Indigenous-owned · 39 years on the Fraser River · TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice

Guided Fraser River Fishing Adventures

Our story

About Great River Fishing

Team Great River Fishing is one of the "Original" guiding companies on the Fraser River and tributaries. With exceptional attention to details and guides that have been trained over many years, this team is the Best in British Columbia for Freshwater Guide companies. The online reputation for credible and reliable experiences has set this company apart from all others. Team GRFA fishes all species and is well rounded in all fields. We are Indigenous owned, conservation driven, and on the water year round for more than 39 years. This is the largest Freshwater guide team left in British Columbia.

Great River Fishing Adventures offers professional guided charters on the Fraser River and its surrounding tributaries and lakes. Whether you're planning an individual outing, a group trip or a corporate adventure, we'll help you experience one of the world's top sport-fishing destinations with a proven team of expert guides.

We're an Indigenous-owned, Métis operator, and we've guided anglers here for more than 35 years. We fish the Fraser, Pitt, Lillooet and Columbia rivers, and cover every technique: fly-fishing, single- and double-handed Spey, sturgeon and steelhead. Every visit brings a different challenge.

Our story

Our love for the great prehistoric White Sturgeon is the foundation of everything we do, and the reason thousands of guests join us each year. Our guides are handpicked over many seasons, and they're on the water year-round, not just summers or the occasional weekend. That consistency is how we stay on top of where and when the fish are biting, across more than 150 km of river.

We keep our fleet and our crew in-house rather than contracting out, take the time to learn what each guest wants, and run as a true twelve-month operation. Much of our business comes from repeat clients and word-of-mouth referrals built over decades.

Our team has been involved in sturgeon tagging and monitoring since 1995, when the fishery was closed to retention. Since then we've helped to collectively tag more than 46,000 White Sturgeon and scan in excess of 90,000. Every fish is measured, scanned, fitted with a PIT tag and released unharmed. Government-documented studies of the catch-and-release fishery indicate a mortality rate of less than one percent.

Great River people

The team

Chasing sturgeon and fly-fishing are our passions, and our crew brings a combined century of dedicated experience to the river.

Experience at the helm

Owner & Professional Guide

Dean Werk

Born and raised in Chilliwack, Dean has fished British Columbia’s lakes and rivers for more than 40 years. He has worked in the sport-fishing industry for over two decades. He sits on the Board of Directors of the Fraser Valley Salmon Society and on the technical and community working groups for the recovery of White Sturgeon. Along the way he has built lasting relationships with local First Nations, including the Yale First Nation. Sturgeon are his true passion, alongside Spey casting for salmon, steelhead and trout. And he is dedicated to teaching the next generation to fish and to respect the resource.

“The journey never ends when you share the passion.”

Operations Manager

Rick Stahl

Rick came on board in 2017 to manage operations off the water and make sure your adventure is everything you expected. He has held a guiding licence since 1992 and spent 150+ days a year in the field for more than 25 seasons. That is a lifetime of local fishing knowledge, paired with the administrative skill to keep it all running smoothly.

Guides & crew

Professional Guide

Istvan File

A former competitive fly angler in Europe, Istvan adapted his skill and passion to BC waters. He is a true expert with both single- and double-handed rods for salmon and trout. He never rests on the water, always hunting the next bite. That drive makes him one of our most-requested guides.

Professional Guide

Landon Gill

Landon started fishing with Dean at six years old and became a professional guide at nineteen. An exceptional single- and double-handed fly guide, he navigates the Upper Pitt and Fraser Canyon with care, runs our Vedder River steelhead trips, and is our go-to for walk-and-wade. His knowledge of these rivers is unmatched.

Professional Guide

Michael Pillon

One of our long-term guides, Michael is laid-back with just enough focus to be a fish-catching machine. Born and raised in Chilliwack, he cut his teeth on Vedder River steelhead. Now he is one of our most-requested sturgeon guides, with a flair for salmon and a story for every bend in the river.

Conservation

Conservation is at the heart of our business. We work hand in hand with the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society, collecting data on every sturgeon that boards our boats. The catch-and-release tagging program records migration patterns and growth rates, and it's the anglers' diligence in tagging and recording that has kept this fishery open and flourishing. Guests are welcome to get hands-on and help our guides with the tagging process.

We also run a sturgeon education program with the science students of Southridge School in Surrey, giving young people the chance to meet these living dinosaurs up close, learn about the fishery and take part in real conservation work.

Beyond the river, we actively support organisations working to protect British Columbia's natural resources for future generations:

Ducks Unlimited Canada
Pacific Salmon Foundation
BC Wildlife Federation
Fraser Valley Salmon Society
Steelhead Society of BC
Sport Fishing Institute of BC
Fraser River Conservation Society

Our boats & equipment

Our fleet of more than twenty custom-welded river jet boats, 21 to 25 feet, is purpose-built for our local rivers. They run in as little as two feet of water and reach speeds over 45 mph. A full walk-through windshield and an enclosed removable top keep you comfortable in any weather. Each boat carries four to six, though we keep groups to four anglers for the best day on the water.

We supply all bait, terminal tackle and equipment in the finest name brands. No need to travel with cumbersome gear. You're always welcome to bring your own favourite tackle too.

20+: Boats in the fleet
21–25 ft: Custom welded
2 ft: Minimum draft
45+ mph: Top speed
4–6: Capacity

Why choose us

No two days on the river are ever the same, but our commitment to you is constant.

Our staff: Well-trained, courteous and professional guides who are attentive to your needs and share a single goal: making your trip the best it can be. No request is too small.
Our equipment: Every boat is fully outfitted, from the river jet machine to the bait and terminal tackle. When something goes wrong, we do whatever it takes to put it right, never at the expense of your trip or your safety.
The fishing: Every guest gets the chance at a quality experience whatever the season or location. We can't predict the exact day a "wow" will happen, but we provide the superior equipment, local knowledge and habitat in which they do. The rest is up to nature, your skill and a little good luck.
Our value: Because of our high standards, ours aren't the cheapest trips you'll find. But we're committed to the best value for your money. The difference is in the details.

On screen worldwide

As seen on

From the Fraser Canyon to screens around the world, our adventures and conservation work have drawn some of fishing television’s best-known storytellers.

Big fish. Untamed water. Global audiences.

“Fish Warrior”

National Geographic

World-record angler Jakub Vágner joined our team in search of a nine-foot White Sturgeon. He navigated the unforgiving Hells Gate section of the Fraser Canyon, water few operators are trained to run.

“Urban Sturgeon”

BC Outdoors Sport Fishing TV

Host Mike Mitchell fished alongside Dean Werk across several episodes, tagging and releasing White Sturgeon and sharing the importance of sturgeon conservation and safe handling.

“America’s Favorite Fisherman”

Jimmy Houston Outdoors

Jimmy Houston came to Chilliwack for two days on the water. He chased White Sturgeon with Dean and fly-fished the Pitt River with our guides.

World Sturgeon Classic

World Fishing Network

A WFN film crew captured the action of the inaugural World Sturgeon Classic Tournament from our custom river boats.

“Real Fishing Adventures”

Bob Izumi

The host of Canada’s longest-running fishing show joined us for the two-day World Sturgeon Classic Tournament.