Vacation in British Columbia/ Alberta - some kindly questions

[LukasS]

Dear sport fishing community ,

my name is Lukas, I come from Germany and I am 35 years old. I am a passionate angler in Germany. I always fish very conscientiously, in a way that is appropriate for the game and environmentally conscious. Unfortunately, there are only a few opportunities to fish for trout here - and far fewer trout species.

That's why I'm thinking about taking my fishing rod with me to Canada when I go there on vacation with my girlfriend this July. First of all: I have already read through the fishing regulations for BC and will of course buy a fishing license and follow every regulation exactly. I am a guest in your wonderful country and I will definitely behave like one!

I've been looking for a similar thread but haven't found one, so I'm opening this one.

I would like to fish for trout a few times during my 3 week vacation and will probably only have a few hours at a time. I don't want to catch salmon or steelhead trout (How to avoid them?), but normal trout, also for taking.


Question about fishing equipment:
- Unfortunately, I'm not a (good) fly fisherman, but I am an avid spin fisherman. That's why I was thinking of taking my 5 - 25 gr travel rod with a 2500 Ballistic fixed spool reel and 0.13 mm braided line. I also have a 1000 Ballistic fixed spool reel with 0.10 mm braided line, but I'm not sure if that's enough. I will tie an approx. 1 - 1.5 m long fluocarbon leader in front of it and attach the lures to it. Do you think that would work?

- I plan to fish mainly with spinners (Mepps Agila 3), spoons and rubber fish - these on the Cheburaksa rig. Do you have any experience with Cheburaska? Hooks are of course barbless, everything has already been converted. Do you think this could work? Any tips? For long distances, e.g. on a lake, I still have Spirolionos or Bulletweights with me.

- Otherwise, normal equipment, i.e. landing net, hook remover, dead stick and knife as well as terminal tackle.

Do you have any tips on the equipment? You definitely know your waters better!

Question about fishing spots:

We will make longer stops at the following locations:
- Kamloops
- Valmount
- Golden

Do you have any tips for fishing spots that are suitable for those unfamiliar with the area? Logically, I don't have a boat with me, which is why I have to rely on fishing from the shore (well, walking into a river with my swimming trunks is fine - at least as long as it doesn't get too cold ).

question about regulations:
As I have already written, I have already looked at the rules for fishing and will of course also buy a license. Is there an app that lists all the waters and allows me to see, for example, the catch quota and restrictions for each water? I haven`t not find one myself.

question about literature:

Since the fish world in Canada is quite different from here in Germany (except for perch - but that is partly invasive in Canada?), I wonder if there are any good books on fish identification? Or is there a good app for this? I have not been able to find any myself.

question about bear:

How do you deal with bears? I never have to worry about that here in Germany - the biggest predator here is a wolf. Are there any special things to consider for anglers? Do you have a bear spray with you? Do you look around after a few casts in the field or call out loudly? It's totally unfamiliar to me, I've read the rules for dealing with bears, but... I didn't grow up with it

Overall question:

Are there any other points I should bear in mind? What is the best way to deal with anglers in Canada? Are there any unwritten laws (e.g. a certain distance to the next angler)? As I said: I am your guest and want to behave correctly!

Thank you very much in advance for your answers and I look forward to perhaps seeing one or the other on site this summer

 

[Pippen]

Enjoy our trip. I can't help too much with freshwater fishing but the FISH BC app is a good start for you.

As for bears, don't overthink it. If you want a safety net then yes buy bear spray when you get here; you could also have some bells attached to you which will help eliminate the element of surprising a bear.

 

[LukasS]

Enjoy our trip. I can't help too much with freshwater fishing but the FISH BC app is a good start for you.

As for bears, don't overthink it. If you want a safety net then yes buy bear spray when you get here; you could also have some bells attached to you which will help eliminate the element of surprising a bear.

Thanks very much! I have those bear bells and I will buy an bear spray in canada! Do you mean the fishing bc app cause I wonder wether it is only for tidal/ saltwater fishing?

 

[Pippen]

Thanks very much! I have those bear bells and I will buy an bear spray in canada! Do you mean the fishing bc app cause I wonder wether it is only for tidal/ saltwater fishing?

The app is for all fishing in BC

 

[CRGreg]

If you can afford it, booking a Guide for a day in each location would be money well invested. I understand that its often the "doing it for myself" that is the rewarding part of fishing, but a Guide will really shorten the learning curve. Alternately, stop in at local tackle shops near where you are going to fish.

CR Greg

 

[Samnjoe]

I live in Kamloops. Our trout season begins as soon as the ice is off in about 2 weeks.
I am hopelessly addicted to Stillwater trout fishing so I have some knowledge. You can PM me anytime or when you are coming thru Kamloops and I can help you out. Bring a flyrod with a floating line if you can.

 

[Clint r]

The app is for all fishing in BC

It does say tidal waters

 

[Rotten Ronnie]

Golden and Valemont are not known as trout fishing spots. Kamloops is the spot. Check out Highway 24 between Little Fort and Lone Butte, 100km of trout lakes and fishing resorts. You can rent a small boat at most resorts, much better than standing on shore. Higher elevation lakes in July make for better fishing, trout don’t feed when it gets too warm. Fishinghighway24.com and Littlefort.com will tell you everything you need to know about the area.

 

[Pippen]

It does say tidal waters

My bad, I thought it had fresh too.

 

[Clint r]

My bad, I thought it had fresh too.

I wish that it did. Probably better if they made an actual freshwater one though. Regs are confusing enough. Mabel lake, has no fishing zone for freshwater angling and a seperate but partial overlapping no fishing zone for non tidal salmon and it’s super confusing.

 

[Spring Time in Vienna]

Home - Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is helping to making fishing in BC even better. Get fishing tips, stocking information and more.

www.gofishbc.com

Everything you need to know about lake fishing in BC is on this website. Which lakes are stocked, license info and the where to fish map will tell you what lakes have docks to fish off of. Once you are here make sure to visit the local tackle stores in each town. For the price of a couple of lures they will give you some good spots to go checkout usually.

 

[-Jim-]

We have a Cabin on a Lake just outside of Kamloops, and there are many Lakes nearby to fish with a Flyrod , or even a Spin cast setup. Where are you planning to stay and when in July? Even by the first week of July (sometimes later) the lower elevation lakes (like ours) are too warm for Rainbows except in the late evening or early morning. Even then it has slowed down significantly from May to end of June. You should probably target some higher elevation lakes in the Kamloops area.

As for Golden check out these Sports Fishing on the Fly videos:

Fly Fishing - Golden Opportunities

Bull Trout - Golden

Golden - Lakes and Rivers

I've never fished there but it does look enticing.

I hope you have a fabulous trip and enjoy Beautiful BC.

 

[eroyd]

Funny how everyone is always freaked out about bears. Too much TV I guess. You hopefully will see some. Enjoy watching them. Mind your own business and they will mind theirs. That goes for all wildlife. Least of your worries, and there isn't many.

 

[LukasS]

If you can afford it, booking a Guide for a day in each location would be money well invested. I understand that its often the "doing it for myself" that is the rewarding part of fishing, but a Guide will really shorten the learning curve. Alternately, stop in at local tackle shops near where you are going to fish.

CR Greg

Hi Greg,

thank you very much for your response! Indeed it would be the best to book a guide and I would be glad to do so but unfortunatley I might have not the time like one day off fishing but only view hours at a time. Good advice on the tackle shop! Are there any recommendations?

I live in Kamloops. Our trout season begins as soon as the ice is off in about 2 weeks.
I am hopelessly addicted to Stillwater trout fishing so I have some knowledge. You can PM me anytime or when you are coming thru Kamloops and I can help you out. Bring a flyrod with a floating line if you can.

Hi Samjoe,
Awesome! That sounds so amazing - I will PM you right now! Unfortunatley I did flyfishing only once and I am not good at it. But I am very decent with the spinning rod.

Golden and Valemont are not known as trout fishing spots. Kamloops is the spot. Check out Highway 24 between Little Fort and Lone Butte, 100km of trout lakes and fishing resorts. You can rent a small boat at most resorts, much better than standing on shore. Higher elevation lakes in July make for better fishing, trout don’t feed when it gets too warm. Fishinghighway24.com and Littlefort.com will tell you everything you need to know about the area.

Dear Ronnie,

Ah okay! Well than I concentrate on fishing spots near Kamloops! Thank you for your advice, I will definitely check this out! And @samjoe also offered his help! What nice people here!

I wish that it did. Probably better if they made an actual freshwater one though. Regs are confusing enough. Mabel lake, has no fishing zone for freshwater angling and a seperate but partial overlapping no fishing zone for non tidal salmon and it’s super confusing.

Hey Clint,

Well, glad you said that. Kinda confusing for a foreigner too but wait till you come here to Europe... Every country completely different rules and even different rules for each federal state

Home - Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is helping to making fishing in BC even better. Get fishing tips, stocking information and more.

www.gofishbc.com

Everything you need to know about lake fishing in BC is on this website. Which lakes are stocked, license info and the where to fish map will tell you what lakes have docks to fish off of. Once you are here make sure to visit the local tackle stores in each town. For the price of a couple of lures they will give you some good spots to go checkout usually.

Wow! Thank you so much for this information! Okay, here in germany we only have a few tackle shops around... In British columbia and Alberta it is easier to find those? Also in small towns? Oh man, so excited to come to Canada this summer... can not wait... (excited for ALL of it).

We have a Cabin on a Lake just outside of Kamloops, and there are many Lakes nearby to fish with a Flyrod , or even a Spin cast setup. Where are you planning to stay and when in July? Even by the first week of July (sometimes later) the lower elevation lakes (like ours) are too warm for Rainbows except in the late evening or early morning. Even then it has slowed down significantly from May to end of June. You should probably target some higher elevation lakes in the Kamloops area.

As for Golden check out these Sports Fishing on the Fly videos:

Fly Fishing - Golden Opportunities

Bull Trout - Golden

Golden - Lakes and Rivers

I've never fished there but it does look enticing.

I hope you have a fabulous trip and enjoy Beautiful BC.

Hey Jim,

Thank you for your advice! We plan to stay at (or around) Kamloops around the 12th till 15th of July. What is a good altitude to watch out for fishing for trouts, e.g. 1.500 m above sea level? Will check out the vids too, thank you!

Funny how everyone is always freaked out about bears. Too much TV I guess. You hopefully will see some. Enjoy watching them. Mind your own business and they will mind theirs. That goes for all wildlife. Least of your worries, and there isn't many.

Hey Eroyd,

Haha I mean I can understand it but you grew up with it! Thank you for calming words


And to all: sorry for anwering late! Had a little vaccation and time of. I am so happy for your responses, thank you so much!

 

[-Jim-]

Kamloops summers are warm and dry, with temperatures ranging from 24°C to 28°C (75°F to 82°F) in July and August. It's a semi arid (desert) climate with a mix of brown grasses and forests (trees are typically in the alpine areas.) It's situated at the confluence of the North & South Thompson rivers and the elevation is 345 meters. It's a somewhat deep river valley and most surrounding lakes are in the hills and mountains nearby.

Fishing for Rainbow Trout in mid July could be a bit of a challenge, so you may want to try for Kokanee as well. I'll think about where for a bit but other members may chime in with more local knowledge in the meantime.

 

[LukasS]

Kamloops summers are warm and dry, with temperatures ranging from 24°C to 28°C (75°F to 82°F) in July and August. It's a semi arid (desert) climate with a mix of brown grasses and forests (trees are typically in the alpine areas.) It's situated at the confluence of the North & South Thompson rivers and the elevation is 345 meters. It's a somewhat deep river valley and most surrounding lakes are in the hills and mountains nearby.

Fishing for Rainbow Trout in mid July could be a bit of a challenge, so you may want to try for Kokanee as well. I'll think about where for a bit but other members may chime in with more local knowledge in the meantime.

Thank you a lot! I am not only focused on rainbow trout but all kind of trout/char! But I wanted to exclude salmon and steelhead cause you need an extra license if I got it right. But well... Maybe I just buy the "full programm" license and can fish for every fish!

 

[-Jim-]

You will need a BC Freshwater fishing license (just click the link). I'm pretty sure you'll need a Non-Resident Alien license.

Some bodies of water (like Shuswap Lake about half an hour away from Kamloops by car) require a conservation surcharge stamp for Rainbow Trout; and another for Char. Most Lakes do not, but it's important to identify if you are going to venture to those who do before buying your license on line.

The area around Kamloops is called Region 3 and here is the region 3 special regulations summary . Here are the regulations for the whole province.

It's doubtful that you will encounter Salmon that early in the year regardless, and Steelhead are getting rarer and rarer each year it seems. It's good to focus on other instead.

Eight Day License will beast suit your needs.

Non-Resident Alien: $54.96​

I hope this is helpful.

 

[Stosh]

Dear sport fishing community ,

my name is Lukas, I come from Germany and I am 35 years old. I am a passionate angler in Germany. I always fish very conscientiously, in a way that is appropriate for the game and environmentally conscious. Unfortunately, there are only a few opportunities to fish for trout here - and far fewer trout species.

That's why I'm thinking about taking my fishing rod with me to Canada when I go there on vacation with my girlfriend this July. First of all: I have already read through the fishing regulations for BC and will of course buy a fishing license and follow every regulation exactly. I am a guest in your wonderful country and I will definitely behave like one!

I've been looking for a similar thread but haven't found one, so I'm opening this one.

I would like to fish for trout a few times during my 3 week vacation and will probably only have a few hours at a time. I don't want to catch salmon or steelhead trout (How to avoid them?), but normal trout, also for taking.


Question about fishing equipment:
- Unfortunately, I'm not a (good) fly fisherman, but I am an avid spin fisherman. That's why I was thinking of taking my 5 - 25 gr travel rod with a 2500 Ballistic fixed spool reel and 0.13 mm braided line. I also have a 1000 Ballistic fixed spool reel with 0.10 mm braided line, but I'm not sure if that's enough. I will tie an approx. 1 - 1.5 m long fluocarbon leader in front of it and attach the lures to it. Do you think that would work?

- I plan to fish mainly with spinners (Mepps Agila 3), spoons and rubber fish - these on the Cheburaksa rig. Do you have any experience with Cheburaska? Hooks are of course barbless, everything has already been converted. Do you think this could work? Any tips? For long distances, e.g. on a lake, I still have Spirolionos or Bulletweights with me.

- Otherwise, normal equipment, i.e. landing net, hook remover, dead stick and knife as well as terminal tackle.

Do you have any tips on the equipment? You definitely know your waters better!

Question about fishing spots:

We will make longer stops at the following locations:
- Kamloops
- Valmount
- Golden

Do you have any tips for fishing spots that are suitable for those unfamiliar with the area? Logically, I don't have a boat with me, which is why I have to rely on fishing from the shore (well, walking into a river with my swimming trunks is fine - at least as long as it doesn't get too cold ).

question about regulations:
As I have already written, I have already looked at the rules for fishing and will of course also buy a license. Is there an app that lists all the waters and allows me to see, for example, the catch quota and restrictions for each water? I haven`t not find one myself.

question about literature:

Since the fish world in Canada is quite different from here in Germany (except for perch - but that is partly invasive in Canada?), I wonder if there are any good books on fish identification? Or is there a good app for this? I have not been able to find any myself.

question about bear:

How do you deal with bears? I never have to worry about that here in Germany - the biggest predator here is a wolf. Are there any special things to consider for anglers? Do you have a bear spray with you? Do you look around after a few casts in the field or call out loudly? It's totally unfamiliar to me, I've read the rules for dealing with bears, but... I didn't grow up with it

Overall question:

Are there any other points I should bear in mind? What is the best way to deal with anglers in Canada? Are there any unwritten laws (e.g. a certain distance to the next angler)? As I said: I am your guest and want to behave correctly!

Thank you very much in advance for your answers and I look forward to perhaps seeing one or the other on site this summer

Lukas
I’m an old retired guy who was lucky enough to fish in many parts of the world.
If I travelled alone or with another fisherman, I would go fishing wherever possible. I would almost always hire a guide so as not to waste too much time learning the rules etc.
However, if I travelled with my wife (not a fisherman), I seldom bothered going fishing.
Unless your girlfriend is a fisherman, just stick to sightseeing on this trip.
Just my 2 cents
Good luck
Stosh

 

[JWS]

If you’re able to detour towards castlegar, the Columbia river in that area offers world class fly fishing. I may very well be the worlds worst fly fisherman and still managed to catch fish. Spinning gear works, too. Invasive walleye also make a great meal.
Most (not all) bears will be up high picking berries in July.

 

[flat lander transplant]

Dear sport fishing community ,

my name is Lukas, I come from Germany and I am 35 years old. I am a passionate angler in Germany. I always fish very conscientiously, in a way that is appropriate for the game and environmentally conscious. Unfortunately, there are only a few opportunities to fish for trout here - and far fewer trout species.

That's why I'm thinking about taking my fishing rod with me to Canada when I go there on vacation with my girlfriend this July. First of all: I have already read through the fishing regulations for BC and will of course buy a fishing license and follow every regulation exactly. I am a guest in your wonderful country and I will definitely behave like one!

I've been looking for a similar thread but haven't found one, so I'm opening this one.

I would like to fish for trout a few times during my 3 week vacation and will probably only have a few hours at a time. I don't want to catch salmon or steelhead trout (How to avoid them?), but normal trout, also for taking.


Question about fishing equipment:
- Unfortunately, I'm not a (good) fly fisherman, but I am an avid spin fisherman. That's why I was thinking of taking my 5 - 25 gr travel rod with a 2500 Ballistic fixed spool reel and 0.13 mm braided line. I also have a 1000 Ballistic fixed spool reel with 0.10 mm braided line, but I'm not sure if that's enough. I will tie an approx. 1 - 1.5 m long fluocarbon leader in front of it and attach the lures to it. Do you think that would work?

- I plan to fish mainly with spinners (Mepps Agila 3), spoons and rubber fish - these on the Cheburaksa rig. Do you have any experience with Cheburaska? Hooks are of course barbless, everything has already been converted. Do you think this could work? Any tips? For long distances, e.g. on a lake, I still have Spirolionos or Bulletweights with me.

- Otherwise, normal equipment, i.e. landing net, hook remover, dead stick and knife as well as terminal tackle.

Do you have any tips on the equipment? You definitely know your waters better!

Question about fishing spots:

We will make longer stops at the following locations:
- Kamloops
- Valmount
- Golden

Do you have any tips for fishing spots that are suitable for those unfamiliar with the area? Logically, I don't have a boat with me, which is why I have to rely on fishing from the shore (well, walking into a river with my swimming trunks is fine - at least as long as it doesn't get too cold ).

question about regulations:
As I have already written, I have already looked at the rules for fishing and will of course also buy a license. Is there an app that lists all the waters and allows me to see, for example, the catch quota and restrictions for each water? I haven`t not find one myself.

question about literature:

Since the fish world in Canada is quite different from here in Germany (except for perch - but that is partly invasive in Canada?), I wonder if there are any good books on fish identification? Or is there a good app for this? I have not been able to find any myself.

question about bear:

How do you deal with bears? I never have to worry about that here in Germany - the biggest predator here is a wolf. Are there any special things to consider for anglers? Do you have a bear spray with you? Do you look around after a few casts in the field or call out loudly? It's totally unfamiliar to me, I've read the rules for dealing with bears, but... I didn't grow up with it

Overall question:

Are there any other points I should bear in mind? What is the best way to deal with anglers in Canada? Are there any unwritten laws (e.g. a certain distance to the next angler)? As I said: I am your guest and want to behave correctly!

Thank you very much in advance for your answers and I look forward to perhaps seeing one or the other on site this summer

If you make it to Vancouver Island there are some wonderful opportunities for cutthroat trout mid island in Campbell Lake, Buttle Lake and many others. It is not unusual for them to reach 5lbs or more.
Black bears are curious although not especially aggressive. Vancouver Island has a high population of cougars to be wary of. Be spatially aware when you are out and carry a bear bell or noisemaker. Some bear spray isn't a bad addition to the kit as well. Good luck!