Newsman's sport fishing column & report

Sport fishing column for Dec 20 to 27, 2010

Christmas is coming this Saturday, which means it is time to get going if you have not bought that gift for the angler on your list. This week we offer gifts that are easy and do-able for the last minute shopper.

Fishing rods, reels, and or waders; we believe the best way to gift your angler with one of these items, is to take him or her shopping at their favorite shop.
Simply place a note stating your intentions in a Christmas card and slip it under the tree. This is sure to please your angler and you don't run the risk of buying the wrong thing.

Fishing vest: The newer models that consist of nothing more then mesh with pockets are sure to please when the weather heats up. Remember these tools are made to carry equipment, not for warmth; so mesh models stay on when most have been removed.

Fishing Magazine subscriptions: The economy and web forums have forced the all but the quality rags off the market; so this gift will supply hour of pleasing and informative reading.

Fly fishing, fly tying, or fly casting lessons: Many of the instructors do not book class time until the New Year, so a note promising to pay in a Christmas card works for this gift as well.

Fishing time: for the anglers like me who have a small bedroom full of equipment and supplies, the Sun Valley Trout Park, in Mission BC, offer three hours of catch and release fly fishing for $25 (gift certificates are available). As their fly fishing instructor I can vouch for the quality of this fishery; which offers good dry fly fishing (provided the ponds are not frozen) in January and challenging trout to 7 lb.

Merry Christmas

The report

Our lower mainland lakes are fishing slow to fair. Try a slow troll or retrieve with: Big Black, Nation's Black, Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, Baggy Shrimp, Coachman, Halfback, Dragon Nymph, olive Matuka, Butler's Bug, Zulu, or Doc Spratley.

The lower mainland beach and estuary fisheries are fishing well for sea-run cutthroat. Try: Epoxy Minnow, Tied Down Minnow, Muddler Minnow, Clouser's deep Minnow, Lioness, Grizzly King, Mickey Finn, Coachman, Knudson's Spider, Zulu, Purple Joe, or Borden Special.

The Fraser River is slow to fair for cutthroat and dolly varden. For cutthroat try: Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Eggo, Tied Down Minnow, Epoxy Minnow, black, Flesh Fly, Stone, Professor, Lioness, Coachman, Zulu, Chez Nymph. For dolly Varden try: Large (#4 to #1) Eggo, Dolly Whacker, Bucktail, Epoxy Minnow, Big Black, Muddler, or Zunker.

The Vedder River is slow for rainbow, dolly varden and the odd early steelhead. For rainbow try: rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Eggo, Flesh Fly, Kaufmann Black Stone, Black Gnat, Zulu, Chez Nymph, Big Black, Sixpack, or Renegade. For steelhead try: Big Black, Popsicle, Steelhead Nightmare, Squamish Poacher, Kaufmann Stone, Thor, Polar Shrimp, or Eggo.

The Stave River is fair for rainbow and cutthroat.

The Harrison River is fair for cutthroat, and rainbow.

You can find more at "The Reel Life Press" by Jeff