merritt and Kamloops have had good fishing these past few weeks, picking their days, and moving around from lake to lake. Most of the fish have been in less than 10 feet of water and taken on leeches and blobs. Oh, to be retired and living in Kamloops, casually picking the best days of the week to drive to one of many, many lakes within an hour!
Some of the lower elevation lakes will fish well into late November based on the current 14-day forecast. If you can watch those highways and you need one more trip before the end of the season, it can be done. Personally, I am not sure if I will be out again this year. Likely not with work and some vacations coming up. Time for me to start chasing winter chinook in our local saltwater scene here in Vancouver.
So, this could be it for me this year folks! It was a pleasure doing the lake reports this season and I will be back at it next spring. Stay tuned for some tying events this winter and I’ll see you at the shop or on the water soon enough.
Jason Tonelli
SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS
Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report
It’s cold, it’s windy, it’s rainy… Must be winter chinook season! We’ve been on a few trips this past week and things are looking good. We are getting some nice legal chinook (62cm or greater) and a decent number of fish that are just shy of that mark. This bodes well for later in the season, as these fish grow quickly.
The vibrant purple, pink, blue and gold colours of the winter are hard to beat.
There have been good winter chinook reports from the Fraser Mouth area, over to the Gulf Islands, and in Howe Sound. I haven’t heard any reports from Bell Buoy or Freighters yet, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t fish there. The reality is these fish move quickly, always on the hunt for herring and anchovy, here one day, gone the next. Reports and conditions change quickly, so it’s best to go when you have time and the weather allows. Luckily, it’s a long season so we can pick our days, but if you have time, it’s officially time to go!
I am teaching two sold out winter chinook courses in December. I will be doing a third, just looking at the schedule and trying to find a date that works. If you are interested in being on the call list or wait list for the third course, email us your first and last name, and phone number to info@pacificangler.ca . The shop will call you once that date is set.
In the meantime, troll fast, cover water, keep your gear close to the bottom where the bait is, and good luck out there!
Jason Tonelli
