Weekly Fraser Valley BC sport fishing column

Here it is late again, just been too busy lately.

Fishing report for Sept 22 to 29, 2008

The era of the 1940's brought a transition in the fishing tackle industry. In the beginning of the 1940's we here in BC, like much of the world were at war. Ironically, much of what was learned in the factories producing war materials brought about the transformation of the sport fishing industry. After the war, fiberglass became the material of choice over bamboo cane, for making fishing rods. Larger companies began mass producing their product on assembly lines making time consuming crafted equipment obsolete. Jeeps became readily available as army surplus, making wilderness fishing locations much more accessible; and many GI loans financed the grounds for new fishing lodges. Like many places throughout North America, the 1940's brought a time of innovation and change in our BC sport fishery. We will have more on this subject next week.

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is good. Fall is here; for better success you want to watch your barometer to catch those upward swings between weather systems. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try Chironomid, Bloodworm, Micro Leach, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Doc Spratley, Green Spratley, Dragonfly Nymph, Coachman, Carey Special, Zulu, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry (floating) fly fishing try Tom Thumb, Renegade, Lady McConnel, Elk Hair Caddis, Adams, Griffith Gnat, Royal Coachman, or Brayshaw's Fancy.

Our interior lakes are fishing well also. Again watch your weather patterns. For wet fly fishing try: Big Black, Wooly Bugger, chironomid, Bloodworm, Nations Silver Tip Sedge, Halfback, Souboo, Sixpack, Butlers Bug, 52 Buick, olive Matuka, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry fly, try: Lady McConnel, Irresistible, Double Hackled Peacock, Goddard Sedge, Tom Thumb, Adams, Royal Wulff, or Black Gnat.

The Fraser River is good for spring. Try large (#1 or #2) Eggo, Popsicle, GP, Flat Black, Big Black, or Kaufman Stone.

The Vedder River is good for rainbow, spring, coho, and early chum. For rainbow try Stonefly Nymph, Elk Hair Caddis, Tom Thumb, Zulu, Irresistible, Adams, Renegade, Grasshopper, or Stimulator. For coho try Christmas Tree, Coho Blue, olive Wooly Bugger, Egg sucking Leach, Bite Me, or Roller Muddler. For early chum try Christmas Tree, Squamish Poacher, Happy Hooker, Flat Black, green Wooly Bugger, or Met Green.

The Harrison is good for cutthroat and spring. For cutthroat try Rolled Muddler, Tied Down Minnow, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Bucktail, Stonefly Nymph, Coachman, American Coachman, Lioness, Zulu, Black Gnat, Souboo, or Sixpack.

The Chehalis River is slow to fair for rainbow, with the odd early spring, and coho.

The Stave River is fair for early coho and the odd chum.

The Thompson is good for rainbow. Try Joe's Hopper, Tom Thumb, Irresistible, Chernobyl Ant, Elk Hair Caddis, or Stimulator.

Next month the BC Outdoors Backroads Tour will be making series of stops in our Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley. Many of our top anglers and outdoorsmen will be on hand to share their skills, so keep the weekends of Oct 3, 4, 5 and 17, 18, 19 open. Mike Mitchell of BC Outdoors Magazine promises more details next week.

Until the next time, "Keep your fly in the water".