The Chilliwack River opens for fishing once again on July 1st. Like most streams in the Lower Mainland, it is closed for fishing in June to protect juvenile salmonids that are feeding and migrating into the ocean to begin their adult phase.

In July, the Chilliwack River offers a red chinook salmon fishery. Red chinook salmon are known for their distinct red flesh. This run of salmon was introduced and has been enhanced by the Chilliwack River hatchery over the years. Depending on the river condition, fishing can productive as early as on opening day. This fishery usually lasts until early August, when the river becomes quite low.

Majority of the chinook salmon have a tendency to rush through the river to the hatchery, so your window of opportunities is quite small. Targeting them early in the morning usually produces the best result.

There are several other important notes:

• Don't forget to purchase your freshwater salmon conservation surcharge for your freshwater fishing licence if you intend to keep a salmon.
• You are allowed to keep four chinook salmon, but only one maybe over 62cm long. You must also mark the adult fish (over 62cm long) on your freshwater fishing licence once you keep it. Chilliwack River salmon regulations can be found on this page.
• Please be aware of the new upper fishing boundary from August 1st to September 7th. This action is done to eliminate catches of spawning fish that have a tendency to hold at the river section just below the hatchery.

July and August also have a high abundance of rainbow trout in the Chilliwack River. Most of these rainbow trout are in fact juvenile steelhead that are making their way into the ocean. Most of these fish will eventually smoltify and spend a few years in the ocean, while some fish become resident fish that spend their life in the river. To eliminate the chance of hatchery juvenile steelhead becoming resident rainbow trout, which has a negative impact on native resident species, anglers are allowed to keep hatchery marked rainbow trout. Hatchery marked fish can be identified by the absence of the adipose fin, which is the tiny fin behind the dorsal fin. If you capture a rainbow trout that has an adipose fin, please release it with care. It is most likely a wild juvenile steelhead that may eventually grow to a trophy sized fish. Daily quota of hatchery rainbow trout in the Chilliwack River and other regulations can be reviewed in Region 2 of the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulation Synopsis.

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