One of the many things I learned in my years as a youth fly fishing club coach and coordinator is the value of an objective. It is often an objective that can make the difference between a pipe dream and a plan. People will often talk in fantasy about fishing more often, taking a class, catching a trophy fish, winning a championship, or involving the family.
Success in these areas of sport fishing goes to the achievers, the people who take the steps necessary to move past daydreaming to doing. This takes time and commitment.
Commitment is not a word we like to hear in our busy, over-planned lives, but that is what it takes. People will always find time to do the things they value enough to make priorities. Priorities are placed in order of importance and the less important things are planned around them. What value do you put on your time? Each of us is allotted a specific amount, no more can be added.
Success goes to those who make the most of what they are given. In any sport or endeavour, the prizes go to those who turn off the TV, get off the couch, and put in the time; sport fishing is no different.
The report
Our Lower Mainland lakes are fishing slow but steady. Try a slow retrieve or troll with: Big Black, Woolly Bugger, Micro Leach, Sixpack, Dragonfly Nymph, Halfback, Doc Spratley, or Zulu.
Our Lower Mainland beach and estuary fisheries are still a bet for sea-run cutthroat. 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 fair to 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 Zunker.
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 fair to good for steelhead and cutthroat.
The Harrison River is good for cutthroat, and rainbow.
You can find more at “The Reel Life Press” by Jeff Weltz
