Welcome to the World's Best Giant Chinook Fishing!

"A Unique Fishing Experience"

Rivers Inlet, British Columbia

Our motto is: "If it ain't as long as your arm throw it back, it's too small."

Records at Rivers Inlet

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The largest hatchery chinook ever taken came from Rivers Inlet British Columbia in 1989 while Rivers Inlet Resort guest, David McElveen, trolled for salmon for the first time. His incredible trophy chinook weighed a whopping 81 1/2 pounds!

The fish was so big McElveen needed help holding it up for photos.

In 1986 the largest chinook ever recorded, a jumbo trophy chinook weighing more than many humans, 126 pounds, was captured in an Indian net in front of Rivers Inlet British Columbia. At the time of the incredible catch, the Indian commercial fisher was targeting sockeye salmon. Today the Canadian government doesn't allow a net fishery on the sockeye at Rivers Inlet, which further ensures the chances of a sports angler catching the next world record chinook salmon.

While not every fish taken at Rivers Inlet is a record, hundreds of personal records are shattered during the short 40 day Rivers Inlet Resort season. First time Rivers Inlet Resort guests find it hard to believe the average chinook taken weighs into the high 30's to low 40's. Some years the average is bigger and some years, like 1999, the average is slightly smaller.

Rivers Inlet chinook have one major factor in their favor when it comes to size. Genetics, plain and simple. The drainage that feeds Rivers Inlet is known for chinook that grow to incredible sizes. The next factor has more to do with the Pacific Ocean. The 1999 season saw some changes, mainly the timing of the run, which showed up 10 days late. Biologists said many west coast runs were 10 days late. This resulted because of cooler than normal ocean temperatures, which held the fish back. The ocean didn't provide ample food either, which caused the average size of the chinook to be slightly smaller. On average, according to length to girth calculations, the chinook should have weighed 3 to 4 pounds heavier.

Even still, LOTS of 40 pound chinook entertained Rivers Inlet Resort guests. Had ocean conditions been more favorable there would have been dozens more trophy 50 pound chinook salmon taken by Rivers Inlet Resort guests.

Rivers Inlet Resort guests have taken the largest chinook salmon in all of Canada 26 of the last 30 years!

Rivers Inlet also has record coho and chum salmon. While fishing for trophy chinook in 1998, Richard Lollee caught a potential All-tackle world record, 30 pound chum. The fish would have been a record had it been officially entered. Rivers Inlet Resort provides the most accurate, certified scale on the coast. The International Game Fish Association, (IGFA) accepts the weights recorded on the Rivers Inlet Resort scale. The staff at RIR is more than happy to provide IGFA catch record entry forms if you choose to enter your catch in the annual IGFA fishing contest or too enter your catch as a potential line class record or All-tackle world record.

We fully expect the chinook All-tackle world record chinook to be taken in the next few years. Potential record chinook exceeding the current record chinook of 97 pounds 4 ounces, have been seen along the shores of the Wannock River at the head of Rivers Inlet. Who will be the sports angler that catches the next world record chinook?

It could be you -- but you have to secure your spot at Rivers Inlet Resort if you want your chance at fishing fame.

Compare to the rest then book with the Best-    RIR

Rivers Inlet Resort, P.O. Box 1015 Renton, WA 98057-1015

(425) 226-4600

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© Pacific Lure Communications 1999