Sport fishing column for July 16 to 23, 2012

Last week we discussed water temperature. This week I have chosen to cover scent.

Fish tend to have a keener sense of smell than a dog, which makes sent a factor when fishing. This does not mean I am suggesting you run down to the local tackle dealer and corner the market on DR Juice. No what I'm aiming at is much more subtle than turning your flies and plastics in useless blobs of goo. When you take into consideration that most fish can detect odors diluted down to 1 part per 10,000,000, it becomes apparent that it is more what scents you keep of your baits/lures/flys, than what you put on them. Odors, other than predators, which repel fish, are insect repellent, citrus, gas, diesel, etc. My suggestion is wash your hands before fishing with an odorless soap and if you want to use a scent; apply it to your leader.

The Report

Are lower mainland lakes are fishing well, but it won't last for long; so get it if you are going. For wet (sinking) fly trout fishing try: Chironomid, Red Spratley, Coachman, Zulu, American Coachman, Professor, Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, Dragonfly Nymph, Sixpack, Doc Spratley, Pumpkinhead, or Baggy Shrimp. For evening 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 try: Lady McConnel, Black Gnat, Double Hackled Peacock, Griffith Gnat, Elk Haired Caddis, Irresistible, Sofa Pillow, or Tom Thumb.

Our local rivers are fishable again, though caution is advised. Banks can be unstable and undermined due to all the high and fast water we have experienced. There may also be quicksand lurking in of the silt built up along the gravel bars; beware.

The Fraser is high and offering fair fishing for cutthroat, dolly Varden, and spring. For cutthroat try: Rolled Muddler, Proffesor, Anderson Stone, Zulu, American Coachman, Renegade, Tom Thumb, Black Gnat, and Irresistible. For dolly varden try all the above along with Zonker, Clouser's Minnow, and Dolly Whacker. For spring try: lead-heading with size 4 to 2, Eggo, Big Black, Flat Black, Wooly Bugger, Kaufmann Stone, Squamish Poacher, or red Spratley.

The Stave is high and fair fishing for cutthroat and whitefish.

The Harrison is high and fair for cutthroat.

The Vedder is high and fair to good for rainbow, cutthroat, and spring. For rainbow try: Zulu, Kaufmann Golden Stone, Wooly Bugger, Big Black, Black Gnat, Renegade, Souboo, Tom Thumb, Royal Coachman, or Irresistible.

We will be hosting an intermediate fly fishing course at Hatch Match'r Fly & Tackle, Saturday July 21, 2012 and a bass fishing clinic the following Sat, July 28. Call 1-604-467-7118 for more details.