Vacation in British Columbia/ Alberta - some kindly questions

[LukasS]

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.

Thank you a lot! I allready found the summary of the regulations for whole canada but the easy to handle paper for each British Columbia and Alberta are great! So you do not suggest to get the salmon license as well? I mean I do not want to fish for salmon but unlike hunting you can not control what you catch and even if I will release salmon immediatley I do not want to brake any rules.

I also consider to purchase the annual non resident alien license cause we are probably most time in BC.

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

Totally agree with you, but... Canada is maybe a once in a lifetime chance AND we are 21 days in Canada so my girlfriend will be more than happy to have some time for herself + she is not an early waker but I am --> between 6 and 10 am she will be more happy with sleeping than hiking outside

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.

wow that sounds really great but it is really way off our travel route. I doubth I can take this chance...

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!

Yeah! We will be on Vancouver island but we are still considering how long. Campbell river is also famous for its salmon, isn`t it? You scared me a little bit of with the cougars! But I may consider those lakes you mentioned! Thank you so much!

 

[LukasS]

Short update:

I tested my equipment on friday and it worked quite well (some rainbow trouts are juts prepared for smoking) BUT I felt like the 5 - 25 gr spinning rod might though be good for bait presentation and feeling but not strong enough for bigger trouts and faster streams. Should I upgrade to like a 10 - 40 gr spinning rod for ? Thank you very much for your advice!

 

[Brett83]

You would be crazy to come all this way and not salmon fish. If it were me I'd do at least one charter out of Bamfield or Tofino. You'll see things. Eagles, bears, whales, sealions, otters. It's in the Barkley sound which should be one of the seven wonders of the world. Also, knowing types of bears helps. Black bears won't bother you, a grizzly bear might be interested in hurting you. Grizzly bears are pretty rare in most parts.

 

[Paperslayer]

Guten Tag! I think you will enjoy your trip here very much! I have many friends from Germany that have come to call BC their home. There are some good pieces of advice here. I would add that I think your best chances of success would be to concentrate on lake fishing. There is a place about 30 minutes south of Kamloops called Surrey Lake. There is a rustic fishing resort there (https://www.wildlingsresort.com/) and I think you would enjoy the experience very much. There is another, roughly 60 minutes north of Kamloops called the Lac De Roches resort. Both have boats to rent, and you can buy fishing tackle that works on those lakes I understand that they are both roughly 60-70 Euro per night. Above all, these are both very beautiful places to visit and I am sure you will enjoy your stay. Let us all hope that the forest fire season here is not too bad, as the smoke can make things pretty miserable.

If you find yourself travelling close to the coast. an ocean fishing charter will be the thrill of a lifetime. They can be a bit expensive, but the guides will make sure you have fun and catch fish!

 

[chille51]

I second the fishing highway/highway 24 recommendation. Especially if you have not locked in your accommodations yet, you can rent a rustic cabin at many of the lakes as well as a boat and motor to get out onto the lake. I have stayed at quite a few of the resorts up there, lakes I have fished include Bridge, Sheridan, Horse, Lac De Roche, and Eagan. All have resorts you can stay at. Will drastically improve your chances lake fishing if you get out in a boat. As others have said, by July trout fishing can start to slow down as the temperatures heat up. Getting out on the water gives you the chance to sink your line deeper. Higher elevation, deeper lakes will be less impacted by the heat than low lying shallow ones.

If you do come to Vancouver Island then I agree, book a salmon charter off the West Coast of the Island. You'd need to buy a tidal license for that and the charter itself may seem expensive - but most guides are going to get you into some pretty amazing, hard fighting chinook or maybe coho salmon and the scenery will be amazing.

Not to be a downer, but a word of warning - I wouldn't worry too much about bears... but what could really mess up your plans is fire. Last year was one of the worst years ever for forest fires here, and we have had an exceptionally dry winter with a much smaller than usual snow pack since then. By July, there will definitely be forest fires in BC and Alberta, and unfortunately due to the dry winter, I am fearing this year is likely to be another bad one. No where in the province is really immune, but the areas you mentioned historically have had it pretty bad compared to the more coastal areas. Even if there isn't a fire near you, the smoke can travel great distances and really make the air quality suck. Again, I hope it doesn't happen and I hope you have a great trip - but you might want to have a few backup routes planned if your main destinations are too impacted.

 

[LukasS]

Hi friends,

sorry for posting late. We have now booked all of our stays. Maybe you have some hint for a stillwater or a river to go for.

We will stay in:
- Port Alberni (maybe go fishing on a carter)
- Pemberton
- Clearwater
- Valmount
- Golden

For wildfire etc. I downloaden the 'bc wildfire' app.

How was your season start? Thanks a lot!

 

[chille51]

For freshwater there are two quite big lakes very near Port Alberni - Sproat and Great Central. I don't imagine either of them are very easy to fish from shore with much success, I think they are primarily trolled. But others may correct me. There are also several smaller lakes accessible on the forest service roads which may be more productive if you are fishing from shore. Note that the forrest service roads are managed by the forestry companies, and may be gated/locked in some cases. Especially during the week days - and if you are on a forrestry road expect to encounter active logging trucks. When you do, just accept they always have the right of way and get well over and out of the way. They are loaded heavy and can't always stop easily. If you are going to explore the forrest service roads around Port Alberni, you can check access at this website: https://www.mosaicforests.com/access

You may want to invest in the fishing specific versions of the Back Roads Map Books. They have write ups of various lakes, fishing tips for them, and depth charts/maps. https://www.backroadmapbooks.com/destination/fishing-charts/

A hand held GPS with a back roads map book chip is also a good idea. It is easy to get lost on those roads.

The Stamp River in Port Alberni is a major destination for salmon fishing in the fall, and you can book a guide with Murphy's Lodge - but I have never fished it in the summer. Too early for Chinook or Coho.

Really though, if you are in Port Alberni I would seriously be thinking about saltwater fishing instead. Book a guided trip out to Bamfield/Barkley Sound. I think there may be good Sockeye opportunities in the Alberni Inlet at that time too, but I am still learning about that fishery myself and have never done it yet. There are several members from Port Alberni on this site, so one of them may even be generous enough to take you out. In terms of excitement and an experience you'll remember, I think fishing the saltwater would be a shame to miss if you are that close to it.

 

[Keith Brown]

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

Hi Lucas. In the heading of your original post you mention Alberta. I'm guessing you may be flying into Calgary for the Calgary Stampede. I live on the Sheep River in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains southwest of Calgary, there is good fishing for trout on our place and you are welcome here, albeit I will be leaving for BC on the 11th. The Bow River in Calgary has world famous fishing and dozens of guides offer trips from Calgary although they are usually fly fishing. The rivers are running high right now due to spring run off from the mountains and rain and are not fishable today, but that can change in a few days. As for bear's, don't give them a second though, they are villainized by Hollywood which is a total crock of BS. We live around bears constantly. In a hunted population you are lucky to see one. In the parks where they are accustom to being handled by people that's a different story but even then if you exercise a little caution your safe. You have more chance of being attacked and killed by one of my cows then you do by a bear. That is a statistical fact.
Cheers
Keith

 

[Damn Ugly]

If you are going to be driving, once you leave Pemberton take the backroads through Seton Portage and check out Seton Lake, Anderson Lake, Carpenter Lake, Bridge River and Horseshoe Bend - https://maps.app.goo.gl/gCxrFEQTGPbnmzDN8 . It's a nice scenic loop to Lillooet. Check the regs, but I caught a ton of rainbows & dollies spincasting & fly-fishing along those roads a couple decades ago.