OUTLOOK
🎃 Happy Halloween!
It looks like we’re in for another wet weekend, but the silver lining is that once the rivers settle, the fishing is usually excellent. If you’re planning to head out, be sure to keep an eye on the forecast and current river levels.
This week’s report includes updates on all our local river fisheries, along with the latest chum regulations, check out all the details below.
If your plan is to stay in and stay dry this weekend, it’s the perfect time to organize your gear and tie up some flies for when the weather turns more favourable. It also pairs nicely with watching the Jays game! We’ve just stocked up on some of our favourite tying materials and filled up the pegs in the freshwater section as well, so swing by the shop - we might even have a bit of candy left!
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 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
Blue Islander Reels
We got the blues and we love it! The Islander IRIII Fly Reel and C5 Centerpin are here in BLUE! These look awesome. Grab them while you can, they won’t last long. We have a great colour selection of C5, IRIII and LX3.4 reels in stock right now. Shop in store or online.
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Fraser River Chum Update
Chum numbers are coming in stronger than anticipated. Not strong enough to allow a retention fishery at this time, but there are now some catch and release opportunities for chum on some Fraser River systems. As many of you know, chum salmon are a lot of fun to fish for. They respond well to float fishing, jigs and cast flies. We have a full selection of chum gear at the shop, so come down and get setup to do battle with the “dog salmon.”
Here is the DFO Fisheries Notice outlining opportunities:
FN1159-RECREATIONAL Salmon – Chum - Region 2 Lower Mainland Tributary Systems - Non-Retention Opening - October 31, 2025
Further to FN1147, the revised in-season expected Fraser River Chum salmon run size estimate for the return to the Fraser River of 616,000 Chum salmon is sufficient to allow for recreational non-retention fishing opportunities. Effective one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset each day between October 31 and November 30, 2025 in the waters described below you may fish for but shall not retain any Chum salmon (catch and release only):
Alouette River and tributaries: Upstream of the 216th Street Bridge to a line between two fishing boundary signs at Allco park; and Downstream of the 216th Street Bridge to the confluence of the Pitt River.
Chehalis River downstream of the logging bridge 2.4 km downstream of Chehalis Lake, including tributaries to that part.
Chilliwack/Vedder River (including Sumas River) upstream from a line between 2 fishing boundary signs on either side of the Chilliwack River 100 m downstream from the confluence of the Chilliwack River and Slesse Creek downstream including that portion of the Sumas River from the Barrow Town Pump Station downstream to fishing boundary signs near the confluence with the Fraser River Waters:
Harrison River from the outlet of Harrison Lake downstream to the confluence with the Fraser River.
Nicomen (including Dewdney) Slough from the Highway 7 bridge at Dewdney downstream to the Fraser River.
Serpentine River downstream of 168th Street at Bothwell Park.
Stave River downstream of BC Hydro Dam to the CPR Railway Bridge: except you shall not fish for Salmon in that portion of the Stave River, known as the Ruskin Spawning Channel on the east bank of the BC Hydro park from the inlet near the dam, downstream to the boat ramp crossing; and you shall not fish for Salmon in that portion of the Stave River known as the Northrop Spawning Channel from the intake downstream to where the channel joins the Stave River mainstem, including its tributary containing the fishway.
Chilliwack/Vedder River Fishing Report
Good news: the C/V system is no longer running low and clear. Bad news: the C/V system now has the opposite issue. The sporadic (and occasionally heavy) rain that fell this week caused two separate blowouts- one on Saturday, and one on Wednesday... and with the amount of wet stuff in the short-term forecast, things aren’t looking good for those who are planning on heading out for the weekend. High, dirty water and debatably unfishable conditions are more than likely for the next few days, so it might be worth considering other systems that are less affected by the rain.
If the weather ends up being better than is forecasted (which is always a possibility) or if you’re dead set on fishing the C/V come hell or high water (literally), there are still quite a few coho around... though finding and targeting them can be tough when the water is the same colour as chocolate milk. The chum numbers are also increasing and have exceeded the DFO’s doom-and-gloom, record-low predictions; enough so that we are getting a non-retention opening on the C/V system as of the 31st. Just to make things crystal clear, this is a non-retention opening... so you may target chum, but you absolutely cannot retain them.
Large presentations with a lot of scent, flash, profile or a combination of the aforementioned traits will give you the best odds of success in dirty water... think roe, large Colorado blades, big chunks of scented yarn, jigs or giant soft beads. Now might just be the time for those ridiculous 25mm soft beads that I bought as a joke a few years ago!
Please be careful if you’re planning on heading out this weekend. High, dirty water makes wading exponentially more dangerous, and it only takes one bad step to turn a routine day of fishing into a genuine life-or-death situation. Last weekend’s tragedy should serve as a sobering reminder- no fish is worth dying for. Be safe out there.
Taylor Nakatani
Squamish Area River Fishing Report
Rain has been the story for the Squamish area as well. Fortunately, when we have been able to make it up there between storm systems we’ve been seeing some good fishing.
Unfortunately, there is a significant amount of rainfall forecast for the Squamish area with heavy rainfall warnings of 50-80mm. This amount of rain with nighttime temps in Squamish only dipping down to 7C and for Whistler 4C aren’t helping matters much. These warmer nights mean a lot of this rain is going to be rain at higher elevations and not snow.
Our expectation is the Squamish area rivers will rise dramatically once the rain shows up in full force. This will likely cause the rivers to blow out and could cause some dangerous high-water situations. Please exercise caution if you are going to head up and check things out. There have been a number of incidents on rivers these past few weeks, some of them fatal, all of them avoidable. High water, changing flows, and wading in these situations is not a good idea.
Stay safe out there and exercise some patience, because once the rivers in this area drop the coho fishing should be quite good.
Jason Tonelli
Harrison Area Fishing Report
North Fraser fisheries have been fishing well the last few weeks. With consistent reports coming from the rivers and sloughs.
Water levels have been good with a few bumps of water pushing fresh fish into the system. The rain should keep fish happy and rolling… at least for now. With the current rain warnings there is a chance the rivers will run high or blow out. It’s a tough call but keep your eyes on the hydrographs. If you choose to brave the weather then be aware of changing weather and river conditions.
These systems fish late into the season with plenty of opportunities to target fish into November. A quick note on fishing late season for Coho. You may encounter fish that have been the system a long time and are no longer fit for retention. Do your best to release all coloured-up fish with care and be picky with the ones you take home. These fish are notorious for looking silver then going dark once killed. Also, you may encounter chum salmon. There is no retention for Chum salmon and they must be released.
All the usual gear will find fish with a special note on roe. GOOD roe always produced for me in these systems. Clear floats and small pieces of red-hot double stuff is deadly... There has been a shortage of roe in shops so if you harvest a doe make sure you keep and process your roe! We have all the cures you need to do it yourself. Simple liquid egg cures are dead simple to use for first timers, and we have the special blends for seasoned pros.
If the smell of roe turns you off, Fly fishing has also been good. Light sink tips and small flies have been especially productive when the water slows, or the fish get a little tight lipped. Look for deeper pools with little current, or deeper section of a run that offer rest areas in larger rivers. Anywhere these fish stop to take a break is a good spot to throw a fly. Having the right sink tips will help make the most of the water your presented. Pro tip: when the fish get lock jawed try using a clear line or clear sink tip. I am a huge fan of clear lines for spooky coho in these systems.
Wherever you choose to fish remember to respect your fellow anglers, the wildlife and environment. Pick up any garbage you can and don’t leave anything behind.
Cheers,
Eric Peake
STURGEON FISHING REPORTS
Fraser River Sturgeon Update
As we roll into November the sturgeon feel the rain, cooler water and that means one thing to them. It’s time to feed! This time of year the sturgeon are feeding heavily to pack on the pounds fattening up for a long winter with not much feeding activity. This is the time of year anglers catch big sturgeon and a lot of sturgeon. In short, it’s prime time!
An 8-foot Fraser River sturgeon caught minutes from Vancouver on a recent charter! That will warm you up quickly!
As you can see from the above picture, we have been getting into some very healthy Fraser River sturgeon on our recent charters. The power of these fish is always impressive and these fish are in peak shape this time of year, with long runs and big jumps being the norm.
To book your Fraser River sturgeon fishing adventure give us a call at 778-788-8582 or visit us at Sturgeon Fishing Vancouver and book online.
