What lies beneath the surface of BC’s lakes and rivers makes for a lifetime of tales and fabulous memories, and now with a few clicks of your mouse it’s easier than ever to interact with the unique cast of characters in provincial waters. E-licensing gives anglers the opportunity to purchase their freshwater licence online and help sustain the resource so that fish tales can be told for years to come.

Fishing in BC offers more variety than a good night of speed dating. Whatever your ‘taste’, our waters run rich with an assortment of scaled sea-life, some beautiful, some elusive and each with their own unique personality and characteristics. Get to know some of BC finest and most fabulous fish – not all are your everyday catchables, but some may play the lead role in your own greatest fishing tale ever told.

1. The White Sturgeon – North America’s largest freshwater fish, the white sturgeon lives in the muddy waters of the Fraser River. Bragging rights are duly granted to anyone who can reel in one of these underwater giants which can reach weights exceeding 1000 pounds. A real life version of a creature more likely found in a Harry Potter novel, the white sturgeon is long and cylindrical, ranges in colour from white to grey, and can grow to the length of a small school bus. Special tackle, a properly rigged boat and an appreciation for a good adrenaline rush is needed to fish for a sturgeon – once the hook is set they are off and fighting!

Best places to find them in BC: Two of the six populations of white sturgeon are allowed to be fished as catch and release fisheries on the Fraser River downstream of the mouth of the Williams Lake River.

2. Brook Trout – Despite their name, the brook trout is found in BC lakes and is actually a member of the char family. The brook trout also answers to Brookie, Square-Tail or Speckled Char and various other nicknames. These fish are Ontario transplants, the original brook trout eggs were brought to BC around the 1930s. Be sure not to double cross the brook trout, this feisty game fish has a reputation for being hard fighting and is easily identified by their red spots surrounded by blue halo markings. Despite their fighting ways, Brookie is also described as shy and spooky and can be fished by artificial fly, spin casting or live bait.

Best places to find them in BC: Brook trout lakes include Upper and Lower Second lakes near Merritt, Jewel lake in Jewel Lake Provincial Park near Greenwood, Raven Lake near Williams Lake and Co-op Lake near Burns Lake.

3. Westslope Cutthroat Trout – When humans are referred to as being cutthroat, they have the Westslope Cutthroat to thank. The markings on this fish’s lower jaw have a distinct red or orange slash mark, as though it has a sliced throat. A relative of the more tamely named Rainbow Trout, the Westslope Cutthroat is also an array of colours, especially in males during spawning. In the productive rivers of the East Kootenays, these fish can reach lengths of 50 cm. Despite their tough name, the Westslope Cutthroat is a palate-pleaser, their orange-red flesh boasts excellent flavour when smoked, fried or baked.

Best places to find them in BC: The Elk River near Fernie, St. Mary's River near Kimberley and the Bull River near Cranbrook.

4. Dolly Varden – The only fish in BC with a first and last name, Dolly Varden are trying to improve the bad reputation they have for sometimes feeding on the eggs of young salmon. With a trout-like body, these char were the victims of mistaken identity until the early 1990s when it was discovered they were not bull trout. The body of the Dolly Varden is covered in light speckles and they are known to live until 12 years of age.

Best places to find them in BC: Cultus Lake in Chilliwack.

5. Kokanee – These fish are sockeye salmon’s freshwater cousins, they live their entire lives in freshwater and are some of BC’s most popular game fish. The Kokanee gets dressed up for spawning season, their normally silver sides and blue or grey back turns bright red and their head’s green. Populations of Kokanee are abundant in BC, however large rainbow and bull trout like to eat at least two adult sized Kokanee every day of the year.

Best places to find them in BC: Found in many lakes in mainland BC, Okanagan and Wood lakes in the Okanagan are popular fisheries. Southern Cariboo lakes such as Bridge, Deka, Horse, Sulphurous, Ten Mile Lake in Ten Mile Lake Provincial Park north of Quesnel, Tyee lake near Williams Lake, Kawkawa Lake near Hope, Wahleach Lake near Chilliwack.

6 . Brown Trout – Attractive, elusive and an import from Europe and Western Asia, the brown trout is the true meaning of a slippery fish - smart and difficult to catch. Anglers play amateur psychiatrist to get inside the minds of the brown trout, learning the behaviour is the best way to catch these fish which average in size around 16 inches. The Brown Trout was introduced to North American waters in 1883, and since then has been dazzling anglers with their distinct features, black spots on their backs and rusty reds spots on their sides.

Best places to find them in BC: On Vancouver Island in the Cowichan and Little Qualicum rivers.

7. Burbot – Like those bigger kids you always avoided in the playground, the Burbot is a fish best let alone, if you are a smaller fish that is. Lying near the bottom of deep cool lakes and rivers, the Burbot is a predator able to swallow fish nearly their own size. Looking like a teenager with one too many facial piercings, the Burbot has a flattened head with a long snout and a whisker like appendage, called a barbell, on its chin and at each nostril. Despite their motley appearance, anglers have discovered Burbot are great for fish & chips.

Best places to find them in BC: Charlie Lake northwest of Fort St. John and Tyhee Lake in Tyhee Lake Provincial Park east of Smithers.

By going to http://www.fishing.gov.bc.ca/ anglers can register and purchase their freshwater fishing licences by following a few easy steps. All that is needed is a credit card and a printer for printing a licence.