Newsman's sport fishing column and report

Weekly Fraser Valley Sport fishing column; June 16 to 23, 2014

One of the things about fishing, it is always better in one’s imagination than in application. Well, sometimes it is.

Often during our visits with the family in Salmon Arm, I fish the big “Shwap” with my brother-in-law’s. Being a sight fisherman myself, I have never been a fan of their methods; trolling deep with a downrigger and plugs. I would go out in their boats to spend time with them, not expecting to catch fish. That all changed the year John bought a fish finder.

As I sat in the cabin of John’s boat watching an endless procession of fish being marked on the fish finder, I commented, “with the amount of fish marking on this finder, it is obvious to me that no-one in our circles of influence had as yet figured out this lake. We should be hitting fish after fish.”

“You think so,” asked John?”

“You bet,” I answered!

“Well I have a fly called a Polar Bear in my tackle box. It is suppose to work, but it has never worked that well for me. I think it’s the wrong color.” Holding up the fly for me to see; he asked, “ you think you could tie up some of these in a color that would work?”

“That is nothing more than a modified Zonker,” I responded. “I can tie those in any color you want.”

With a face now beaming, John handed me a long thin, greenish looking spoon. “I bought some of these Swedish lures awhile back. They worked well me and this is the only one I have left. Can you match those colors?”

“Give me a couple of hours behind my vice and I’ll hand you a dozen,” I answered.

This story will continue in next week’s column.



The Report

Fishing on our lower mainland lakes is good. For wet (sinking) fly fishing try: Chironomid, Wooly Bugger, Zulu, Baggy Shrimp, Dragonfly Nymph, Doc Spratley, or Halfback Nymph. For dry (floating) fly fishing try: Griffith Gnat, Renegade, or Elk hair Caddis. For kokanee try: Bloodworm, San Juan Worm, Red Ibis, Red Spratley, or Kokanee killer.

The bass and pan fishing is very good. For bass try: Big Black, Clouser’s Deep Minnow, Lefty’s Deceiver, Dolly Whacker, Wooly Bugger, Pumpkinhead, Gomphus Bug, Popin Bug, Foam Frog, Chernobyl Ant, or Stimulator. For Pan fish try: Wooly Bugger, Bloodworm, Chironomid, Micro Leach, Halfback, Pumpkinhead, Dolly Whacker, Tied Down Minnow, Popin Bug, or Chernobyl Ant.

Our interior lakes are good. Try: Bloodworm, Chironomid, Pumpkinhead, Big Black, Micro Leach, 52 Buick, Sixpack, Butlers Bug, Dragon Nymph, Green Spratley, or Baggy Shrimp, for fishing wet. For dry fly action try: Lady McConnel, Big Ugly, Black Gnat, Ton Thumb, or Irresistible.

Our lower mainland creeks and sloughs are good. For cutthroat and rainbow try: Professor, American Coachman, Mickey Finn, Tied Down Minnow, Rolled Muddler, Borden’s Special, Dolly Whacker, Czech Nymph, Stone Nymph, Big Black, Zulu, Soubou, Hares Ear Nymph, Stimulator, or Irresistible.