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

I am sure that by now some of you are thinking these fly casting tips are getting a little old. For that reason we will close this subject, this week, with a few more simple (I did not say easy) tips to help you get that line where you want it.


Are you ready? Take everything you have learned to do with your dominant hand and arm, and repeat it with your non-dominant hand and arm. Simple in thought and word, but not so easy in application. I have found this simple switch very effective in helping good casters, move on to being experts. The concentration required in learning to cast with ones non-dominant hand, always reveals flaws unrecognized when the caster is using his or her dominant hand. Not only does this practice improving ones casting abilities; it also opens ones the casting radius to a full 180 degrees, in the direction the angler is facing.

Another simple rudiment; is learning to cast while seated in a chair, and sitting flat on the ground. We do not always have a platform to stand and cast from. Learning these techniques; assists the caster when he or she is casting from water alternate crafts such as: kayaks, canoes, belly boats, u-boats and pontoon boats.

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.

The bass and pan fish, fishing is fair. 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 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, Adams, or Irresistible.

The Fraser River salmon fishing is good for spring coho and chum. For spring try: Popsicle, Big Black, GP, Squamish Poacher, Eggo, Flat Black, Mat Red, or Kaufmann Stone. For coho try: Coho blue, Rolled Muddler, Eggo, Christmas Tree, Bite Me, or olive Wooly Bugger. For chum try: Christmas Tree, Eggo, Popsicle, Big black, Mat green, Mat red, Holliman, green, pink, or purple Wooly Bugger

The Vedder River is fair to good for spring, coho, and chum.

The Harrison River is good for cutthroat, rainbow, chum and coho. 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. For rainbow try: Kaufmann Golden stone, Joe?s Hopper, Tom Thumb, Irresistible, Elk Hair Caddis, or Rolled Muddler.