Weekly Fraser Valley Sport fishing column; Dec 23 to 30, 2013

One Morning at breakfast? I saw an advertisement for "complete aquarium kits' at what seemed a remarkably low price. In an unguarded moment I showed it my wife. "That's something I should have done years ago," I said.

"What?" she asked.

"Get one of those things."

"What on earth for?"

"To watch things? Things from the creeks and the river. Anything and everything. You could set up a whole natural ecology and keep track of it.'

"Do you really think you could?"

I admitted I wasn't sure, but failed to add that I hadn't the slightest intention of trying?

About a month later-Christmas morning, to be exact-I opened a very large package and uncovered by slow degree an aquarium set, complete in every detail as the paper had promised? Roderick Haig-Brown from his book, Fisherman's Fall.

Christmas is two days away and here on the north side of the Fraser Valley, the Dec coho have arrived. It is often a paradox between family responsibilities and fishing. Fish don't wait and neither did the birth of a child so many centuries ago; whose birth is the reason for this festive season. Whether you spend the day in church, with family, with friends, or on the river; we wish you all a Merry Christmas.

The Report

An unexpected cold front blew in and iced over many of our lower mainland lakes; just after we released last weeks column. Barring any unexpected weather, our lower mainland lakes and ponds should be ice free by the weekend. For better success aim for a slow troll or retrieve, close to shore in and around the north east sections of your favorite lake. Try Wooly Bugger, Big Black, Baggy Shrimp, Dragonfly Nymph, or Halfback Nymph.

The Fraser River is fishing fair for Dolly Varden and cutthroat. For Cutthroat try: Professor, Anderson Stone, American Coachman, Rolled Muddler, Black Gnat, Griffith Gnat, Zulu, Hares Ear, Renegade, or Irresistible. For Dolly Varden try: Zonker, Flat Black, Big Black, Eggo, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Bucktail, and Lefty's Deceiver.

The Vedder River is fair to good for Dolly Varden, and rainbow. For rainbow try: Czech nymph, Kaufmann Stone, Hares Ear, Big Black, Wooly Bugger, Eggo, Zulu, Soubou, Irresistible, Elk Hair Caddis, Tom Thumb, Black Gnat, or Renegade.

The Harrison River is good for coho, and cutthroat. For Coho try: Rolled Muddler, Tied Down Minnow, Coho Blue, Bite Me, Christmas Tree, green Wooly Bugger, Egg Sucking Leach, Eggo, or Big Black.

The Thompson River is good for steelhead, and rainbow. For steelhead try: Steelhead Nightmare, Big Black, Flat Black, Kaufmann Stone, Rolled Muddler, Steelhead Bee, Irresistible, October Caddis, or Stimulator.