Sport fishing column for July 2 to 9, 2012

July is here and we are still waiting for the rain to stop. The weather people keep promising sun, as does the weather station Kim and I keep in the back porch; yet the clouds just keep on coming.

Have you noticed this weather making you tired and unenthusiastic? Low barometric pressure does that to people, but not only does it do it to us; it does it to fish and wildlife as well. It all comes down to the inter play of positive and negative ions in the atmosphere. I could get into a long winded explanation but, I am guessing you have yawned enough already; Let's just say when the barometer goes up all life gets active and when it goes down we all get lethargic (a good understanding of the effects of positive and negative ions and their effect on barometric pressure is explained by author John Alden Knight, in his book "Moon Up - Moon Down). Following and understanding how barometric pressure affects all life forms hold an advantage for us anglers.

Many avid anglers know that fish feed actively when the barometer is on the rise. The problem is tracking barometric pressure since carrying a barometer around on fishing trips can be awkward. An accurate method I use is watching herd animals and birds. When you see a herd cows, deer, elk, and the like all lying down at the same time, you count on the fishing being bad. On the other hand when you hear the birds start singing in the middle of the driving rain, you can bet your bankroll that the bite is on and the sun on the way.


The Report

Are lower mainland lakes are fishing well. 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.

We will be hosting an intermediate fly fishing course at Hatch Match'r Fly & Tackle, Saturday July 21, 2012. Call 1-604-467-7118 for more details.