Day Trips & Guides
Fishing Guides Vancouver is your best choice for finding excellent salmon, trout or steelhead fishing within easy reach of British Columbia’s largest city.
Pitt Lake, a 25-kilometer long body of water, is located less than an hour’s drive from downtown Vancouver. It is one of the world’s largest tidal lakes, flowing in to the Fraser River just a few miles upstream from its estuary in the Strait of Georgia.
When the tide rises in the Fraser, it sends a pulse of water upstream into the Pitt, carrying with it fresh runs of salmon and steelhead. The fish we encounter are often so fresh they still carry sea lice, and are such bright, polished silver that they are called ‘chromers’.
The Pitt lies between steep mountain ranges, which funnel the winds down over glaciers, often churning the lake into white caps without warning. Other companies access the upper Pitt River in jet boats, but the lake crossing in those small, fast boats is often rough and sometimes dangerous. At Fishing Guides Vancouver we use a 32 ft x 11ft wide aluminum crew boat, a solid craft built by Thompson Brothers welding that is equipped to Canadian Coast Guard standards.
Our clients often comment on how comfortable the boat trip is, even in bad weather, and in clear weather they liken it to cruise up a Scandinavian fjord because of the high, rugged mountain peaks that surround the lake. Besides the beautiful mountain surroundings clients have seen seals in pursuit of salmon, Mountain Goats clinging to steep cliff faces, and deer or black bears cruising the shorelines. There are also occasional jumping sturgeon or salmon to stir the excitement as we cruise up the lake to an old logging company dock located between the mouth of the upper Pitt River and Red Slough, where big cutthroat trout can sometimes be found cruising the grassy back channels.
From the dock we use Pitt River Lodge vehicles to access the upper reaches of the river via logging roads. Guides, rafts and accommodation are booked through the lodge.
Our guides have great knowledge of the best fishing areas around Vancouver, especially in the remote and wild upper Pitt River Valley. The Pitt is one of the best and most renowned Pacific salmon rivers in the world and Fishing Guides Vancouver provides its guests the opportunity to fish over 30 miles of pristine river, in an area which can accessed by boat and air only. The Pitt River is legendary for its abundance of 5 salmon species, rainbow trout, bull trout, cutthroat and steelhead.
The headwaters of this system begin high in the Pacific Coastal Mountain Range on the backside of Whistler and the river builds in strength as it flows south towards Vancouver, providing cold, clear water October through June. As the spring weather warms the glacier begins to melt, changing the river to a breathtaking turquoise color, which makes it easier to fish because the visibility is cut down to 4-5 ft, and the salmon are less easily spooked. Some of the very best salmon fishing occurs in the summer, at times when other rivers experience poor fishing due to high water temperatures or low water conditions.
We believe that great guides are the key to a great fishing trip and our team is among the most respected in the sport. Their deep knowledge of the river, combined with the friendly and professional instruction the give to anglers of all skill levels, make for successful days on the river. Our guides have spent thousands of hours on the water, and they know where to find fish throughout the year. Whether you are a beginner just learning how to cast or an experienced fly-fisher seeking to perfect your skills with a single-hand or Spey rod, our talented team will take care of you and give you the highest percentage chance of getting into a memorable salmon, trout or steelhead.
We do not use jet boats on the upper Pitt River because of the damage that they can cause to this shallow river and the noise that they create, which is disturbing to not only the fish but to the wildlife along the river. Instead we drive up the valley and then float back down the river, quietly and smoothly, using 15 ft self-baling rafts, which do not scare wildlife or the fish. It’s not unusual to drift close to bear, elk or deer on the riverbank, or to look down into the depths of pools and see salmon finning leisurely as you pass over them, and then quietly pull out so you can wade and cast. With the rafts, which our experienced guides expertly weave through side channels and around sweepers, we can access the most productive parts of the Pitt River, often going into reaches where jet boats can’t go, giving you quiet, environmentally friendly access to great fishing waters. It’s not surprising that many of our clients say the river drift alone is worth the price of a trip, with all those big fish thrown in as a bonus.
It’s incredible to think such a great fishing experience can be found within an easy day trip of Vancouver. But it’s all there – all you need is an expert to guide you to it. And why use another company to fish the Pitt when our guides have more experience by far on this river? Go for the best. All other fishing charters/guides travel from either Chilliwack/Mission or downtown Vancouver and are only occasionally on the river. The Pitt changes dramatically from season to season and the fish shift almost daily as water conditions change. We are the only company that lives on the Pitt River. Our guides are here in season, fishing and floating the river daily, which distinguishes them from guides, that race in for a quick day visit and then are gone. Because of our constant presence on the river, we know where the fish were yesterday – and where they will be today. Book a trip – and let our guides show you the secrets of this great river.
Day Trips (for overnight trips please email us for further info)
1- 2 anglers- $ 788
3 anglers- $ 972
4 anglers- $998 (one raft) $249 per person
Includes return transportation to Grant Narrows, 8hrs on the river, all gear/tackle (not spoons if you are using gear) a hearty lunch, enjoyed streamside, and the comfort and warmth of the lodge for arrival and departure.
HST and fishing licenses additional.