Sport fishing column for Sept 13 to 20, 2010

"My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him, all good things, trout as well as eternal salvation come by grace, and grace by art and art does not come easy." Norman MacLean; A River Run Through It.

Persistence; is a word not heard much in this age of instant answers. The lack of this virtue has been expressed to me lately by anglers who found that they had to try harder than they expected to catch their fish, in spite of the record sockeye return. There is a lesson here; and once again it takes a fish to teach us.

Over a quarter century ago, when through persistence I mastered the art of angling; there was no internet or the endless supply of equipment and excuses available today. We were taught to make due and become skilled with the meager amount of supplies and equipment available. If you were good you caught fish, if not you continued to try; excuses were not accepted.

More money spent on equipment will not solve the problem. Neither will complaining that the fish are not cooperating. Put some persistence in your tackle box. You have it in you to succeed; keep trying!


The report

Fishing is good on our lower mainland lakes, with mornings and evenings producing best. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Big Black, Nation's Black, Baggy Shrimp, Coachman, Cased Caddis, Halfback, Dragon Nymph, Carey Special, Zulu, or Doc Spratley. For dry fly fishing try: Tom Thumb, Renegade, Black Gnat, Foam Ant, Griffith Gnat, Royal Coachman, or Elk Hair Caddis.

Local bass and crappie fishing remains good. For bass try: Size #4 to #1 Wooly Bugger, Big Black, Blood Leach, Matuka, Popin Bugs, Chernobyl Ants, Crayfish, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Epoxy Minnow, Deceiver, Muddler Minnow, Dolly Whacker, Turk's Tarantula, Bucktail, Hair Frog, Irresistible, or Tom Thumb. For crappie try: Black Gnat, Lady McConnel, Coachman, Royal Coachman, Ant, chartreuse Boobie, Wooly Bugger, Trico, Griffith Gnat, or Irresistible.

Fishing on our interior lakes is very good. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Pumpkinhead, 52 Buick, 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, Goddard Sedge, Sofa Pillow, or Elk Hair Caddis.

The Fraser River is good for sockeye; spring, cutthroat, and rainbow. For sockeye try: (chartreuse) Dean River lanterns, Bunny Leach, Bucktail, Nitnook, Besure, Green Slime, or Caboose. For spring try: Kaufmann Stone, Eggo, Popsicle, Squamish Poacher, GP, Big Black or Flat Black.

The Vedder River is good for rainbow and cutthroat. Try Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Tied Down Minnow, Eggo, Professor, Lioness, Kaufmann Stone, Coachman, Zulu, Chez Nymph, Black Gnat, Souboo, Irresistible, Elk Hair Caddis, or Stimulator.

The Stave River is good for rainbow and cutthroat.

The Harrison River is good for cutthroat, rainbow, and sockeye.

The Thompson River is fair to good for sockeye and spring.

The Nicola River is good for rainbow. Try Kaufmann Stone, Chez Nymph, Hairs Ear Nymph, Roller Muddler, Tom Thumb (standard or red bodied), Grass Hopper, Stimulator, Chernobyl Ant, Irresistible, or Elk Hair Caddis.

You can find more at "The Reel Life Press" by Jeff Weltz.