Weekly Fraser Valley Sport Fishing Column, June 22 to 29, 2015




One many of the milestones in North American sport fishing, was the American civil war. I know that statement will rub many of my Canadian readers the wrong way, but it's true. Following each war that involved vast numbers of North Americans, there followed a profusion of interest in fishing and hunting. Before we can move on from the catch point of the American civil war, there were two more development of the 1800, we need to cover: the invention of bait casting reel, the and the development of casting completions as a sport of their own.

While fly, and center pin reels had been used in England since they were imported from China in 1650, the bait casting reel was an American invention. George Snyder, of Paris Kentucky, is credited with inventing the first bait casting reel, in 1810. Snyder was silversmith and watchmaker by trade; as were his fellow ?Kentucky Reel? makers, Jonathan Fleming Meek, Benjamin C Milam, and James L Sage. Detailed accounts of the invention of the Kentucky reels, by both Dr James Alexander Henshall, and James L Sage, for Outing magazine in 1900, and Forest and Stream magazine in 1915, can be read, via a google search.

The first North American spinning reel was invented by Thomas Winans and Thomas D Whistler, of Baltimore Maryland, in 1875. While this form of sport fishing had a scattered following throughout North America, it never developed much of a following until after the Second World War.

Next week, the sport of casting.

The Report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is fair to good; early mornings and evenings are best. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Chironomid, Wooly Bugger, Doc 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 good. 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 fair to good. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Big Black, 52 Buick, Dragon Nymph, Halfback, Butler?s Bug, Doc Spratley, Green 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 Chehalis River is fair to slow for rainbow and summer steelhead. For steelhead try: Popsicle, Big black, Purple Peril, GP, Golden Stone, Kaufmann Stone, Simulator, Tom Thumb, or Irresistible.

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