There are quite a few options when it comes to winter fishing in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. Winter steelhead is probably what most can think of first. Beside the Chilliwack River system, there are several others in Region 2 where GoFishBC's Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery produces and releases steelhead into. You should also note that some systems like the Capilano and Squamish River (plus a few others) have no retention for steelhead (both wild and hatchery marked) but they still offer a good catch and release fishery.
Cutthroat trout in the Lower Fraser River and all the tributaries can be productive but it requires quite a bit of leg work. This is the ideal fishery for those who enjoy fishing uncrowded waters but aren't easily discouraged by the lack of fish. Squamish River system and tributaries can be good for bull trout and rainbow trout throughout the winter months.
The Tidal Fraser River produces bull trout throughout the winter months. January and February are typically slow but it really picks up in March once juvenile salmon emerge.
There's also lake fishing, for catchable rainbow trout in urban lakes and also for a variety of species in bigger lakes like Cultus Lake.
Moving to the saltwater, winter chinook salmon fishing can be excellent. A couple of charters which advertise on our website offer good deals on half-day charter trips between December and March. These trips are usually combined with prawning and crabbing. If you are not selective on what you catch, you can also target smaller species like flounder, sole, etc.
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Topic: winter fisheries (Read 11063 times)