Weekly Fraser Valley Sport Fishing Column and Report

[fishingnewsman]

Weekly Fraser Valley Sport Fishing Column, May 25 to June 1, 2015




It is believed that dry (floating) fly fishing was introduced to the world, by Fredric Halford around 1850 and then brought to North America by Theodore Gordon, in 1870. While Halford and Gordon did much of the leg work, in refining the sport of dry fly fishing, records show that anglers were using floating flies well before 1850.

In May of 1832, J V C Smith wrote; in his book, Natural History of the Fishes of Massachusetts, about observing trout feeding on midges (adult chironomids).

?It frequently happens, in calm time, that the surface is covered with an insect so small that they could not be perceived by the fish if it was agitated by the wind. At such times the trout are rising in all directions, apparently in sport, but upon examination they will be found to have fifty or more of these little specks collected in the throat.?

Smith did not elaborated as to how successfully he was at surface presentation, but it is enough to note that dry fly fishing was being experimented with on this continent in the 1830?s.

In 1833, an undisclosed writer for the New York Sporting Magazine; had these words to say about dry fly fishing.

?Having ascertained the quarter from which the wind blows, take your place on the windward side of the river, and if there is a good breeze, it will not only assist you in throwing your line, but when you draw it toward you ? will cause your line to float well ... and create a little wave or ripple on the water, thereby assisting the deception, and enable you to fish ? your line over deeper still pools, which often contain very large fish. In order to ascertain what kind of fly to begin with, examine the water; you will probably soon be directed to flies floating there, by seeing the fish rise at them.?


The Report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is good. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Bloodworm, Chironomid, Wooly Bugger, Doc Spratley, Red Spratley, Halfback, Micro Leach, Six Pack, Souboo, Pumpkinhead, Damsel Nymph, American Coachman, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry (floating) fly fishing try: Lady McConnell, Big Ugly, Elk Hair Caddis, Griffith Gnat, Irresistible, or Royal Coachman. For kokanee try: Bloodworm, San Juan Worm, Red Spratley, Red Ibis, Double Trude, or small Red Zonker.

Our local bass and panfish waters are AAA; some our local experts are reporting some their best fishing every. For bass try: Foam Frog, Poppers, Chernobyl Ant, Stimulator, Adult Damsel, Adult Dragon, Big Black, Wooly Bugger, Dragon Nymph, Pumpkinhead, Dolly Whacker, Lefty?s Deceiver, or Clouser?s Deep Minnow. For Panfish try Bloodworm, Chironomid, Micro Leach, Pumpkinhead, Popper, Black Gnat, Trico, Mosquito, or Royal Coachman.

Fishing on our interior lakes is good. For wet fly fishing try: Bloodworm, Chironomid, Big Black, 52 Buick, Dragon Nymph, Halfback, Butler?s Bug, Doc Spratley, Green or Red Spratley, Pumpkinhead, Green Carey, Damsel Nymph, Dragon Nymph, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry fly fishing try: Tom Thumb, Double Hackled Peacock, Elk hair Caddis, Goddard Caddis, Royal Wulff, or Irresistible.

The Fraser River is in full freshet with much debris moving through. Therefore we are forgoing reporting on this system until safer and more productive conditions prevail.