STURGEON FISHING TRIPS

As the hissing of sand on the hull of the boat lulls you into a relaxed state of mind, you notice your guide tense up and become concentrated on the rods. You saw nothing, but your guide seems to have sensed something.  Then, sure enough, the #1 rod pulls down ever so slowly, your guide says “BIG ONE”.  As you move for the rod you are cautioned, “remove it gently”.  Now you are ready, rod in hand and waiting for the time to strike. As the rod pulls down again, your guide says “wait, wait”.  The tension is fierce… now the rod slowly pulls down hard once more and you hear “STRIKE” and with that you strike hard.  Upon striking it seems you have hooked bottom, nothing but solid weight.  Then in an instant- your line is peeling off and it seems you may be spooled before the boat can be freed of its anchor.  Just then, the surface of the river erupts into splashing water and an 8 foot Sturgeon rises out of the depths like some kind of launched missile.

‌

You’ve just been introduced to your first Fraser River Sturgeon and it will be more than half an hour, and an arm aching battle before you and fish join together in the water of the Fraser River to capture this moment on camera.

‌

Events like these unfold many times during our Sturgeon fishing season on the Fraser River and your ticket to an adventure is just a phone call away.

...on your day of Salmon or Sturgeon fishing from the boat!
Typically, you will meet your fishing guide at the Island 22 boat launch on Cartmell Rd. in Chilliwack between 7:30 am and 8:30 am.
During peak season, there is a gatehouse booth as you enter the parking area of Island 22 Regional Park. You will be required to pay a small parking fee, roughly $5 for the day (they accept cash and cards).
Rod likes to arrive early to prep the boat, the gear, and himself for an awesome day of hardcore fishing!
Please be mindful of the time, and try not to arrive any earlier than 15 minutes before your scheduled start time. Being an early bird in this scenario might throw your guide off his game and you don’t want that, haha!
Once everyone has climbed on board, Rod will give you a very quick safety rundown regarding life jackets, first aid, and emergency supplies. If you have any additional safety questions at that time or throughout the day, PLEASE do not hesitate to ask!
As soon as everyone has settled into a seat on the boat, and maybe made a last minute visit to the outhouse at Island 22 shore, you will be off for your fishing adventure on the Fraser/Harrison River! There is no toilet on the boat, so if you need to go during the day, it will be a nature visit.
Your fishing guide will be prepared with all of the gear and bait/tackle required for your day of fishing. Once he has found the first fishing hole of the day, he will get the rods loaded and in the water, and proceed with any instruction you’ll need to catch your fish!
You can expect your guide to move fishing spots at least a few times throughout the day, unless of course you happen to find a spot that is on fire, hooking fish all day long!
Where exactly on the river(s) you will be fishing changes each day, depending on the conditions and where the fish are sitting or travelling. The Harrison River runs into the Fraser, so on some days you might fish in both! There is a pretty significant colour difference between the two rivers, and most of the time you can see a pretty sharp line of colour as you travel from the darker Fraser River, into the clear watered Harrison.
After an awesome day of fishing and taking in the outdoors, you will travel back to the Island 22 boat launch where your adventure began. (Our fishing trips from the boat are a full day, 8 hours long)
Be sure to remember all of your belongings from the boat, and if anything is left behind, please be sure to let us know as soon as you notice.