Sport fishing column for Sept 27 to Oct 4, 2010

Proverbs 22:28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

Another fishery is compromised. During the time that has passed since last years chum salmon fishery on the Stave River, no parking signs have been erected on it's eastern shores. While I am sure there are reasons that a municipality would restrict the access for anglers to one of our lower mainland's premier fisheries. I find it disappointing that at a time when we need to encourage children and families to enjoy our sport, special interest groups continue to make our efforts more difficult.

The report

Fishing is fair to good on our lower mainland lakes. Try to time your fishing to the sunny days between wet weather systems. 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 is 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. Now that the first snow has fallen in the high country keep an eye out for the water boatman migrations. 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 fair to good for spring, chum, cutthroat, and rainbow. For spring try: Kaufmann Stone, Eggo, Popsicle, Squamish Poacher, GP, Big Black or Flat Black. For chum try: Popsicle, Christmas Tree, Mat Green, Happy Hooker, Squamish Poacher, Big Black, Mat red, Eggo, or Holliman.

The Vedder River is good for spring, coho, rainbow and cutthroat. For 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. For coho try: Christmas Tree, Rolled Muddler, Coho Blue, Blue Christmas, or Bite Me.

The Stave River is good for rainbow and cutthroat.

The Harrison River is fair to good for spring, cutthroat and rainbow.

The Thompson River is fair to good for rainbow and sockeye (yes region #3 sockeye will remain open until Sept 30th). For rainbow try: Kaufmann Stone, Hairs Ear Nymph, Rolled Muddler, Tom Thumb, Stimulator, Chernobyl Ant, Eggo, Irresistible, or Elk Hair Caddis. For sockeye try: Dean River Lanterns, Bunny Leach, or Bucktail; in chartreuse, orange, or pink.

The Nicola River is fair for rainbow.

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