Another year is almost complete, 22 seasons and still going strong. The team at STS Guiding would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year and hope that 2016 will be a great year for all. We have been blessed to have been able to be part of this incredible industry and to have the opportunity to meet so many great people. We appreciate you following our blog, being part of our on-line community and having confidence in our team here at STS. Happy Holidays everyone.

Dec 17 Fishing Report & STS Update

Fraser River Sturgeon

Sturgeon fishing has been nothing short of amazing this past week, we have done several trips where in only 4 hours managed to land 15-20 sturgeon. Most of the sturgeon are between 3 to 5 feet but we did get a couple larger fish over 6 ft. This is a great time for tagging sturgeon as these fish are stacked up in specific locations. During prime season in late summer and fall we are mostly targeting and catching larger fish so winter is great opportunity to collect data on some of the smaller fish and provide the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society with some much needed data.

Did you know?

White sturgeon can live well over 150 years and grow to over 6 meters in length.

FRSCS Adopt a Sturgeon program lets you learn about a sturgeon you sponsor, track its travels through the recapture data and receive updates! Adopt a Sturgeon today! Makes for a special Christmas gift that never stops giving, for more information go to – http://www.frasersturgeon.com

2016 Sturgeon season forecast

Each year we provide anglers and visitors with a pre-season forecast for the Fraser River Fisheries. We will update the salmon forecast a little later in the year but I can give you a bit of an idea when you might want to plan your next fishing holiday for steelhead and sturgeon.

Steelhead season has just begun in the Fraser Valley with the Vedder River already producing a few early fish. Each year the Chilliwach Fish & Game Club puts on the Boxing Day Steelhead Derby which gets hundreds of avid and skilled anglers trying to take the title of King Fisher. This derby often provides us with a look into what we can expect for the upcoming season. We have used this gauge for many years and has proven to be quite accurate. We can not only gauge the size of the run but also how well they have feed in the ocean by average catch size and weight. Hopefully we will see some great fish caught on Dec 26 and have a excellent 2016 season.

Here is a useful article written quite a few years ago by Vic Carrao on early season tactics and how to start your steelhead season off on the right track – http://www.guidebc.com/articles/earlyseasonsteelheadtactics.asp

Sturgeon fishing has become one of the fastest growing sport fish on the Fraser maybe all of British Columbia. Anglers are now targeting these fish year round but there is definitely times when fishing is far better and fish fight harder. Spring brings the annual Eulachon migration which is a small bait fish that sturgeon love to feed on. Most sturgeon have spent the better part of the winter hibernating in deep winter holes so when the Eulachons arrive, fish are aggressive and ready to feed. If you are planning to fish between April 1 & May 31, our Mission location is the place to be. The last few seasons we have been having some amazing results for these larger fish over 7ft which is a bit unusual, as the population of sturgeon ages, the fish are becoming larger.

Spring Sturgeon & Steelhead Rates & Packages

Daily trips are offered on the Fraser from several locations, Vancouver, Mission, Chilliwack and Harrison Hot Springs. We occasionally offer spring specials so please call or e-mail us for day rates for spring sturgeon fishing. Our rates are very competitive and our team of guides are some of the best on the water. For our Special Spring sturgeon packages please use this link http://www.guidebc.com/accommodations/accomm_special.asp

Most of our guided steelheading are what we call instructional steelhead trips, these are usually one or two days when we take you out on the river with one of our professional guides and they show you the When, Where & How’s of steelhead fishing. Because the river has great shore access points, you can then go out and fish more days on your own with confidence. Our walk & wade trips start at $375.00 for a day on the water.

Check out our great introductory package for steelhead and Sturgeon, this is a great way to spend a weekend after the long winter.

2 night 2 day Spring Steelhead/Sturgeon Package

• 1 x 8 hours of guided Sturgeon fishing wit
• 1 x 8 hours of guided steelhead fishing
• 2 nights accommodation at Best Western Hotel
• Breakfast each morning
• Catered Lunch for each day of guided fishing
• All fishing tackle, fully equipped jet boats and private guide exclusive to your group
• Private Dock for your safety and comfort

2 person – $850 p/p
3 person – $675 p/p ( sharing 2 rooms)
4 person – $575 p/p ( sharing 2 rooms)

Call or e-mail us to book one of these great package specials.

Vancouver Winter Salmon Fishing

Vancouver offers a year round winter Chinook fishery that many anglers overlook. The fishery is less consistent than some of our other salmon fisheries but none the less still very productive at times. Our daily charters depart from Vancouver and Richmond locations and we offer 5 & 8 hour charters. We usually begin winter fishing in middle to late January lasting all the way through to April. Most of our charters are around the Vancouver Harbour area and Howe Sound. This fishery is trolling with flashers and spoons for the most part.

Local River Conditions

Fraser River – is in great shape, water levels are a bit higher than normal for this time of year but still fishable for sturgeon, steelhead and Cutthroat Trout. The Mission Boat launch is open year round, Dewdney Slough is now closed for the season. Sturgeon fishing has been excellent and there are quite a few trout also available to catch.

Vedder River – is in great shape for early season steelhead fishing, some fish are being caught but you really need to work hard and put in your time. Next big day on the river is the Boxing Day Steelhead Derby, you need to sign up so drop into your local tackle store before heading out.

Harrison River – is low and clear, great shape for winter Cutthroat fishing and my sources tell me that fly fishing has been very good for winter cuts. You will still find the odd late Coho around and if you fish near the confluence of the Chehalis you may encounter the occasional steelhead.

Stave River – is low and clear, lots of whitefish, chub and some nice cutthroat available all winter. This river is Dam regulated so water is always fishable. The Stave will get a small run of steelhead later in the winter and offers a great little fishery when the bite is on. Also great spot to fish on windy days as it is very well protected from east and west winds.

Chehalis River – is low and clear, lots of coho still around but they are getting dark, some chromers around if you search for them. Great time of year to fish single egg patterns on fly rod or light tackle for Cutthroat Trout laying behind spawning salmon. Still too early for steelhead but you never know, might get lucky.

Christmas is almost here, from you late shoppers we do offer Christmas Gift Certificates which can be purchased on-line by e-mailing us at STS

Hope you have a wonderful holiday and hope to see you on the water in the New Year.

Best Regards

Vic Carrao

STS Guiding.