Columbia River

The section of the Columbia River between the Kootenay cities of Castlegar and Trail offers something for most every kind of paddler and length of trip: there are mellow eddies and coves to canoe in, paddleboard tours, unique kayak destinations and, perhaps the best-kept secret of this region, there are many incredible spots for kayak anglers to cast in.

In fact, Chris Ryman, owner of Endless Adventure, says “the potential for kayak fishing here is tremendous.” The other great part about this section of the Columbia River, which has an entire length of 2,000 kilometres from headwaters to the Pacific Ocean, is it’s incredibly easy to access from Castlegar. In fact, the city’s Millennium Park near its downtown core is located on the shores of the river. This section of the Columbia River in Castlegar offers incredible views of the surrounding mountains and many spots in which to go ashore. Paddlers can expect to see everything from deer and black bears to otters and beavers on the shoreline. There’s also an incredible variety of birds: Castlegar boasts the second-highest number of species spotted in the province. Definitely bring binoculars to spy everything from bald eagles to hummingbirds. Under the surface of the water are rainbow and bull trout, walleye and pike, which provide for world-class fishing. There are also white sturgeon, which have been around since the Paleozoic Era. They can’t be fished in these waters but they can be seen, especially in shallow sandy areas in the Spring months. Endless Adventure even offers Paddleboard Sturgeon spotting tours in May and June.