Weekly Fraser Valley Sport Fishing Column

[fishingnewsman]

Sport fishing column for Oct 5 to 12, 2009

On Thursday afternoon September 24, I boarded the bus headed for my second beat of the Canadian National Fly Fishing Championship. After finding Beat 4 on Summit Lake 2; I hear the voice of my controller, "you drew a good beat, it gave up the only fish this morning." One fish out of a venue that nine of the countries best anglers had fished hard for three hours, did not sound like good odds to me. I looked at the shoulder high willows trees four feet behind me and then at the water churning in the wind squalls moving across the lake. "Looks like chuck and hope," I said to myself as readied my rods while waiting for the sector judge to blow the whistle.

Half way through the session I felt a slight amount of tension on my line, as I lifted my rod to roll cast. Looking down to see what felt like a bat on my line, I saw a small brook trout suspended half way out of the water. Before I could respond with my net, my only fish of the day gave a quick head shake and was gone. 4:30 rolled around and we all boarded the bus for forty five minute ride back to Fernie. Ten minutes out and all but the driver, and the wonder kid from Montreal, and myself were asleep. My back ached, my shoulders were sore, my neck was stiff, and my head was pounding; one day in and I now understood meaning of the words combat fishing.

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 6 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 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 fair to good for cutthroat, pink and coho. 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".