Weekly Fraser Valley Sport Fishing Column

Fishing report for Feb 2 to 9, 2009

BC sport fishing during the 1970’s not only saw an increased interest in fly fishing, it also saw a separation of ideologies. When I was introduced to fishing with a fly in May of 1970, the “match the hatch” philosophy of American author Ernest Shwiebert beginning was to take hold here in BC. No longer were all anglers satisfied to take sport fishing as just a game of chance. Some, many of them among the ranks of our provincial sport fishing icons of today, began to achieve improved success by seeing sport fishing as the application of the rarely spoke of science of Piscatology.

The first to make this transition was Alf Davy in 1972. His creation the “Bottom Walker” which was designed to represent the dragonfly nymphs of White Lake.

In 1974 Alf Davy created another of his representative patterns the “Long Black” designed to imitate the chironomid pupa he observed drifting to the surface in White and Stump lakes.

In that same year Jim Stewart, Ken Corker, and Mickey Caldwell collaborated in creating the well known “Water Boatman,” to imitate the spring and fall hatch of this insect on Roche Lake.

1974 also saw the “Squamish Poacher,” famed steelhead fly of the Squamish River. This pattern was devised by Joe Kambeitz to mimic the ghost shrimp of our coastal beaches.

Dawning in the 1970’s were three of the most innovative and exciting decades in fly fishing history; we will have more next week.

The ice is finally coming off our local lower mainland lakes, so expect fishing to good over the short term. Try Chironomid, Bloodworm, Baggy Shrimp, Zulu, Micro Leach, Halfback, Big Black, or Dragonfly Nymph; trolled of retrieved dead slow, close to shore in the north east sections of your favorite lake.

The Fraser River backwaters and sloughs are fishing well for cutthroat and dolly varden. For cutthroat try: Eggo, Flesh Fly, Rolled Muddler, Tied Down Minnow, Clouser’s Deep Minnow, Bucktail, Mickey Finn, Winter Stone, Coachman, American Coachman, Lioness, Zulu, Souboo, Big Black, Micro Leach, or Sixpack. For dolly varden try: large (#4 to #1) Flesh Fly, Eggo, Bucktail, Rolled Muddler, Zonker, Big Black, or Kaufmann’s Black Stone.

The Vedder River is producing very well for rainbow, dolly varden, and Steelhead, with fish up to 20 lb being reported. For rainbow try: Eggo, Stonefly Nymph, Elk Hair Caddis, Tom Thumb, Zulu, Fire Ball, Irresistible, Adams, Renegade, Grasshopper, or Stimulator. For Steelhead try: Big Black, Flat Black, Squamish Poacher, Thor, Polar Shrimp, Popsicle, pink Eggo, Happy Hooker, or Kaufmann’s Black Stone.

The Harrison is good for cutthroat, rainbow, and whitefish. 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. For whitefish try: small (size #16 to 12) Eggo, black Micro Leach, black Wooly Bugger, black Stonefly Nymph, or Flesh Fly.

The Chehalis River is fair to good for rainbow, and steelhead.

The Stave River is fair to slow for cutthroat, rainbow, and whitefish.

The Squamish River is fair for rainbow, cutthroat, and dolly varden.

Until the next time, “Keep your fly in the water”.