Canada is the second-largest country in the world by landmass and covers an incredible 3.85 million square miles, and is home to ten provinces and three territories. Featuring the most amount of freshwater lakes of any country anywhere globally, it’s also home to over 47 rivers exceeding 600km in length, so it’s no wonder that Canada can offer some of the world’s best fishing.
It’s well known for the monster Sturgeon on the Fraser River and the giant Bluefin Tuna off Prince Edward Island, but it is truly famous for the world-class Salmon and Steelhead fishing it has to offer.
Whether you are fishing the west coast for the Pacific Salmon or the east coast for the Atlantic Salmon, Canada has become one of the go-to fly fishing destinations for the travelling angler.
Fishing the fast-flowing crystal clear waters for the majestic and powerful Salmon and Steelhead, with a backdrop of some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet, will not only make your fishing experience all the more pleasurable but will also leave an everlasting impression. These things are what see’s thousands of anglers return year after year.
Below we have listed the best destinations for you to choose from.
If you are looking for an incredible fly fishing holiday for Steelhead, Salmon or Trout with the comfort of having your own single room with private en suite bathroom our lodge on the banks of the Skeena River is the perfect destination. Our guided Steelhead and Salmon trips offer spectacular fishing for all levels of anglers.
Our famed Nicholas Dean Steelhead fishing packages in Canada, give you the opportunity to wet a fly on the mighty Skeena and Bell Irving Rivers. These ultra-chrome rockets average between 8lb and 20lb; however, there’s always the chance of a more significant specimen and each season fish to over 20lb and even 30lb grace anglers nets.
The Salmon Lodge sits on the banks of the world-famous Grand Cascapedia and offers you the best chances of catching Atlantic Salmon in Québec’s famous Gaspé Peninsula. One advantage of this lodge is the access to three famous rivers offering you the opportunity of some huge fish over 40lb while fishing in the middle of exceptional scenery.
What makes camp Bonaventure so unique and special is it gives you the opportunity to fish for Atlantic Salmon in some of the most clearest and pristine waters of the world. If that was not enough it is also one of the best places to sight fish for Atlantic Salmon with fish ranging anywhere between 10lb to 40lb.
Designed for complete beginners and experienced fly fishers alike, this hosted Kalum River Lodge trip with our Sportquest Holidays host is perfect for either single anglers or small groups of friends. Enjoy the benefit of having a fully qualified host with you at all times, as well as enjoying privacy and comfort with private single rooms.
The Coho or Silver Salmon, as they’re also known, are powerful game fish, famed for their hard fighting qualities and aerial acrobatic displays. They get found in good numbers throughout the Skeena region from around the middle of August until the end of October, and our Nicholas Dean Trophy Coho package runs right through the peak summer and fall seasons.
The Chinook Salmon, or King Salmon, are the biggest and most aggressive of all the Pacific Salmon species and the Skeena watershed in British Columbia, Canada, is one of the best places to catch them. So if you’re a fly fishing angler looking for one of the ultimate freshwater experiences, then our Nicholas Dean Chinook Salmon package is perfect for you.
Flowing for an incredible 570 kilometres, the Skeena River is the second largest river in Canada, behind only the Fraser. Originating in northwestern British Columbia, the river and its basin is one of the most famous spots in the world for Salmon fishing. The river and its tributaries host vast numbers of migrating Steelhead, Chinook and Coho.
Our ATOL protection, means you have financial security on your booking.
All our destinations are thoroughly researched by our team of experts.
We have worked hard to be able to provide you with the best prices possible.
We offer complete holiday packages, making booking a holiday simple.
"Another fun week on The Skeena River. Many thanks to Deanna and Andrew for hosting so well and to the experienced and helpful guiding team.
The restrictions imposed by the fisheries office, due to the lower than normal salmon runs, actually meant that there were no issues finding top spots on the river and there were still plenty of fish to be caught. I managed to land 35 pinks, 6 sockeye, 3 coho and one stunningly beautiful high teens steelhead. As usual many more than this were lost - I must replace those teflon hooks.
The new lodge is brilliant. Having well appointed, single, en suite rooms is a real game changer. The communal areas work really well and the food was delicious.
"
"I’ve just returned from fishing one of the most storied waterways in North America, The Bonaventure River in the Gaspé Peninsula, QC.
If would-be lodge owners were looking for the best way to learn the hospitality business in the sporting industry, I would send them to Camp Bonaventure to see how it is done best.
It was not only a successful fishing outing for me, but for everyone I met at the lodge.
The clarity of the water in the Bonaventure stands out. If you’re looking for that once-in-a-lifetime Atlantic salmon fishing trip where you’ll stay in a lodge that attends to every detail and treats you like a king who’s after “the king of fish,” definitely check out:"
"This was my first ever Atlantic salmon fishing experience and it exceeded all my expectations.
The Lodge accommodations, the staff, meals and the fishing arrangements on the Grand Cascapedia were outstanding.
The Lodge's staff also got my fishing partner and I directed to the Bonaventure River for a good day of fishing when the Grand Cascapdedia was blown out by thunderstorms.
This experience is one I will bring my wife to enjoy. Though she does not fish, she'll definitely enjoy the amenities, scenery and all that the staff have to offer.
Of all the fishing lodges I have enjoyed the Salmon Lodge stands out as the single most wonderful experience.
Thank you folks for such a wonderful trip."
On the west coast of Canada, you’ll find some of the best Salmon fishing lodges anywhere in the world, fishing for the hard fighting Pacific Salmon. The Skeena River, the second-longest in Canada behind only the mighty Fraser, is probably the most famous. It’s tributaries, such as the Kalum River and Kitimat, are equally as renowned. Others popular amongst fly anglers include the Copper River, Yukon, Kispiox, Nass and Dean River, all of which hold healthy Pacific Salmon stocks.
As popular as the west, the east coast is also home to some of the world’s best Salmon fishing rivers. Fishing for the mighty Atlantic Salmon, the Gaspé Peninsula, home to the Cascapedia River and Petite Cascapedia, offers some of the best fishing. The Bonaventure and Miramichi are also rich and are equally as popular amongst the travelling fly fishermen.
There are many different Salmon species in Canada, firstly, if you’re fishing on the east coast, you’ll be fishing for the Atlantic Salmon, and if you’re fishing on the west coast, you’ll be fishing for the Pacific Salmon. The Pacific Salmon is a more complex genus than the Atlantic and consists of five species: the Chum Salmon, Sockeye/Red Salmon, Pink Salmon, Coho/Silver Salmon, and the King/Chinook Salmon.
The Steelhead are native to freshwater and ocean environments across North America and are sea-run Rainbow Trout. Unlike Pacific Salmon, Steelhead to not die after spawning and return to the sea. These repeat spawning fish return year after year and grow to some enormous sizes.
The Steelhead are found in all the major rivers on the West Coast of Canada and are abundant in the Skeena, Kalum, Kitimat, to name a few. The Skeena River has the worlds most extensive run of Steelhead as well as the world record. These are the most sought after fish by fly anglers and are known for their hard fighting and acrobatic displays.
Like everything, timing is essential to catch Steelhead, so we have many destinations to choose from, all of which have some of the best Canadian guides on hand with a wealth of experience.
This million-dollar question is always influenced by the weather, water conditions and time of year you fish. However, the rivers in Canada hold some of the most abundant Salmon populations anywhere on the planet. If you’re fishing the west coast for the Atlantic Salmon, then fishing can be hectic, and if you’re there during the peak time for the run of Sockeye, Pinks or Silvers, then it’s not hard to catch 40 plus fish per day.
Big fish do get caught amongst the numbers, too, and fishing on the Skeena River at Kalum lodge during King salmon’s main run has produced world record fish over the years, the largest being over 99lb.
Fishing on the east coast for the Atlantic Salmon can be slightly more of a challenge, as you don’t have the different species you do on the west. Anglers can, however, get rewarded with some giant fish and those with great average size. When fishing the Cascapedia River, big Salmon in the 30-40lb range get regularly caught and average around 19lb. Even though you don’t have the Salmon variations on the east coast, you do have the chance of some great Brook Trout fishing on the Petite Cascapedia.
The fly fishing season for the Pacific Salmon begins at the start of April and runs through to November. The spring brings a fresh run of Steelhead and Chinooks into the river, and by the summer, the rivers are alive. It can be an action-packed time, and for anglers, it can provide the opportunity to catch Steelhead and all five Salmon species during your trip. It’s a truly fantastic experience and brings many anglers back year after year.
By early September, the tributaries begin to fill with Coho (Silver Salmon) and Steelhead providing excellent fly fishing and incredible wilderness scenery.
Fishing for Atlantic Salmon starts slightly later. The Salmon begin to enter the rivers in late May, and by early June, good numbers of fish are usually present. Mid-June and July are considered the prime weeks. With the rivers of Bonaventure and Petite Cascapedia often running colder than average, the fishing can remain good throughout the season. If you like your dry fly fishing, then the months of July, August and September can be brilliant for this.
