Christmas is days away, if you haven?t picked up gifts for the those fisher men or women on your list it is time to stop thinking about it, and get to it.

Time is short but not a problem. I have heard it said that anglers are hard to buy for; don?t you believe it. An easy way to accommodate the exacting tastes of a seasoned angler is to take them shopping. Some cash, or a gift card, to buy something from a tackle shop is adequate; but to take the angler shopping, at the shop of their choice, says, ?I want to see you happy,? the same holds true for fishing time. That?s right, you can buy him or her fishing time; both The Sun Valley Trout Park in Mission, or Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery in Abbotsford, offer three hours of catch and release fishing, for a very reasonable price. What angler would not be pleased with a shot at a fifty, or more, fish day, in January, or February. You could even combine fishing classes, as an extra bonus gift. Many of our local tackle shops offer classes taught by some of the top guns in BC angling.

Some thoughts for last minute stocking stuffers include: A hook file. Sharp hooks make all the difference. Get one with a lanyard so your angler doesn?t loose it in the drink. A Fast Tie, knot tier. This tool is worth its weight in gold when you are trying to tie a nail knot in the freezer winter rain. Hand warmers. No explanation needed. Fly floatant. You can always use a spare bottle. Polarized sunglasses, or line dressing.


The Report

Our lower mainland lakes are fishing slow to fair. For better success; concentrate your fishing during the warmest parts of the day, mid morning through early afternoon. Your fish will be slow and sluggish due to the cold water, so make sure your presentations slow and allow extra time for your fish to take your hook solidly, before setting the hook. Try a slow troll or retrieve with a: Wooly Bugger, Leach, Dragon nymph, Halfback, or Baggy Shrimp.

The Fraser River is slow for coho, chum. 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, Flat Black, Holliman, green, pink, or purple Wooly Bugger

The Vedder River is slow, with some reports of early steelhead. For steelhead try GP, Squamish Poacher, Polar Shrimp, Popsicle, Big black, Flat Black, Eggo, or black Stonefly Nymph.

The Harrison River is slow to fair for chum, coho, rainbow, and cutthroat. For trout try: Rolled Muddler, Flesh fly, Hairs Ear, Anderson Stone, Eggo, Chez Nymph, Big Black, Black Stone Nymph, Micro Leach.

The Thompson River is good for steelhead. Try Popsicle, Polar Shrimp, Big Black, GP, Eggo, Purple Peril, Squamish Poacher, or Kaufmann Stone.