OUTLOOK
Fall salmon fishing is heating up! The Vedder is starting to see more chinook, with coho and early chum also showing. The rain arriving this weekend could give the river the boost we’ve been waiting for. Rising water should bring fresh fish into the system and make for some exciting fishing next week.
Saltwater fishing is still going strong, with big chinook, hatchery coho and chum moving through the Fraser and Capilano mouths. With the late September push underway, there’s still plenty of great salmon fishing to enjoy.
It was also great to see so many familiar faces at our Fall Fishing Sale last weekend. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and supported the shop - we really appreciate it!
Shop Reminder: We will be closed Wednesday, September 30 for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and will reopen for regular hours on Thursday.
Good luck out there, and we’ll see you 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 is SOLD OUT. Please call the store to have your name placed on the waitlist.
Fly Fishing for Salmon in Rivers
Fly fishing for salmon is one of the most exciting fisheries in the Lower Mainland. Let us teach you the techniques and the hot spots to catch salmon on the fly in our local rivers. In the 3hr evening seminar you will learn about rod, reel and line, sink tip, and fly selection. Then put the skills into practice during a fully guided day on the water where you will learn how to read water and swing the fly!
Seminar Only Cost: $85.00+GST
Seminar Date: October 20
Seminar & Guided Walk’n Wade Cost: $375.00+GST per angler, minimum of 2 anglers per guided day on the water.
Walk 'n Wade Dates: October 24, 25, November 1 or 2
Nymphing Coastal Streams
This course is designed to teach you the secrets to one of the most productive presentations in the BC fly fishermen’s arsenal; indicator nymphing. This deadly method can be used across season for different species of trout, char, and salmon. We focus on fundamentals of nymphing, specifics on egging and a light dive into tight line / euro techniques. We also do a deep dive in to the gear you need to make the most of your time on the water.
Seminar Only Cost: $85+GST
Seminar Date: November 17
Seminar & Guided Walk’n Wade Cost: $375.00+GST per angler, minimum of 2 anglers per guided day on the water.
Walk 'n Wade Dates: November 21 or 22
Winter Chinook Fishing with Jason Tonelli
Did you know there is excellent chinook fishing in local Vancouver waters from Oct to March? This is the winter chinook season and fishing the last few seasons has been excellent and this season is no different!
Learn the secrets on how to catch these hard fighting chinook, which are prized for their table fare as well. Your instructor, Jason Tonelli, will cover all aspects of what it takes to be a successful winter chinook angler. Jason has been honing his winter chinook skills out of Vancouver for close to two decades and is Pro-Staff for Gibbs Delta Tackle.
You will learn the top producing areas, including how to fish them productively and what tides, correct speed, how to fish close to the bottom, the most productive fishing tackle setups depending on conditions, how to use your sonar effectively to catch more fish, what weather patterns to avoid for boating safety, and many more winter chinook secrets.
Seminar Cost: $100+GST
Dates:
November 18, 2026
December 5, 2026
INDUSTRY EVENTS AND UPDATES
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FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Chilliwack/Vedder Fishing Report - Fall Salmon Season Is Heating Up
The Vedder River salmon season is starting to come alive, and as we move toward the end of September, more fish should continue pushing into the system. Chinook salmon are currently the most abundant species, with coho salmon beginning to trickle in and early chum salmon also showing up in encouraging numbers. Seeing chum around is a positive sign after lower-than-usual chum returns to Fraser River tributaries in recent years, but anglers should remember that chum salmon remains closed for retention until further notice from DFO. Coho appear to be running a little later this season, with some fish around, but not yet in the numbers we often see by this point in the Fall.
River conditions are the big story right now. As of Thursday evening, the Vedder is low—extremely low—but that could change quickly with rain in the forecast for Friday and the weekend. The river graph is currently sitting around 1.3 metres, and with roughly 60mm of rain expected Friday and Saturday combined, we could see the bump in water levels that salmon anglers have been waiting for. If the rain hits as forecast, expect more fish to move throughout the system next week and the Vedder River fishing to improve as rising water draws in new pushes of chinook, coho and chum.
For gear, small soft beads and small pieces of roe under a float are still go-to presentations for this time of year. Twitching jigs, spoons and spinners can all produce, especially for aggressive fish, but in low and clear water they can also spook salmon quickly. Focus those presentations in deeper pools, slots and runs where fish feel more secure. Fly anglers should not overlook the Vedder right now either; in clear, pressured conditions, a small fly can be exactly what turns a spooky fish into a biting fish.
Andre with a fly caught low water chinook. When the water is low and clear, fly fishing can be extremely productive.
We are entering prime Fall salmon fishing on the Vedder River, and the next stretch could get exciting if the rain arrives as predicted. Keep a close eye on the weather, the water graph, and current fishing regulations before heading out. Once the river rises and begins to settle, expect better movement and stronger opportunities in the days that follow. Get out there, enjoy the Fall salmon season, give other anglers room, and handle any fish that must be released with care.
Good luck out there everyone!
Jacob Leboe
SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS
Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report: Fraser and Capilano Chinook, Coho, and Chum Update
This week’s Vancouver saltwater salmon fishing report focuses on late-September action around the Fraser River mouth and Capilano River mouth, with chinook, hatchery coho, and chum still pushing through local waters, including some very big chinook!
A 44 pound monster chinook caught on Salty Dawg this week!
The rain is finally here, and that should kick the next wave of salmon into gear. As we head into the final week of September, fresh chinook, hatchery coho, and chum are still moving through the Strait of Georgia toward the Fraser River and Capilano River, setting up one of the most exciting late-season salmon fishing windows of the year.
It was all smiles for this 3 boat group who had excellent fishing for chinook and coho this week!
If you haven’t made it out yet, don’t wait too long. The Fraser River mouth and Capilano River mouth are still producing some great late-season salmon fishing, and this next push is always a good one. We usually see productive fishing until around mid-October, and with a drier stretch showing up in the first week of October, conditions could line up nicely—especially off the Capilano River mouth.
After mid-October, we’ll take a short break to catch our breath before shifting gears into winter chinook season and chasing the first feeder chinook of the year. For now, some of the best salmon fishing of the season is happening right here, right now—so get out there while the late-season push is on.
We’ll see you on the water!
Jason Tonelli
