Fishing Report | Fred's Custom Tackle

News & Notes

DUE TO CURRENT RIVER CONDITIONS, THE BOXING DAY DERBY HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL SATURDAY, JANUARY, 10TH, 2026.

Registration is available for both the 26th Wally Hall Jr. Memorial Steelhead Derby and the Boxing Day Steelhead Derby!

Chilliwack/Vedder River Report

January 8, 2026

Visiting from out of town? Book a guided walk-and-wade or jet boat salmon and/or sturgeon fishing trip. We supply all the gear! Contact our River Titan booking hotline at 604-835-3474 (FISH), info@rivertitan.ca, or follow this link to book your trip today!

There have been a few steelhead landed on the CV, but overall it’s been a slow start to the season. To date, no fish have been weighed into the Wally Hall Jr. Memorial Steelhead Derby.

River levels are excellent and very fishable. A recent slide in the Tamihi Valley is affecting water clarity in the lower river, while conditions above Tamihi remain clear and in good shape. There’s lots of very fishy water throughout the system, with plenty of room to spread out.

The Canal is offering lots of swing water for fly anglers. That said, the most productive method right now is float fishing.

Top-producing offerings include artificial beads, jigs, roe, rubber worms (go big when the water is dirty), and water-hardened egg sacks. Fly anglers in the Canal should focus on larger, more visible patterns such as bunny leeches, intruders, and other bold profiles.

Check out our Steelhead 101 blog post for tips and tricks on maximizing your chances on the river.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, and Instagram, where we post regular updates.

Please be aware of the regulations and how to identify your fish. Release all non-retention species properly. Please do not take them out of the water. A single barbless hook is very easy to remove. Stay within your limit.

Real-Time Chwk River Level at Vedder Crossing

Click here for retention limits and up-to-date notices specific to Region 2 rivers

Fraser River Fishing Report

December 23, 2025

SALMON

No retention or fishing opportunities.

STURGEON

Winter sturgeon fishing on the Fraser can be one of the best times of year to catch giants and "giants in training".

Contrary to popular belief, it isn't slower, just colder.

We've had winter trips where our guests just wanted to stop fishing because their arms were sore from landing fish!

Although the larger fish go into a state of semi-hibernation, they won't pass up the opportunity for an easy snack. The smaller fish, which haven't typically gorged on salmon during the summer and fall months, are more migratory and looking for a meal.

The bigger fish also tend to hunker down in the deeper holes, which hold food and provide a darker environment. During the winter months, the Big Muddy isn't always that muddy, making the deeper water a more comfortable refuge from the bright sun of the day.

For tackle, we recommend using small, less intrusive hooks (sizes 4/0 to 6/0), lighter leader, and appropriately sized bait (roe is always a good choice). If you're targeting juvenile sturgeon, you may want to try circle hooks. These smaller fish have been known to lie on their food, which can lead to a belly hookset with regular octopus or J-hooks. By using a circle hook, you have a much lower chance of foul hooking. And, of course, make sure that the barb is properly pinched.

Patience is also key during winter sturgeon outings. The fish can be less aggressive and often very sensitive to the bait presentation, which is where circle hooks are effective. The fish won't feel the prick of the hook point, and will often gently suck the bait in and just sit there or move away ever so slightly. You may see the tip make a slight dip down, requiring a good reel down to set the circle hook.

This is not to say that there aren't giants where the smaller fish are hanging out. We've had many encounters with 8-footers while targeting juveniles for tagging. You think you've got a dink pecking at your line, only to have a beast racing away when you set the hook - good times!

Give us a call at 604-835-FISH (3474), email info@rivertitan.ca, or follow this link to get more information about a sturgeon fishing adventure!

And you don't need a boat to enjoy this fishery either. Shore fishing on the Fraser River is easily accessible, super relaxing, and can also be a great family activity. Chuck out a couple of rods, play on the beach, and see what happens. Check out our blog post on FRASER RIVER STURGEON FISHING FROM SHORE for all sorts of tips tricks and a few spots to check out.

If you would like to learn more about gear and technique, drop into either store and the gang will be happy to share their knowledge. We've also got all of the gear specific to shore fishing for sturgeon to get you started.

Our calendar for guided sturgeon trips is filling up fast. Give our booking hotline a call at 604-835-FISH (3474) or email info@rivertitan.ca to book your adventure.

About Fraser River Sturgeon

The famous white sturgeon of the Fraser River are North America's largest freshwater fish, renowned for their size, incredible power, durability and speed. Often demonstrated with acrobatic jumps, and long hard-pulling runs. Combined they make them one of the most exciting catch-and-release fisheries on the planet.

Many people have taken the time to educate themselves on the conservation and management efforts that the Sports fishing sector has dedicated over 20 years to ensure that these fish will be around for years to come. If you have never experienced a Sturgeon fishing excursion, we highly recommend you try this world-class fishery that is dedicated to conservation and sustainable fisheries for generations to come.

Please handle these prehistoric beasts with care and keep them in the water as much as possible. Our job is to keep an eye out for these fish and report your observations to the authorities immediately.

Real-Time Fraser River Level at Mission

Real-Time Fraser River Level at Hope

Real-Time Fraser River Level Near Agassiz

Albion Test Fishing Data

Click here for retention limits and up-to-date notices specific to Region 2 rivers

Harrison River Report

October 15th, 2025

As we get deeper into fall, the Harrison begins to offer some great coho opportunities - especially when the rains come through and water levels drop. River levels are still low, giving easy access for both shore anglers and boaters.

There are NO RETENTION opportunities for sockeye, pink, chinook or chum salmon at this time. Please take care when landing and releasing to help them further their journey.

Twitching jigs, spinners, and spoons all produce well. Float fishing with blades, roe, beads, jigs, or wool are always a dependable option.

Another fun and relaxing technique is backtrolling a plugs, blades or spoons from a boat. Anchor up, toss out your gear, walk them back, and crack open a cold beverage. The hits can be ferocious.

The Harrison is a world-famous fly fishery. Spey anglers can get a good swing upriver. With most of the river open to single-hand cast and retrieve, especially close to shore. Go with a 7 or 8 wt rod and either an intermediate sinking line or a floating line with interchangeable sink tips. Smaller flies seem to be most effective, with patterns like Todd’s Coho Charmers, California Neals, or muddlers being very popular.

Salmon fishing on the Harrison and its tributaries is usually solid through November, with silver coho caught as late as January.

The Harrison is also a great system for sturgeon anglers.

Stave River Report

November 7th, 2025

Coho and chum are still in the system. We're now on the waning cycle for this season's coho run, but there will be the odd fresh push well into November, and as late as early December.

Parking is an adventure on this river so be very careful where and how you park your vehicle.

Be sure to check out the Region 2 freshwater salmon regulations for details.

Dewdney Slough/Norrish Creek Report

November 7th, 2025

This is the peak for coho fishing on these North side systems. Lots of chum to be had. They offer exception gear and fly fishing opportunities.

Typically there will be coho pushing through into early December, with the peak of the run around mid-November.

Be sure to check out the Region 2 freshwater salmon regulations for details.

Local Lakes Report

The smaller urban and rural lakes and ponds are usually fishable year-round, slowing down from October to March, and relatively productive from April to September.

Bass fishing is becoming more and more popular in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. Cultus Lake has become a hotspot, with invasive smallmouth appearing in frightening numbers. Late Spring through Early Fall are a great time to target these fish, and it is recommended that you kill them when caught.

Larger lakes, such as Alouette, Chilliwack, and Cultus can be go-to's during the spring and summer months with the aid of a sounder and an optional downrigger. Fish can be found at various depths, but often deeper than traditional trolling hardware can achieve without assistance. Depending on the body of water you can find rainbow trout, cutthroat, kokanee, bulltrout / dollies, lake trout, brooktrout, and whitefish.

Kawkawa Lake is another local option for kokanee. Although a downrigger can be very useful, it isn't necessary. Presenting a jig is another highly effective method when you know where the kokanee are hanging out in the water column.

Although you can "fish" Harrison Lake, it is not renowned as a productive body of water.

Interior Lakes Report

November 5th, 2025

Weather pending, we're still seeing some exceptional days on our Interior Lakes. Fish are generally in tight to shore bulking up on staple food sources - scuds, damsel nymphs, leeches, and dragonfly nymphs.

For fly anglers, this shift means it’s time to bring out patterns that imitate key food sources. Water boatmen, shrimps, leeches, and daphnia (blobs) all deserve a place in your fly box. By mid to late September, water temperatures often settle into the 15–16°C (60–62°F) range—prime conditions for trout activity.

On calm, sunny days, you may encounter spectacular water boatman and backswimmer flights. These insects crash onto the surface before swimming down to lay eggs, then dart back upward, sparking a feeding frenzy. Watch closely for “raindrop” splashes and swirling riseforms—sure signs that trout are on the hunt. After months of feeding heavily on chironomids, trout may also shift focus to the occasional late-season chironomid hatch.

As the cooling trend continues, fish move into shallower zones to key in on protein-rich meals. Leeches, juvenile damselflies, dragonfly nymphs, and freshwater shrimp (scuds) all become staples. Prime depths this time of year are often five to six metres (15–18 feet), making it an excellent window to intercept actively feeding trout.

September stillwater fishing is all about change—shorter days, cooler waters, and hungrier fish. With the right flies and an eye for subtle surface activity, this month can deliver some of the most exciting action of the season.

It's hard providing a fishing report for the Interior as fish are all over the map depending on the lake, water temperatures, hatches / bug behaviour, barometric pressure, etc. Anyone who says you have to go to This Lake because it's on fire, might lead you down a path of despair. A lake can be on fire one minute (literally) and completely shut down the next. That's why we call it fishing.

What we can tell you is that being prepared for all situations is a must. For gear anglers that are trolling, that can be a bit easier since you can quickly adapt without changing rods and line. Lucky Bugs, Hot Shots, and Flatfish are excellent shallow trolling lures, which the trust willow leaf with a wedding band being a go to. And when a little rest-and-relaxation is desired, a bobber and worm always delivers.

However, for fly anglers, you'll want to have a broader range of gear. This can mean having the following setups:

Floating line setup for indicator or dry fly fishing. Dry fly not so much in early spring, but if the mayflies are popping, you want to be ready;
Slow-sink / intermediate / slime-line for casting a retrieving in the shallow waters, or for trolling subsurface down to maybe 10';
Full-sink line for dangling a blob, bomber jig, or stripping a booby or blob. Also useful for trolling a bit deeper.

Which fly to use? That one's a flip of a coin. Check out our blog post on the 10 Must Have Trout Flies for BC Lake!

SERVING ANGLERS SINCE 1978