Pink Salmon fishing in Canada

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha

Documented at: 73 waters
Primary species at: 0 waters
Ideal water temp: 9°C
Active range: 4–15°C

Best pink salmon waters today

Scored for 2026-09-14 from live weather, water temperature and this species’ own thermal range.

How to fish for pink salmon

Pink salmon are the smallest Pacific salmon and, in this region, an accidentally-introduced but now naturally-reproducing presence in parts of the Great Lakes, where they run up tributaries to spawn in late summer and fall. They're most accessible during that spawning run, when fish concentrate in and near rivers and take small spoons, spinners, and flies - males develop a pronounced humped back and hooked jaw as they stage. In open water they're a cold-water fish that keys on small baitfish, but they're rarely targeted deliberately there; the run is where anglers interact with them. Their compressed two-year life cycle historically produced stronger runs in alternating years, a pattern worth knowing locally. They're a smaller, lighter-tackle target than chinook or coho, and like other salmon are often subject to tightening harvest rules once fish are actively spawning.

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