Full Day Fishing Charter
Eight hours on the water and the best odds we can give you at a trophy Okanagan rainbow.
$800 per boat, not per person
Trolling our very own hand-tied bucktailsfor the biggest Okanagan rainbows in the valley
From beginner to experienced angler, we provide everything you need to take on the challenge of catching an Okanagan trophy rainbow.
Fish with confidence using our proven, hand-tied bucktails, designed specifically to target the big rainbows of the Okanagan.
Enjoy the experience from the comfort of our heated cabin, while we put our experience, local knowledge, and quality gear to work to give you the best possible chance of connecting with the fish of a lifetime.
Quality gear. Proven techniques. Local knowledge. Trophy trout.
Whether you’re looking for your first big rainbow or chasing that once-in-a-lifetime Okanagan trophy, we’re ready for the challenge.
Will you accept the challenge?
Half day · 4 hours
$500
per boat, not per person
Full day · 8 hours
$800
per boat, max 4 guests
Trophy season
Oct–Apr
when the big fish come up
Why us
Anyone can put you on the lake.
We put you on the fish.
Okanagan Lake is 135 kilometres long and very deep. The rainbows in it grow past twenty pounds, and they are not spread evenly through all that water, they follow the bait. You can troll all day through empty lake and never know it.
Three things separate a day of trolling from a day of catching here, and we have all three.
Our own flies, nobody else's
We tie our own bucktails in patterns you cannot buy anywhere else. When a pattern stops working, we rotate. That is the whole game on this lake.
See the patternsDaily reports from real anglers
We get daily intel from a network of local anglers, plus a Facebook community thousands strong. We know what is biting and where before we untie.
How we fishForty years on this water
Captain Geoff has fished the Okanagan and BC for over forty years. Local knowledge is not a slogan on this lake, it is the difference between a photo and a story.
Meet GeoffCharters
Two ways out on the water
Prices are per boat, not per person. Rods, reels, downriggers and flies are all supplied.
Half Day Fishing Charter
Four hours, the same water, the same flies. The easiest way to try Okanagan Lake.
$500 per boat, not per person
Group of five to eight? We run tandem charters so nobody stays home. Full rates and what is included are on the rates page.
The bucktail
The fly the whole business is named after
A bucktail is a long baitfish fly. Trolled on a flat line or a fast-sink fly line, well behind the boat, it looks exactly like the young kokanee and rainbow fry that big Okanagan trout eat. From October through April it is the most effective thing you can put in the water here.
We tie ours by hand in West Kelowna. Grey Ghost, Rainbow Fry, Blue Knight, Cop Car, K-Town and the rest. Guests fish them all day at no charge, and you can buy them to take home.
Bucktail sale
Any11bucktails
$199.99 plus shipping
- Hand tied, premium quality
- Proven fish catchers
- Made in Canada
On until October 1
Call 250-862-2109 Text your order
Tie one on. Catch more.
September on Okanagan Lake
What this month usually does
- Average high22°C
- Average low13°C
- Wet days25%
- Trophy seasonNo
Cooling off, crowds gone, and the fishing picks up again.
Every month, and when to come for a big one · This week's wind
What swims here
The fish of Okanagan Lake
Eight species you can actually expect to meet, what state they are in, and the shrimp that changed the whole lake in 1966. Put together from the provincial fisheries record rather than from the internet.
Rainbow trout
Kokanee
Sockeye salmon
Burbot
Mountain whitefish
Lake whitefish
Where we fish
Seven lakes, one valley
Okanagan Lake is home. When it is not the right call for the season or where you are staying, we run these instead.
Guests come to us from across the valley:
What people say
Okanagan Bucktail Co creates some of the finest flies I have ever used. The quality of materials and attention to detail is second to none. Whether chasing different species of monster trout or salmon you will have the utmost amount of confidence these flies will produce.
Reviews
What anglers say on Google
5.0 5 Google reviews
Geoff is an absolute wizard when it comes to fishing for trophy size rainbow trout in Lake Okanagan. His set up is like nothing I’ve seen before and it’s truly the only way to land the fish of your life! I’ll see you again this winter!
I have been fishing for about 60 years and rarely do you find a fisherman that shares all his knowledge and experience so freely. Geoff Hartland of Okanagan bucktail co. is that guy. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, he can enhance your fishing experience with a wide range of fishing products. His bucktail designs are killer. If you want anything to help you catch fish you should give him a call.
Can’t say enough about Okanagan Bucktail Co. Geoff is not only a master bucktail fly tyer and angler but an exceptional human who takes his craft seriously. Plain and simple, this man gets you into the giant Okanagan lake rainbow trout everyone dreams about!!
Geoff is an amazing fishermen & Guide he always finds the fish. He takes pride in making best custom tied bucktails around. Seen 100’s of trophy sized fish caught on his flies. Highly recommend booking fishing charter with Geoff
Great guy expert advice top notch equipment and products. Well made bucktails that stand up to hard hitting fish. Highly recommend OBC
Common questions
How much is a fishing charter on Okanagan Lake?
Our half day fishing charter is $500 for four hours and our full day is $800 for eight. Those prices are per boat, not per person, so a half day split between four people works out at $125 each.
Rods, reels, downriggers and our own hand-tied bucktails are all included. A BC freshwater fishing licence is not, and you can buy one online in a couple of minutes.
When is the best time to catch a trophy rainbow on Okanagan Lake?
October through April. That is when the big rainbows come up out of the depths to chase kokanee near the surface, and it is when a bucktail trolled flat behind the boat is at its most effective.
Summer still fishes, particularly early and late in the day, but if a genuinely big fish is what you are after, come in the cold months. The boat is heated and covered.
Do I need my own gear or a fishing licence?
No gear needed. We supply everything, including the flies. Plenty of our guests have never held a trolling rod before.
You do need a BC freshwater fishing licence, which anyone 16 or over must have. It takes a few minutes online.
How many people can come?
The boat takes a maximum of four guests. If you have a group of five to eight, ask us about a tandem charter and we will run two boats together so nobody gets left on the dock.
Where do you leave from?
We launch from the West Kelowna Yacht Club at 4111 Gellatly Rd in West Kelowna, about fifteen minutes from downtown Kelowna. If you are staying somewhere on Okanagan Lake with a dock, we can pick you up there instead.
Ready to get on the water?
No booking forms and no waiting. Call or text Geoff and you will know within the hour whether your dates work. Half day $500, full day $800, per boat.