Summer Fishing in the Fraser Valley
July / August

Summer fishing in the Fraser Valley can be some of the most enjoyable fishing you will ever do. We are lucky enough to have one of the largest salmon migration rivers in the world right hear in our back yards so it's not to hard to get excited about the summer salmon runs. We expect salmon runs in the neighborhood of 10 to 30 million on an average year with peak years reaching as high as 40 - 50 million. The 2003 Pink fishery was estimated at 20 million, add 6-10 million sockeye on an average year 12- 20 on a high year and it not hard to see how this incredible fishery can reach staggering numbers like 30 Million. We also fish for Chinook salmon during the summer months with some good angling opportunities throughout the summer. (see Fall Season for Coho, Pink and Chum fishing opportunities)

STS Clients w/ Salmon

We begin the summer fishery in mid June fishing for Chinook (King) Salmon. These fish are silver bright, fresh out of the ocean so make sure your hanging onto the rod tight when trying to land one of these monsters. Sockeye fishing is one of the fastest growing fisheries in our area. The shear numbers of fish make catching sockeye quite easy. We fish for both sockeye and Chinook using the same method so you never know what's on the other end of the rod when you set that hook. Sockeye will jump, run, twist and turn trying to shake that hook while those big Chinook salmon will run like a freight train bound for the open ocean water. If you plan on landing one of those big fish, more often than not you must jump into one of our waiting Jet boats to chase him down.

STS Client w/ a Huge Chinook Salmon

Summer Fly Fishing Opportunities

Summer fly fishing can be very good in our area. We fly fish for Sockeye, Chinook, Bull Trout, Rainbows and Cutthroat Trout on the fly from mid June through until late August. Sea Run Bull Trout are also available during June. Most of our summer fly fishing takes place on the hard to reach more remote rivers in the area but we also offer late summer fly fishing opportunities on the Fraser once water clarity begins to improve.

Sea run Bull Trout to as large as 15 lbs begin entering the river in late spring, they continue up the river well into June offering anglers good to excellent fly fishing opportunities in early summer. Cutthroat, Rainbows and resident Bull trout are in the river year round so even if the salmon are being difficult we still have good success fishing for resident trout. Salmon runs begin as early as June but the majority of salmon will enter from mid July through until late Fall. We begin fly fishing for Sockeye and Chinook salmon by mid July with best summer fishing opportunities lasting throughout the month of August.

Once the sockeye runs begin to tapper off in early September, the Fraser River will have somewhere between 8 - 20 million Pink Salmon migrate up to as far as Hope ( odd Years only, next run, summer/fall 2003). The Pink Salmon act a bit different than most other species of salmon that enter the Fraser River. Pink salmon will actually spawn in the main channel of the Fraser from as low as Mission to as far up as Hope. The Harrison River also gets large returns of Pink salmon offering anglers some excellent fly fishing opportunities. Pink Salmon are easily fooled into biting lures or flies offering the angler some incredible action on both types of gear. We use ultra light spinning tackle or 5-7 weight fly rods when targeting Pink salmon. This fishery is excellent for all skill levels and ages of anglers, it's especially exciting for younger anglers or those wanting to catch their first salmon on a fly rod. The shear numbers of fish and willingness to bite just about anything that passes in front makes this fishery one of the most exciting times to visit the Fraser Valley area. Our next peak fishery for Pink Salmon is September / October 2003.

STS Guide Vic Carrao w/ Client Rhonda Pederson

Summer Sturgeon Fishing

Sturgeon fishing is a bit slower in the summer months although we do still catch plenty of fish. The water levels are quite a bit higher so we often fish shallow back waters and side channels. Fish are aggressive and often jump clear out of the water. Usually by mid August sturgeon fishing will begin to improve with good to excellent fishing opportunities from mid August - late November ( see Fall fishing for prime Sturgeon opportunities). We often fish for salmon in the morning and sturgeon in the afternoon for those who would like to fish both species in the same day.

Todd Matoga & Group w/ a Beautiful Sturgeon