Attention: this is very old content, revived mostly for historical interest. Many of the pages on this site are still useful, but please bear in mind that they may be out of date. (Especially, do not try to use contact information, phone numbers, etc. found on these pages unless you couldn't find anything more recent.)
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Southern Vancouver Island

Fly anglers are searching and finding a few opportunities for sea run cutts and salmon in esturaries.

Lake fishing has been reasonable. The slow on set of warm weather has produced fishing which is quite good. As is most often the case, an angler should plan to fish during the morning and late afternoon and evening. The reports are spotty, so it will be a mission to find the lake that is producing good fishing.

Higher elevation lakes are a month or more out of normal phase, so give lakes at higher elevations a try.

Steelhead fishing has been quite spotty. As is often the case, finding summer run steelhead takes time. Once the fish are found there is no certainty that they will remain, unless an angler knows of the summer haunts for these most secretive fish. The few reports of success are just that, few. The best advise is to go searching, and hope that the usual places are producing.

Cowichan River
The Cowichan River has been higher than normal, and cooler. Rainbow and brown trout fishing is good at this time. The water is beginning to drop, and this will mean some opportunities for fly anglers.

Middle Vancouver Island
Saltwater angling in the Tofino area has been quite spotty, and difficult lately. It pays to hire a guide if you are not from the area. The usual abundance of salmon in near the shore has not developed.

North Vancouver Island

In general the reports are skectchy. Some fishing for sea run cutts was reported to be adequate, but this is not a reliable piece of information to plan a trip around. The east side of the island has not been producing large numbers of verifiable reports, so the best thing to do is follow past history and pray. There should be some steelhead in by now, but finding
them will be a challenge.

OTHER REGIONS OF B.C.

For those interested in exploring, try White Lake. With the weather conditions you just might find good fishing. Most lakes should be fishing well since the weather has not been too warm.

Rivers, well as many who live in B.C. know, the warm temperatures have
recently caused rivers to reach high flows. There is little doubt that
many are dropping and will begin to clear and produce good fishing, if not
now, in a short period of time.

Look at our other reports for information that is more site specific.

Hello fellow fishermen,I was just up in the cariboo/chilcotin last week,fishing Fletcher and Fir lakes.The weather was for the most quite cold and wet but fishing was still good.Fletcher was producing nicely on damsels and Caddis(dry or pupae),while Fir lake was producing on Caddis(dry or pupae),chironomids,and leaches/bloodworms fished very deep for fish to 6 pounds.The water was quite cold for this time of year and 2-3 feet higher than usual.Rumor was that even Dragon lake was starting to fish well due to the cold weather but it will probably warm up soon with a weather change on the way.Most higher lakes in the Cariboo will fish well this summer.Tight lines and remember to pack out your garbage.Book a trip now for some great trout fishing this summer!God bless-Brian

Paul Kurbis of Kurbis Guides & Consulting for Elk River & southeast B.C. information:

Dear Fishing Friends:

Fishing for Chinook on the Skeena River is GOOD, the water levels are dropping and good Chinook bites are being reported! There seems to be a good run coming through now!!

Fishing for Chinook varies from POOR to FAIR on the Kitimat River. The Chinook are there, they can be seen rolling, but are just not biting. It might have something to do with the muggy, hot day time air temperatures we’ve had.

Weather reports...Environment Canada taped messages constantly updated, giving current conditions and three day forecasts. Terrace 250-635-4192 Kitimat 250-632-7864 Prince Rupert 250-627-1155 Smithers 250-847-1958.

CURRENT REPORT:

LARGEST FISH OF THE WEEK: 35-pound Chinook Where: Kalum River
Name of Angler: Randy Marshall

Type of fish caught: Steelhead and Chinook Salmon. Please remember to use barbless hooks.

Fishing this week: POOR___FAIR_*_GOOD_ _EXCELLENT ___

WeatherAir temperatures have been about average with highs to +20 and lows of +10 degrees Celsius and scattered rain showers.

Water Conditions: on both the Kalum and Kitimat Rivers are high but in good shape. The Skeena River is starting to come into shape.

Kalum River....Fishing for Chinook is fair. Folks are still catching the odd Steelhead but all fish are spawned out and kelting, heading back to the ocean. The upper river is closed to Chinook, the lower section is open only to "catch and release" until June 30.

Skeena River..the water levels are dropping and anglers are starting to hook Chinook Salmon. Wahoooo!!

July 9/99 AAG Randy Marshall and guest Jim Clayton had a good day hooking five Chinook but only managed to land one.

...July 10/99 AAG Randy Marshall and guest Jim Clayton had a very good day by hooking six Chinook and landing two 30-pounders. They released all the smaller ones. Randy said, "the Skeena is really starting to turn on!" They also lost some BIG ONES!!

...July 10/99 AAG Greg Buck and his two guests Darrell and Bruce had a good day by landing and releasing three Chinook but they were small fish, just over the 65cm (jack) size limit. The BIG ones got away!

...July 11/99 AG Noel Gyger and guest Bruce Knudsen landed two Chinook and lost two. The BIG fish weighed 44-pounds and the smaller on around 20-pounds. The water is dropping and there was a lot of fish caught on the Skeena River today!

Copper River (Zymoetz)....is basically out of shape which is normal for this time of year. We usually don't guide it this time of year.

Kitimat River..fishing for Chinook is poor. The Chum Salmon have started in and a person may retain two Chum per day. This year a person may retain one Coho Salmon per day.

Nass River water levels are still high but this should bring in the Chinook Salmon.