Forming its headwaters in a region studded with picturesque coves, beaches, islands, rock cliffs, waterfalls, coniferous forests and the snow-capped Cascade Mountains, the Harrison River is often overlooked by serious anglers. Perhaps it’s because there are so many distractions in this magnificent region, just 90 minutes by car from Vancouver, British Columbia – from the world-class amenities at Harrison Hot Springs Resort to the full range of backcountry adventure options in pristine wilderness settings. Whatever the reason for the oversight, it’s a delicious secret: fishing in the Harrison River is nothing short of incredible.
Thousands of Chinook, Coho, chum, pink and sockeye salmon, fresh from the ocean, spawn each year in the short stretch of the Harrison River. From mid-August to December the main channel of the Harrison River and the Weaver Creek spawning channel are crammed with the brilliant red and green flashes of mating salmon. If you’re lucky enough to fish the Harrison River during this prolific season, likely your only company will be a plentiful assortment of bald eagles, since the Harrison region is a prime winter feeding and resting area for these normally reclusive raptors.
Salmon begin migrating into the Harrison River as early as June. These early fish swim up the Harrison River, through Harrison Lake and into the Lillooet River, which boasts one of the earliest salmon runs in the area, not to mention a remarkable world-class, year-round trout fishery. As summer progresses sockeye salmon enter the Harrison River, destined for Morris Creek and the Weaver Creek Spawning channel. Because the spawning channels are only a 10-kilometer (6-mile) swim up the Harrison River, it doesn’t take the fish long to reach their home. As a result, most sockeye remain in the Harrison River until they are ready to spawn, creating prime opportunities for observant anglers.
Shortly after the sockeye enter the river, the summer and fall runs of Chinook salmon follow. These great fish, also known as king salmon, target the deep-water pools of the Harrison River as their prime holding water. During this same period, the Chehalis River, a tributary of the Harrison, is also inundated with summer and fall runs of salmon and steelhead. By late summer, pink, Coho and chum salmon fill both rivers. It’s as if you can walk across the river on the backs of the salmon, there are so many fish.
The salmon come back every year in such abundance for good reason. With its crystal clear water, spectacular mountains and abundance of salmon, sturgeon and trout, the Harrison River flows through an amazingly rich watershed. For more than a decade, STS Guiding Service has been one of the region’s premiere guide and tour operators. Among the many adventures offered by this full-service company is a fall tour of the Pretty Flats area, where hundreds of bald eagles converge to feed on the spawning salmon. STS offers a rich variety of fishing, bird-watching and wildlife-viewing tour packages, showcasing the region’s many natural highlights and attractions. Be sure to book your trip well in advance … and remember, this is our little secret.
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