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BC Non Resident License Fees

4K views 16 replies 13 participants last post by  mdjm66 
#1 ·
Having a fantasy about getting a cheap place in BC to spend some time in Summer/Fall chasing fish. Other than high cost of about everything, can anyone advise on license fees? I presume I'd need an NR Alien fishing license for trout and then daily fees for Steelhead on Classified Waters like the Bulkley, Morice? Seems like that might add up over a season..........
 
#2 ·
I just got back from doing a week in the interior and a week on Vancouver island. My numbers might be , but it was cheaper for me to buy an annual NR-alien license than two eight day NR non-tidal permits $80.00 vs 2 X $50.00). The fresh water license is from BC, but if you want to try the salt then you need to buy a Canadian NR license, but they sale them by the day, which I think was $7.00 plus $6.00 for salmon stamp.

It is a fantasy and the fishing was well worth the price. I can guarantee you that the licenses will be the cheapest part of the trip. Everything was spendy up there, gas food, beer and lodging. I flew to Seattle and drove around in a US rental car. The ferry to the island was about $100.00 each way. Having said that, I would do it again in a minute given the sites and the fishing. All in all, I spent about $2,000 including airfare and rental car. The fishing was fantastic and the people awesome. I cannot speak to any of the special permit areas you mentioned.
 
#5 ·
An annual non-resident alien license is $80, $50 for an 8-day.

Then add $60 for a steelhead conservation license, regardless of term of basic license.

Then add $20/day for classified waters like the Morice, Bulkley, Skeena, Kispiox, Copper, Thompson, and $40/day for the Dean, Babine, and Sustut. There are some non-classified steelhead rivers, but all the well known ones are classified.

It could get expensive over the season if you have time to fish a lot. And you cannot fish on weekends on most classified waters.

Sg
 
#7 ·
Like anywhere else, the fishing can be good or bad depending on run size and conditions. However I find the manners and lack of nymphers worth the price to fish even with the daily ticket costs. These 2 things make the camping that much better.

Go Sox,
cds
 
#13 ·
To put it in perspective it costs $86 to fish fresh water of Washington for a year (subsidizing a hatchery program) if you are a non res. Also it cost $38 for three days of non res fishing for steelhead on the clearwater (for mostly hatchery fish) $13/day for hatchery fish in Idaho or $20 for native fish in BC.

I think the choice is clear.
 
#17 ·
Here is the site to give you all the information you need about the BC Freshwater Fishing licenses.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/licences/#Conservation
How much time are you wanting to spend up here?
What type of fishing would you like to do?

Region 6 regs identifies the class of the rivers. PLus I believe you can only get a classified water license for 8 consecutive days and no fishing by non canadians on the weekends between sept 1 and oct 31.

It would add up for a non-resident alien (US Citizen who resides in the US not Canada).
$170 for an annual license with a steelhead and salmon tag.
$40/day for class 1 classified waters
$20 /day for class 2 classified waters

I fish a bit down south of the border and it is definitely cheaper to fish in Wa state, but, Oregon is a different story.

Camping would be your best bet for accomodations.
Booze is expensive up here, along with gas, but $3.50 for a candy bar?

Southern Oregon does have some great rivers to fish that time of year as well.
 
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