Identification and biology
The white sturgeon is, in the words of the federal recovery strategy, the largest and longest-lived freshwater fish species in North America, and fish of over 6 metres and over 100 years of age have been reported in the Fraser River. It has a mainly cartilaginous skeleton, rows of large bony plates called scutes along the back and sides, a shark-like tail and four barbels between the mouth and a long snout, and it feeds by suction from the bottom. In the lower Fraser it has a broader diet than elsewhere in BC, from estuarine fish and invertebrates to eulachon and the salmon runs. It grows slowly and matures late: females may first spawn at 26 and males at 11, and often later.
Where they live through the year
The lower Fraser, from the estuary up past Mission, Chilliwack and Hope, is the heart of the fishery. Sturgeon hold in the deep channels, the back eddies and the holes, and the recovery strategy links their movements to feeding, overwintering and spawning. From 15 May to 31 July the province lists seven voluntary and three mandatory sturgeon angling closure areas between the Harrison confluence and just above Hope, to protect spawning sites.
The mistakes that cost fish
Removing a sturgeon from the water: the Fraser fishery is catch and release only, every sturgeon must be released, and the province’s guidelines for angling white sturgeon set out how. Fishing without the White Sturgeon Conservation Licence, needed on top of the basic licence from the CPR bridge at Mission upstream to the Williams Lake River. Using gear too light for a fish that can weigh more than a person, which prolongs the fight.
Reading the report for sturgeon
The Fraser gauge at Mission shows the freshet in spring and early summer, when the river is high and hard to fish, and the lower, clearer water of fall and winter, prime sturgeon months. The salmon runs, which DFO tracks, bring the fish in.
Where to fish them in Canada
On this site, white sturgeon are on the Fraser River at Mission page, with the live Water Survey of Canada gauge at Mission. The gauge shows the freshet that makes the river high and brown from May into July, and the lower, clearer water of fall and winter that suits sturgeon fishing. The page explains the conservation licence and the handling rules that keep the fish in the water. Four of the six Canadian populations, in the Nechako, the upper Fraser, the upper Columbia and the Kootenay, are listed as endangered under the Species at Risk Act; the lower Fraser is not one of them.
Tackle setups
| Situation | Setup | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Anchored in the channel | 2.4 m heavy rod, 36 to 45 kg braid, heavy leader, barbless circle hook, 170 to 450 g sinker | Holds bait on the bottom in the Fraser current |
| Bait | Salmon roe, eulachon or salmon pieces | Sturgeon follow the salmon runs and feed on eggs and carcasses |
| Back eddy from the bank | 3 m heavy rod, 30 kg line, sliding sinker rig | Fish hold in the slower water off the current |
| Handling | Large rubberised net or a sling; keep the fish in the water | The synopsis rules on handling protect the fish |
Playbook by water temperature
The plan the daily report picks for white sturgeon in each band; the water temperature on each page is a seasonal estimate for its type of water and says so.
Hot water (over 27 °C)
Deep holes and the edges of the main current, with bait on the bottom; keep the fight short in warm water.
Warm water (18 to 27 °C)
Bait on the bottom in the back eddies and deep runs, following the salmon runs.
Cool water (10 to 18 °C)
The salmon runs bring the fish: roe and salmon parts in the deep holes.
Cold water (under 10 °C)
Deep, slow water with bait on the bottom; fewer fish, big fish.
The legal season is a separate question
Activity says when the fish bite; the agency says when you may keep one. These are the closures that name white sturgeon, computed for 2026 from each rule as written and read on the date shown. A province with no row publishes no closure for this species, which is not the same as open all year.
| State | Fishery | 2026 | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | White sturgeon, Region 2 | Open all year; release only the rest of the year, never kept | White sturgeon are catch and release only; the Jesperson’s, Herrling Island and Seabird Island side channels are closed to all fishing 15 May to 31 July, and the non-tidal Fraser is closed at night. | Government of British Columbia, 2025-2027 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis, Region 2, read 2026-09-27 |
Month by month
Activity for the Canadian year, 1 slow to 5 peak; January is midwinter, with most lakes under ice. Current month highlighted.
Waters we cover for white sturgeon
1 Canada waters carry white sturgeon on their species card, each with a daily report.
Common questions
Can I keep a white sturgeon?
No. From Mission up the Fraser watershed the fishery is catch and release only, with its own conservation licence, and every sturgeon must be released.
Where can I fish for sturgeon in BC?
The lower Fraser River, from the estuary up past Mission, Chilliwack and Hope; the conservation licence is needed from the CPR bridge at Mission upstream, and some spawning areas close from 15 May to 31 July.
Do I need a guide for sturgeon?
No, but a guided trip is the simplest way to fish sturgeon with the right gear and handling.
Pages checked
- canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/re
- www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/recreation/fishing-hunting/fishing/rec
The facts on this page were checked against these pages, from the agencies, park services and operators that manage the water on September 27, 2026; anything we could not verify was taken out.