Sport fishing column for Sept 28 to Oct 5, 2009

I am back from being humbled at the Canadian National Fly Fishing Championship. To say I was unprepared for what we as competitors were to face is an under statement. If you think you are ready for the next National; I challenge you to mark of three hundred feet of the Coquitlam River, under the upper foot bridge, and extract a dozen trout from that spot in three hours. Sound impossible? Team Canada would not think so. I got my first hint (which went right over my head) at the opening barbeque, when the Mayor of Fernie expressed how pleased she was to meet all of us athletes. The next day my introduction to the toughest fishing of my life began.

At my first beat on Thursday morning I noticed Terence Courtoreille (Team Canada), who I shared my beat with, was wearing chaps over his waders. "I have never seen that one before," I thought, "Why would you do that?" Later in the championship I would see him use those chaps to work a gravel bar on his knees. Elk 3 Beat 2 had only one piece of water that looked like it could hold a fish and I got the first shot at it. I worked everything in my box though the slot drawing nothing; an hour later Terence worked that same slot and drew three cutthroat. Elk 3, lesson 1 and the schooling begins.

The Report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is good. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Chironomid, Professor, Nations Black, Baggy Shrimp, Carey Special, Souboo, Zulu, Halfback, Caddis Nymph, Big Black, Wooly Bugger, Doc Spratley, or Dragonfly Nymph. For dry (floating) try: Lady McConnel, Griffith Gnat, Black Gnat, Royal Coachman, Adams, Tom Thumb, Big Ugly, Elk Hair Caddis, or Irresistible.

Bass, and panfish fishing are fair to good. For bass and panfish try: Clouser's Deep Minnow, Crayfish, Poppers, Big Black, Stimulator, Bucktail, Rolled Muddler, Dolly Whacker, Tied down Minnow, or Tom Thumb.

All our interior lakes are fishing well with fish up to lb reported. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Nations Silver Tip, Sixpack, 52 Buick, Butlers Bug, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Big Black, Damsel Nymph, Dragon Nymph, Green Spratley, Caddis Nymph, or Baggy Shrimp. If dry fly is your fancy try: Tom Thumb, Adams, Royal Wulff, Lady McConnel, Black Gnat, Elk Hair Caddis, Griffith Gnat, Renegade, or Irresistible.

The Fraser River is good for pink, spring, cutthroat, and early chum. For pink try: Pink Eve, Cathy's Coat, pink Wooly Bugger, Happy Hooker, pink Popsicle, or pink Bunny Leach. For spring try: Big Black, Popsicle, Squamish Poacher, GP, Flat Black or Eggo. For cutthroat try: Stickleback, Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Tied Down Minnow, Professor, Lioness, Coachman, Sixpack, Zulu, or Souboo.

The Stave River is good for rainbow, cutthroat, with the odd pink and coho showing. For rainbow try: Big Black, Zulu, Souboo, Royal Coachman, Elk Hair Caddis, Kaufmann's Stone, Adams, Irresistible, Stimulator, or Renegade. For coho try: Coho Blue, Christmas Tree, green or black Wooly Bugger, Bite Me, Blue Christmas, or Rolled Muddler.

The Vedder River is good for rainbow, pink, coho, and spring.

The Harrison is good for rainbow, cutthroat, and pink.

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