Sport fishing column for June 7 to 14, 2010

The second annual Alouette Fishing Derby is next Sunday and for the past three weeks I have been encouraging Dad's to take the kids fishing. This week I want to share some memories of fishing with my Dad.

My first recollection of fishing is with my Dad at age two (the same age both my daughters were when I started them fishing). I don't remember much of that first trip, but I do remember watching my Dad row his heart out as he struggled to escape the riptide underneath the Lions Gate Bridge. The next memory of fishing with my Dad was my first fish; caught at Tom Sawyers Island, Disneyland, 1959. Nothing high tech here, just a stick, line, wine cork for a float and a hook baited with a worm. Roll the tape ahead fifty years to a father and son Derby on a Sunday morning. The fly rod arks, reel screams, and a five pound trout goes airborne. A short fight and the fish is gone. "Sorry to see you lose that fish son. It looked like it was the first prize fish."

"I think you are right Dad, but that's okay. You were here to see it and that is all that matters."

The second annual Alouette Fishing Derby 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, 604-858-7344.

The report

Fishing success on our lower mainland lakes is spotty due to the continuing unsettled weather. For better success try to time your fishing in and around the sunny breaks. 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 slow also. 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 slow. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Pumpkinhead, 52 Buick, Bloodworm, Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, olive Matuka, Butler's Bug, Halfback, Baggy Shrimp, Sooboo, Sixpack, 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. For better success, focus on the cleaner water in and around 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.

Wild pacific salmon are part of our heritage; say no to the foreign national
companies and their farmed fish.