Musician Clifton Murray’s favourite West Coast salmon and steelhead rivers

For our 2016 Fishing Special issue, Outdoor Canada recruited a supergroup of acclaimed Canadian recording artists, who also happen to be hard-core anglers. And these fishin’ musicians agreed to sing about their favourite Canadian fishing holes—74 in all. For the full list, see The Fishin’ Musicians.

Since 2009, Clifton Murray (above, third from left) has been a member of The Tenors—multi-platinum, Juno-winning singers blending pop and classical influences. Currently finishing off a 70-city North American tour, the group has sold almost a million albums worldwide. Murray’s musical chops came from his grandfather, a renowned Irish tenor who often appeared on CBC Television in the 1950s. His love of fishing, however, came from his parents. Murray’s family founded and still operates famed Nimmo Bay Resort in Port McNeill, B.C., which offers heli-fishing throughout the Great Bear Rainforest. Some of the singer’s remote hot spots may be hard to find on a map, but the fish should be easy to catch once you get there.

Learn more: www.tenorsmusic.com

Favourite fish: Steelhead

Favourite type of fishing: Fly fishing

Favourite fishing song: “Gone Fishing,” by Chris Rea

ATLATZI RIVER, B.C.

GPS: 51.035, -126.126

FISH: Cutthroat trout, Pacific salmon, steelhead

WHY: The Visa Pool always produces

BEST TIME: Mid-April to October

BEST FLY: Karluk Flash Fly

CASCADE CREEK, B.C.

GPS: 56.072, -129.964

FISH: Cutthroat and rainbow trout, Dolly Varden

WHY: The spectacular Two-Mile Pool teems with fish

BEST TIME: Mid-April to October

BEST FLY: Egg-Sucking Leech

MABS RIVER, B.C.

GPS: 50.589, -127.079

FISH: Pacific salmon, steelhead

WHY: Wild fish at the Waterfall Pool

BEST TIME: Mid-April to October

BEST FLY: Karluk Flash Fly

NEKITE RIVER, B.C.

GPS: 51.465, -127.088

FISH: Cutthroat trout, Pacific salmon, steelhead

WHY: The aptly named Glory Hole

BEST TIME: Mid-April to October

BEST LURE, FLY: Pink marabou jig, Karluk Flash Fly

SENATOR RIVER, B.C.

GPS: 50.589, -127.079

FISH: Pacific salmon, steelhead

WHY: Speckled-Egg Beach boasts abundant salmon

BEST TIME: Mid-April to October

BEST LURE: Pink marabou jig