Fishing for Salmon in B.C. on the Fly
Some consider fly fishing for salmon the ultimate experience, Some consider it the only way! I prefer to look at it as another level to the experience. Diversity is a great option and the Fraser river has plenty of that. Conditions are constantly changing on the Fraser and fly fishing is a fantastic way capitalize on the great fishing we have.
Most fly fisherman traveling to the Fraser river all feel the same way when they take their first few steps into the mighty Fraser “intimidating”. This huge river has a way of making experienced fly fisherman a bit humbled. The best casters and the novice all generally make the same mistake in the first few minutes. Most believe to catch Fraser river salmon you have to cast way out to the impossible. Its one of those things we do as Fly fishers. Thankfully this is not the case with Fraser river salmon. Most salmon travelling up the river are headed for tributaries far away and in that is the key, they need to conserve as much energy as possible to make that long journey. These salmon are a few feet from shore and most are within easy casting distance.
We target Chinook, coho, chum and pink salmon all on the Fraser river with fly rods. Chinook are the most difficult while coho, pinks and chum are the easiest. We target these species primarily on the Fraser although we do target Chinooks and coho on some of our other rivers as well. I primarily target these fish while they are in the Fraser for several reasons, They are the brightest and most aggressive at this point, only a few days from the ocean, the bite is still hard and they fight great, often jumping several times before being landed. The Fraser is less crowded than the tributary rivers most of the fall so it is a much more enjoyable day on the water. I personally do not enjoy fishing on the tributaries where there is a higher likelihood of hooking salmon that are already starting to spawn. This doesn’t fit into my definition of angling ethics. If you would rather hook darker fish, in crowded conditions over spawners, I am probably not the right guide for you and you should look at some other competing companies!!
During specific times of the year we also fish a few remote rivers for salmon, These rivers are smaller systems that have good numbers of salmon for short periods of time. They offer a more intimate experience and a thrilling ride. We use our jet boats to access these systems. The ride is just as good as the fishing and is what many of our clients come back for season after season. Shallow water jet boating requires skill and quick manoeuvres that are all part of the fun.
We are fortunate to be able to fish for all five species of salmon in these tributaries but we primarily target Chinooks, coho and sockeye. The sockeye we fish for are the biggest strain the Fraser
has and average about nine pounds. These are a very aggressive strain and will crush a well swung fly or chase a stripped fly in soft pools. Sockeye are pound for pound one of the best fighting salmon and are comparable to steelhead. They jump great and run well into the backing , making them a very impressive salmon on a fly rod.
When you fish with us you can be assured that you are using some of the best fly gear around. We use both single and double handed fly rods. We use custom built rain shadow Spey rods and echo single handed rods and reels. We provide all the wading equipment for your day on the water and ensure that you have comfortable wading boots. We also provide wading staffs to those that feel uncomfortable wading without the aid of a staff. We also tie all our own flies for your day on the water. There are few things more frustrating than fishing a commercial tied fly that after a dozen casts falls apart. Naturally when you fish with us you are welcome to bring your own equipment along and we will direct you as to what type of gear you will need. If you choose to bring your own set up we will have all the shooting heads and sink tips available for you to use.
Some consider fly fishing for salmon the ultimate experience, Some consider it the only way! I prefer to look at it as another level to the experience. Diversity is a great option and the Fraser river has plenty of that. Conditions are constantly changing on the Fraser and fly fishing is a fantastic way capitalize on the great fishing we have.
Most fly fisherman traveling to the Fraser river all feel the same way when they take their first few steps into the mighty Fraser “intimidating”. This huge river has a way of making experienced fly fisherman a bit humbled. The best casters and the novice all generally make the same mistake in the first few minutes. Most believe to catch Fraser river salmon you have to cast way out to the impossible. Its one of those things we do as Fly fishers. Thankfully this is not the case with Fraser river salmon. Most salmon travelling up the river are headed for tributaries far away and in that is the key, they need to conserve as much energy as possible to make that long journey. These salmon are a few feet from shore and most are within easy casting distance.
We target Chinook, coho, chum and pink salmon all on the Fraser river with fly rods. Chinook are the most difficult while coho, pinks and chum are the easiest. We target these species primarily on the Fraser although we do target Chinooks and coho on some of our other rivers as well. I primarily target these fish while they are in the Fraser for several reasons, They are the brightest and most aggressive at this point, only a few days from the ocean, the bite is still hard and they fight great, often jumping several times before being landed. The Fraser is less crowded than the tributary rivers most of the fall so it is a much more enjoyable day on the water. I personally do not enjoy fishing on the tributaries where there is a higher likelihood of hooking salmon that are already starting to spawn. This doesn’t fit into my definition of angling ethics. If you would rather hook darker fish, in crowded conditions over spawners, I am probably not the right guide for you and you should look at some other competing companies!!
During specific times of the year we also fish a few remote rivers for salmon, These rivers are smaller systems that have good numbers of salmon for short periods of time. They offer a more intimate experience and a thrilling ride. We use our jet boats to access these systems. The ride is just as good as the fishing and is what many of our clients come back for season after season. Shallow water jet boating requires skill and quick manoeuvres that are all part of the fun.
We are fortunate to be able to fish for all five species of salmon in these tributaries but we primarily target Chinooks, coho and sockeye. The sockeye we fish for are the biggest strain the Fraser
has and average about nine pounds. These are a very aggressive strain and will crush a well swung fly or chase a stripped fly in soft pools. Sockeye are pound for pound one of the best fighting salmon and are comparable to steelhead. They jump great and run well into the backing , making them a very impressive salmon on a fly rod.
When you fish with us you can be assured that you are using some of the best fly gear around. We use both single and double handed fly rods. We use custom built rain shadow Spey rods and echo single handed rods and reels. We provide all the wading equipment for your day on the water and ensure that you have comfortable wading boots. We also provide wading staffs to those that feel uncomfortable wading without the aid of a staff. We also tie all our own flies for your day on the water. There are few things more frustrating than fishing a commercial tied fly that after a dozen casts falls apart. Naturally when you fish with us you are welcome to bring your own equipment along and we will direct you as to what type of gear you will need. If you choose to bring your own set up we will have all the shooting heads and sink tips available for you to use.