Sturgeon fishing in the Fraser River. Photo: Indigenous Tourism BC / Alicia Hacque / Great River Fishing Adventures
With kilometres of coastline and lots of rushing rivers, Vancouver is a great place to go fishing. There are lots of different types of angling to choose from too: Head to a lake, fish from a pier, rent a boat, take a guided salmon charter, try fly fishing, or land a mighty sturgeon.
Fishing Tips
- In British Columbia, you must obtain a fishing licence. If you are fishing in rivers or lakes, you need a B.C. Recreational Freshwater Fishing Licence. For ocean fishing, get a Tidal Waters Fishing Licence. Both are available online or at marinas or tackle shops.
- Know the regulations about what kind of fish you can catch, what kind of gear you can use, and where it’s legal to fish. Charter trips can be great since the guides will have all of this information. If you go on your own, be sure to read up on regulations from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (for saltwater fishing) and BC’s Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (for freshwater fishing).
- Ask for advice at local fishing shops. They are a great source of info on where to find fish and the best bait and lures to use.
- Be safe around water. AdventureSmart recommends bringing essential safety and first aid gear on every trip. Check the forecast and pack extra clothing for the weather. Leave a trip plan so someone knows where you are going and when you will be back.
Check Out a Stocked Lake
Did you know that the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has over 800 lakes stocked with rainbow or cutthroat trout? Use their interactive map to find a lake near Vancouver. You can even sort by lakes with docks, campsites, or boat launches. Popular options close to Vancouver include Rice Lake in North Vancouver, Como Lake in Coquitlam, and Rolley Lake in Maple Ridge.
Try Fly Fishing
Fly fishing can be a meditative experience as you focus on your technique with each cast. The Fraser River near Chilliwack as well as the Squamish River and their tributaries are great places to fly fish. Sign up for a fly fishing trip with Chromer Sport Fishing or Great River Fishing to have a guide take you to the best spots and help you perfect your cast.
Fly fishing near Squamish. Photo: Chromer Sport Fishing
Go Salmon Fishing
Try your hand at landing one of BC’s famous salmon. Chinook, coho, chum, and pink salmon all move through the waters near Vancouver between July and September. For your best chance of success, go on a guided charter. Chromer Sport Fishing and Pacific Angler Fishing Charters leave from Granville Island, so you can embark on your fishing trip from the heart of Vancouver. Great River Fishing leads trips on the powerful Fraser River as well as the quieter Vedder and Harrison Rivers. West Vancouver’s Sewell’s Marina also offers salmon fishing charters in the waters of Howe Sound and the Strait of Georgia.
Land a Mighty Sturgeon
Sturgeon are mammoth fish: they can grow to over 6 metres (19 feet) long, weigh more than 6,000 kilograms (13,200 pounds) and live for over 150 years. These holdovers from the age of the dinosaurs lurk in the depths of the Fraser River. Getting a photo with one of these fish before you release it should be on every angler’s bucket list. Book a guided trip with Chromer Sport Fishing or Great River Fishing.
Captain Your Own Boat
Rent a boat, then head out into Howe Sound, Burrard Inlet, and Indian Arm. Cruise past the city skyline then motor to a spectacular waterfall or a bustling seal colony. Don’t forget to pause to drop your fishing line or set some crab pots. Granville Island Boat Rentals has several different boat sizes at their downtown convenient location. Sewell’s Marina in West Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay has a huge rental boat fleet too.
Photo: Tourism Vancouver / Sewell’s Marina / J. Haydahl
Fish Off a Pier
Cast a line off the pier to catch bottom fish like dogfish, flounder, perch, or sculpin. Or bring your crab trap to catch Dungeness or Red Rock crab. The piers in Belcarra Regional Park, Burnaby’s Barnet Marine Park, Rocky Point Park in Port Moody, or Jericho Beach in Vancouver are all great places to fish.
