Weekly Fraser Valley Sport fishing column; August 11 to 18, 2014


Sockeye is the fish I have heard most talked about over the last week. Those making the forecast are predicting a historic return. Four years ago we experienced the record with, thirty million sockeye returning to our Fraser River and its tributaries. But it is not just the Fraser River Sockeye that are returning in historic numbers; our Fraser River Red Chinook have returned in great abundance also. South of us, the Columbia River is seeing historic returns of chinook and sockeye too. Over on Vancouver Island, the Quinsam River is experiencing a return of pink salmon so strong it?s literally choking the river.

What are the returning salmon to this area of the Pacific Northwest? Some would say they are one of our natural resources. Others would refer to them as one of our great sport fish. While another group would be completely indifferent. I believe that our pacific salmon are more than just a natural resource and great sporting fish. I believe they are an integral part of our heritage and who we are as a people. It was not that long ago, that much of our industrial base would grind to a snail?s pace, while men and their families would put everything aside to participate in the annual harvest of returning salmon. And let us not forget that these same salmon were a determining factor in the location of our border between British Columbia and Washington.

It is a travesty that toxic waste is now choking the life out of an entire ecosystem that accounts for one quarter of our Fraser River Salmon. Don?t take this lightly friends. Mines come and go, while a heritage is passed on for generations.


The Report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is slow to fair. Try working the south west sections of your favorite during the evening through night fall for better success. 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 fair to 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, Adult Damsel, 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 slow to fair. 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, Adams, or Irresistible.

The Fraser River is good for spring and Sockeye. For spring try: Big Black, GP, Squamish Poacher, Eggo, Flat Black, Mat Red, or Kaufmann Stone. For sockeye try: Lime green or chartreuse patterns.

The Harrison River is slow to fair for cutthroat and rainbow. For cutthroat try: Rolled Muddler, Hairs Ear, Elk Hair Caddis, Anderson Stone, Adult Damsel, Golden Stone, Adams, or Irresistible.

The Thomson River is good for rainbow. Try: Kaufmann Golden stone, Joe?s Hopper, Tom Thumb, Irresistible, Elk Hair Caddis, or Rolled Muddler.