Well freinds I can't recomend my favorite trout water this year, at least not yet. I am on vacation up on the Thompson River just out side Spences Bridge.

Been here since the 3rd and going home on the 17th. The famous Tom usually gives me lots of 2 to 3 lb every evening, with the odd 20 inch + to make things interesting, during this time. Not this year; still catching fish but all around a pound to a pound and a half. It is the big stonefly 9you folks call them salmonflies) hatch that get those big boys moving; hasn't happened yet; here's hoping.




Sport fishing column for Aug 11 to 18

Another of our sport fishing masters, Tommy Brayshaw, began making his page in sport fishing history during the 1930's. While his name is synonymous with the summer steelhead of the Coquihalla River, his time here goes back to when he first settled in Vernon during the late 1920's. Little is documented about his fishing exeriences until his flies started appearing the market in 1932. Brayshaw spent much of this period fishing Knouff Lake and the Little and Adams Rivers, where trout in the double digits were common.

In researching the decade of the 1930's I was amused with the number of successful fly patterns produced by Brayshaw and his colleagues Nole Money, Bill Nations, and Haig-Broun during this period. It is as if they had an on going competition to see who could catch the most fish, the biggest fish, and produce the most successful fly patterns each year.

Next week, the flies and their makers.

Trout fishing on our lower mainland lakes remains good thanks to the continuing cold fronts. Stick to early mornings and evenings for better success. For wet (sinking) fly fishing, try: Miro 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, Brayshaw's Fancy, or Royal Coachman. For bass or panfish, try: Clouser's Deep Minnow, Bucktail, Whitlock's Crayfish, Poping Bug, Big Black, Wooly Bugger, Tom Thumb, or Stimulator.

Our interior lakes are fair to good; summer is here. For wet fly fishing, try: Big Black, Wooly Bugger, Nation's Silver Tip Sedge, Halfback, Souboo, Sixpack,Butler's Bug, 52 Buick, olive Matuka, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry fly, fishing try: Lady McConnel, Irresistible, Double Hackled Peacock, Goddard Sedge, Tom thumb, Adams, Royal Wulff, or Black Gnat. For kokanee, try: Bloodworm, Red Abbis, Royal Coachman, red Tom Thumb, or Double Trude.

The Fraser is fair to good for spring. Try #1 or #2 Eggo, Popsicle, GP, Flat Black, or Kaufman Stone.

The Vedder River is fair for 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 River is spotty for rainbow and good for spring. Springs are open on weekends (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday). For those big Thompson bows 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".