Guided Fraser Valley Sturgeon fishing provided by Harrison Bay

HARRISON BAY GUIDED SERVICES
100 Esplanade
Harrison Hot Springs
British Columbia
Canada V0M 1K0

Phone: 1-604-796-3345
TOLL FREE: 1-877-796-3345

Harrison Bay Guided Services
Fraser Valley Fishing #4
By Tony Nootebos owner,
Sport fishing the Fraser Valley
"Summer season"

Every summer thousands of visitors from all over the world come to British Columbia, and in particular the Fraser valley to sport fish the Mighty Fraser River and its many tributaries. The Fraser River is nearly 1000 miles long, and is the largest salmon producing river in the world today! Pacific salmon return by the millions making their way upstream to the spawning grounds from where they were born . The Fraser valley is located only 30 miles from the ocean so the fish are still fresh and provide anglers with a salmon fishery second to none!

Chinook salmon are the first to arrive, and by early May there are fishable numbers in the Fraser main stem. Bar fishing is the preferred method, and the average fish size is about 18 lbs, but are caught up to 50 lbs on any given year.

The Chinook run peaks by mid June, with good numbers continuing to return through out the summer months, and right into November. Sockeye salmon begin entering the system in early July, and by August there are literally millions of fish migrating up the Fraser River.

Bottom bouncing is popular in the summer months, and when the fish returns are at their peak it is not uncommon to hook dozens of salmon in a days outing. Most fishermen use a 3 way swivel with a 1 to 3 oz weight clipped to the middle swivel with one end tied to the mainline, usually made up of 25 to 40lb braided line, and the other to a 4 to 8 foot leader of 20lb test mono and a corki or spin-glow-wool combo with a 1/0 to 4/0 barbless hook. Anglers fish along the many gravel beaches from Mission to Hope casting into the heavy current allowing the weight to bounce along the bottom moving slowly downstream before retrieving it and repeating the cast over and over. There are some great access points through out the system the most commonly used is Island 22 boat launch in Chilliwack, but if you do not have a boat, hooking up with a licensed fishing guide will be your best chance to catch your first pacific salmon .Note: (there are daily and yearly quotas on some pacific salmon see local regulations for up to date info!) There are also many shallow waters and gravel bars to watch out for. Always carry a spare prop when boating on the Fraser River. If you intend to learn and fish this system on your own drop by a local tackle shop for openings and area maps, or hire a licensed fishing guide to help teach you more about this fishery and its ever changing fishing opportunities.

Sport fishing for sturgeon is another great option when visiting the Fraser valley during the summer months. Although these prehistoric fish are "catch and release only" sturgeon provide anglers a terrific battle often jumping several times before being landed, tagged and finally released for another day.

The Lower Fraser River has a population of over 55000 white sturgeon and fish of 10ft or 700 lbs and bigger are caught each year. Most of our clients average about a sturgeon per hour when booking a full 8 hour trip, and it is not uncommon to hook fish over 6 ft on a 1 day fishing charter. If you are interested in booking a guided fishing adventure be sure to plan and book your fishing adventure ahead of time! Our guides are volunteers for the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society which is made up of a group of concerned individuals who want to help protect and ensure the future of white sturgeon in the Fraser River and its tributaries.

The Fraser valley is truly a sport fisher's paradise! Whether you want to catch a trout on a fly rod, fight one of 5 pacific salmon on light tackle, or try your luck at catching a dinosaur (sturgeon) the Fraser valley offers it all. Come and enjoy a Fraser valley fishing experience this summer.

Tony Nootebos @ www.harrisonbay.com
Harrison Bay Guided Services
140 Esplanade Box 651
Harrison Hot Springs B.C.
Reservations: (604)-796-3345