Newsman's sport fishing column and report

Sport fishing column for June 28 to July 5, 2010

"The wind blows where it pleases. You hear the sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going."

Over the past few years we have noticed changes in our weather patterns. Some say it global warming others say it's a cycle. Whatever it is that is causing these changes, wind is an agent in it. As an observer of weather and its effect on fish activity; I was fascinated to recently hear that the majority of our incoming winds, have changed direction, from west to south. These warmer south winds are more turbulent, causing frequent storms and seasonal weather. I learned many years ago that timeless things cannot be restricted to the time frames of men. Weather patterns of the last decade are witness to that truth. Our roman calendar tells us its summer, but the seasonal weather we have been experiencing is that of late May early June. The ant hatch that occurred over this past weekend tells me that our lower mainland insects are more aware of the true season than we are. So what does all this mean to you as anglers? In short; spring tactics are my suggestion for BC Day and the unofficial long weekend. Have fun out there.

The report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is at its best. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Big Black, Nation's Black, Red Spratley, Baggy Shrimp, Coachman, Cased Caddis, Halfback, Dragon Nymph, Carey Special, Zulu, or Doc Spratley. For dry (floating) fly fishing try: Tom Thumb, Renegade, Black Gnat, Foam Ant, 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 AAA too. Try: Wooly Bugger, Big Black, Blood Leach, Matuka, Popin Bugs, Chernobyl Ants, Crayfish, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Epoxy Minnow, Deceiver, Dolly Whacker, Bucktail, Hair Frog, Irresistible, or Tom Thumb.

Fishing on our interior lakes is coming on strong. For wet fly fishing try: Chironomid, Pumpkinhead, 52 Buick, Bloodworm, Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, olive Matuka, Butler's Bug, Halfback, Baggy Shrimp, Sooboo, Sixpack, or Green Spratley, For dry fly fishing try: Lady McConnel, Irresistible, Big Ugly, Double Hackled Peacock, Tom Thumb, Royal Wulff, or Elk Hair Caddis.

The Fraser River is in freshet. For better success, focus on the cleaner water in and around its feeder streams. 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 #2) Rolled Muddler, Zonker, Clouser's Deep Minnow, Dolly Whacker, black Popsicle, or Big Black.

The Stave River is good for cutthroat and rainbow.

Wild pacific salmon are part of our heritage; say no to the foreign national
companies and their farmed fish.

jeff i know you must be too busy fishing than taking fotos since u fished all the areas you listed, I really envy you have this much time and opportunities to fish this diverse range of water in a week, not to mention your skill and knowledge. I am really curious which lakes and wat part of the rivers you were fishing every week? not asking you to share the secret spots but can you be more specific since most of your reports are almost the same and very vague and too general from my point of view, cuz there are so many lake in "the interior", and the rivers u mentioned, fraser and stave are pretty long and quite big too

Me and Mike only caught a shit load of dink smallies all under 2lb and I am too sick of rainbows although during the 5 day trip I caught a lot of penasks in Yellow lake (all around 10"-15")and one blackwater-ish trout with stomach full of snails, which is really weird for me cuz i have never witness that myself

here's one of the lill guys I nymphed on the roadside of Similkameen river

caught on size 18 pheasant tail pupae



Mike got other images of smallies, and i really hope to see more pictures of your fishing experience in depth next time

great report newsman keep it up...

Rand I don't get to fish anywhere near as much as you have suggested. What I report is a summary of all the legitimate report I receive in a week. There was a time before I was married with children, when I could not even pay anyone to go fishing with me, that I was off fishing every second weekend and for six weeks every summer. Now like most of the people I know in the sport fishing industry, life gets in my way and for the most part I only get to hear about the best fishing.