Sport fishing column for May 18 to 25, 2009


Have you registered for the Alouette Lake fishing derby yet? With only three weeks to go it's time to make that decision. To help you along I offer the following run down of the prizes:

Mystery Fish (there will be ten of them tagged and released just before the event): One will be worth $5000.00 to someone. Another will be good for a new car. The other eight will be random prizes.

Adult prizes, of cash and fishing equipment will be awarded for: The biggest fish, the highest gross weight in trout and kokanee, and the highest gross weight in pike minnows.

Age 12 and under prizes, of cash and fishing equipment will be awarded for: The biggest fish, the highest gross weight in trout and kokanee, and the highest gross weight in pike minnows.

If that doesn't catch your interest there will be lots of other activities for the whole family. So come on down to Alouette lake for some honest to goodness Maple Ridge family fun. After all what else do you have to do on Saturday June 6th? Well, I guess you could cut the lawn.

The Report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is good. I have heard word the Carpenter Ants are on the move; get ready! For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Chironomid, Professor, Nations Black, Red Spratley, Baggy Shrimp, Carey Special, Souboo, Zulu, Halfback, Caddis Nymph, Big Black, Wooly Bugger, or Doc Spratley, Dragonfly Nymph. For dry (floating) try: Lady McConnel, Griffith Gnat, Black Gnat, Black Ant, Royal Coachman, Double Hackled Peacock, Adams, Tom Thumb, Big Ugly, Elk Hair Caddis, or Irresistible.

Though they had a late start, our interior lakes are now fishing well. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Bloodworm, Nations Silver Tip, Sixpack, 52 Buick, Dragon Nymph, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Micro Leach, Big Black, Caddis Nymph, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry fly fishing try: Tom Thumb, Adams, Royal Wulff, Lady McConnel, Black Gnat, Elk Hair Caddis, Griffith Gnat, Renegade, or Irresistible.

The Fraser River is high and muddy, concentrate on the cleaner water around its confluence streams. For cutthroat try: Rolled Muddler, Tied Down Minnow, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Bucktail, Mickey Finn, Kaufmann's Stone, Coachman, American Coachman, Lioness, Zulu, Souboo, Big Black, Micro Leach, Czech Nymph, Strawman, or Sixpack. For dolly varden try: large (#4 to #1) Bucktail, Rolled Muddler, Zonker, Big Black, or Kaufmann's Stone.

The Harrison River is high, but still fishable for rainbow and cutthroat. For rainbow try: Kaufmann's Stone, Elk Hair Caddis, Tom Thumb, Zulu, Irresistible, Adams, Renegade, or Stimulator.

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

Did the fish win again on the long weekend? Give us a call 1-604-820-4099. At "Reel Life," we offer introductory and intermediate fly fishing and fly tying classes, for the budget minded angler.

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