What to Expect on a Late Fall Salmon Trip

The night before

Buy your fishing licence. It is the one thing we cannot do for you, and it has to be done before the trip. When you book, our fishing team tells you which licence you need, and you buy it online from the province.

Then lay out your layers. November on the water is colder than November in a parking lot, so plan for warm layers with something waterproof on top. Pack gloves you can fish in and a second pair that stays dry.

Last, decide on lunch. You can bring your own, or we can pack a bagged lunch for $40 per person.

Morning: meeting your guide

Your guide will already have the boat ready. Our fishing is guided by Great River Fishing Adventures, an Indigenous owned and operated company that has been running trips on the Fraser and its tributaries for more than 35 years. Owner Dean Werk and his team have spent those decades learning where salmon hold at each stage of the run, and that knowledge counts for the most in November, when the fish are fewer and harder to find.

There is no test at the dock. You do not need to have fished before, and you do not need to bring rods, tackle or waders. Tell your guide what you are hoping for, and they will set you up for fly fishing, spin fishing, float fishing or bait fishing to suit.

Then you climb into a jet boat, somewhere between 20 and 24 feet long, and head for the water.

The first hour: finding the fish

Where you go depends on the day. We fish for salmon on the Harrison, the Fraser and the Vedder, and your guide chooses based on the water conditions and what is open.

If it is the Harrison, look up before you look down. The bald eagles are here by November, and they are after the same fish you are.

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When a coho takes

Coho are a different animal. They are the silver ones, quick and bright, and they like to chase.

Dean has described the coho in the Harrison as chasers that you have to stalk, and when you find them they launch at whatever you are offering. You will know a coho is on by the roll, a twisting spin at the surface that has shaken loose a lot of hooks. Keep the line tight and listen to your guide.

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The afternoon: what you can keep

Whether you can take a salmon home depends on the species, the river and the day. Openings are set by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and are announced close to the time.

Your guide knows what is open and will tell you before a fish reaches the net. Everything else goes back in the river.

The last cast

There is always one more cast, and your guide has heard that before.

Day trips run 6 or 8 hours, and by the end your shoulders will know it. If your guide made the day, a tip is customary. The industry standard is 18% of the trip cost.

Evening: back at the lodge

You can drive home, and plenty of people do. The better ending is a hot tub, and our Bison Hot Tub Suites have one waiting. You can see all of the rooms on our accommodations page.

Staying over also gives you a second day. Fall is peak season for sturgeon fishing, and a salmon day followed by a sturgeon day is about as good as a fishing weekend gets around here.

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Book a late fall salmon trip

If this is the year, do not leave it long. The coho and chum run until about mid-November, and then the salmon season is over until next fall.

Tell us your dates and the size of your group, and our fishing team will put together a quote. You can send us a fishing inquiry or call us at (604) 796-1210. There is more on each species on our salmon fishing page.

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