Fishing report for May 26 to June 2, 2008

In 1914, one year after Maxwell released "fishing at Home and Abroad"; Myrtle and Alex Phillips were welcoming guests to their Rainbow Lodge on Alta Lake (Whistler BC). Within the next fifteen years British Columbia's reputation for world class trout fishing would be established.

Four years later in 1918, Austin Spencer, offered lower mainlanders and their guest a wealth of useful angling info with his book "A Handy Guide for Fishermen". Handy it was listing fishing hot spots along the BC Electric Fraser Valley Rail Line, and the hot rivers of North and West Vancouver.

1918 was also the year that our provincial fisheries department began its interior trout stocking program. Up to that time many of our famous interior lakes were void of fish. Stocking Salmo Kamloops (Kamloops trout) into these lakes which were home terrific insect populations provided phenomenal fishing within the next ten years.

In response to this blossoming sport fishery, Arthur Bryan Williams, BC's first Fish & Game Warden penned "Rod & Creel in British Columbia". "Rod & Creel" was a how-to, where-to, style book that became prototype of future provincial sport fishing guides. Among his other attributes Williams was also a fly designer and the creator of "Williams Green Bodied Sedge" and "Williams Grey Bodied Sedge".

Our lower mainland lakes are fishing very well. Now that the warm weather is here and holding, successful fishing requires yet more tactical adjustments. While it is still important to focus on the warmer north east sections of your favorite lake, changing your fishing times is advisable. Instead of the focusing on the warmest times of the day (11:00 AM through 3:00 PM) which is a winter tactic, move you fishing times to mornings and later afternoons. A good visual gage is to look for hatching insects; you want to be fishing when the water has warmed or cooled enough for insects to be hatching off its surface. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try chironomid, Bloodworm, Micro Leach, Wooly worm, Pheasant Tail nymph, Doc Spratley, Green Spratley, Dragonfly Nymph, Coachman, Cased Caddis, Carey Special, Zulu, or Baggy Shrimp. If dry (floating) fly is your fancy try: Tom Thumb, Renegade, Lady McConnel, Elk Hair Caddis, Griffith Gnat, Royal Coachman, or Brayshaw's Fancy.

The fishing on our interior lakes is good also with many lakes offering up to 50 fish days. Sizes reports are good also, with fish to 10 lb being reported. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Bloodworm, Big Black, Wooly Bugger. Halfback, Souboo, Sixpack, Butlers Bug, 52 Buick, olive Matuka, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry fly Lady McConnel, Irresistible, Double Hackled Peacock, Goddard Sedge, Tom Thumb, Royal Wulff, or Black Gnat.

Due to rivers throughout the province being dangerously high and poor for fishing at this time, we are discontinuing the rivers portion of our report until conditions are more favorable.

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