Weekly Fraser Valley Sport Fishing Column

Sport fishing column for April 26 to May 3, 2010

I did some fishing with last week's column and received some very good feedback. Some of the feedback was focused on my reference to winning at the sport of fishing.

I understand that not everyone wants to go pro angler, or compete in national or international championships. That being said, an angler who wishes to attain consistent success needs to understand that fishing itself is a contest. Every time we cast our lines we compete with a fish; one wins, one looses. It is a fact of life that is as timeless as time itself. What is different about this game is that neither winning nor loosing is bad; we learn from both. One grants us feelings of accomplishment, and the other the drive to improve. Fifty three years of sport fishing and the fish still beat me. Not as nearly often as they did years ago, but often enough to keep me humbled. What have the fish been teaching you lately?

The report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes has been slow due the recent cold front. Until these unsettled conditions improve, watch the barometer concentrating on the upward movements in pressure. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Chironomid, Bloodworm, Big Black, Wooly bugger, Micro Leach, Baggy Shrimp, Coachman, Pumpkin head, Cased Caddis, Halfback, Dragon Nymph, olive Matuka, Zulu, or Doc Spratley. For dry (floating) fly fishing try: Tom Thumb, Lady McConnel, Irresistible, Renegade, Black Gnat, Griffith Gnat, Royal Coachman, or Elk Hair Caddis. For kokanee try: Red Abbis, Red Spratley, Bloodworm, Royal Coachman, San Juan Worm, or red Micro Leach.

Local bass and crappie fishing is slow. Slow and deep is the key until the weather improves; try: Wooly Bugger, Big Black, Matuka, Crayfish, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Deceiver, Dolly Whacker, or Bucktail.

Many of our lower to mid elevation interior lakes are ice free. The water is still cold so use early spring tactics. The flies suggestions for our lower mainland lakes are applicable here too. Dress warm.

The Fraser River back waters and sloughs remain good for cutthroat, rainbow, and dolly varden. For cutthroat and rainbow try: Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Tied Down Minnow, Professor, Lioness, Kaufmann Stone, Coachman, Zulu, Chez Nymph, Black Gnat, Sooboo, Irresistible, Elk Hair Caddis, or Stimulator. For dolly varden try: large (#4 to #20 Eggo, Flesh Fly, Rolled Muddler, Zonker, Clouser's Deep Minnow, black Popsicle, or Big Black.

The Stave River is good for cutthroat and rainbow.

The Harrison River is good for cutthroat, and rainbow.

The Vedder River is fair to good for steelhead, cutthroat, and rainbow. For steelhead try: Squamish Poacher, Thor, GP, Big Black, Flat Black, Polar Shrimp, Purple Peril, Holliman, Steelhead Spratley, Steelheads Nightmare, or Kaufmann Stone. The Vedder is closed to all fishing above Vedder Crossing as of May 1st.

We are teaching our fly fishing classes at Hatch Match'r Fly & Tackle this year. Our first session will run on two consecutive Saturdays, May 8 & 15. If you want a primer for the May long weekend, this is it. We have limited seating to 12, so call 1-604-820-4099 or 604-467-7118 today.

Wild pacific salmon or part of our heritage, say no the foreign national companies and their farmed fish.

don't know why this didn't come up on Wednesday when I sent it.

Oh well it's up now. They are taring this one to shreds on FlyBC.