Newsman's sport fishing column & report

Sport fishing column for Feb 21 to 28, 2011

I have heard many things criticized within the local sport fishing community, but the one I heard last week, takes the cake. Those of us, who can mark off fifty or more fish days, are now the bad guys. As strange as that sounds it is true, just this last week I was informed by a trusted colleague (no, I don't divulge names) that lately he is being criticized for catching too many fish. Further more he has been told that he is being hard on the resource and should go home after catching two fish. What makes this ludicrous is that we are talking about a catch and release fisherman.

If we were all to stop fishing after catching two fish, there would be no reason to buy an annual license. There would be no incentive to vacation at a fishing lodge or pay for a guide. Tackle shops, boat dealers, and RV sellers would all have cut staff and possibly close their doors. The work our Fresh Water Fisheries Society of BC does in establishing better fisheries would be a waste of time and money. Lastly, there would be no reason to spend money on a class, DVD, or book to improve your fishing skills, since improvement would only mean going home sooner.

In closing let me make this perfectly clear; fishing is about catching fish, big fish, challenging fish, and large numbers of fish. Get off the couch, take the family, catch lots of fish, but take home only what you legitimately need.


The report

Our lower mainland lakes are fishing well. Try a slow retrieve or troll with: Big Black, Woolly Bugger, Micro Leach, Bloodworm, Chironomid, Sixpack, Dragonfly Nymph, Halfback, Doc Spratley, Buggy shrimp, or Zulu.

Our lower mainland beach and estuary fisheries are good for sea-run cutthroat. Watch for a shift in this fishery over the next two to six weeks, as the larger predators of this genus migrate in search of prime feeding lanes in our local rivers and streams. Try: Epoxy Minnow, Tied Down Minnow, Muddler Minnow, Clouser's deep Minnow, Lioness, Grizzly King, Mickey Finn, Coachman, Knudson's Spider, Zulu, Purple Joe, or Borden Special.

The Fraser River and soughs are good for cutthroat and dolly varden. For cutthroat try: Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Eggo, Tied Down Minnow, Epoxy Minnow, Winter Stone, Flesh Fly, Professor, Lioness, Coachman, Zulu, Chez Nymph. For dolly Varden try: Large (#4 to #1) Eggo, Dolly Whacker, Bucktail, Epoxy Minnow, Big Black, Muddler, or Zonker.

The Vedder River is good for steelhead, dolly varden and rainbow, by the weekend. For steelhead try: big Black, Popsicle, Steelhead Nightmare, Polar shrimp, GP, Thor, Squamish Poacher, Kaufmann Stone, Purple Peril, or Eggo. For rainbow try: Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Eggo, Flesh Fly, Kaufmann Black Stone, Black Gnat, Zulu, Chez Nymph, Big Black, Sixpack, or Renegade.

The Stave River is fair to good for steelhead, rainbow and cutthroat.

The Chehalis River is good for steelhead and cutthroat.

The Harrison River is good for cutthroat, and rainbow.

Hatch Match'r Fly and tackle is offering variety of fishing seminars this winter and spring, call 604-467-7118 for details and registration.


You can find more at "The Reel Life Press" by Jeff Weltz

hey newsman thanks for the report also if a man can catch lots of fish leave him be like you said as long as its catch n release