Weekly Frazer Valley Sport Fishing Column

[fishingnewsman]

Weekly Sport Fishing column for Dec 27, 2009, to Jan 4, 2010

At this time when persons make their New Year's resolutions and plans, we hope the pasted seasons have been good to all of you. Whether or not the seasons have been good to you, does not diminish the opportunity to make the coming year the best ever. Cherished memories do not just happen; we choose to make them.

I often speak of the heritage we as BC residents have in our sport and salmon fisheries. Some of us have more in that heritage than others, but everyone has the opportunity to make more of it. I for one have a personal heritage in sport fishing; being a third generation fisherman and preacher from my Mother's side and a third generation fly fisherman and second generation writer from my Father's side. I have passed all of these gifts onto my children and my resolution is the same as it always is; to continue to instill our families legacy into as many generations as I am able. How about you, what are you going to do?



The Report:

Ice still blankets many of our Fraser Valley Lakes.

The good news this week, is that the winter coho and chum we have been waiting for have arrived along with the early steelhead. These shoulder season fish, though elusive and skittish, offer some of the best table fare of their species making each one a prize for the seasoned angler. Pursue them with patience and stealth. For coho try: Coho Blue, Christmas Tree, green or black Wooly Bugger, Bite Me, Blue Christmas, or Rolled Muddler. For chum try: Holliman, Mat Green, Dec 25, or Flat Black. For steelhead try: Squamish Poacher, Thor, GP, Popsicle, Big Black, Flat Black, Polar Shrimp, Eggo, Steelhead Nightmare, Purple Peril, Kaufmann Stone, or Steelhead Spratley.

The Fraser River back waters and sloughs are fishing well for cutthroat and rainbow. For cutthroat try: Flesh Fly, Eggo, Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Tied Down Minnow, Professor, Lioness, Winter Stone, Coachman, Zulu, Chez Nymph, or Souboo. For rainbow try any off the above along with: Red Spratley, Red Carey, Kaufmann Stone, Royal Coachman, or Black Gnat.

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

The Harrison River has been fishing very well for: cutthroat and fair for rainbow.

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

The Vedder River is fair to good for cutthroat and rainbow.

The Squamish River is fair for dolly varden and cutthroat. For dolly varden try: Large #4 to #2, Zonker, Eggo, Bucktail, Big Black, or Clouser's Deep Minnow.

The Thompson River is good for steelhead and rainbow. Remember the Thom is closed to angling from January 1st to May 31.

Until the next time, keep your fly in the water.