Some salmon populations are showing signs of recovery. Others remain in serious trouble. What’s actually happening on Canada’s West Coast?

This week on Outdoor Journal Radio, Ang and Pete welcome Dr. Katrina Connors from the Pacific Salmon Foundation to break down the state of wild salmon in British Columbia and the Yukon.

Katrina explains why strong fishing in one area doesn’t tell the whole story, how researchers track fish across an enormous ocean, and what the numbers reveal about Chinook, coho, pink salmon, and more. The conversation covers hatcheries, open-net pen farms, changing ocean conditions, and the surprising connection between log booms and salmon predation.

The boys also ask what anglers can do to help—from handling released fish more carefully to reconsidering the traditional “hero shot” and letting the biggest fish go.

Before Katrina joins, the crew discusses disease research involving wild Chinook, shares a few salmon-cooking stories, and tackles a tough listener question: if you could keep only one hard bait and one soft plastic, what would you choose?

Explore the work discussed:

• Pacific Salmon Foundation
• Pacific Salmon Explorer
• State of Salmon report

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Invasive Species Centre
• SAIL
• J&B Cycle & Marine
• Freedom Cruise Canada

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Two fertile grass carp were caught in Ontario’s Welland River. How worried should anglers be, and what do those captures actually tell us?

This week on Outdoor Journal Radio, Ang and Pete welcome back Fisheries and Oceans Canada aquatic biologist Trisiah Tugade to get the facts on grass carp in Canadian waters. Trisiah breaks down the confirmed captures, explains the difference between fertile and sterile fish, and clarifies why finding individual fish doesn’t mean an established population has taken hold.

The conversation covers spawning conditions, DNA detections, the threat to aquatic vegetation, and how DFO decides where to look. The boys also ask what grass carp could mean for Ontario’s weed-filled lakes, where these fish might be coming from, and what anglers can do to help.

Before Trisiah joins, Ang and Pete debate the rise of the ChatterBait, question how much lure popularity comes down to marketing, revisit a Rice Lake tournament that sparked a run on Culprit worms, and share some memorable fish-identification mistakes.

Subscribe for more fishing stories, conservation conversations, and outdoor news with Ang and Pete!

The Fish’n Canada Store:
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The Invasive Species Centre: Protecting Canada’s land and water from invasive species
https://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/

SAIL: The ultimate destination for your outdoor adventures
https://www.sail.ca/en-ca

J&B Cycle and Marine: Your home for all things powersports, boats and equipment
https://www.jbcycle.com/

Freedom Cruise Canada: Rent the boat. Own the memories.
https://freedomcruisecanada.ca/

Learn about invasive carp:
https://invasivecarp.ca/

Report suspected invasive species in Ontario:
1-800-563-7711

For more than five years, this fishing lodge sat empty. Animals moved into the cabins, trees took over the property, and a once-thriving destination fell into disrepair. Now, Ang and Pete have returned from a visit—and they can’t stop talking about it.

This week on Outdoor Journal Radio, the boys welcome Two Rivers Lodge owner Will Pulowski to share how he brought the former Tetu Island Lodge back to life. Located where the English and Winnipeg rivers meet in northwestern Ontario, the property combines exceptional fishing with a few comforts you might not expect this far from home.

From big walleye and northern pike to daily shore lunches and a chef who trades stocks in the offseason, Ang and Pete break down what made their trip worth two full days on the road. Will also discusses the restoration, his plans for the lodge, and the work that goes into running a place where everyone gets to fish except the owner.

Before Will joins, the crew discusses Trey McKinney’s rise, debates what separates elite anglers from everyone else, and answers a listener’s criticism about where The Fish’n Canada Show chooses to film.