Fishing report for Jan 5 to 12, 2009



Welcome back to our walk through the recoded history of BC sport fishing; picking up in 1960.

The year 1960 was made significant with the creation of two famous flies: The "Werner Shrimp" created by Mary Stewart, a professional in house fly tier for Harkley & Haywood's Sporting Goods of Vancouver and the "Anderson Stone" created by Earl Anderson, local legend of the Woodwards store in Vancouver.

Also created in 1960, were the "Big Ugly" by Jim Kilburn for Knouff Lake rainbows and "Wintle's Western Wizard" by Jerry Wintle for lower mainland steelhead.

In 1964 Roderick Haig-Brown created another of his cutthroat patterns; the "Asellus."

1965 saw the renowned Jack Shaw released the first of his famous fly patterns; "Blood Worm" and "Blood Leach."

Then in 1968 Jim Kilburn created the first of our BC chironomid (pupa) patterns the "PKCK," along with the "Edward's Sedge."

1968 also saw the release of another steelhead pattern; "Yonge's Firefly," created by Bill Younge for Squamish River steelhead.

Our lower mainland lakes are still not safe to fish yet. One alternative is to try the many beach fisheries found around the estuaries of our many lower mainland streams. Sea-run cutthroat trout can be found in abundances in these areas at this time while they await natures call to return to their natal streams. Flies to try include: American Coachman, Lioness, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Mickey Finn, Rolled Muddler, Peter Ross, Coachman, Professor, or Werner Shrimp.

The Fraser River backwaters and sloughs are fishing well for cutthroat and dolly varden. For cutthroat try: Eggo, Flesh Fly, Rolled Muddler, Tied Down Minnow, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Bucktail, Mickey Finn, Winter Stone, Coachman, American Coachman, Lioness, Zulu, Souboo, Big Black, Micro Leach, or Sixpack. For dolly varden try: large (#4 to #1) Flesh Fly, Eggo, Bucktail, Rolled Muddler, Zonker, Big Black, or Kaufmann's Black Stone.

The Vedder River is fair for rainbow, dolly varden, and Steelhead. For rainbow try: Eggo, Stonefly Nymph, Elk Hair Caddis, Tom Thumb, Zulu, Fire Ball, Irresistible, Adams, Renegade, Grasshopper, or Stimulator. For Steelhead try: Big Black, Flat Black, Squamish Poacher, Thor, Polar Shrimp, Popsicle, pink Eggo, Happy Hooker, or Kaufmann's Black Stone

The Harrison is fair to good for cutthroat, rainbow, and whitefish. 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. For whitefish try: small (size #16 to 12) Eggo, black Micro Leach, black Wooly Bugger, black Stonefly Nymph, or Flesh Fly.

The Chehalis River is fair for rainbow, and steelhead.

The Stave River is slow to fair for cutthroat, rainbow, and whitefish.

The Squamish River is fair for rainbow, cutthroat, and dolly varden.

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