Salmon Trip
 

Looking for suggestions.


One of my fishing buddies suggested we try a 2019 road trip to BC and do some walk and wade salmon fishing. I did some google searches and tons of info on river/stream salmon fishing. My grey matter can only hold so much info, I was getting confused.

Criteria for the trip, can be changed if necessary:
1. Out of Edmonton area thus a maximum 2 day drive
2. Must be affordable. I would like to do a lodge trip but wallet cannot afford that.
3. Accommodation would probably be in a motel. I do not think my fishing buddy would enjoy tenting.
4. At least 2 days of fishing. At least the 1st day would be with a guide.
5. Might have to rent rods. I think my biggest rod is a 6 wt 9'
6. We practice catch and release; however, if possible to bring home one salmon would be icing on the cake.
7. Time of year fairly flexible.

I'm going to continue my research. Any help appreciated.

That is pretty much anywhere in BC.
From mid august in the lower mainland. Fraser, Stave, Harrison, Vedder are all due for pinks this year, followed by coho and chum. Fishing for at least one species or another is good until November.

Those are all good suggestions but if you want more space, then I would suggest the Terrace area. Lots of rivers to fish including the mighty Skeena. Also on the way up there you have the Bulkley.

One long 15 hour long drive from Edmonton and you'd be in Terrace BC. If you planned on an end of July trip you would have access to chinook, coho, sockeye on the Skeena. Just drive along the highway and you will easily find many easy to reach access spots.

This ^^^

Unfortunately the odds of there being a partial or complete closure is possible no matter where you go salmon fishing these days in BC

I recommend avoiding southern BC it’s crowded and fishing is so so compared to the north

I would second the Terrace area. However with closures the past few years, keeping anything other than a pink “may” be tough.

If you are walking and wading, Skeena is okay there are a few spots you could hit. Meat hole, Ferry island, But to really access a lot of the best spots you need a jet.

I would recommend you instead hit Kitimat. If you go end of July you will have a chance at a bunch of different species. Access for walk and wade is more manageable.

Stay in terrace. Copper river motel. 30 mins to kitimat river.

Rod rentals. Not too sure. See if you can borrow one, but with the understanding if you blow it up you pay for repairs.

But and half decent 8 or 9wt with reel wouldn’t break the bank.
Send me a PM if you want more info, heck I might even give you few gps spots to check out. But only if you want to catch big salmon 😉

Head to northern BC, if you go in late July you can hit the chums in the Kitimat. They're big, plentiful, and have no shortage of fight!

I’ve done the Kitimat several times fishing isn’t the same since they started logging on the upper end of the river but it’s still ok. Be aware lots of the coho population has a parasite witch looks and feels like pimples along the body and white beads in the meat don’t keep those fish! If you go the locals are very helpful and same goes for the tackle shops. Lots of access to the river fishing holes change for year to year due to winter run off. The skenna would be my choice but as others have said closures are a real thing might want to keep in touch with fish and wildlife to keep updated one that front.
Kitimat could be busy next year with there LNG plant going forward just an FYI. Also look into the Nass river some good fishing there.

I hit the Campbell for pinks at the start of the run last summer. Went in blind basically other than having some flies tied. Was easy enough.

Salmon Fishing
 

The problem with a walk and wade trip for salmon is whether or not the river you pick for salmon fishing will be closed for the time period you pick. If you are picking June/July I would choose the Kitimat River. A guide can take you river fishing one day and then from there you can use the tips you have picked up to do your own walk and wade for the remainder of the trip.
If it is later in the year, like first week of September and the Fraser River is open you can fish for pinks there, or even the Vedder River in Chilliwack. For fly rod I would use a 7 to 8 weight fly rod, shooting head with a variety of sinking tips and pink flies I would pick up locally from the shops there. Heck you can even go after them with a spinning rod, along with an assortment of pink croc lures. Just my thoughts on the matter.

Salmon Trip
 

Thanks for all the replies. Doing further research and the replies I received, it looks like the Terrace area might be the destination.

Lots of options
 

I concurr with pretty much all of the above suggestions. Done the Skeena system many times yrs ago, used to be every summer. Loved the Smithers to Terrace section, has a ton of great water along the Yellowhead. Some are classified though so read the regs. The Nass system is also great and was up in the Nisgaa area fishing the Tseax mid to late August where there were still some huge springs running along with all the coho and the odd steelhead. Further north I caught a 'once in a lifetime' steelhead at the confluence of the Meziadin and the Nass, 20+ and released after pictures that I can't find anymore. Hard to beat that whole Skeena/Nass area for fly fishing when you consider the size of the runs, access and sheer number of options each day. Again, read the regs as there are many closed/open sections on pretty much every river.
Campbell River is a gas on the 'pink years' and is still solid on the even years. It can be a gong show on some parts but I usually fish upwards in the fly only sections. Those chromed pinks on a 6 or 7 wt rod are a ton of fun. I would get elbow soreness each summer from playing up to 30 fish each day and it could easily be more depending on the run and time of summer you show up.
Enjoy!