Sport fishing column for June 18 to 25, 2012

A silver dusk was settling on the Early Hole. I was weary from a long and fishless afternoon? and I'd have been glad to quit right then.

Bill stood eagerly in the stern of his boat, making the same long, and graceful casts he had in the first light of dawn. If anything, he was more intense than earlier. Toward evening he becomes impatient? We fished until it was absolutely pitch dark? the salmon started to roll, but caught nothing. I reeled in? and started rowing back?

Bill took his regular fly off, replaced it with a large black one and make a cast? Got one! I heard him yell somewhere in the dark. I rowed back and he was all excited and laughing? he said, "You see, it's never too late!" passage taken from "The Anglers Coast, by author Russell Chatham.

I remember Art Williams telling us back in the days of A L Williams, "You can take two athletes with equal skill and ability and pit them against each other in a competition. One will win the other will lose the difference is determination." Over the years I have seen that truth proven time and time again.

Anyone who goes fishing wants to catch fish. It would not be fishing if the intent was not to catch fish. Sometimes it happens easily, other times it can be down right tuff.

Last weekend after fishing a competition I had an epiphany. Four hours of poor conditions and not a touch, had seen my expectations drop to nil. While my optimistic college in the front of my boat decided to try something different. Three hours later my friend had five fish in the boat, I had none. The bite was short in duration and being unprepared I had missed it. I threw in the towel too easily while my friend always has that never quit attitude.

In fishing like anything else in this life, attitude is everything.

The Report

With sun in the forecast our lower mainland lake fishing looks good for the weekend. For wet (sinking) fly trout fishing try: Chironomid, Bloodworm, Red Spratley, Coachman, Zulu, American Coachman, Professor, Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, Dragonfly Nymph, Sixpack, Doc Spratley, Pumpkinhead, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry (floating) fly trout fishing try: Tom Thumb, Irresistible, Royal Coachman, Renegade, Elk hair Caddis, Black Gnat, Griffith Gnat, or Lady McConnel. For kokanee try: Red Ibis, Double Trued, Blood Worm, San Juan Worm, Red Spratley, or Red Carey. For bass try: Zonker, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Lefty's Deceiver, Dolly Whacker, Big Black, Wooly bugger, Hair Frog, Foam Frog, Poppers, or Crayfish. For panfish try: Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, Bucktail, Dolly Whacker, Bloodworm, Chironomid, Poppers, Turks Tarantula, Tom Thumb or Irresistible.

Fishing on our interior lakes is good. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Bloodworm, Halfback, 52 Buick, Pumpkinhead, Big Black, Micro Leach, Coachman, Green Spratley, Carey Special, Souboo, or Baggy Shrimp. For Dry fly fishing on those warm afternoons, try: Lady McConnel, Black Gnat, Double Hackled Peacock, Griffith Gnat, Elk Haired Caddis, Irresistible, Sofa Pillow, or Tom Thumb.