Newsman's sport fishing column & report

Sport fishing column for April 11 to 18, 2011

Last week Vancouver celebrated its 125th birthday. Our two Vancouver papers published a collection of interesting historical highlights. What I missed seeing was the contributions of Vancouver City to BC sport fishing. Since I didn't see anything printed on the subject in those papers I have decided to share over the next few columns, what I know on the subject.

Rufus Gibbs, the Gibbs of Gibbs/Nortac Tackle, settled in Vancouver in 1908 and established his Gibbs-Delta Tool & Stamping Works on Main St. The business was destroyed by fire in 1912 and reopened at 56 Dufferin St, where Gibb along with his regular work experimented in making fishing lures. His most famous being the Clendon-Stewart and Stewart salmon spoons.

Aside from business Gibbs enjoyed fishing and philanthropy and was noted as generous supporter of the Vancouver Boys Club. Among his munificent support of church works, was a generous donation to the historic St John The Devine Church in Yale, which saved it from demolition in 1945.

A man of curiosities Gibb chose to live his life alone; forty two years of which were spent on an entire floor of Vancouver's Patricia Hotel, without a television or a car.

Rufus Gibbs, not just a Vancouver icon, was and still is a BC sport fishing icon of both fish and men.

The report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is good. Try working the north east area of your favorite lake from late morning through mid afternoon with. For rainbow and cutthroat try: Chironomid, Bloodworm, Black Gnat, Royal Coachman, Coachman, American Coachman, Professor, Woolly Bugger, Micro Leach, Sixpack, Dragonfly Nymph, Halfback, Doc Spratley, Baggy shrimp, or Zulu. For kokanee try: Red Abbis, red Micro Leach, San Juan Worm, Bloody Butcher, Blood Worm, or Red Spratley

The Fraser River and soughs are good for cutthroat and dolly varden. For cutthroat try: Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Eggo, Tied Down Minnow, Epoxy Minnow, Professor, Lioness, Coachman, Zulu, Chez Nymph. For dolly Varden try: Large (#4 to #1) Eggo, Dolly Whacker, Bucktail, Epoxy Minnow, Big Black, Muddler, or Zonker.

The Vedder River fair to good for steelhead, dolly varden and rainbow. For steelhead try: big Black, Popsicle, Steelhead Nightmare, Polar shrimp, GP, Thor, Squamish Poacher, Kaufmann Stone, Purple Peril, or Eggo. For rainbow try: Eggo, Kaufmann Stone (black or tan), Zulu, Sixpack, Tom Thumb, Irresistible, Chez Nymph, Big Black, or Renegade.

The Stave River is good for rainbow and cutthroat.

The Harrison River is fair to good for cutthroat, and rainbow.

Don't miss the Outdoor Life Styles and Adventure Show, coming to Maple Ridge, at the end of the month.

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