Weekly Fraser Valley Sport fishing column for Sept 2 to 9, 2013


One Cascadian game fish that eludes me is the tiger musky. I have held an interest in these freshwater relatives of the barracuda, since I heard my cousin John Slater talk of them back in 1967. Until recently I believed my opportunities to target muskellunge were restricted to my trips back east. That all changed when my colleague Shane Hoelzle drew my attention to the Washington State tiger musky.

In researching these game fish I found that; Washington State Fish & Game makes use of this predator's veracious appetite to cull less popular species that are harming the environmental balance of a water system. The first stocking of sterile tiger musky was done in 1988, which makes them a rather new member of our west coast game fish species. Though they are new to our area they are no less the trophy game fish that their eastern relatives are; with the Washington State recoded set at fifty pounds. Picture that: a fish fifty inches in long, with a twenty five inch girth, weighing in at a whopping fifty pounds. Now, think about landing one with your fly rod. That's a fish for the bucket list!

Are we excited yet? We have more next week.


The Report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is slow to fair. Early mornings and evening k are best; focusing on the cooler water is the south west sectors of your favorite lake. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Nations Black, Zulu, Wooly Bugger, Wooly Worm, Pumpkin Head, Micro Leach, Doc Spratley, Halfback, Sixpack, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry (floating) fly action try: Lady McConnel, Tom Thumb, Irresistible, Double Hackled Peacock, Royal Coachman, Black Gnat, Griffith Gnat, or Elk Hair Caddis.

Our lower Mainland bass and panfish waters are fishing are slowing down a bit. For Bass try: Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, Pumpkinhead, Gomphus Bug, Dragon Nymph, Crayfish, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Lefty's Deceiver, Dolly Whacker, Bucktail, Hair Frog, Poppers, (adult) Dragonfly, Chernobyl Ant, Optic, or Stimulator. For Panfish try smaller (size 10 to 16) versions of the above.

Fishing on our interior lakes is fair. Again mornings and evenings are your best bets. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Halfback Nymph, Baggy Shrimp, Pumpkin Head, Wooly Bugger, Big Black, Dragon Nymph, Sixpack, 52 Buick, or Doc Spratley. For dry fly fishing try: Lady McConnel, Tom Thumb, Adams, Irresistible, Renegade, Black Gnat, or Elk Hair Caddis.

The Vedder River is good for rainbow. Try: Czech nymph, Kaufmann Stone, Hares Ear, Big Black, Wooly Bugger, Zulu, Souboo, Irresistible, Black Gnat, or Renegade. Please release the sockeye.

The Harrison River is fair to good for cutthroat. Try: Professor, Anderson Stone, American Coachman, Rolled Muddler, Black Gnat, Griffith Gnat, Zulu, Hares Ear, Renegade, or Irresistible.

The Thompson River is good for rainbow. Try: Kaufmann Stone, Big Black, Cased Caddis, Foam Hopper, Elk Hair Caddis, Tom Thumb, Stimulator, Chernobyl Ant, or Irresistible.

Pink and Chum salmon fishing in now open on the Fraser River and we will be posting tips as the fishing improves.