Weekly Fraser Valley Sport Fishing Column, Nov 9 to 16, 2015

?? Large fish are rarely met with, but every fisherman on the Thompson has stories of them, and they are all the same and coincide with my own. It was only once my luck to hook a really large fish. He jumped out of the water twice close to me, and I had a splendid view of him, and judged him to be about 8 lb?? Dr. T W Lambert.

From 1910 through 1930?s tails of amazing trout, salmon, and steelhead fishing in British Columbia were all over the sporting media in England. In answer to the call General Noel Money, Tommy Brayshaw, Bill Nations, and Roderick Haig-Brown, crossed the pond and migrated west.

Brayshaw was the first and arrived in Vancouver in 1910. During these early years he caught his first steelhead and a number of large spring (chinook) salmon. Duty called him back to England when the WWI started, but he would return and make his mark as a patriarch of BC fly fishing.

General Money came in 1913, to fish tyee in Campbell River. While here he fell in love with Qualicum Bay and established a home on Qualicum Beach. He too also went back home to serve in WWI. After the war was over Money returned as Brigadier General Noel Money and opened the Qualicum Inn.

?Anglers who know British Columbia, Campbell River recalls memories of big salmon, it is only a name with which they would like to be better acquainted?

The scenery is magnificent on the voyage from Vancouver. Mountains, their sides covered with many species of Coniferous trees,.. Snow-covered peaks raise their heads a few miles back from shore and give a delicious sense of coolness even on the hottest days. The steamer threads its way through Islands, big and small, and of shapes and sizes. Which are a never-ceasing source of interest to the new comer and recall past fishing and hunting trips to the old timer.? Nigel Bourke, 1913.



The Report

Our lower mainland lakes are fishing slow to fair. For better success watch your barometer and try to focus your fishing during the upward in air pressure. 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.


Our local bass fishing is fair. 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.

The Fraser River is good for coho, spring, chum. For coho try: Coho Blue, Christmas Tree, olive or black Wooly Bugger, Coho killer, Bite Me, or Rolled Muddler. For spring try: Big Black, GP, Flat Black, Squamish Poacher, Popsicle, or Kauffman?s black Stone. For chum try: Popsicle, Flat Black, Christmas Tree, Dec 25th, Met Green, or Holliman.

The Harrison River is fair to good for cutthroat, coho, spring, and chum . For cutthroat try: Rolled Muddler, American Coachman, Tied Down Minnow, Stone Nymph, Eggo, Cased Caddis, Czech Nymph, Hares Ear Nymph, or Irresistible.

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