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[Blood_Orange]

My work buddy and I have some time off at the end of March and want to do a fishing trip for a couple of days. Anyone have any suggestions? We can each afford to spend a few hundred bucks, would like to stay in the province, and don’t mind driving ~6 hours. We both enjoy river fishing and don’t have a boat.

Some ideas:
-Stay at the B&B by the Chehalis and walk/fish for steelhead
-Stay in Squamish and fish for bulltrout/steelhead
-Stay free with my parents in Vernon and do a charter on Kal Lake for kokanee/trout
-Head to the Similkameen River towards Keremeos for trout (and steelhead?)

Any other ideas? I’m guessing some places may still have some ice (that’s why I’m not looking much at Merritt/Kamloops area). Don’t mind doing a charter or hiring a guide. Would like to get out of Vancouver so not looking at saltwater charters. Also going to pass on going to the island because the ferry adds too much to the cot of the trip.

Any ideas are much appreciated, thanks!

[Damien]

I was going to suggest Saltspring, good smallmouth and trout fishing.  Could probably find a charter boat there for salmon and/or ground fish.

Consider gas savings and short time/distance to offset ferry costs.  Off season rates and tin boats at the cabins on St. Mary's.  Heck, you can also throw some crab traps off the docks and jetties around the island if you explore a bit.

That's where I'd go.

[Wiseguy]

Squamish and Cheakimus rivers are a good bet end of March. Bull trouts are plentiful if u can find them and r fun to catch. Bring two rods with you. One rigged for Steelhead and one rigged for Bulls. Fun searching the Squamish river and usually not crowded. A nice wild river in spectacular surroundings. That's my two cents.

[pwn50m3 f15h3r]

If we get an early ice off, the interior stillwaters might be a good bet. Shore fishing on lakes is apparently good when the ice sheet is ~20-40 feet away from the shore.

[RalphH]

Head to the Similkameen River towards Keremeos for trout (and steelhead?)

no steelhead there. There is a dam just above the confluence with the Okanogan River, that blocks all salmon and steelhead access. - the trout are generally small - under 12 inches but lots of whitefish! It's a pretty river too.

Enloe Dam: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enloe_Dam_and_Powerplant

[Jk47]

Sunshine Coast. Short cheap ferry, lots of good lakes to fish from shore.. steelhead in Chapman crk.. beautiful scenery, plenty of b n b’s or other lodging options

[96XJ]

Sunshine Coast. Short cheap ferry, lots of good lakes to fish from shore.. steelhead in Chapman crk.. beautiful scenery, plenty of b n b’s or other lodging options

If you are looking for steelhead in Chapman Creek you will be disappointed

[Jk47]

Still a beautiful spot to explore.. could be a couple steelhead in Chapman...? I guess it’s been a decade since I fished there but there were steelhead in there then...

[96XJ]

There are a few but , being a creek it rises ( and falls ) quickly and can be difficult to fish , just meant it's a place to check if you're on the sunshine coast , but as far as a destination to fish for steelhead you might be disappointed 

[BentRodsGuiding]

What about Sturgeon fishing. It can be very good fishing in March. Also a great month to fish the Vedder for steelhead, a nice 1-2 punch.

[Blood_Orange]

Hey thanks for all the feedback and suggestions! We decided to stay in Squamish for three days and try the Squamish and Cheak rivers. Found a two bedroom hotel suite at a good price and it won't take long to get up there so we'll have plenty of time to fish on the first day. It's so close we could easily just do a day trip but the idea of sleeping up there and not having to drive 3 hours round trip for a day of fishing sounds pretty good

I looked at Saltspring but the first couple of places around St Mary's I searched up weren't yet open for the season by the end of March.

[poper]

X2 on the sturgeon fishing, great time to get out. And cutties can be active as well,caught a few nice ones in late March last year.