Vacation in British Columbia/ Alberta - some kindly questions

[LukasS]

You will need a BC Freshwater fishing license (just click the link). I'm pretty sure you'll need a Non-Resident Alien license.

Some bodies of water (like Shuswap Lake about half an hour away from Kamloops by car) require a conservation surcharge stamp for Rainbow Trout; and another for Char. Most Lakes do not, but it's important to identify if you are going to venture to those who do before buying your license on line.

The area around Kamloops is called Region 3 and here is the region 3 special regulations summary . Here are the regulations for the whole province.

It's doubtful that you will encounter Salmon that early in the year regardless, and Steelhead are getting rarer and rarer each year it seems. It's good to focus on other instead.

Eight Day License will beast suit your needs.

Non-Resident Alien: $54.96​

I hope this is helpful.

Thank you a lot! I allready found the summary of the regulations for whole canada but the easy to handle paper for each British Columbia and Alberta are great! So you do not suggest to get the salmon license as well? I mean I do not want to fish for salmon but unlike hunting you can not control what you catch and even if I will release salmon immediatley I do not want to brake any rules.

I also consider to purchase the annual non resident alien license cause we are probably most time in BC.

Lukas
I’m an old retired guy who was lucky enough to fish in many parts of the world.
If I travelled alone or with another fisherman, I would go fishing wherever possible. I would almost always hire a guide so as not to waste too much time learning the rules etc.
However, if I travelled with my wife (not a fisherman), I seldom bothered going fishing.
Unless your girlfriend is a fisherman, just stick to sightseeing on this trip.
Just my 2 cents
Good luck
Stosh

Totally agree with you, but... Canada is maybe a once in a lifetime chance AND we are 21 days in Canada so my girlfriend will be more than happy to have some time for herself + she is not an early waker but I am --> between 6 and 10 am she will be more happy with sleeping than hiking outside

If you’re able to detour towards castlegar, the Columbia river in that area offers world class fly fishing. I may very well be the worlds worst fly fisherman and still managed to catch fish. Spinning gear works, too. Invasive walleye also make a great meal.
Most (not all) bears will be up high picking berries in July.

wow that sounds really great but it is really way off our travel route. I doubth I can take this chance...

If you make it to Vancouver Island there are some wonderful opportunities for cutthroat trout mid island in Campbell Lake, Buttle Lake and many others. It is not unusual for them to reach 5lbs or more.
Black bears are curious although not especially aggressive. Vancouver Island has a high population of cougars to be wary of. Be spatially aware when you are out and carry a bear bell or noisemaker. Some bear spray isn't a bad addition to the kit as well. Good luck!

Yeah! We will be on Vancouver island but we are still considering how long. Campbell river is also famous for its salmon, isn`t it? You scared me a little bit of with the cougars! But I may consider those lakes you mentioned! Thank you so much!

 

[LukasS]

Short update:

I tested my equipment on friday and it worked quite well (some rainbow trouts are juts prepared for smoking) BUT I felt like the 5 - 25 gr spinning rod might though be good for bait presentation and feeling but not strong enough for bigger trouts and faster streams. Should I upgrade to like a 10 - 40 gr spinning rod for ? Thank you very much for your advice!

 

[Brett83]

You would be crazy to come all this way and not salmon fish. If it were me I'd do at least one charter out of Bamfield or Tofino. You'll see things. Eagles, bears, whales, sealions, otters. It's in the Barkley sound which should be one of the seven wonders of the world. Also, knowing types of bears helps. Black bears won't bother you, a grizzly bear might be interested in hurting you. Grizzly bears are pretty rare in most parts.

 

[Paperslayer]

Guten Tag! I think you will enjoy your trip here very much! I have many friends from Germany that have come to call BC their home. There are some good pieces of advice here. I would add that I think your best chances of success would be to concentrate on lake fishing. There is a place about 30 minutes south of Kamloops called Surrey Lake. There is a rustic fishing resort there (https://www.wildlingsresort.com/) and I think you would enjoy the experience very much. There is another, roughly 60 minutes north of Kamloops called the Lac De Roches resort. Both have boats to rent, and you can buy fishing tackle that works on those lakes I understand that they are both roughly 60-70 Euro per night. Above all, these are both very beautiful places to visit and I am sure you will enjoy your stay. Let us all hope that the forest fire season here is not too bad, as the smoke can make things pretty miserable.

If you find yourself travelling close to the coast. an ocean fishing charter will be the thrill of a lifetime. They can be a bit expensive, but the guides will make sure you have fun and catch fish!

 

[chille51]

I second the fishing highway/highway 24 recommendation. Especially if you have not locked in your accommodations yet, you can rent a rustic cabin at many of the lakes as well as a boat and motor to get out onto the lake. I have stayed at quite a few of the resorts up there, lakes I have fished include Bridge, Sheridan, Horse, Lac De Roche, and Eagan. All have resorts you can stay at. Will drastically improve your chances lake fishing if you get out in a boat. As others have said, by July trout fishing can start to slow down as the temperatures heat up. Getting out on the water gives you the chance to sink your line deeper. Higher elevation, deeper lakes will be less impacted by the heat than low lying shallow ones.

If you do come to Vancouver Island then I agree, book a salmon charter off the West Coast of the Island. You'd need to buy a tidal license for that and the charter itself may seem expensive - but most guides are going to get you into some pretty amazing, hard fighting chinook or maybe coho salmon and the scenery will be amazing.

Not to be a downer, but a word of warning - I wouldn't worry too much about bears... but what could really mess up your plans is fire. Last year was one of the worst years ever for forest fires here, and we have had an exceptionally dry winter with a much smaller than usual snow pack since then. By July, there will definitely be forest fires in BC and Alberta, and unfortunately due to the dry winter, I am fearing this year is likely to be another bad one. No where in the province is really immune, but the areas you mentioned historically have had it pretty bad compared to the more coastal areas. Even if there isn't a fire near you, the smoke can travel great distances and really make the air quality suck. Again, I hope it doesn't happen and I hope you have a great trip - but you might want to have a few backup routes planned if your main destinations are too impacted.