Newsman's sport fishing column and report

Weekly Fraser Valley Sport Fishing Column, Aug 10 to 17, 2015



The 1880’s a vast expanse of untapped fishing and hunting possibilities opened up to the general public, thanks to the railroads pushing spur-lines all over the North American Continent. Visionaries and opportunists (often one in the same) jumped on the prospect of profit. Soon after resort hotels, lodges, and guiding companies sprang up everywhere along the rail lines. Rail lines published and distributed the guide books, and the profiteers took it from there.

“Guide to the Health, Pleasure, Game, and Fishing Resorts Reached by the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railway.”

“Pleasures spots Among the Ozarks,” Rock Island Railroad.

“A Paradise for Gunners and Anglers,” Pennsylvania Rail Road company.

“Fishing and Shooting along the Lines of the CPR,” Canadian Pacific Railway.

The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, went so far as to make a standing offer, of a twenty dollar gold piece, to any fly fisherman cunning enough to land a ten pound or more rainbow anywhere along their rail line.

The influx of tourists and money had its consequences. The fish and game stocks soon declined, and some crashed. Hunters and fishermen wanting to preserve their sport lobbied governments to enact fish and game regulations. One champion of the cause who wrote extensively on the subject during this period was George Oliver Shields. Shields is credited with popularizing the derogatory term of his, “Game Hog.”

Nearly a century later, John Rieger would write of this birth of conservation in North America, in his book, “American sportsmen and the Origins of Conservation.”

“and it should be emphasized that, contrary to popular belief, sportsmen urged these restrictions upon themselves, for no individual, group or government agency forced them to limit their bags, hunting and fishing seasons, or any other aspect of sport. If sportsmen failed to regulate themselves, no one else would, for they lived in a country characterized, first, by a Judeo-Christian tradition that separated men from nature and sanctified his dominion over it…”




The Report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is slow. For better success try fishing early mornings and late evenings, concentrating on shadowed areas. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Chironomid, Wooly Bugger, Doc Spratley, Halfback, Micro Leach, Six Pack, Souboo, Pumpkinhead, Damsel Nymph, American Coachman, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry (floating) fly fishing try: Lady McConnell, Big Ugly, Elk Hair Caddis, Griffith Gnat, Irresistible, or Royal Coachman. For kokanee try: Bloodworm, San Juan Worm, Red Spratley, Red Ibis, Double Trude, or small Red Zonker.

Our local bass and panfish waters are fair to good. For bass try: Foam Frog, Poppers, Chernobyl Ant, Stimulator, Adult Damsel, Adult Dragon, Big Black, Wooly Bugger, Dragon Nymph, Pumpkinhead, Dolly Whacker, Lefty’s Deceiver, or Clouser’s Deep Minnow. For Panfish try Bloodworm, Chironomid, Micro Leach, Pumpkinhead, Popper, Black Gnat, Trico, Mosquito, or Royal Coachman.

Fishing on our interior lakes is slow to fair; concentrate on spring fed areas for better success. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Big Black, 52 Buick, Dragon Nymph, Halfback, Butler’s Bug, Doc Spratley, Green Spratley, Pumpkinhead, Green Carey, Damsel Nymph, Dragon Nymph, or Baggy Shrimp. For dry fly fishing try: Tom Thumb, Double Hackled Peacock, Elk hair Caddis, Goddard Caddis, Royal Wulff, or Irresistible.

The Thompson River is fair to good for rainbow. Try: California Blond, Rolled Muddler, Kaufmann Stone, Stimulator, Joe’s Hopper, Tom Thumb, Irresistible, or Elk Hair Caddis.