Dean River

River Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Crown Land (Free)

About this spot

Dean River is a river located in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast area of British Columbia. This waterbody sits on British Columbia Crown land open to anglers holding a valid BC fishing licence. British Columbia's rivers and streams provide excellent fishing for Pacific salmon, rainbow trout, and cutthroat trout.

Location

Fish Species

No species reported for this spot yet.

Winter fishing on Dean River

Dean River is in fishing Region 5 (Cariboo). BC has no separate ice fishing season, so the regular rules apply through the ice: the 2025-2027 synopsis lists rules of its own for this water, shown below, on top of the regional quotas.

Dean River · MU 5-9

No Fishing upstream of Iltasyuko River, including upstream of Anahim Lake, Apr 1-June 14
No Fishing from Iltasyuko River to Crag Creek
No Fishing from Crag Creek to fishing boundary signs approximately 500 m upstream of canyon , Oct 1-May 31
No Fishing from fishing boundary signs approximately 500 m upstream of canyon to signs 100 m downstream of canyon
No Fishing from fishing boundary signs approximately 100 m downstream of canyon to tidal boundary, Oct 1 - May 31
Trout/char daily quota = 1 (none under 35 cm)
Bait ban all parts
Fly fishing only from (a) Anahim Lake to Iltasyuko River, June 15- Mar 31, and (b) Crag Creek to fishing boundary signs approximately 500 m upstream of canyon, July 15-Sept 30
No powered boats between signs 0.5 km and 3.5 km upstream of canyon, Aug 1-Aug 31
From Crag Creek to signs 500 m upstream of the canyon : Class I water June 1-Sept 30 and Steelhead Stamp mandatory June 1-Sept 30; see map below (Non-residents see notice on page 42)
From signs 100 m downstream of canyon to tidal boundary : Class I water June 1-Sept 30 and Steelhead Stamp mandatory June 1-Sept 30: see map below
From Anahim Lake to Iltasyuko River: Class II water June 16-Oct 31 (see map below); Steelhead Stamp not required
NOTE: "canyon" means lower canyon 3-5 km from river’s mouth

Region 5 daily quotas

Trout/char: 5, but not more than 1 over 50 cm, 2 from streams, 1 Dolly Varden/bull trout and 2 lake trout. Release all steelhead, lake trout Oct 1-Nov 30, and bull trout from streams Aug 1-Oct 31.
Bass: 0 quota, closed to all fishing
Burbot: 5
Kokanee: 5 (none from streams)

All Region 5 quotas, closed and aerated lakes →

Source: BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis 2025-2027, matched to this water by name and management unit. Check in-season changes on the same page. No regulation makes ice safe: test it yourself. Ice fishing in BC guide.