Weekly Fraser Valley Sport fishing column; July 6 to 13, 2014

This week is Canada?s National Fishing Week. In honor of that, I want to give recognition to our region and in particular the good fishing around the city of Mission. That may take you by surprise, which is understandable, since it surprised me, when my wife Kim made me aware of it.

In stating that there is good fishing in and around Mission, I am not talking about paying a hefty buck to a jet boat guide, to run you an hour or three up or down the Fraser from Mission. No, I am talking about good fishing within fifteen minutes drive, from coffee and donuts at the Tim Horton?s in downtown Mission. I was awakened to this just two Saturdays ago when I added another personal best to my list of fly caught trophies. The revelation came along, thanks to a 15 lb carp; I caught in a pond, ten minutes from my front door. Furthermore I take no credit for this revelation, because it was Kim?s words that spawned my enlightenment.

?Just think dear; of all the places you have tried to catch a trophy carp on the fly, and you catch one right here.?

Those words made me stop and think, and in thinking I took a tally of all the fly caught trophies, I have landed right here in my own backyard: a 36 lb Spring, a 20 lb Coho, a 18 lb chum, a 7.5 lb rainbow, a 7 lb bass, a 2.5 lb crappie, and a 15 lb carp. Then I added, all the days I brought to hand thirty plus (in their separate seasons) rainbow, cutthroat, pink, chum, crappie, and bass. Then with the facts staring me in the face, I had to admit, there is good fishin around Mission.

I would never have thought of Mission as a fishing destination, but I guess it is. Like many things I have learned about fishing over the years, the key to success is right under your nose, you just need to be made aware of it.



The Report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is good. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Wooly Bugger, Zulu, Baggy Shrimp, Dragonfly Nymph, Doc Spratley, or Halfback. For dry (floating) fly fishing try: Griffith Gnat, Royal Coachman, Black Gnat, Irresistible, Renegade, or Elk hair Caddis. For kokanee try: Bloodworm, San Juan Worm, Red Ibis, Red Spratley, or Kokanee killer.

The bass and pan fish, fishing is good. For bass try: Big Black, Clouser?s Deep Minnow, Lefty?s Deceiver, Dolly Whacker, Wooly Bugger, Pumpkinhead, Gomphus Bug, Popin Bug, Foam Frog, Chernobyl Ant, or Stimulator. For Pan fish try: Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, Halfback, Pumpkinhead, Dolly Whacker, Tied Down Minnow, Popin Bug, or Chernobyl Ant.

Our interior lakes are fair to good. Try: Pumpkinhead, Big Black, Micro Leach, 52 Buick, Sixpack, Butlers Bug, Dragon Nymph, Green Spratley, or Baggy Shrimp, for fishing wet. For dry fly action try: Lady McConnel, Big Ugly, Black Gnat, Tom Thumb, or Irresistible.

All rivers are open and coming into shape, with water levels dropping daily. Red spring counts are very good, as are the sockeye numbers.