Chinook & burbot — Okanagan & BC Interior
Shuswap specialties — summer chinook salmon trolling and winter burbot jigging.
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Oncorhynchus tshawytscha & Lota lota
- Habitat
- Shuswap Lake system.
- Typical size
- Chinook 5–15 lbs, burbot 3–8 lbs
- Peak season
- Chinook summer; burbot winter
- How we catch them
- Chinook: downrigger trolling. Burbot: winter jigging with heavy lit jigs (artificial-only)
Landlocked chinook
Shuswap Lake holds a landlocked population of chinook salmon — freshwater-adapted kings. They grow slower and smaller than ocean chinook but still hit 10+ lbs and put up a proper fight.
When we fish them
Summer. Specifically late June through August. Deep trolling (80–120 ft) with big Apex plugs or squid-pattern hoochies.
Burbot (ling cod of the lake)
Burbot are a freshwater cod. Ugly, weird, and absolutely delicious. They come alive in winter when surface temps are coldest and the rest of the lake slows down. We jig for them at 60–120 ft over structural drop-offs, heavy jigs tipped with cut bait, fished right on bottom.
Burbot eating
Often called "poor man's lobster" for a reason. Firm white flesh, similar to cod. Worth the weird-looking species photo.
See also
Want to catch one? Book a Kelowna charter and we'll put you on them.
Book a Chinook & burbot trip
from $350 · 7 days a week · 3 seats · up to 5 people