Weekly Fraser Valley Sport fishing column; Oct 3 to 20, 2014

?Possibly you have heard some old trout fisherman ? discourse concerning the game qualities and characteristics in general of the German or brown trout, Salmo Faro, ?made in Germany? and imported in 1882. If so, you have heard no good of the brown trout. You have been more or less forcibly informed that the brown trout is a coarse fish;?

The above passage was taken from an article written by Samuel G Camp, in 1907, for Field & Stream magazine. In his article Camp addresses an issue that has plagued sport fishing for centuries; species prejudice. We all have our likes and dislikes, and we have a right to them. What I believe is wrong, are individuals trying to force their bias on others.

Over my half century as a sport fisherman I have heard this prejudice voiced many time and in many ways. There was a time when it was said, dolly Varden were the culprit harming stocks of coho and rainbow. Before retention of chum and pink salmon was instituted, these two fish species were often maligned and referred to as garbage. When I went to the Canadian National Fly Fishing Championship, in Fernie, brook trout were the target. For quite a few years in Lower Mainland BC, Bass have been the subject of said prejudice and slander. On the east coast they are angry about pacific salmon that have found their way out of the great lakes and are colonizing barren east coast streams. Here we are angry about escaped atlantic salmon trying to colonize our barren streams. Here we dislike bass. In the southern US they dislike trout. Why?

Have you ever taken children fishing? They are happy to catch fish; any fish, and do it without prejudice. Where do they learn prejudice? From us. I have taken many children fishing and watched them closely, in doing so I have concluded; that they know how to have fun and appreciate what is available. Why don?t we?



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.

Our interior lakes are 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 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 good for spring, coho, and chum.

The Harrison River is good for cutthroat, rainbow, chum, spring, and coho. For cutthroat try: Rolled Muddler, Hairs Ear, Elk Hair Caddis, Anderson Stone, Eggo, 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.