Pacific Angler Friday Fishing Report: October 2, 2026

OUTLOOK 

October is here, and the Fall fishing season is in full swing!  The first big Fall storm has brought much-needed water to the Lower Mainland and Sea to Sky rivers, and systems are now seeing fresh pushes of salmon.  With higher, coloured water, chinook and coho are moving throughout the systems, making this an exciting time to get out and explore. 

Fraser River sturgeon fishing is also at peak season, with October producing some incredible trophy-sized white sturgeon.  Our guides have been putting clients into some truly impressive fish as the sturgeon key in on the salmon moving through the Fraser. 

For the stillwater crowd, Fall lake fishing is getting better as trout move into the shallows on the cooler Interior lakes.  The Fall chironomid season is winding down, so it’s time to start thinking leeches, blobs, bloodworms and other active Fall patterns. 

There’s still salmon action in the saltwater as well, with coho, chinook and chum continuing to move through the Fraser and Capilano mouths, while our winter chinook fishery is already starting to show some promising signs. 

There’s a lot happening on the water as we head into October.  Get out there, enjoy the Fall season, and we’ll see you in the shop or on the water!

CLASSES AND COURSES 

We have a great line-up for our Fall Courses. 

Please note that the Fly Fishing for Salmon in Rivers, Nymphing Coastal Streams, and November 18 Winter Chinook Fishing with J. Tonelli are SOLD OUT.  Please call the store to have your name placed on the waitlist.

INDUSTRY EVENTS AND UPDATES 

Sport Fishing Institute of BC – Policy Conference and Big Splash Fundraiser 

The SFI Policy Conference will be held at the Vancouver Convention Centre on November 20th.  This year’s theme is Pathways to Sustainability - Incorporating Best Practices across all Sectors. 

We look forward to this annual forum where elected officials, public servants, and members of the sport fishing community come together to share perspectives on the issues facing the recreational fishery and to discuss opportunities and challenges for the coming season. 

The Pacific Salmon Foundation will also take a portion of the day to highlight programs and projects funded through revenues from sales of Salmon Conservation Stamp on tidal waters licences. 

Following the Conference, you can join the Big Splash and Fundraiser.  It’s always a fun and memorable evening to reconnect with friends and colleagues, to enjoy a great meal, and bid on a variety of outstanding items - all the while supporting the important work of the SFI. 

For more information, including early bird tickets check here. 

FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS 

Chilliwack/Vedder Fishing Report 

The first Fall storm hit the Vedder hard, spiking water levels and colouring the river.  In my opinion, this is not a bad thing as the bump in water will encourage the fish to move around and spread out angling pressure.  Fish can now be encountered throughout the system with more fresh fish pushing up daily. 

The water is running a little higher so fish can be encountered in “Traveling” water and pocket pools.  These are often smaller spots that fish will push through and not really hold very long.  Try fishing the seams where traveling fish will get a break from the heavy main current.  This might only be 10 ft from the bank, so you don’t need to wade to your waist to find fish.  With the visibility down you can size-up your presentation and fish beads in the 14-20mm range.  I also chose to fish brighter colours to show up in the stained water.  Roe is always a fan favorite, and good roe can be deadly when the fish are on the move.  Brighter Pro Cure colours like the Red Hot Double Stuff or Fuse Cure always seem to produce.  

A nice collection of gear for the higher stained water. 

With all the chinook around it’s nice to have a heavy setup to tangle with the big boys.  A heavy action float rod like the Shimano Compre or Technium will end the battle faster.  This is better for any fish you choose to release and saves your arms!  Pair this with a larger 300 size bait caster like the Shimano Curado or Tranx and you’re all set.  For the fidget spinner people out there, we have an excellent supply of center pin reels from Kingpin and Islander.  Both companies put out some exquisite reels suited to do battle with chinook and coho.  The larger reel diameter on the Kingpins and Islander C5 reels will help pick up line quickly when performing long drifts or trying to catch up to running fish. 

Coho are also abundant and fly and gear anglers have been finding them.  Coho love slow water so some of the best spots will be in the lower river.  You can also target them upriver behind structure, log jams or small eddies off the main current.  A spinning setup is best here to throw spinners spoons and twitching jigs.  Something like the Shimano Compre Spin is a nice budget friendly option for newer angler, and the G Loomis range of GCX or IMX spinning rods will be deadly in an experienced angler's hands.  You can really notice the difference when you compare the sensitivity of a more premium rod vs the starter option. 

With all that water coming down my best advice to anglers is move around.  You don’t need to be hemmed up in the deepest pools combat fishing shoulder to shoulder.  Look for the traveling lanes to target chinook and all the little dead spots where coho like to hide.  

The river is busy and that can lead to a little ugliness on the water.  Be sure to practice best fish handling practices and release fish with care.  Give people space, be kind with your fellow anglers and leave your fishing location cleaner than when you found it. 

Eric Peake 

Sea To Sky Corridor Fishing Report 

Well, it’s started. Salmon season in the Sea to Sky region is officially here.  After some rain and a good push of water, salmon have made their way from the briny blue and are headed up river.  

Expect dirty water at the start of the season.  With mild temps and rain in the forecast we usually see poor water clarity to get things started.  Coho will be pushing up but you need to have some larger presentations to get those fish to see your gear.  Gear anglers have the edge when the conditions are higher or muddy.  Larger Koho and Croc spoons along with Prime spinners and blue foxes are great lures to make noise and anger some of those fresh pushing fish.  We also have our custom PA koho spoons in stock in the extra flashy chartreuse/green fade.  These are dynamite for poor water clarity or swinging across big runs. 

PA Custom Koho spoons available in 45 and 55 sizes. We build them in shop with sticky sharp wide gap hooks.  

Fly anglers can get in on the action with larger flies when the conditions are tough.  I have a quick shot of my Squamish coho box for reference.  You will notice a distinct size difference in my selection of flies.  Early season I like to throw larger patterns in chartreuse, black, and purple combinations.  This gives those fish something they can see.  As clarity improves, I move down to medium and eventually small options.  Don’t forget the weight.  If you tie your own flies have some with larger beads and a few smaller.  This will give you an advantage when fishing moving water to get your fly down into the zone when you need to.  This also helps impart a jigging action when tied with a non-slip loop knot.  Coho flies are fun and simple to tie.  Check out our wide selection of flashy coho products before you hit the bench or water. 

There are some big differences in the size of my dirty water and clear water patterns for coho.  

The Squamish is big so do your leg work and cover water.  Last year's river is not this season's river.  Expect some changes to your favorite run.  Log jams and structure can move or accumulate in new spots, banks erode, trees fall… this is an ever-changing environment.  We had some big water last week so be cautious with wet unstable banks.  

Lastly, salmon season is also bear season.  We have had plenty of black bear and grizzly sightings in the upper and lower river.  Go prepared with bear spray and have your heads up when hiking at first light.  It might be strange, but you can catch me clapping or singing loudly as I trot down to the river in the dim morning light.  Fishing with a partner is always advised.  One can of spray for every pair of anglers is a good start if you plan on fishing close together.  If you are fishing with anglers that like to divide and cover more water, then everyone should have a can of spray at hand… not in your pack.  

Final note on the mud creek wash out.  It’s still there. Don’t expect to travel past the 21 km mark on the Squamish valley FSR. 

Take care, have fun, and stay safe. 

Eric Peake 

Harrison River Fishing Report 
 

 
 Some Classic Coho Offerings 

STURGEON FISHING REPORTS 

Fraser River Sturgeon Fishing Report: Giant October White Sturgeon Near Vancouver 

October sturgeon fishing on the Fraser River is firing on all cylinders.  Trophy white sturgeon are feeding hard, charging through the Lower Fraser, and delivering unforgettable battles.  PA guide Josh Lo was back on the water this week aboard our 22-foot Thunder Jet, putting guests into giant fish just minutes from Vancouver. 

 A fish of a lifetime, this massive Fraser River white sturgeon stretched longer than four anglers standing side by side. 

This is one of the most exciting times of year for Fraser River sturgeon fishing.  As salmon push into the river, hungry white sturgeon switch into feeding mode and the giants come alive. Warm autumn water fuels explosive runs, backbreaking battles, and spectacular airborne jumps. For anglers chasing a true trophy, peak Lower Fraser sturgeon season is here. 

Another incredible trophy white sturgeon landed on one of this week’s guided Lower Fraser River fishing trips with Pacific Angler. 

Ready to experience the power of a giant white sturgeon?  October is prime time to book a guided Fraser River sturgeon fishing trip near Vancouver.  The Lower Fraser offers world-class trophy fishing only minutes from downtown, with hard-fighting fish and nonstop potential for the catch of a lifetime.  Peak season will not last forever, get on the water while these prehistoric giants are at their most active. 

Big fish on every trip—another Lower Fraser River giant and a front-row view of North America’s largest freshwater fish. 

STILLWATER FISHING REPORTS 

BC Interior Fall Lake Fishing Report: Best October Tactics for Rainbow Trout 

October is here and Fall lake fishing is firing up across the BC Interior.  As nighttime temperatures slide into the single digits and dip below 0°C at higher elevations - cooling water is changing where rainbow trout feed and which fly-fishing tactics produce.  Higher-elevation lakes are now around 46–50°F, while lower-elevation lakes remain warmer at approximately 52–56°F. 

At cooler, higher-elevation lakes, the Fall chironomid hatch has ended and hungry rainbow trout are pushing into shallow water, often just 5–15 feet deep.  This creates exciting sight-fishing and indicator opportunities.  Top Fall fly patterns include wind-drifted leeches, bloodworms, baby damsels, and blobs suspended beneath an indicator. 

 Nate, my fellow lake-fishing fanatic from Kamloops, landed this spectacular 9¾-pound rainbow during our trip last weekend and sized it up in the Moby Whale. The trophy trout crushed a wind-drifted leech in only 7 feet of water. 

Retrieving a leech, scud, blob, or booby on a sinking line can be just as effective.  When fishing alone, anglers may run two rods: a common setup pairs an indicator rig with a retrieved sinking line.  I prefer two indicator rigs; allowing one fly to sit or drift naturally along a feeding lane, while slowly retrieving the other.  I keep the stationary presentation near shore or in the zone where LiveScope marks the most trout, then work the second fly across multiple depths and feeding lanes to cover more water. 

On some days, movement is everything.  Trout may ignore a motionless leech or blob when the wind fades and the indicator stalls, but a light wind drift or gentle retrieve can instantly trigger a savage take.  Anglers have recognized this pattern for years, and LiveScope now makes it easy to watch fish follow, refuse, and finally commit when the fly is retrieved vs just sitting there motionless. That is why the two-rod indicator approach can be so deadly in fall, you generally always have one fly moving. 

 This chunky Blackwater rainbow smashed a cerise blob pegged 5 feet below the indicator in 7 feet of water. The bright fly caught its attention, and the slow retrieve sealed the deal. 

At lower-elevation lakes across the BC Interior, the last Fall chironomid hatches should wind down this week or next.  Dedicated chironomid anglers may still catch a short feeding window, but the season is nearly over.  If the hatch does not appear, switch quickly to leeches, blobs, and other active Fall presentations. 

Prime BC Interior Fall lake fishing is just getting started.  Rig your indicators, clean those sinking lines, stock your fly box with leeches, blobs, bloodworms, baby damsels, scuds, and be ready when aggressive autumn rainbow trout charge into the shallows.  See you on the water! 

Jason Tonelli  

SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS 

Vancouver Salmon Fishing Report: October Coho, Chinook & Chum Outlook 

October has arrived in Vancouver, bringing the first Fall rains and a fresh shift in the local salmon fishery.  The rain is great news for river anglers and welcome relief for rivers that had been running low and clear.  Most fall salmon have now moved into the Fraser River, its tributaries, and other Lower Mainland rivers, but Vancouver saltwater salmon fishing is not finished yet.  A few chinook remain, and strong pushes of coho should continue over the next two weeks, even though peak migration for both species has passed. 

There is still plenty to get excited about.  Anglers can continue to find excellent chinook and coho action off the Fraser River Mouth and Capilano River Mouth, and this year’s powerful chum return adds another reason to get on the water.  The chum run is tracking among the top three of the past 30 years, a welcome boost after a disappointing sockeye returns this summer. Current regulations in Areas 29-1 to 29-5 and 29-8 allow 4 chum per day.  I also expect chum openings in the Fraser River and its tributaries later this month, after the Interior Fraser steelhead window closure ends. 

 We are still catching plenty of nice chinook in local waters! 

Recent Vancouver salmon fishing trips have delivered a lively mix of coho, chinook, and chum off the Fraser River Mouth and Capilano River Mouth.  We have also started scouting our most productive winter chinook locations and the early results are already promising. 

 We are already catching winter chinook on some recent trips, and we expect another strong winter chinook season. 

Vancouver is fortunate to offer year-round ocean salmon fishing.  As the Fall migration winds down, the winter chinook season starts to heat up, giving anglers excellent October opportunities off the Fraser and Capilano river mouths and at proven winter chinook spots.  

If you are new to this fishery, or ready to take your results to the next level, my focused winter chinook fishing course shares the techniques and insights used by top local anglers.  The course sells out every year, so book early to secure your spot. 

Reserve Your Spot in Jason Tonelli’s Winter Chinook Fishing Course 

See you in the shop, on the water, or at the winter chinook course! 

Jason Tonelli