Fishing report for Oct 20 to 27, 2008

The last two books covering aspects of BC's sport fishery during the era of the 1940's came out in 1948:

"The Fresh-water Fishes of British Columbia"; by W A Clemens and G Clifford Carl, which was a study of all fresh water fish available in BC.

"Sport Fishing in Canada''; by C Francis Whitehouse. This was an expanded version of his earlier work "Sport Fishes of Western Canada". In his new book Whitehouse included an account (the second only to that date) of the cutthroat and coho fishing available in the Tlell River of the Queen Charlotte Islands.

As the 1940's drew to a close, the winds of change were blowing. More affordable fiberglass rods were available on mass and the spinning reel was fast becoming the tool of choice. The Alaska Highway had opened up the province from one end to the other, and the old patriarchs of our sport fishery; Bill Nations, A Bryan Williams, General Money, Dr T W Lambert, and Colonel Carey had gone on to their rewards. The golden age of our BC sport fishery was drawing to an end and a new age was dawning. The 50's were upon us, we will pick up there next week.

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes remains good. Too achieve better success concentrate on the north by north east sections of your lake. 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 all fishing very well; with every fish wanting to put on those extra pounds before winter. 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 chum. For rainbow try Eggo, Stonefly Nymph, Elk Hair Caddis, Tom Thumb, Zulu, Fire Ball, 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 chum try Christmas Tree, Happy Hooker, Flat Black, Dec 25, Fire Ball, kelly green Wooly Bugger, or Met Green.

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

The Chehalis River is slow to fair for rainbow, spring, and coho.

The Stave River is good for coho and chum.


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