Sport fishing column for May 10 to 17, 2010

Recently I was privy to a discussion on the cost of angling classes. This has been a subject of debate for as long as professional anglers have been offering to teach their skills to others. Often these debates stem from a lack of understanding on the part of novice anglers on what it takes to become a good angling instructor. As in any form of teaching, quality instruction doesn't just magically appear, when one hangs out his or her shingle. Since there are no teaching manuals for sport fishing instructors, the good ones usually have a life time of successful angling from which they draw. Most fit into one of the two main categories: generalist or specialist. Generalists tend to cover the basics helping both novice and intermediate anglers with their foundational skills. Specialists deal in specific areas of the sport fishing assisting advanced anglers, in achieving the most out of their sport. Given that there are six centuries of writings and seventeen centuries application to this sport, you might want to consider some guidance.

The report

Our lower mainland lakes are finally fishing well again. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Big Black, Micro Leach, Nation's Black, Red Spratley, Baggy Shrimp, Coachman, Cased Caddis, Halfback, Dragon Nymph, Carey Special, Zulu, or Doc Spratley. For dry (floating) fly fishing try: Tom Thumb, Renegade, Black Gnat, Griffith Gnat, Royal Coachman, or Elk Hair Caddis. For kokanee try: Red Abbis, Red Spratley, Bloodworm, Royal Coachman, San Juan Worm, or red Micro Leach.

Local bass and crappie fishing are active too. Try: Wooly Bugger, Big Black, Matuka, Crayfish, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Deceiver, Dolly Whacker, Bucktail, Hair Frog, Irresistible, or Tom Thumb.

The fishing on our interior lakes is good, with fish to 4 lb reported. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Pumpkinhead, 52 Buick, Bloodworm, Wooly Bugger, olive Matuka, Butler's Bug, Halfback, Baggy Shrimp, Sooboo, or Green Spratley, For dry fly fishing try: Lady McConnel, Irresistible, Big Ugly, Double Hackled Peacock, Tom Thumb, Royal Wulff, or Elk Hair Caddis.

The Fraser River is in freshet, so you will want to focus on the cleaner water in and around the convergence of its many feeder streams. For cutthroat and rainbow try: Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Tied Down Minnow, Professor, Lioness, Kaufmann Stone, Coachman, Zulu, Chez Nymph, Black Gnat, Sooboo, Irresistible, Elk Hair Caddis, or Stimulator. For dolly varden try: large (#4 to #2) Rolled Muddler, Zonker, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Dolly Whacker, black Popsicle, or Big Black.

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

The Harrison River is good for cutthroat, and rainbow.


Wild pacific salmon or part of our heritage, say no the foreign national
companies and their farmed fish.