Dean River fishing regulations
Dean River is a river or stream in Region 5 (Cariboo), management unit 5-9. Here is what the 2025–2027 synopsis says about it, and the regional rules that apply on top.
Rules for Dean River
- No Fishing upstream of Iltasyuko River *, including upstream of Anahim Lake *, Apr 1-June 14
- No Fishing from Iltasyuko River to Crag Creek *
- No Fishing from Crag Creek to fishing boundary signs approximately 500 m upstream of canyon *, Oct 1-May 31
- No Fishing from fishing boundary signs approximately 500 m upstream of canyon to signs 100 m downstream of canyon
- No Fishing from fishing boundary signs approximately 100 m downstream of canyon to tidal boundary, Oct 1 - May 31
- Trout/char daily quota = 1 (none under 35 cm)
- Bait ban all parts *
- Fly fishing only from (a) Anahim Lake to Iltasyuko River, June 15- Mar 31, and (b) Crag Creek to fishing boundary signs approximately 500 m upstream of canyon, July 15-Sept 30
- No powered boats between signs 0.5 km and 3.5 km upstream of canyon, Aug 1-Aug 31
- From Crag Creek to signs 500 m upstream of the canyon *: Class I water June 1-Sept 30 and Steelhead Stamp mandatory June 1-Sept 30; see map below (Non-residents see notice on page 42)
- From signs 100 m downstream of canyon to tidal boundary *: Class I water June 1-Sept 30 and Steelhead Stamp mandatory June 1-Sept 30: see map below
- From Anahim Lake to Iltasyuko River *: Class II water June 16-Oct 31 (see map below); Steelhead Stamp not required
- NOTE: "canyon" means lower canyon 3-5 km from river’s mouth
Region 5 quotas
Unless the rules above set a different quota for Dean 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 · Chilcotin River · Horsefly River · Canim Lake · Bridge Lake