Chilcotin River fishing regulations
Chilcotin River is a river or stream in Region 5 (Cariboo), management units 5-12, 5-13, 5-14. Here is what the 2025–2027 synopsis says about it, and the regional rules that apply on top.
Rules for Chilcotin River
- No Fishing upstream of Chilko River, Apr 1-June 30
- No Fishing downstream of Chilko River, Oct 1-June 10
- No trout/char under 30 cm downstream of Chilko River
- No hooks greater than 15 mm from point to shank, Oct 1-May 31; bait ban
- No angling from powered boats
- Downstream of Chilko River *: Class II water Oct 1-May 31 and Steelhead Stamp mandatory Oct 1-May 31 (if opened for fall or spring fishing; see Notice on page 42)
Region 5 quotas
Unless the rules above set a different quota for Chilcotin River:
- Region 5 daily quotas: Trout/char: 5, but not more than 1 over 50 cm, 2 from streams, 1 Dolly Varden/bull trout, 2 lake trout. You must release all steelhead, lake trout Oct 1-Nov 30, bull trout (Dolly Varden) from streams Aug 1-Oct 31.
- Bass: 0 quota, closed to all fishing. Kokanee: 5 (none from streams). Whitefish: 15 (all species combined). White sturgeon: closed to all fishing in the Fraser River watershed upstream of Williams Lake River; catch and release downstream of and including Williams Lake River; closed in the Fraser River downstream of and including Williams Lake River Sept 15-July 15.
Other Region 5 rules for streams
- Spring closure: No fishing in any stream in Fraser River Watershed of Region 5 (including the Thompson River Watershed) from Apr 1-June 30, EXCEPT the mainstem of the Fraser River and other streams listed in the tables.
- Single barbless hook: must be used in all streams of Region 5, all year.
- Chilcotin River downstream of Chilko River is closed to all fishing from October 1 through June 10.
Know your fish
The rules here name these fish. Not sure what you caught?
More waters in the Cariboo
Quesnel Lake · Quesnel River · Dragon Lake · Chilko River · Dean River · Horsefly River · Canim Lake · Bridge Lake