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Fishing the Fraser Valley, Fraser Canyon and Sea to Sky by RV

Sturgeon and salmon on the Fraser River, trout lakes around Chilliwack and Harrison, and stocked lakes and steelhead rivers on the Sea to Sky.

Regulation links last checked October 2026.

In short. The Fraser is a big, fast river with strict rules for sturgeon, which are catch-and-release, and salmon. Check the freshwater synopsis for the region, and any closures, before you plan around a stretch.

Rules change. Seasons, closures and limits change often and can change mid-season. We link to the official pages rather than repeat them, so check them before every trip.

Licences and rules

  • Salt water (tidal): fishing in tidal waters is managed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. See the DFO Pacific recreational fishing pages for licences, area rules and fishery notices.
  • Fresh water: lakes and rivers are managed by the Province of BC. Licences are sold through the WILD system. See BC freshwater fishing and the regulations and in-season changes.
  • Towing a boat: BC requires watercraft to be transported with the drain plug removed and water drained on dry land, and anglers are asked to clean, drain and dry boats and gear between waters to stop invasive species.

Choose your fishing area

Fish named for this region: Salmon, Trout. Read the species guide.

Lower Fraser: Abbotsford, Langley and Maple Ridge

  • Fraser River
  • Sockeye, pink, coho and Chinook salmon, white sturgeon, steelhead and cutthroat trout (named for the Fraser River)

Hello BC names the Fraser River around Glen Valley, the Matsqui Trail and the estuary for sockeye (some years over 20 million fish), pink (odd-numbered years), coho and Chinook salmon, white sturgeon, steelhead and cutthroat trout.

We list 19 campgrounds and camp sites in this area. Browse the regional campground directory.

Chilliwack River, Chilliwack Lake and Cultus Lake

  • Chilliwack valley
  • Rainbow and cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden, kokanee and autumn salmon runs (named for Chilliwack and Cultus lakes)

Hello BC names Chilliwack Lake for rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, kokanee and Dolly Varden, and autumn salmon runs on the Chilliwack River. BC Parks says Cultus Lake offers good fishing for rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden.

We list 20 campgrounds and camp sites in this area. Browse the regional campground directory.

Harrison Hot Springs and Hope

  • Upper Fraser Valley
  • Stocked trout in Sasquatch Provincial Park lakes (species not named)

Hello BC names Deer, Hicks and Trout lakes in Sasquatch Provincial Park, near Harrison Hot Springs, for stocked trout, and says licences for the Skagit River are sold in Hope. It does not tie a species to Hope.

We list 26 campgrounds and camp sites in this area. Browse the regional campground directory.

Lillooet, Seton Lake and Gold Bridge

  • Mid Fraser
  • Rainbow trout, lake trout, Dolly Varden, steelhead, salmon and sturgeon (named for Lillooet waters)

Visit Lillooet names the Fraser River, Seton Lake and the Bridge River for rainbow trout, lake trout, Dolly Varden, steelhead, salmon and sturgeon, and says the Middle Fraser sturgeon population is endangered, so sport fishing for sturgeon is catch-and-release.

We list 14 campgrounds and camp sites in this area. Browse the regional campground directory.

Fraser Canyon: Boston Bar, Lytton and Spences Bridge

  • Fraser Canyon
  • Waters not yet matched to fish

The Fraser and Thompson river towns between Hope and Cache Creek. We list the campgrounds, but have not found a source we trust for the fish at each.

We list 21 campgrounds and camp sites in this area. Browse the regional campground directory.

Whistler and Pemberton

  • Sea to Sky
  • Rainbow trout, coho, sockeye and steelhead, Dolly Varden (named for the Whistler and Pemberton waters)

Hello BC names stocked rainbow trout in Browning and Alice lakes, coho, steelhead and Dolly Varden in the Cheakamus River, sockeye and rainbow trout in the Birkenhead River, and stocked rainbow trout in the Joffre lakes. It says fishing on all rivers and creeks in the Squamish region is catch-and-release only.

We list 18 campgrounds and camp sites in this area. Browse the regional campground directory.

Gear for this water

  • Shore fishing essentials. A compact rod and reel suited to your target fish. Search on Amazon
  • River & fly-fishing kit. A rod/reel combination suited to the planned method. Search on Amazon

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Where the fish names come from

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