Babine River fishing regulations
Babine River is a river or stream in Region 6 (Skeena), management unit 6-8. Here is what the 2025–2027 synopsis says about it, and the regional rules that apply on top.
Rules for Babine River
- Angling prohibited for non-guided non-resident aliens on Saturdays and Sundays from the juvenile fish counting weir located at the outlet of Nilkitkwa Lake to the Nilkitkwa River confluence, Sept 1-Oct 31 (See map page 56)
- No Fishing between fishing boundary signs approximately 100 m upstream of and 80 m downstream of the adult fish counting fence, located approximately 1.8 km downstream of Nilkitkwa Lake
- Open all year in the stream channel known as “Rainbow Alley” located between Babine and Nilkitkwa lakes (see map 2 page 51)
- Fly fishing only (a) from the Fort Babine Bridge downstream to signs 100 m upstream of the adult fish counting fence (including Nilkitkwa Lake), during open times and (b) from signs about 80 m downstream of the adult fish counting fence to Nichyeskwa Creek, June 16-Sept 30; includes "Rainbow Alley"
- Bait ban
- No angling from boats from the adult fish counting fence (described above) downstream to the Babine River’s confluence with the Skeena River
- Class 1 water Sept 1-Oct 31; Steelhead Stamp mandatory Sept 1-Oct 31 from the juvenile fish counting weir located at the outlet of Nilkitkwa Lake downstream to the Babine River’s confluence with the Skeena River (See map page 56)
- Classified water (CW): a Classified Waters Licence is needed while it is classified (see this water's rows and page 7).
Region 6 quotas
Unless the rules above set a different quota for Babine River:
- No fishing: in all rivers and streams for steelhead, May 15-June 15. Exemptions include mainstem portions of the Skeena, Nass, Iskut, Stikine and Taku rivers not currently closed under the existing winter/spring closure.
- Region 6 daily quotas: Trout/char: 5, but not more than 1 over 50 cm (quota includes hatchery steelhead), 3 Dolly Varden/bull trout and/or lake trout combined, 1 trout from streams July 1-Oct 31. You must release all Dolly Varden/bull trout from streams all year, trout under 30 cm from any stream, trout of any size from streams Nov 1-June 30, lake trout from Fraser and Skeena watersheds Sept 15-Nov 30, all wild steelhead.
- Kokanee: 10 (none from streams). Whitefish: 15 (all species combined). White sturgeon: closed to all fishing.
Other Region 6 rules for streams
- Bait ban: In the Skeena River, including tributaries, and Nass River, including tributaries, year-round.
- No fishing: in any stream in the watersheds of the Skeena River upstream of Cedarvale or Nass River upstream of Kitsault Bridge, Jan 1-June 15 (Nass River mainstem is EXEMPT and Skeena River mainstem upstream of Cedarvale is only closed Jan 1-May 31). See tables for other exceptions.
- No fishing: in any stream in the Iskut River watershed (upstream of Forest Kerr Canyon), Apr 1-June 30; and in the Fraser River watershed in Region 6, Apr 1-June 30.
- Single barbless hook: must be used in all streams of Region 6, all year.
More waters in the Skeena
Skeena River · Bulkley River · Kispiox River · Babine Lake · Lakelse Lake · Lakelse River · Morice River · Kitimat River