BC Fly Fishing Question

[jack251]

Hello everyone, so I am new to this site but have been fly fishing all my life. Unfortunately I live in the UK But I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to come visit your beautiful part of the world for a year with a working holiday visa.

My question is what is the best way to go about fishing all the amazing lakes and rivers bc has to offer.

This might be a stupid question and I could be missing something but all I can find on line is guided trips/fishing holiday type things which are all pretty pricey and not something I can afford on a regular basis.

Over here there are organisations in place which allow people to purchase day tickets to fish for trout/salmon/grayling etc at around $60 per day.

If anyone could shed some light on the matter for me it would be much appreciated!

 

[mcnerney]

Jack: Welcome to the forum! I can't answer your question as I have never fished in bc. If you don't mind I will change the title of your thread so the members that live in bc or have fished there will have a better chance to answer your question.

Larry

 

[fredaevans]

Bump to the top. Another choice is Google 'BC fly fishers' (or close to that). BC lake fishing is the big ticket on this web board. And welcome to the Board!

Fred

 

[wolfi2de]

Hi Jack, I´m from Germany and visit BC 38 times in the last 24 years. Also I had a wholesale in fly fishing equipment running in BC between 2004 to 2010.
First of all you need a basic license. It´s available for one day, a week or an annual license. The annual license starts at the first of april and is valid till the last of march next year! That´s very nice for me, because I´m able to fish the late september run of steelheads as well as winter steelheading in february next year on Vancouver island with the same license.
If you stay longer as two weeks, the annual license is the right choice! You can purchase it by internet here:
Freshwater Fishing Licence for British Columbia
Take care, it´s for freshwater only! Next you need is the actuell freshwater synopsis BC for all fishing regulations!
Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Management - Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations - Province of British Columbia
If you decide to fish a lake or a river reed it carefully!!! There are classified waters out there (first and second class, 40 or 20 bucks a day), special lake rules and so on...
You will find a few river desription on my homepage here:
Steelhead Rivers in British Columbia Canada fished by Wolfgang Fabisch
and movies here:
Canada Steelhead Fly Fishing Movies
If you need further information feel free to ask. Please excuie my bad english, Wolfgang

 

[fredaevans]

Not to worry Wolfgang, your English is FAR better than my German. :fishing:

Off to see a few of your links, and that's the problem with fishing in BC .... You need to bring along a Lawyer to interpret (no bad pun intended) to find out the 'who/what/where/when/how/etc.'

Fred

EDIT: Film clips are well worth the 'watch.' Drool factor will go waaaay up.

 

[wolfi2de]

Hi Fred, sorry that I smile a bit, because I had a lawyer due to my business over there. But be sure, you don´t need one for fishing in BC. If you read the synopsis, every important things are pointed out.
But some of the new regulations, starting two years ago, are really crazy. It is a law now to have a guide in the steelhead rivers up north during the weekends and this makes fishing in the Bulkley, Copper, Skeena etc unbelievably expensive.
All the best, Wolfgang

 

[Liphookedau]

Hi Jack.
Welcome to The Forum we have a few members from The UK & also have a Sister Forum over there.
As yet I haven't Fished BC hopefully next year.
Brian

 

[labradorguy]

Welcome. When will you be in BC? Are you going to be in one place in particular? It's a BIG place. The fishing opportunities are amazing and a lot depends on personal preference. I work there and spend quite a bit of time in BC and Alberta. I was there a couple weeks ago and the rivers were going full tilt. I'm in northern BC next week and am hoping things have settled down a bit. If not, I'm going to hit a lake or two. The Fraser is set to have a record salmon run this year. Once this epic snow melt is out of the way, it's going to be an awesome year!

 

[fredaevans]

Hi Fred, sorry that I smile a bit, because I had a lawyer due to my business over there. But be sure, you don´t need one for fishing in BC. If you read the synopsis, every important things are pointed out.
But some of the new regulations, starting two years ago, are really crazy. It is a law now to have a guide in the steelhead rivers up north during the weekends and this makes fishing in the Bulkley, Copper, Skeena etc unbelievably expensive.
All the best, Wolfgang

Roger that on fishing the weekends in BC with the Guide bit. 'Full employment economy' sort of thing. Save for a few places you didn't need a Guide in BC so they tossed this 'rule' into the mix. Your only option is to kick two days fishing down the drain.

Know a couple of fellows who will drive up over Sat-Sunday and fish Monday to Friday and head back on the weekend. As they have a boat, needing a guide is even less cost effective.

Ah well, with our Petrol prices now at the four dollar per gallon level most folks are fishing close to home. But those are "far better" than what you folks pay in the UK and Europe.:yikes:

Fred

 

[wolfi2de]

Hi Fred,
only to the gas situation: Last wear we payed up to can$1,45 per liter in Chilliwack, what is close to six dollar a gallon! I was very surprised, that it was cheaper in Prince George. I started in 1990 with can$0,39 per liter...

All the best, Wolfgang

 

[wolfi2de]

Know a couple of fellows who will drive up over Sat-Sunday and fish Monday to Friday and head back on the weekend. As they have a boat, needing a guide is even less cost effective.


Fred

Hi Fred,
for example: The Copper river close to Terrace is one of the highlights on my trips. It is not allowed to fish there without a guide on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So you have to waste three days!

Wolfgang

 

[fredaevans]

Hi Fred,
for example: The Copper river close to Terrace is one of the highlights on my trips. It is not allowed to fish there without a guide on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So you have to waste three days!

Wolfgang

Thanks for the update on 'black listed' days Wolfgang, I wasn't aware that the BC Government had tossed Friday into the mix. Ah well I understand the why (full employment for local Guides and a limited season in which to make $$$$).

Been years since I've fished Canadian Waters as the 'drive' would be about 800 to 900 miles ... one way. For that kind of driving I have a heck of a lot of closer range options in Oregon or Washington (or toss in Western Montana for trout at 800). All the worse is Petrol prices have now climbed to over $4.00/gallon. My old Jeep Liberty chugs/gulps the stuff at 16/mpg .. on a good day.

 

[wolfi2de]

Hello Fred,
I know the trip very well. Ten or twelve of my trips started in Seattle. It´s a nice Trip: Seattle - Hope - Williams Lake - Prince George - Smither - Terrace - done.
One of my friends, Mr Norm Norlander live in Kelso. I visited him few times, last one last year in october. I think I have to spend a bit more attention to Washington and Oregon. Also I have few customers in this area, mostly buying the Vosseler reels.
Cheers, Wolfgang

 

[king joe]

Hello everyone, so I am new to this site but have been fly fishing all my life. Unfortunately I live in the UK But I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to come visit your beautiful part of the world for a year with a working holiday visa.

My question is what is the best way to go about fishing all the amazing lakes and rivers bc has to offer.

This might be a stupid question and I could be missing something but all I can find on line is guided trips/fishing holiday type things which are all pretty pricey and not something I can afford on a regular basis.

Over here there are organisations in place which allow people to purchase day tickets to fish for trout/salmon/grayling etc at around $60 per day.

If anyone could shed some light on the matter for me it would be much appreciated!

While Wolfie provided great information regarding licensing and all that, KNOW that special access lakes and rivers...or timed fishing areas represent ONLY A SMALL part of opportunities in BC. You said "trout, salmon or grayling", right?

Ok...so, the Interior Lakes of BC...are a mecca for trout fishing and by trout, I am not talking steelhead. Interior lakes are considered those from about Kamloops north to about Prince George. Pretty much all are open access whereby your license is all you need. You may need to heed hook or tackle regs on some lakes though (i.e. single barbless, etc.).

Rivers on the west side of the Rockies...as far inland as say, Prince George...have both steelhead and the range of salmon runs.....and in most instances, your license is all you need.

Jump the mountains into NE BC...and the opportunities continue, in my opinion to get better. Rivers like the Peace are open...licence only...and rainbows, grayling, at least 2 species of whitefish, bull trouth...and Kookanee salmon are easy fare for a fly rodder. Hit jump off spots like Hudson's Hope and you are on Paradise's doorstep....literally FEET from where you would park your car on the banks of the Mighty Peace.

Many of the lakes you will drive along, along the Alaska Highway...are also stocked with rainbows and eastern brook trout...and again, a license is all you need.

Get up into rivers like the Chowade, Sukunka, Graham and many others...and apart from outstanding and breathtaking views and landscape, the fishing...will be burned into your memories (in a great way) for the rest of your life.

Get off the main trails....get out of populated BC where guides and such are needed....GET to the north. (this special paid announcement...and by 'paid', I mean dues...was sponsored by...A guy that lived, worked as a fish bio and fished those waters for 22 years!!!)

King Joe, Outa Here!