One of the most definitive websites about fishing in British Columbia has featured the angling opportunities in Castlegar. In a story that ran earlier this year, FishingBC detailed the incredible rainbow trout fishing opportunities in and near the small West Kootenay city. Called “The Heart of the Kootenays,” the story concentrates on the mighty Columbia River, which winds its way through the center of Castlegar and offers up world-class fishing of all kinds.

The main focus of the article is the fact that “Castlegar might be one of the province’s greatest opportunities for chasing rainbow trout on dry flies” and it says the best time to go after them is during the annual Caddis fly hatches, which take place in early summer. “Though the Columbia is a giant waterbody, it offers a diversity in structure, as well as numerous back eddies which fish will slip into to feed,” the article says. “Oftentimes anglers will find teams of dozens of rainbows feeding in current seams during a caddis emergence. These hatches can often begin late in the afternoon, and carry on well past dark.”

We’ve featured the sport of fishing in Castlegar before, in such articles as “The Best Fishing Holes in Castlegar” and “The Largest Kokanee Salmon on Earth” and what always amazes is the plethora of opportunities in the city for anglers of all kinds. Whatever your preferred method of fishing, whether it’s reel fishing, trolling, or fly-fishing, you’ll find amazing waters all around the Castlegar area. The Columbia River tends to get the lion’s share of attention, but there are also lots of lake fishing to be had in smaller waters such as Nancy Greene Lake and Champion Lake. But none compare in size to the 230-kilometre-long Arrow Lakes, located just north of the city. The two lakes, which were formed when the valley was flooded for hydroelectric purposes in the 1960s, are popular with both shore and boat anglers and the lower section of the lake is where local angler Denis Woodcox recently caught a world-record Kokanee salmon that weighed over 12 pounds.

The FishingBC article goes on to state that Castlegar is more than just a great destination for anglers. It reads: “Aside from excellent fishing, Castlegar is a great family attraction offering a variety of activities including golfing, hiking, mountain biking, and experiencing the rich culture of Castlegar and the Kootenay region of British Columbia.

It’s important to remember that all anglers must have an annual provincial freshwater fishing license in order to fish in Castlegar and they can be purchased online as well as at multiple locations in town including Canadian Tire and Castlegar Sport & Fly Shop.

For a list of fishing guides and charters in the city, visit our Fishing Page on the website. And to read the FishingBC article in its entirety, log on to the story on at: “The Heart of the Kootenays.”