FISH SPECIES
B.C. Fish Species
British Columbia’s sport fish include salmon, trout, char, steelhead, sturgeon, rockfish, lingcod and halibut.
Aside from these popular species, there are also dozens of other less-known fish species that are found in this region. Here is a list of fish species that you may encounter when fishing in British Columbia.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Category |
| American shad |
Alosa sapidissima |
Anadromous |
| Black rockfish |
Sebastes melanops |
Saltwater |
| Brook trout |
Salvelinus fontinalis |
Freshwater |
| Bull trout |
Salvelinus confluentus |
Anadromous, freshwater |
| Cabezone |
Scorpaenichthys marmoratus |
Saltwater |
| Chinook salmon |
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha |
Saltwater |
| Chub mackerel |
Scomber japonicus |
Saltwater |
| Chum salmon |
Oncorhynchus keta |
Anadromous |
| Coastal cutthroat trout |
Oncorhynchus clarki clarki |
Anadromous, freshwater |
| Coho salmon |
Oncorhyncus kisutch |
Anadromous |
| Common carp |
Cyprinus carpio |
Freshwater |
| Copper rockfish |
Sebastes caurinus |
Saltwater |
| English sole |
Parophrys vetulus |
Saltwater |
| Eulachon |
Thaleichthys pacificus |
Anadromous |
| Kokanee |
Oncorhynchus nerka |
Freshwater |
| Largemouth bass |
Micropterus salmoides |
Freshwater |
| Largescale sucker |
Catostomus macrocheilus |
Freshwater |
| Lingcod |
Ophiodon elongatus |
Saltwater |
| Mountain whitefish |
Prosopium williamsoni |
Freshwater |
| Northern pikeminnow |
Ptychocheilus oregonensis |
Freshwater |
| Pacific halibut |
Hippoglossus stenolepis |
Saltwater |
| Pacific herring |
Clupea pallasii |
Saltwater |
| Pacific sanddab |
Citharichthys sordidus |
Saltwater |
| Pacific sand lance |
Ammodytes hexapterus |
Saltwater |
| Pacific staghorn sculpin |
Leptocottus armatus |
Saltwater |
| Peamouth chub |
Mylcheilus caurinus |
Freshwater |
| Pink salmon |
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha |
Anadromous |
| Quillback rockfish |
Sebastes maliger |
Saltwater |
| Rainbow trout |
Oncorhynchus mykiss |
Freshwater |
| Redside shiner |
Richardsonius balteatus |
Freshwater |
| Shiner perch |
Cymatogaster aggregata |
Saltwater |
| Smallmouth bass |
Micropterus dolomieui |
Freshwater |
| Sockeye salmon |
Oncorhynchus nerka |
Anadromous |
| Spiny dogfish |
Squalus acanthias |
Saltwater |
| Starry flounder |
Platichthys stellatus |
Saltwater |
| Steelhead |
Oncorhynchus mykiss |
Anadromous |
| Westslope cutthroat trout |
Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi |
Freshwater |
| White spotted greenling |
Hexagrammos stelleri |
Saltwater |
| White sturgeon |
Acipenser transmontanus |
Anadromous, freshwater |
| Yellow perch |
Latest Posts
Durrance Lake, Mount Work Regional Park
Just a short drive from either Victoria or the ferry terminal in Sidney, Durrance Lake is an excellent fishing location for...
Coastal Cutthroat Trout
Like a pack of wolves in the forest, the illusive coastal cutthroat travel in schools along kelp beds, estuaries, bays, rivers...
Black Rockfish
Black rockfish is a rockfish species found in the coastal waters of British Columbia. Their primary habitat is kelp beds, where...