Fishing
Make Valemount in the Robson Valley, your first stop for a fantastic fishing vacation.
Hook, Line and Sinker
Come to where clear, cool water stretches for miles. Picture this: sun barely up, and you with rod, bait and tackle at hand. Breathe deep and get ready for a great day of fishing. Rainbow and brook trout fill our lakes and rivers, as do Rocky Mountain whitefish, lake char and Dolly Varden. It all adds up to a spectacular, mountain fishing vacation.
Fly fish, troll or spin cast — we have more fishing holes than could be reached in a single visit. Sit back in your boat and watch the bobber float. Don’t let the gentle waves lull you to sleep, because any moment you’ll feel the tug on the line and haul in your first fighter. Fish your limit today and come back tomorrow and do it all over again.
Fishing Where the Waters Run Deep
Yellowhead Lake has rainbow trout, Rocky Mountain whitefish and lake trout. The best fishing is in the spring before high water. Launch your boat in the warmer months. Try Moose Lake, for lake trout, rainbow and bull trout, whitefish, ling cod and kokanee. Moose Lake and Shere Lake are also great for ice fishing when conditions allow. Access to Shere Lake is access 33 km (21 mi) northwest of Valemount.
Kinbasket Lake is a great place to set up camp and fish for rainbow and bull trout, whitefish and kokanee. When storms blow through Kinbasket the winds are treacherous and boaters can get caught unprepared. Always check the weather before going out. There are also several creeks, great for fishing, that can be accessed via ATV. Know before you go and visit BC Fishing regulations for updates.
A Dream is Like a River
Sink your line into the mighty Fraser and pull up some nice sized rainbow and bull trout. The easiest access for Fraser River fishing is between Tete Jaune and Mount Robson. You can rent a pontoon boat from Terracana Ranch Resort and spend the day fishing the mighty Fraser.
While spring angling is closed from April 1 to June 30 at Camp Creek, late summer fishing is sublime in the tail end of summer. Head to Canoe River to find a heavy run of whitefish from late October to late March, as well as a good run of rainbow and bull trout. Or give McLennan River a try near Tete Jaune Cache and catch your limit of good-sized trout. Keep in mind McLennan and Camp Creek are both closed for fishing from April 1 to June 30.
Spawning grounds
Come and watch in awe as the Chinook return to their spawning grounds in late summer. Check with the Visitor Centre for dates and times for guided interpretive tours. Or, if you want to watch the Fraser Chinook attempt to leap over Rearguard Falls during the last, most triumphant point in their return journey, come in late August and early September.
- Fish the mighty Fraser at a safe distance from Overlander or Rearguard Falls
- Brave the Kinbasket, but be cautious as storms can be quick and fierce here
- Rent a pontoon boat from Terracana Ranch Resort and spend the day fishing the Fraser River
- For early spring fishing (prior to April 1), give McLennan River a try near Tete Jaune Cache
- Make your way to the Valemount Visitor Centre and enjoy an interpretive tour of the Swift Creek salmon run each evening in August
- In mid-winter, bring your auger and cut a hole into Yellowhead Lake, Moose Lake or Shere Lake where you’ll find some great ice fishing
- Go over to the south side of Moose Lake near Thunder Falls and reel in some kokanee
- Fishing licenses are required and can be purchased at the Valemount Visitor Centre and Service BC
- Be prepared for sudden weather changes and pack accordingly. Storms come in quickly on Kinbasket Lake. Be prepared for high winds
- When boating, watch for floating logs and other debris
- Life preservers are mandatory when boating
- Never go alone. Leave an itinerary with someone and report upon your return and always travel in pairs
- Bring insect repellent
- Always pack a first-aid kit
- Give wildlife space and never feed the wildlife
- Pack it in and pack it out — if you’re bringing lunch, make sure to take your empty food and drink containers with you
When to Go
- Fishing never stops in Valemount.
- River fishing is best right after run-off clears in mid to late summer, while the area lakes are excellent year round.
- Punch a hole through the ice at Yellowhead Lake from December through early March for ling cod.
- Check with the Valemount Visitor Centre to find out which fish are protected and when you can fish
