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Before you go fishing

Region 2 - Lower Mainland

This information is intended as a supplement to the B.C. Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis. Only freshwater (non-tidal) salmon species information is available here. For all other Region-based information, including other freshwater species, bait bans, gear restrictions, detailed maps, etc., please consult the Synopsis. It is your responsibility to know the regulations.

EXPECT IN-SEASON CHANGES!

During the year, a number of important regulation changes may have to be made in specific waters. These management changes and additional openings and closures are indicated in red on this page. You can also click on Updates on the left bar to see Fishery Notices.

All retained coho must measure 25 cm or more from tip of nose to tail fork, and all retained chinook, chum, pink and sockeye must measure 30 cm or more from tip of nose to tail fork.
An “adult chinook” in Region 2 is defined as being over 50 cm except in the following areas where an “adult chinook” is defined as being over 62 cm:
A) the Fraser River downstream of the powerline crossing approximately 1 km above the Agassiz/Rosedale bridge from Sep 01 - Dec 31,
B) the Chilliwack/Vedder River (including Sumas River); the Harrison River and the Capilano River.

WATERS	SPECIFIC AREA	SPECIES	DATES	LIMITS / GEAR
Alouette River and tributaries	Alouette River above 216th St. including the North Alouette River and tributaries to that part	Chinook	Apr 01-Jun 30	No fishing for Chinook.
		Chinook	July 01-Mar 31	1 per day.
		Coho	Apr 01-Aug 31	No fishing for Coho.
		Chum	Oct 01-Dec 31	1 per day. FN1135
	downstream of a line between two triangular white fishing boundary signs in Allco Park	Coho	Oct 01-Dec 31	1 hatchery fish per day.
		Chum	Oct 01-Dec 31	1 per day
Birkenhead River		All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	Bait ban
Birkenhead River	from the Birkenhead Bridge located approx. 6 km north of the Mount Currie on Portage Road to the canyon located approx. 10 km upstream of the bridge	All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
Booth Creek		All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
Brunette River	downstream of Cariboo Road	All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
Little Campbell River	downstream of 12th Avenue, including tributaries to that part	Chinook	Aug 01-Sep 14	1 hatchery marked fish per day.
			Sep 15-Dec 31	No fishing for Chinook.
			Jan 1 - Aug 14, 2012	No fishing for Chinook. FN0844
		Coho	Oct 01-Dec 31	1 hatchery fish per day.
	downstream of a line between two triangular boundary signs on either side of the Little Campbell River to the pedestrian bridge at the foot of Stayte Road. This area is locally known as the meadow hole and the orchard run.	All	Aug 15 - Sep 30	Angling closure. FN0844
Capilano River	including tributaries	All	Aug 01-Oct 31	Bait ban.
		Coho	Jan 01-Aug 31	4 hatchery fish per day, only 2 over 30cm.
		Coho	Sep 01-Dec 31	4 hatchery fish per day.
		Chinook	Apr 01 - Mar 31	4 per day, only 1 over 62cm.
Chapman Creek	upstream of tidal water boundary signs located below the Highway 101 Bridge	Coho	Jul 01-Mar 31	4 hatchery fish per day, only 2 over 35cm.
Chapman Creek		Chinook	Jul 01-Mar 31	4 per day, only 2 over 50 cm.
Cheakamus River		All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	Bait ban.
	upstream of the Bailey Bridge approx. 2 km north of where the Squamish Valley Road crosses the Cheakamus River	Coho	Apr 01 - Mar 31	1 hatchery marked fish per day.
	downstream of the Bailey Bridge approx. 2 km north of where the Squamish Valley Road crosses the Cheakamus River	Coho	Apr 01 - Mar 31	1 hatchery marked fish per day.
		Pink	Until further notice	0 per day. FN0862
Chehalis River	downstream of the logging bridge 2.4 km downstream of Chehalis Lake, including tributaries to that part	All	Sep 01-Dec 31	Daylight hours only.
		Coho	Jul 01-Mar 31	4 hatchery fish per day.
		Chinook	Jan 01-May 31	No fishing for chinook.
			Jun 01-Aug 10	4 per day, only 1 over 50cm.
			Aug 11-Sep 15	No fishing for chinook.
			Sep 16-Dec 31	4 per day, only 1 over 62cm.
		Chum	until Nov 30, 2011	2 per day. FN1080
Chehalis River Hatchery	From the hatchery outlet downstream to the confluence with the Chehalis/Harrison Rivers	All	Apr 01-Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
Chilliwack/Vedder River (including Sumas River)	upstream from a line between two triangular boundary signs on either side of the Chilliwack River 100 m downstream of the confluence of the Chilliwack River and Slesse Creek	All	Apr 01-Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
	From a line between two triangular boundary signs on either side of the Chilliwack River 100 metres from the confluence of the Chilliwack River and Slesse Creek downstream including that portion of the Sumas River from the Barrow Town Pump Station downstream to boundary signs near the confluence with the Fraser River	All	Sep 01-Dec 31	Daylight hours only.
		Coho	Jul 01-Mar 31	4 hatchery fish per day.
		Chinook	Jul 01-Dec 31	4 per day, only 1 over 62cm.
		Chum	Oct 16 - Dec 31	0 per day
		Pink	Jul 16 - Dec 31	4 per day FN0510
Cogburn Creek		Coho	Sep 01-Mar 31	2 hatchery fish per day.
Coquitlam River		Coho	Oct 01- Dec 31	1 hatchery fish per day.
		Chinook	Apr 01-Jun 30	No fishing for chinook.
		Chinook	Jul 01-Mar 31	1 per day.
Dewdney Slough - See Nicomen Slough
Fraser River	From the CPR Bridge at Mission to the Highway #1 bridge at Hope	All	Jul 01 - Dec 31	Daylight hours only.
		Coho	Oct 11 - Dec 31, 2011	2 hatchery marked per day.
		Chinook	Sep 01 - Dec 31, 2011	4 per day, only one of which may exceed 62 cm.
		Chum	until Dec 31, 2011	2 per day. FN1080
		Pink	Jul 16 - Dec 31, 2011	4 per day
	From the downstream side of the Highway #1 bridge at Hope to Sawmill Creek	Coho	Sep 10 - Oct 15, 2011	No fishing for Coho, bait ban.
		Coho	Oct 16 - Dec 31, 2011	2 hatchery marked per day.
		Chinook	Sep 1 - Dec 31, 2011	4 per day only one of which may exceed 62 cm.
		Chum	until Dec 31, 2011	2 per day. FN1080
		Pink	Jul 16 - Dec 31, 2011	4 per day
	Sawmill Creek to Alexandra Bridge	All	Sep 19 - Dec 31, 2011	No fishing for salmon. FN 0863
	NOTE: Landstrom Bar, those waters of the Fraser River inside a line beginning at a fishing boundary sign on the eastern end of Landstrom Bar, then to a fishing boundary sign on the opposite bank, then to a fishing boundary sign at the southern end of Croft Island, then westerly to a fishing boundary sign on the nearest bank of the river, then following the river bank to the beginning point, is closed to all angling from May 1 to Oct 31.
Harrison River	from the outlet of Harrison Lake to the Hwy 7 bridge	All	Jul 01-Dec 31	Daylight hours only.
		Coho	Sep 01-Mar 31	4 hatchery fish per day.
		Chum	until Dec 31, 2011	2 per day. FN1080
		Chum	Jan 01- Mar 31	2 per day.
		Pink	To be determined
	downstream of the Highway 7 bridge to the confluence with the Fraser River.	All	Jul 01-Dec 31	Daylight hours only.
		Coho	Sep 01-Mar 31	4 hatchery fish per day.
		Chinook	Sep 01-Dec 31	4 per day, 1 over 62 cm.
		Chum	until Dec 31, 2011	2 per day. FN1080
		Chum	Jan 01 - Mar 31	2 per day.
		Pink	Jul 16 - Dec 31	4 per day FN0510
		Sockeye	until further notice, daylight hours only	2 par day. FN0754 FN0764
Hope Slough		All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
Inch Creek	From the hatchery outlet to the confluence with Norrish Creek/ Nicomen Slough	All	Apr 01-Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
Indian River		All	Dec 01-Sep 30	Bait ban.
Indian River		Chinook	Apr 01 - Mar 31	No fishing for chinook.
Kanaka Creek	upstream the 112th St. bridge	All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
Kanaka Creek	downstream of the 112th Street bridge	Coho	Nov 01-Nov 30	1 hatchery marked fish per day.
Khartoum Lake		All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	Single barbless hook.
		Chinook	Apr 01 - Mar 31	4 per day.
		Coho	Apr 01 - Mar 31	4 per day.
Lois Lake		All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	Single barbless hook.
		Chinook	Apr 01 - Mar 31	4 per day.
		Coho	Apr 01 - Mar 31	4 per day.
Mamquam River		All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	Bait ban.
		Coho	Apr 01 - Mar 31	1 hatchery fish per day.
	downstream of the CN rail bridge	Pink	Until further notice	0 per day. FN0862
McLennan Creek		All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
Nicomekl River	downstream of 208th Street	Coho	Oct 01-Dec 31	1 hatchery fish per day.
Nicomekl River	downstream of 208th Street	Chinook	Sep 01-Dec 31	1 per day.
Nicomen (including Dewdney) Slough	from the confluence of Siddle (Bell’s) creek downstream to the Fraser River	Coho	Apr 01 - Mar 31	4 hatchery fish per day, only 2 over 35cm.
	From the Highway 7 bridge at Dewdney downstream to the Fraser R.	Chum	until Dec 31, 2011	2 per day. FN1080
		Chum	Jan 01 - Mar 31	2 per day.
Norrish (Suicide) Creek		Coho	Apr 01 - Mar 31	4 hatchery fish per day, only 2 over 35cm.
Pitt River	upstream of Pitt Lake	All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	Bait ban.
Pitt River	upper and lower river, including tributaries	Chinook	Apr 01 - Mar 31	No fishing for chinook.
Sakinaw Lake	east of a line from a boundary sign north of the Sakinaw boat launch, southwesterly to a boundary sign at 49°11.50’N and 123°58.45’W (this encompasses the bay at Haskins Creek and the unnamed bay southwest of the boat launch); and the body of water known as Bear Bay, east of 124°02.13'W, (marked by boundary signs)	All	Nov 01-Dec 31	No fishing for salmon.
Scott (Hoy) Creek		All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
Serpentine River	downstream of 168th Street	Chinook	Aug 01-Dec 31	1 per day.
		Coho	Oct 01-Dec 31	1 hatchery fish per day.
		Chum	Oct 01-Oct 31	1 per day.
Seymour River		Coho	May 20 - Mar 31	2 hatchery fish per day. FN0402
Seymour River		Chinook	Sep 01-Dec 31	2 per day, none over 62cm.
Silverdale Creek		All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
Squamish River River (including Powerhouse Channel), also see Cheakamus and Mamquam Rivers		All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	Bait ban.
		Chum	Sep 15-Dec 31	0 (Zero) per day.
		Pink	Effective Sep 5, 2011	0 (Zero) per day. FN0745
	downstream of the boundary signs at the powerline crossing approx. 1.5 km upstream of the confluence with the Cheakamus River.	Coho	Apr 01 - Mar 31	1 hatchery fish per day. Hatchery marked Coho may not be retained above this boundary. FN0622
		Pink	Until further notice	0 per day. FN0862
Stave River	downstream of B.C. Hydro Dam to the CPR railway Bridge except for portion described below	Coho	Jan 01 - Dec 31	4 Hatchery Marked fish per day, only 2 over 35cm.
		Chinook	Apr 01 - Mar 31	0 (Zero) per day.
		Chum	until Dec 31, 2011	2 per day. FN1080
		Chum	Jan 01 - Mar 31	2 per day.
		Pink	Jul 16 - Dec 31	4 per day. FN0510
	That portion of the Stave River, known as the Ruskin Spawning Channel on the east bank of the BC Hydro park from the inlet near the dam, downstream to the boat ramp crossing	All	Apr 01 - Mar 31	No fishing for salmon.
Sumas River - See Chilliwack River
Vedder River - See Chilliwack River