Located along its rugged coastline are several major feeding grounds used year-round by chinook and coho salmon, which provide excellent recreational fishing. In addition, several million Pacific Salmon appear along the coastline each year, most on spawning migrations to their rivers of birth in British Columbia, others travelling farther south.

Salmon have always been vital to life in the Pacific Northwest and are part of a heritage Canada shares with the United States. There are 5 species of salmon indigenous to the coastal waters of British Columbia; chinook, coho, sockeye, pink and chum salmon.

Away from the ocean, anglers catch nearly nine million fish in BC's freshwater rivers, lakes and streams, which produce an amazing abundance and variety of freshwater fish.

The prime attraction for most anglers is the Rainbow Trout, a species well distributed throughout the province. Steelhead Trout, famous for their size, strength, speed and stamina, are present in most coastal and island rivers draining into the Pacific Ocean.

Coastal Cutthroat Trout are native to most lakes and rivers along the coastal mainland and offshore islands. Three species of Char are also native to British Columbia.

Introduced species of Brown Trout reach double digit weights in the Cowichan and Little Qualicum watersheds on Vancouver Island, as do healthy populations of Smallmouth Bass.

Needless to say, the fish descriptions we provide here only reflect a small percentage of the fish species found in British Columbia. More descriptions will be added as the website develops.

Fish of British Columbia

The Story of the Salmon Salmon - Chinook, Coho, Sockeye, Pink, Chum Pacific Salmon Trout - Steelhead, Rainbow, Cutthroat & Brown Trout Halibut - Pacific Halibut, Sea Flounders Bass - Smallmouth Bass: Black, Brown & Green Bass Fish Habits: Salmon, Trout and Bass