Fishing report for July 14 to 21, 2008

Among the many positive things the era of the 1920's did for BC sport fishing, was fly innovation. In1919 A. Bryan Williams, in his book "Rod & Creel in British Columbia" recommended 30 flies for successful fishing in BC. Of these 30 flies only one the Cowichan Coachman was designed by a local fly tier for our waters. Frustrated by the limitations of these flies, tied flies with foreign waters in mind, the masters of the day began designing their own patterns. The following is list of flies that are as killingly successful as they were when designed over 70 years ago.

Olive Sedge and Traveling Sedge; created by Tommy Brayshaw for fishing Knouff Lake early in his fishing career.

Williams Green, Grey and Dark Sedge, all were created by A. Bryan Williams to match the Caddis fly hatches on our interior lakes.

Carey Special, also known in the day as The Dredge or Monkey Faced Louise; created by Colonel Carey for the large trout he found in Arthur Lake.

More from this fascinating era next week.

Trout fishing on our lower mainland lakes remains good. Early mornings and evenings are the ticket. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try Micro Leach, Wooly Worm, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Doc Spratley, Green Spratley, Dragonfly Nymph, Coachman, Cased Caddis, 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. For bass & panfish try Clouser's Deep Minnow, Whitlock's Crayfish, Wooly Bugger, Popping Bugs, Big Black, Tom Thumb, Stimulator, or Bucktail.

Our interior lakes fished very well this past week with reports of trout 13 pounds. As mentioned above early mornings and evenings are your ticket. For wet fly fishing try: Big Black, Wooly Bugger, 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. For kokanee, try: Bloodworm, Red Spratley, Red Abbis, Royal Coachman, Royal Wulff, or Royal Trude.

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 spring and rainbow. For rainbow try Stonefly Nymph, Cased caddis, Elk Hair Caddis, Tom Thumb, Zulu, Irresistible, Adams, Renegade, Grasshopper, or Stimulator.

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

The Chehalis River is fair to good for rainbow, and steelhead. For steelhead try Kaufman Stone, Joe's Hopper, Big Black, Irresistible, Elk Hair Caddis, Tom Thumb or Stimulator.

The Thompson and Nicola Rivers are finally at fishable levels again and producing rainbow to 3 pounds. Try Joe's Hopper, Kaufman Stone, red bodied Tom Thumb, Irresistible, Chernobyl Ant, Elk Hair Caddis, or Stimulator.

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