Fishing report for Feb 9 to 16, 2009
Picking where we left off in last week’s column; Harry Lemire, fashioned “Lemire’s Black Irresistible” in 1973 to fool Dean River Steelhead.
Jack Vincent created his “Vincent’s Sedge”, for Roche Lake rainbows in 1975, while in that same year Peter Caverhill created his “Caverhill Nymph” for Dragon Lake rainbows.
Then in 1979 famed fisheries biologist, fly fishing author/instructor, and unofficial chironomid master, Brian Chan, released his replication of adult Chironomids the “Lady McConnel.”
As with other decades in our sport fishing history, authors both local and foreign, were telling the world about our one of a kind sport fishery:
In 1970, New York editor and author, Nick Lyons released “Fisherman’s Bounty” featuring excerpts from Haig-Brown’s “A River Never Sleeps.”
Other books from that year were: “British Columbia Game Fish” featuring chapters penned by eight of the top anglers of the early seventies, and “The Story of a River”, by James Morton, which was a history of the Capilano River.
1971 saw five books: “How to Catch Steelhead,” by Alec Merriman. “Come Wade the River,” by Ralph Wahl. “How to Catch Salmon,” by Charlie White. The next two are timeless classics which we will look at next week.
The ice is finally coming off our local lower mainland lakes, so expect fishing to be good over the short term. I know I said this last week, but the day time temperatures did not go up as fast as predicted and ice off is something that is new to all us lower mainlanders. Your best option is to work the better oxygenated water close to shore with: 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 many fish running 17 lbs or better. 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 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”.