The Best Fishing Spots in British Columbia
British Columbia is a top destination for recreational fishing, offering productive rivers, lakes and a rich Pacific coast. Anglers commonly pursue Pacific salmon — Chinook, Coho, Sockeye, Pink and Chum — as well as sea‑run and resident steelhead, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and char; large white sturgeon attract trophy seekers in major rivers, while offshore anglers target halibut, lingcod and rockfish.
Top Cities For Fishing
River Fishing
Fraser River
Thompson River
Peace River
Skeena River
Sea Fishing
Arbutus Ridge
(4 km to coast)
Blundell
(5 km to coast)
Brighouse-City Centre
(5 km to coast)
Broadmoor
(6 km to coast)
Burnaby
(3 km to coast)
Campbell River
(2 km to coast)
Carey
(7 km to coast)
Cariboo
(9 km to coast)
Central Coquitlam
(11 km to coast)
Central Lonsdale
(2 km to coast)
Central Saanich
(6 km to coast)
Chinatown
(1 km to coast)
Cloverdale
(16 km to coast)
Colwood
(3 km to coast)
Coquitlam
(15 km to coast)
Coquitlam Town Centre
(14 km to coast)
Coquitlam West
(9 km to coast)
Courtenay
(2 km to coast)
Delta
(9 km to coast)
Downtown
(2 km to coast)
Downtown Eastside
(2 km to coast)
Dunbar-Southlands
(2 km to coast)
Duncan
(7 km to coast)
East Hastings
(3 km to coast)
Edmonds
(12 km to coast)
Esquimalt
(1 km to coast)
Fairview
(3 km to coast)
Fleetwood
(16 km to coast)
Gordon Head
(1 km to coast)
Grandview-Woodlands
(1 km to coast)
Hastings-Sunrise
(2 km to coast)
Kensington-Cedar Cottage
(6 km to coast)
Killarney
(11 km to coast)
Kitsilano
(2 km to coast)
Ladner
(2 km to coast)
Langford
(6 km to coast)
Langley
(20 km to coast)
Lougheed
(9 km to coast)
Lower Lonsdale
(0 km to coast)
Maillardville
(12 km to coast)
Marpole
(2 km to coast)
Maywood
(11 km to coast)
Metrotown
(10 km to coast)
Mount Pleasant
(4 km to coast)
Nanaimo
(0 km to coast)
Newton
(9 km to coast)
New Westminster
(14 km to coast)
North Cowichan
(7 km to coast)
North Delta
(13 km to coast)
North Vancouver
(0 km to coast)
Oak Bay
(2 km to coast)
Port Alberni
(1 km to coast)
Port Coquitlam
(18 km to coast)
Port Moody
(11 km to coast)
Renfrew-Collingwood
(7 km to coast)
Renfrew Heights
(6 km to coast)
Richmond
(4 km to coast)
Riley Park
(8 km to coast)
Saanich
(2 km to coast)
Seafair
(2 km to coast)
South Granville
(3 km to coast)
South Surrey
(6 km to coast)
Squamish
(1 km to coast)
Steveston
(1 km to coast)
Sunset
(6 km to coast)
Surrey
(6 km to coast)
Surrey City Centre
(17 km to coast)
Tsawwassen
(2 km to coast)
University Endowment Lands
(0 km to coast)
Vancouver
(6 km to coast)
Victoria
(5 km to coast)
Victoria-Downtown
(3 km to coast)
Victoria-Fraserview
(9 km to coast)
West End
(1 km to coast)
West Vancouver
(1 km to coast)
Westwood Plateau
(12 km to coast)
Whalley
(16 km to coast)
White Rock
(1 km to coast)
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Barkley Sound
Sheltered waters and offshore approaches make Barkley Sound a top destination for Chinook, coho, and halibut, with consistent summer action around reef complexes and channels accessed from Ucluelet and Bamfield .
Clayoquot Sound
Clayoquot Sound’s fjord-like inlets, kelp lines, and nearshore reefs host summer Chinook and coho plus lingcod and rockfish, with boat access from Tofino and shore casting options at select beaches and points.
Desolation Sound
Known for pristine scenery and sheltered coves, Desolation Sound provides summer opportunities for Chinook, coho, and inshore bottomfish, with popular cruising bases at Lund , Refuge Cove , and nearby passages.
Hecate Strait
Between the mainland and Haida Gwaii , Hecate Strait’s banks and edges hold migratory Chinook and coho, with renowned halibut and bottomfish grounds pursued by charter boats operating out of Prince Rupert and Sandspit .
Johnstone Strait
A migratory highway for Chinook and coho, Johnstone Strait offers powerful tides, bait-rich structure, and opportunities for halibut, with popular trolling lanes between Campbell River and Port McNeill during summer.
Juan de Fuca Strait
This broad strait delivers strong runs of Chinook and coho plus offshore halibut, with consistent boat action off Sooke and Port Renfrew , and shore casting opportunities for coho and surf species near Esquimalt and westward beaches.
Nootka Sound
Nootka Sound’s protected inlets and offshore edges produce excellent Chinook and coho fishing from late spring through summer, along with halibut and lingcod, reachable from Gold River and lodges around Esperanza Inlet .
Prince Rupert Harbour
A productive gateway to North Coast fisheries, Prince Rupert Harbour offers short runs to Chinook, coho, and halibut grounds, plus sheltered coves for lingcod and rockfish, with easy access from marinas around Prince Rupert .
Sechelt Inlet
A sheltered inlet off the Sunshine Coast, Sechelt Inlet offers calm-water opportunities for coho, pink salmon in odd years, and light-tackle rockfish, with kayak-friendly shorelines near Porpoise Bay and launches by Sechelt .
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Campbell River
Known as the “Salmon Capital,” the Campbell River itself offers classic salmon and steelhead runs for drift and fly anglers, while nearby tidal passages like Discovery Passage concentrate migratory fish for boaters based out of Campbell River town.
Chilliwack River
Also known locally as the Vedder, the Chilliwack River offers strong returns of coho, chum, and hatchery steelhead, with user-friendly runs and gravel bars from Vedder Crossing upstream toward Tamihi .
Cowichan River
A Vancouver Island classic with rich insect life, the Cowichan River offers year-round trout and seasonal salmon/steelhead opportunities, with productive fly water near Lake Cowichan and easy access from Duncan .
Kitimat River
The Kitimat River is a northern favorite for prolific coho, hard-fighting Chinook, and bright pink salmon, with excellent steelhead prospects in spring, easily accessed from road pullouts and small boats near Kitimat .
Kootenay Lake
This vast fjord lake is renowned for large rainbow trout (Gerrard strain) and bull trout, with trolling bite windows peaking in cooler months and access points around Nelson , Balfour , and Creston .
Okanagan Lake
Stretching through the Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Lake provides accessible year-round fishing for kokanee, rainbow trout, and lake trout, with popular access around Kelowna , Penticton , and Vernon .
Shuswap Lake
A popular interior lake with multiple arms, Shuswap Lake supports rainbow trout, lake trout, and seasonal kokanee, with trolling and jigging effective from launches at Sicamous , Salmon Arm , and Blind Bay .
Stamp River
Famous for aggressive fall coho and Chinook plus winter steelhead, the Stamp River features classic runs, pools, and tailouts for drift and fly presentations, accessed from Port Alberni and trails along the canyon and falls.
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
Fraser River
World-famous for giant white sturgeon and seasonal runs of Chinook, sockeye, coho, pink, and chum, the Fraser River offers year-round action from gravel bars and guided jet boats, with prime salmon pulses from late summer into fall and excellent sturgeon fishing spring through autumn near Chilliwack , Mission , and the tidal reaches by Richmond .
Skeena River
A legendary watershed for wild steelhead and multiple Pacific salmon species, the Skeena River draws anglers to swing flies and drift gear from summer through fall, with tributary options near Terrace and tidal access closer to Prince Rupert .