Vancouver Island · DFO freshwater salmonRiver salmonDFO, federal, fresh water

Nitinat River

DFO's current salmon fishing rules for Nitinat 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.

between fishing boundary signs located approximately 100m above and below Red Rock Pool.

Colonial River - see Cayeghle River

SpeciesDatesLimits / Gear
AllAug 25 to Dec 31Finfish closure

downstream of Parker Creek, except in the areas and times described below.

Colonial River - see Cayeghle River

SpeciesDatesLimits / Gear
ChinookAug 25 to Sep 302 per day, only 1 over 77 cm.
ChumAug 25 to Sep 30Non-retention
ChumOct 16 to Dec 31Non-retention
CohoAug 25 to Sep 302 hatchery marked per day
CohoOct 16 to Dec 312 hatchery marked per day

from the powerline crossing upstream of the Nitinat River Hatchery water intake, downstream to the lowest point of confluence with the Little Nitinat River and then perpendicular to the flow of the Nitinat River, to the opposite shore

Colonial River - see Cayeghle River

SpeciesDatesLimits / Gear
AllApr 1 to Mar 31Finfish closure

Nitinat River from 50m upstream to 50m downstream of the Nitinat River bridge.

Colonial River - see Cayeghle River

SpeciesDatesLimits / Gear
AllAug 25 to Oct 15Finfish closure

upstream of Parker Creek

Colonial River - see Cayeghle River

SpeciesDatesLimits / Gear
AllApr 1 to Mar 31No fishing for salmon
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 Nitinat 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.

Scraped Sep 21, 2026 from DFO's Vancouver Island freshwater salmon regulations page. All Vancouver Island waters · Search another water · Current Fishery Notices

See something wrong?

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.