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[Rodney]

The Tidal Fraser River is open to pink salmon fishing starting on September 3rd, 2021.

Click here to see fishery notice

The daily quota of pink salmon is 4. Anglers cannot target chinook, coho, sockeye and chum salmon during this opening. All by-caught salmon have to be released with care so please identify your species correctly before retaining the right catches. Make sure you have a valid saltwater fishing licence and salmon stamp.


Video and Article Resources

• My pink salmon spinning setup and terminal tackle
• Episode from 2011
• Pink salmon spinning setup
• Pink salmon fly fishing setup
• Tidal Fraser River pink salmon fishery overview
• Tidal Fraser River fishing spots

Report fishery violations to DFO's ORR


Season, Timing and Locations

The first two weeks of September can be excellent. By the third week of September, it tapers off but you can still encounter the odd fish until the end of September.

The last three hours of incoming tide is usually best at most spots, but some locations can produce fish at any given tide. Sometimes fish will also enter the Fraser River when the tide is low. It is best to visit a spot several times at different tides to determine when it is most productive.

You can catch pink salmon at any spot along the Fraser River. They will enter both North and South Arms of the Tidal Fraser River in Richmond and Vancouver, converge into one arm in New Westminster. River/Dyke Roads along the shorelines of Richmond and Delta are popular spots. The south shoreline along Langley and Mission can be popular.


Important Fish Identification Information

When the pink salmon fishery is taking place in the Tidal Fraser River, several other salmon species will also be making their way through the river. Some of these species are closed for retention so you must release them with care by keeping them in the water at all time and using a catch and release net. Sockeye salmon, coho salmon and steelhead are required to be released unless stated otherwise. Wild trout and char are also required to be released. It is your responsibility to identify these fish correctly. If you are unsure what species you have at the end of your line, please let it go. Here are some photographs for reference.

Pink Salmon




Coho Salmon




Sockeye Salmon



Bull Trout



Carry a catch and release landing net with you. This would save you the fight time and allow you to identify the fish correctly while keeping it in the water.

[canoeboy]

Whaaaaat. Sweetness!!!

[redside1]

wonder just how much tackle will be in shops for this 15 day fishery.
I doubt many expected this to happen.

[Rodney]

wonder just how much tackle will be in shops for this 15 day fishery.
I doubt many expected this to happen.

I just realize that I only have two pink spoons haha...

[ButtLoadOfDucks]

Been researching all year for this moment. Hopefully it's hot for everybody!

[Easywater]

Ha! Checked PSC first and saw the update to 5.7 million pinks so I thought there might be an opening.

Checked FWR and here we are.

Time for a tidal licence...

[canoeboy]

Hey rod, thought you were ordering a bunch of stuff to make spoons :p

[Fish Assassin]

I just realize that I only have two pink spoons haha...

I still got some of your spoons. You can have them back at $25.00 each

[Rodney]

I still got some of your spoons. You can have them back at $25.00 each

I guess the spoon value is following the same inflation as the real estate value.

[fic]

So is 160K Per day past Mission the Peak or is that a Normal for this time of year?  Are there anything like 500K days in the past?

31-Aug    9,900   CPUE-Wh   0   9,900   1,657,300   167,800   HA   1,207,700   
01-Sep    21,900   CPUE-Wh   0   21,900   1,679,200   128,300   HA   1,336,000   
02-Sep    17,000   CPUE-Wh   0   17,000   1,696,200   163,800   HA   1,499,800   

[Easywater]

Fishing near the tunnel, the river is chocolate milk right now. Hoping for an improvement on the tide change.

Was driving over the Fraser a couple of days ago thinking it was too muddy.

[DanL]

So is 160K Per day past Mission the Peak or is that a Normal for this time of year?  Are there anything like 500K days in the past?

There have been 1,000,000+ days in the past in abundant cycles, but that's not going to be this year.

Historically, the peak seems to be around the 2nd week of Sept, and really tapers off around the 4th week.

FWIW, even this 'limited' opening should still cover 'most' of the run. Give or take, every year can be slightly different.

[RalphH]

I fished the North Arm for about 2 hours just before low slack. I saw no definite signs of pinks. I thought the water clarity was relatively good. While it was a good run out (1.6 feet), I've never seen the river this low in this location. I got to see all the snags to which I'd previous made lure donations.

I did see a beaver (surprise). It swam by within 20 feet of me and even gave me a look! What a city slicker!

[iblly]

Very healthy population of beaver in the north arm.

[Old Blue]

Crazy amount of fish last saturday on the sounder below Port Mann, I'm thinking with a warmer year the fish entering the river are staying deeper with the cooler flow as opposed to the surface.