Sport fishing column for May 24 to 31, 2010

Last week I touched on the subject of Father's Fishing with their children. I know there are some Dads out there who just flat out do not like this activity. While I can accept that fact; I do not see it as a reason for not spending time with your children while they are fishing. Until children are old enough to get a job and driver's license, their opportunities to take full advantage of this sport are limited. This is where Moms and Dads, and for the most part Dads come into the picture. Someone needs to pick the location, drive the car there and back, bait the hooks, unhook the fish, untangle the lines, be the chief cheerleader, cater the lunch, and pilot the boat. If you think you are going to get quality fishing in while doing all of the above you are mistaken; but for your efforts you will receive is some of the best bonding time you may ever get with your kids. If that is not reason enough to take time out of your life to spend with them, I don't know what is. In three weeks there will be two Family Fishing Derbies:

The second annual Alouette Fish Derby is on Sunday, June 13, 2010. Tickets are available at the Maple Ridge Chamber of Commerce, 604-463-3366.

The third annual Greg Clark Memorial Family Fishing Derby will be held during the BC Free Family Fishing Weekend, on Saturday, June 19, 2010. Tickets are available from Fred's Custom Tackle, 604-8585-7344.

We hope to see you there.

The report

Our lower mainland lakes are fishing well. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Big Black, 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, Foam Ant, 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 are also active. Try: Wooly Bugger, Big Black, Blood Leach, Matuka, Popin Bugs, Chernobyl Ants, Crayfish, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Epoxy Minnow, Deceiver, Dolly Whacker, Bucktail, Hair Frog, Irresistible, or Tom Thumb.

The fishing on our interior lakes is improving. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Pumpkinhead, 52 Buick, Bloodworm, Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, 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 full freshet now, with lots of debris on the water. For better success, focus on the cleaner water in and around the confluence of its 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 high but still fishable.


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