Newsman's sport fishing column and report

Weekly Fraser Valley Sport fishing column; Sept 1 to 8, 2014

Study, practice, and perfect the best anglers are the best students of angling.

As I stated last week there is no short cutting study and practice. I know this sounds like drudgery to some, but it is a fact that the more you know the better you will do. I can’t remember all the times that I have arrived at fishing locations and heard anglers coming off the water saying,

“I guess the fish aren’t hungry today.”

“Wrong!”

Fish don’t fast, unless they are forced to. If there is one who is not hungry enough, it is the angler; who doesn’t want to go the extra mile and figure out what is on the menu at the fish food café.

When we take the time out to study and observe, we develop theories. By practicing our theories we prove their worth. Our theories either work, don’t work, or work to some degree. All three are positive. If our theory is one hundred percent effective great; no improvement is needed. If it is partially effective, which is often the case; we need only make small adjustments to perfect it. If our theory is not effective, analyzing the why often provides new theories that do work. It all comes back to study and how much effort we invest in it.

Yes we have more and we will get to it next week.



The Report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is slow. Try working the south west sections of your favorite during the evening through night fall for better success. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Wooly Bugger, Zulu, Baggy Shrimp, Dragonfly Nymph, Doc Spratley, or Halfback. For dry (floating) fly fishing try: Griffith Gnat, Royal Coachman, Black Gnat, Irresistible, Renegade, or Elk hair Caddis. For kokanee try: Bloodworm, San Juan Worm, Red Ibis, Red Spratley, or Kokanee killer.

The bass and pan fish, fishing is good. For bass try: Big Black, Clouser’s Deep Minnow, Lefty’s Deceiver, Dolly Whacker, Wooly Bugger, Pumpkinhead, Gomphus Bug, Popin Bug, Foam Frog, Chernobyl Ant, Adult Damsel, or Stimulator. For Pan fish try: Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, Halfback, Pumpkinhead, Dolly Whacker, Tied Down Minnow, Popin Bug, or Chernobyl Ant.

Our interior lakes are slow. Try: Pumpkinhead, Big Black, Micro Leach, 52 Buick, Sixpack, Butlers Bug, Dragon Nymph, Green Spratley, or Baggy Shrimp, for fishing wet. For dry fly action try: Lady McConnel, Big Ugly, Black Gnat, Tom Thumb, Adams, or Irresistible.

The Fraser River salmon fishing remains strong. Keep your eyes and ears open for coming salmon fishing closures. For spring try: Big Black, GP, Squamish Poacher, Eggo, Flat Black, Mat Red, or Kaufmann Stone. For sockeye try: Lime green or chartreuse patterns.

The Harrison River is fair for cutthroat, rainbow and sockeye. For cutthroat try: Rolled Muddler, Hairs Ear, Elk Hair Caddis, Anderson Stone, Adult Damsel, Golden Stone, Adams, or Irresistible.

The Thomson River is good for sockeye, while slow for rainbow. For sockeye try: UV orange patterns. For rainbow try: Kaufmann Golden stone, Joe’s Hopper, Tom Thumb, Irresistible, Elk Hair Caddis, or Rolled Muddler.