Weekly Fraser Valley Sport fishing column for Sept 23 to 30, 2013


If there is one fish that sparks the interest of every river fisher in British Columbia, it is the coho salmon. Sockeye, spring, steelhead, and pink all have their followings, but the word coho, turns every head.

The methods of catching these noble fish in our streams run the gamut, with fly fishing holding top honors. In the beginning of our colony, it was believed that these fish would not take a fly. In fact it is believed that the lower portion of the Hudson Bay's British Columbia territory, between the forty ninth parallel and the Columbia River, was forfeited on the premise that pacific salmon would not take a fly. Fortunately for us, the tradition of coho on a fly was established, by A Duncan; when his account of catching coho on the fly was published, in the 1907 edition of Fishing In British Columbia.

"The cohoe salmon will take a fly: white with silver, I found best. They take ? when they are jumping ? in fact, more could be got this way ? than by trolling, only they must be jumping and fairly plentiful. They give splendid sport on a light trout rod."

Landing a twenty pound coho on a fly rod, is more than catching a big fish; for the fly fisher it is a rite of passage. More of our amazing sport fish next week.


The Report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is good. 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 active again. 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 very good. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Halfback Nymph, Baggy Shrimp, Pumpkin Head, Wooly Bugger, Big Black, Dragon Nymph, Sixpack, 52 Buick, Souboo, or Doc Spratley. For dry fly fishing try: Lady McConnel, Tom Thumb, Adams, Irresistible, Renegade, Black Gnat, or Elk Hair Caddis.

The Fraser River is fishing well for springs and pinks. For spring try: Popsicle, Big Black, Flat black, Eggo, black GP, or dark Bunny Leach. For pink try: Pink Eve, Cathy's Coat, Happy Hooker, or pink Bunny Leach.

The Vedder River is good for rainbow, pink, and spring. For rainbow try: Czech nymph, Kaufmann Stone, Hares Ear, Big Black, Wooly Bugger, Zulu, Souboo, Irresistible, Elk Hair Caddis, Tom Thumb, Black Gnat, or Renegade.

The Harrison River is fair to good for cutthroat, pink, and spring. We have heard rumors of springs. Try: Professor, Anderson Stone, American Coachman, Rolled Muddler, Black Gnat, Griffith Gnat, Zulu, Hares Ear, Renegade, or Irresistible.

The Thompson River is good for spring and pink.