Vancouver Island · DFO freshwater salmonRiver salmonDFO, federal, fresh water
Nanaimo River
DFO's current salmon fishing rules for Nanaimo River: species, season dates, and daily limits. Rules can change without notice, check current Fishery Notices.
You need a licence before you fishThe licence you need depends on the water, not the fish. In non-tidal fresh water (rivers and lakes above the tidal boundary), salmon go on the BC freshwater fishing licence (Province of BC) plus a Salmon Conservation Stamp. The BC Tidal Waters licence (DFO) is only for tidal waters. The rules on this page are DFO's either way.
from 500 meters below the lower power line crossing at "Bore Hole" upstream to the fishing boundary signs at the mouth of Boulder Creek
Colonial River - see Cayeghle River
Species
Dates
Limits / Gear
All
Apr 1 to Mar 31
No fishing
from the Cedar Road Bridge crossing upstream to the Highway 19 Bridge crossing
Colonial River - see Cayeghle River
Species
Dates
Limits / Gear
All
Sep 1 to Oct 15
No fishing
from the upstream side of the Cedar Road Bridge, upstream to the downstream side of the Highway 1 overpass
This is a plain-language summary, not the regulation itself. Always confirm at the source link before you fish. Rules can change without notice, and daily/possession limits for all species of Pacific salmon combined also apply on top of any individual species limit shown here.
Get told when this changes
We check DFO every hour. When the rules for Nanaimo River change, or a Fishery Notice names it or closes Region 1, you get one email.
We email to confirm before anything else, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe. Alerts point at the live page; they are never the rule themselves.
Rules change in-season and we'd rather hear it from you than have someone fish on bad information. Tell us what looks off and we'll check it against the source.