Newsman's sport fishing column and report

Weekly Fraser Valley Sport fishing column; Dec 8 to 15, 2014


Christmas is now less than three weeks away; if you haven’t started shopping for those anglers on your list yet; it is time to get busy.

Books and DVD’s are often a welcome gift for the seasoned anglers. Of the many angling authors out there, amongst the reams of print, on the thousands of book shelves around the world, there are some have stood the test of time and become legends. Of those legends, who’s works I have personally read, I would suggest prose by: Roderick Haig-Brown, Art Lingren, Joan Wulff, Brian Chan, Skip Morris, Randall Kaufmann, Lefty Krey, Trey Combs, John Alden Knight, Enos Bradner, Steve Raymond, Jimmy Houston, Vincent Marinaro, Al & Ron Lindner, Jack Shaw, Joe Brooks, or A K Best; to please even the most discriminating angler.

Some other suggestions: a good fly tying vice. While your angler may already have a vice, an upgrade is likely to please. A lure and or spoon making jig, or a rod making jig; for the angler who likes to craft his or her own equipment. A weather station, so the fisherman can watch upcoming weather patterns, and no longer have to rely on the weatherperson, to catch those hard to chart, upward swings in the barometer.

Next week we will offer some great last minute gift and stocking stuffer ideas.


The Report

Our lower mainland lakes are fishing slow to fair. For better success; concentrate your fishing during the warmest parts of the day, mid morning through early afternoon. Your fish will be slow and sluggish due to the cold water, so make sure your presentations slow and allow extra time for your fish to take your hook solidly, before setting the hook. Try a slow troll or retrieve with a: Wooly Bugger, Leach, Dragon nymph, Halfback, or Baggy Shrimp.

The Fraser River is slow to fair for coho, chum. For coho try: Coho blue, Rolled Muddler, Eggo, Christmas Tree, Bite Me, or olive Wooly Bugger. For chum try: Christmas Tree, Eggo, Popsicle, Big black, Mat green, Mat red, Flat Black, Holliman, green, pink, or purple Wooly Bugger

The Vedder River is slow for coho and chum.

The Harrison River is slow to fair for chum, coho, rainbow, and cutthroat. For trout try: Rolled Muddler, Flesh fly, Hairs Ear, Anderson Stone, Eggo, Chez Nymph, Big Black, Black Stone Nymph, Micro Leach.

The Thompson River is good for steelhead. Try Popsicle, Polar Shrimp, Big Black, GP, Eggo, Purple Peril, Squamish Poacher, or Kaufmann Stone.