CHILLIWACK/VEDDER RIVER

Without question the Vedder / Chilliwack River is the most popular river on the lower mainland.  The Vedder / Chilliwack is not two separate streams like its name suggests, but simply a name change partway up the river.  A bridge crosses the river where it leaves the mountain valley and flows onto the Fraser Valley flood plain. Below the bridge the river is called the Vedder; above the bridge it is known as the Chilliwack. Anglers usually refer to the whole fishing section simply as the Vedder.  Above the Slesse Creek tributary the river is closed to fishing, and anglers refer to this section as the Chilliwack.

The river provides year-round recreation for hikers, kayakers and anglers.  The Chilliwack part of the Trans-Canada Trail (also called the Rotary Trail) borders the river for several kilometres from the Vedder River crossing and there are also camping and picnic facilities by the river.  There are very few months that anglers can’t fish for something. Winter steelhead start entering the Vedder in late November and continue to do so until May.  In June, summer run Chinook salmon start their migration up this stream. Most Chinook are “white springs” and were introduced to the Vedder from stock taken from the Harrison.  Overlapping these runs are very late running steelhead and very early running Chinook.  In late September, Coho salmon start running up the Vedder along with fall run Chinook.  The Coho fishing continues to get better until it peaks in late October.  It’s still possible to get a bright Coho in early December, just when the Steelheading is about to start.  Besides salmon there are Rainbow and Cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden char and Rocky Mountain Whitefish.  Whitefish are under-utilized and provide great sport on light tackle.

Species Guide: Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Cutthroat Trout, Dolly Varden, Rocky Mountain Whitefish

Lat: 49.098346 Long: -122.001157