Chilliwack / Vedder River
Salmon boundary signs 100 m below Slesse Creek, downstream through Vedder Crossing and the canal to the Fraser (incl. Sumas River below Barrowtown Pump Station) · Region 2 freshwater · hatchery-supported system
Limits and restrictions
Across this region, not just this water
Individual species limits also apply. DFO Region 2, daily limit preamble
River boundaries
Detail map of the Chilliwack/Vedder River. The fishable reach, from the salmon boundary 100 metres below Slesse Creek downstream through Vedder Crossing and the Vedder Canal to the Fraser River, is OPEN (chinook, coho). The Chilliwack River above the boundary is closed to salmon year-round. The Chilliwack River Hatchery sits upstream of the boundary.
Upstream salmon boundary. DFO Region 2: the fishery runs "from a line between 2 fishing boundary signs on either side of the Chilliwack River 100 m downstream from the confluence of the Chilliwack River and Slesse Creek downstream". No salmon fishing above this line, even when the river is open.
Vedder Crossing. The bridge anglers use to describe the river: below it is the lower river and the canal, above it the upper Chilliwack River.
Chilliwack River Hatchery. 55205 Chilliwack Lake Rd. Sits upstream of the salmon boundary; the fishable water ends below it, not at it.
Barrowtown Pump Station. DFO Region 2 includes "that portion of the Sumas River from the Barrow Town Pump Station downstream to fishing boundary signs near the confluence with the Fraser River" in this fishery. Below the pump station the Sumas carries the Chilliwack/Vedder limits; above it, it is not part of this water.
Timing
Time-of-day rule. “You can only fish for salmon in Region 2 during daylight hours.” (DFO Region 2, preamble) DFO defines daylight hours as “The hours that start one hour before sunrise and end one hour after sunset. Sunrise and sunset refer to the times for those events calculated by the National Research Council of Canada.” (DFO recreational fishing definitions)
Fishery regulations and notices
Last checked: Tue, Oct 6, 2026 · 7:29 p.m. PDT
A fishery notice outranks the regulation table when the two disagree.
When fish are typically in
Chinook typically enter the Chilliwack / Vedder River August through November.
Sockeye typically enter the Chilliwack / Vedder River August through November (includes endangered Cultus fish).
Pink typically enter the Chilliwack / Vedder River September through October (odd years).
Coho typically enter the Chilliwack / Vedder River October through December.
Chum typically enter the Chilliwack / Vedder River October through December.
Almanac
A timeline of moon phase, observed rain, observed barometric pressure and the river gauge level across a day back and two ahead. Tide turns, river levels and pressure trend are also given in text on the water pages and map callouts.
Licence
| BC freshwater licence (Region 2) + conservation surcharge stamp to retain salmon. Seasonal bait bans and gear restrictions apply on parts of the system; check the Region 2 table before you go. VERIFY |