Fishing report for Nov 24 to Dec 1, 2008
As we open another page in our overview of BC sport fishing history, I think it is in order that we look at how much we have covered. So far we have looked at over 100 years of the legacy, left to us by our sport fishing pioneers. In that time many things were learned, both good and bad. Though some would like to dwell on the bad, hindsight has shown us it was all for the good; even the bad. Both the sides have provided knowledge; and all knowledge is good provided it is used as a learning tool for a better tomorrow. The 60’s would be no different from previous generations; tackle would be made more user friendly, more books would be written, a new and safer highway would be built through the Fraser Canyon. The growing popularity of our sport would continue to expand and our own provincial environmental movements would be started by concerned hunters and fishermen.
Of the many book penned during this decade, “The Living Land,” by Roderick Haig-Brown was first in 1961.
John Fennelly was next in 1963, with “Steelhead Paradise.” This was the first book to reference our famous steelhead fly fishing in the Skeena River system.
In 1964, sport fishing columnist, for The Province (newspaper), Mike Cramond, followed the lead Vancouver Sun columnist Lee Straight, and released “Game Fishing in the West.”
Also released in 1964 were another two Roderick Haig-Brown books: “A Primer of Fly Fishing,” (my personal favorite) and Fisherman’s Fall (the third in his famous fisherman’s series).
Our lower mainland lakes are fishing well thanks to the great weather we have been experiencing. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Chironomid, Bloodworm, Micro Leach, Halfback Nymph, Doc Spratley, Green Spratley, Dragonfly Nymph, Coachman, Carey Special, Souboo, Zulu, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry (floating) fly try: Tom Thumb, Renegade, Lady McConnel, Elk Hair Caddis, Adams, Griffith Gnat, Royal Coachman, or Brayshaw’s Fancy.
The Fraser River is slow for spring, coho, and chum. For coho try: Christmas Tree, Coho Blue, Blue Christmas, olive Wooly Bugger, Egg Sucking Leech, Bite Me, or Rolled Muddler. For spring try: large (#1 or #2) Eggo, Popsicle, GP, Flat Black, Big Black, or Kaufman Stone. For chum try: Christmas Tree, Happy Hooker, Flat Black, Dec 25, Fire Ball, kelly green Wooly Bugger, or Mat Green.
The Vedder River is slow for rainbow, and coho. For rainbow try: Eggo, Stonefly Nymph, Elk Hair Caddis, Tom Thumb, Zulu, Fire Ball, Irresistible, Adams, Renegade, Grasshopper, or Stimulator.
The Harrison is fair to good for cutthroat, chum, coho, and spring. For cutthroat try: Eggo, Rolled Muddler, Tied Down Minnow, Clouser’s Deep Minnow, Bucktail, Stonefly Nymph, Coachman, American Coachman, Fire Ball, Lioness, Zulu, Black Gnat, Souboo, or Sixpack.
The Chehalis River is fair for rainbow, spring, chum, and coho.
The Stave River is slow to fair for chum, coho, and spring.
Until the next time, “Keep your fly in the water”.