Pacific Angler Blog

Welcome to the Pacific Angler Blog, your source for fishing reports, industry news, sales, events, classes, courses, guiding and destination travel! This blog will let you know what is going on in the local fishing scene; when to go, where to go, and what to use! It will keep you updated on the latest and greatest rods, reels, lines, lures and flies. It will keep you informed on weekly specials, sales events, and contests. We will also be highlighting some great fishing pictures, videos, and information on our trips around the world in pursuit of game fish! In short this is Vancouver’s blog for the fishing enthusiast! Intoxication may occur with excessive use, enjoy responsibly.

Vancouver Friday Fishing Report, May 11th

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Pacific Angler Outlook:

Great weather is on the way! It looks as though we are going to see a major heat wave over the next 10 days. This means lake season is here! It also means that running the down riggers out in the salt chuck is an awesome way to spend the day and the fishing has been hot – Check out the Vancouver Forecast and Kamloops Forecast then brake out the shorts, sunglasses and fishing Rods!

Here is the marine forecast for all you saltwater anglers. This is a great resource to check the conditions before you head out on the water.

Environment Canada – Georgia Basin Marine Report

Marine Forecast:

Friday Wind northwest 10 to 15 knots diminishing to light early this evening then becoming northwest 10 Friday afternoon.

Saturday Wind northwest 10 knots.

Sunday Wind northwest 10 knots increasing to 15 to 20 late in the day.

Monday Wind northwest 15 to 20 knots.

BC Lake Fishing Report:

Chironomids are starting to hatch in the lakes that iced off earlier this month and with the heat wave there is a good chance for boatmen hatches on a warm still day. Ants are also something to look for with a good stretch of warm weather if you are looking for some dry fly possibilities. Micro leaches and chironomids will still be the main focus for most lakes in the interior though don’t forget dragons and damsels. They should be starting to move up onto the shallows over the next few weeks.

Latest News

It snowed at Roche last night and chironomids have not been coming off heavy but fishing has been good deep (25-30ft) with micro leaches. We expect this to change fast with warm weather and fishing should be great this next week. Ron is heading up Monday for a few days so we will have a detailed report for next week.

The Kane Valley lakes should be iced off by the weekend. Harmon Lake was the thickest, but was close to breaking last Sunday.

Nicola Lake is coming off fast. The fishing should be improving

Blue Lake fished well this week. Little Blue still has access issues though you can walk in and it should be iced off (it was half off from the last reports we heard)

Lundbom and Marquart are off and rising. Fishing in the shallows could be great this year though right now covering the drop offs have produced good numbers. We had a report of some decent dragon and damsel fishing as well as micro leaches under indicators.

Corbett is hot right now and fishing was good on green, chrome red ribbed and chrome black ribbed chironomids all last week.

Peter Hope had some decent fishing this last week though we didn’t hear of any large fish. Anglers we talked to said they were focusing on the 15-18ft depths.

We heard reports that Courtney is fishing ok deep (22-30ft)

Some friends who just took our intro to lake fishing course had great fishing on Stump. (Good job Guys!)

Morgan & Six Mile Lake have picked up – Fishing chironomids and micro leeches.

Paul Lake has iced off and we had some friends have good fishing with size 16-18 Granny Smith chironomids (lime green)

White Lake and Barnes Lake are ice free.

For iced off lakes the elevations or up into the  4000 ft range.  These lakes were confirmed off last week and should be fishing great over the next few days.

Merritt

  1. Kentucky & Aileen Lake;
  2. Kump Lake;
  3. Kidd Lake
  4. Courtney Lake;
  5. Roche Lake;
  6. Marquart Lake;
  7. Lundbom Lake;
  8. Logan Lake;

Kamloops

  1. Peter & Hope Lake
  2. Horseshoe Lake;
  3. Frisken Lake;
  4. Black Lake;
  5. Bleeker Lake;
  6. Morgan Lake;
  7. Lac la Jeune;
  8. Jacko Lake;
  9. Stump Lake;
  10. 6 Mile Lake near Morgan;
  11. Edith Lake; and
  12. Scuitto lake.
Quesnel
  1. Dragon Lake;

Make sure to drop by our store to stock up on all your lake fishing needs. All of our staff are very well educated on British Columbia lakes and love to share their passion.

Vancouver Saltwater Fishing Report:

This past week has been challenging with heavy winds but boats that braved the conditions found fish. It bodes well for this weekend because the marine forecast looks great. Thrasher Rock should fish awesome after a few days rest and we are predicting good fishing off the Hump as well.

Yesterday the Salty Dawg hit two fish near Seymour bay on glow 3.5 spoons and earlier this week, (before the wind) Thrasher was fishing well on green and blue hoochies as well as Irish Cream, Green Glow or Night Rider 4 inch spoons. We found that the hot flasher was once again our favorite “The Club Dub” and we just receiver another big shipment yesterday so if you need them come by the shop before they sell out…… again!

Herring and anchovies with teaser heads are also worth adding to your spread. Check out the Saltwater Guide Journal for some amazing pictures of what we found in the belly’s of the fish over the last two weeks.

BC River Fishing Report:

Local river fishing will be mostly over due to the heat and snow melt. Watch the weather and your River Levels. There might be some hot last minute steelhead & dolly fishing.

Another great spot to look at is the Capilano. We have heard decent reports of early Coho. This system will start fishing well over the next 2 months. Fish float rigs, small green and blue spinners or use a full heavy sinking line and small flies in the deeper pools . There are also summer run steelhead showing up (remember that all steelhead are catch and release)

If you have any questions about our fishing report please do not hesitate to drop by our store at 78 East Broadway or give us a call at 604-872-2204.

Have a great weekend I’ll see you out there,

Matt Sharp

What’s New Wednesday, “Chironomid Techniques with Trevor Welton”

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Pacific Angler is proud to announce that Trevor Welton will be hosting his popular “Chironomid Techniques” course at the end of the month in our store.  Trevor’s course is a favorite amongst our customers and is designed for the angler looking to get the edge on the interior lakes.   Please read below for a full course description and available dates.

This course will fill up fast so make sure to call the store at 604-872-2204 to secure your spot.

INTRODUCTION TO CHIRONOMID TECHNIQUES WITH TREVOR WELTON

Large rainbow trout taken on a chironomid

It is widely known that chironomids are the number one food source for trout in BC’s prolific lakes. Therefore it should be no surprise that to be a top stillwater angler you need to have a solid understanding of the chironomid life cycle and the flies and techniques used to imitate them.

Becoming a master chironomid angler doesn’t happen overnight of course but this course is a great place to start.  It is designed for the beginner to intermediate fly fisher looking to get started on chironomid fishing or to fine tune their existing techniques.
The following topics will be covered in great detail:

  • Entomology and life history
  • Boat set up and anchoring
  • Equipment choice and proper setup
  • Chironomid angling techniques
  • Lake bathymetry

Course Details
Date: Thursday May 24, 7:30PM to 9:30PM
Location: Pacific Angler, 78 East Broadway, Vancouver
Cost: $30.00
Class Size: Limited to 12 students
Call Pacific Angler, (604)-872-2204, to secure your spot today!

Angler Profile: Trevor Welton
Trevor is a former member of the Canadian Fly Fishing Team and an excellent chironomid angler. His extensive fishing career dates back to his first days in the retail fishing tackle business at the age of 16. Since then he has become one of the top fly fisherman in the province as well as a fisheries biologist working for Dillon Consulting. Some of you may recognize him from Spooled TV.

Vancouver Friday Fishing Report, May 4th

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Pacific Angler Outlook:

I’ve got to say it has been an excellent week of fishing.  Everything from amazing chinook fishing locally in the Vancouver harbour to lake fishing in the interior, good sturgeon fishing in the Lower Fraser River, and even some late season steelhead reports.  Yes, it is all happening here at Pacific Angler and the British Columbia fishing scene.

The boys at Pacific Angler have been gearing up all week stocking up on our favourite saltwater salmon gear and lake fishing gear.  Looking forward we are moving right into prime-time chinook fishing both locally around the Vancouver harbour and Thrasher Rock.  As well, the lake fishing will continue to improve as more and more lakes ice-off and turnover.

The forecast for the weekend in Vancouver is looking good.  You can expect rain on Saturday with a high of 11 degrees celsius, and sun with a high of 13 degrees Celsius for Sunday.  This past week has seen some cooler temperatures which has been good for some of our river fishing.  However, with the warmer temperatures expected next week, ranging from 17 to 19 degrees, most rivers will most likely go into full freshet.

Here is the marine forecast for all your saltwater anglers.  This is a great resource to check the conditions before you head out on the water.

Environment Canada – Georgia Basin Marine Report

Marine Forecast:

Friday and Saturday

“Wind westerly 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast 5 to 15 Saturday morning then increasing to 15 to 20 near noon Saturday. Wind diminishing to southeast 5 to 15 Saturday evening.”

Sunday

“Wind southeast 10 to 20 knots diminishing to light in the morning.”

Local Saltwater Fishing:

For a detailed fishing report written by Mr. Jason Tonelli himself click on the link – The Guide Journal.

In short the fishing has been amazing.  Our guides have been doing well both at the Hump and Thrasher Rock.

What a slab!

BC Lake Fishing Report: 

The lake fishing season is now fully underway.  As a general rule lakes that are below 3600 ft elevation have thawed out and are now fishing.  Please read below for Pacific Angler’s exclusive list of top producing lakes that have ice-offed.

Merritt

  1. Kentucky & Aileen Lake;
  2. Kump Lake;
  3. Kidd Lake
  4. Courtney Lake;
  5. Roche Lake;
  6. Marquart Lake;
  7. Lunbum Lake;
  8. Logan Lake;

Kamloops

  1. Peter & Hope Lake
  2. Horseshoe Lake;
  3. Friskan Lake;
  4. Black Lake;
  5. Bleeker Lake;
  6. Morgan Lake;
  7. Lac la Jeune;
  8. Jacko Lake;
  9. Stump Lake;
  10. 6 Mile Lake near Morgan;
  11. Edith Lake; and
  12. Scuitto lake.
Quesnel
  1. Dragon Lake;

We’ve been hearing good reports all week.  I’ll be heading out next weekend myself to the 100 Mile area for my first lake outing.  I can’t wait.

Make sure to drop by our store to stock up on all your lake fishing needs.  All of our staff are very well educated on British Columbia lakes and love to share their passion.

BC River Fishing Report:

The Vedder River is in freshet stage and will not be fishable for the remaining steelhead season.  In general the winter steelhead season is just about coming to an end.

However there are some river fishing opportunities.  We’ve heard of some early reports of coho caught at the Capilano River.  This is great to hear as this fishery doesn’t really start until the end of May/beginning of June.  As a general rule rivers to target at this time of year are ones that are dammed.  This is because they don’t go into freshet the same way as free flowing rivers.  The Capilano River is an example of that, as well as the Mamquam in Squamish.  There can still be some good trout fishing in the dammed systems that have fry in them.

Again make sure to look at your water levels at this time of year.  We can’t stress how critical this is for your success.

Jason is heading to the Skeena River today to fish with Nicholas Dean Lodge.  Hopefully he comes back with some pictures of bright chrome steelhead and chinook.  While the mainstem Skeena River is in freshet stage there are still good steelhead and chinook opportunities in the many tributaries.  This is still a relatively unknown fishery but can be world class.

Again we’ve heard some mixed sturgeon fishing reports in the lower Fraser River.  The guides we talked to said they had amazing days (+10 fish) which were followed with below average days (around 4).  The sturgeon fishermen have maybe 1 to 2 weeks of fishing before the Fraser River goes into full freshet and makes the system unfishable until August.

If you have any questions about our fishing report please do not hesitate to drop by our store at 78 East Broadway or give us a call at 604-872-2204.

Have a great weekend I’ll see you out there,

Dave

What’s New Wednesday on Thursday: Saltwater Salmon Gear

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The saltwater salmon fishing has simply been on fire.  Our guides have been getting into big chrome chinook all week both locally and off of Gabriola Island at Thrasher Rock.  If you are a saltwater salmon fishermen then you need to get out on the water because it is going off…

Jason has been working around the clock stocking up on saltwater salmon gear making sure we have the very best selection of flashers, spoons, hootchies, teaser heads, bait & pretty much anything you need for the local salmon fishing scene.

If you want to know what has been working in the salt locally make sure to watch the video below.

Fishing With Rod & Pacific Angler: Salmon Trolling Essentials

Make sure to drop by the store for the very best selection of saltwater salmon gear.  We are your one stop shop in Vancouver because we’ve got…

Rods,
Reels,
More reels,
The best selection of flashers,

Yes the best flashers,

Teaser heads,
The best spoons,
Hootchies,

…and tons more.  From your downrigger accessories to crabbing gear, Pacific Angler has got you cover!

May & June Courses, Dates, & Availability

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The lake fishing and saltwater season is officially underway.  Jason was out this weekend for the Mastering Local Saltwater Salmon course and had two exceptional days.  Not only did the students have a chance to learn from a seasoned guide but they even hooked up on big chinook salmon multiple times!

As well, the ice is coming off the lakes as we speak.  We’ve heard a few early season reports from our regular customers.  The 2012 lake season is sure to be a great year.  If you are looking to learn from the pros then make sure to check out our lake specific courses.

Please view the courses that Pacific Angler offers for April below:

INTRODUCTION TO FLY FISHING 

This course is designed to give the new fly fisher the basic knowledge, casting skills and fly fishing strategies to effectively fish our local waters. This course is comprised of two sessions: a 3hr evening seminar and a 3hr casting session.

Cost: $100.00 (before taxes)

Date(s): May 2 (theory) & 6 (casting) SOLD OUT, May 23 (theory) & 27 (casting), and June 20 (theory) & 24 (casting)

INTRODUCTION TO FLY FISHING LAKES

This course will give you an in-depth look at the fundamentals of lake fly fishing. We will look at equipment, techniques, strategies, major insect hatches and locations. Everything you need to plan your next successful lake fly fishing trip.  This course is comprised of one 3 hr evening session.

Cost: $30.00 (before taxes)

Date(s):  May 9

Introduction to Fly Fishing Trout Streams

Stalking trout on mountain streams defines fly fishing. In this course we will teach you the 3 fundamental techniques for fly fishing rivers for trout; dry fly fishing, nymphing, and streamer fishing.  This course is comprised of one 3 hour evening session.

Cost: $30.00 (before taxes)

Date(s):  June 6 

ENTOMOLOGY FOR THE LAKE FLY FISHERMEN

While most fly fishermen understand that in order to be a successful lake fishermen you need to have a detailed knowledge of entomology, few take the time to learn this complex field.  Entomology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of insects.  This one night, 3-hour course is designed to break down this complex and intimidating topic.  The first half of the night will be spent going over the major insect families in detail, while the second will be spent going over the different flies and methods used to imitate the different insect species.  So if you would like to get the edge on the lakes make sure to join Pacific Angler for this special once a year course.

Cost: $30.00 (before taxes)

Date(s):  May 10

FLY CASTING CLINIC

Fly-fishing is known as one of the hardest sports to take up due to the fact that many people struggle casting a fly rod.  Often people find casting overwhelming and the harder they try the worse it gets.  Well if this sounds familiar then Pacific Angler’s “Group Casting Clinic” is suited to you.  Your instructor for the course will not only go over the “how” of casting but also the “why”.  We can guarantee that you will be casting with ease after the course.  Each casting course involves a 1 hour theory portion and a 4 hour dry-land casting portion.

Cost: $60.00 (before taxes)

Date(s):  May 13

MASTERING LOCAL SALTWATER SALMON FISHING

Over 50 million salmon migrate past Vancouver annually.  Learn how to catch these fish with Pacific Angler. This course offers an in-depth look at the local saltwater scene. We cover the local saltwater salmon fishing for the entire year, showing you the how, when, and where. The course includes a 3hr evening seminar and a full guided day on the water in our 27ft Grady White.

Cost: $225.00 (before taxes)

Date(s):  May 22 (theory) & 26 or 27 (on-the-water) SOLD OUT, June 13 (theory) & 16 or 17 (on-the-water)

FLY FISHING ON BEACHES

This one night seminar will cover the basic principles needed in order to be an effective beach fly fishermen in British Columbia, such as gear, flies, tides, and other environmental conditions.   Andre Stepanian will be the instructor for this course who has been chasing salmon and trout on our local beaches for over two decades.  You will be sure to gain lots of valuable information to help you become an effective beach fly fishermen on this once a year seminar.

Cost: $30.00 (before taxes)

Date(s):  June 11

TYING BEACH FLY PATTERNS

Join Pacific Angler for a night of tying flies specific to catching salmon on our coastal beaches.  Without a doubt fly selection and the use of the right fly is one of the major keys to catching salmon on the beach.  Your instructor will walk you through each fly step-by-step, as you follow.  This course is suitable to fly tiers with a basic knowledge.

Cost: $30.00 (before taxes)

Date(s):  June 12

Didn’t find what you were looking for?  Do none of these dates work for you?  Please call Pacific Angler (604-872-2204) and speak to the friendly staff.  We can set up private courses for small or large groups upon request.  

Happy Fishing!!!

Vancouver Friday Fishing Report, April 27

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Pacific Angler Outlook:

The boys at Pacific Angler have seen a lot of rain fall over the last week.  As we watched the river levels sky rocket up we shed a little tear and mentally checked out of steelhead season.  I am not saying that the steelhead season is over but it is not looking good at this point.

But as one door closes several open for the Vancouver fishermen.  Saltwater angler extraordinaire, Jason Tonelli, just hooked into his very first Thrasher Rock chinook this morning.  This is what every saltwater angler has been waiting to hear.  The saltwater season is officially underway!  The other door that has opened for the Vancouver angler is the lake fishing season.  We’ve heard the first reports from our customers over the past weekend.  This is great news as it is not even the beginning of May.  As well, the local lakes are now fully stocked from the Freshwater Society of BC.  I will be looking forward to getting out to some of my favorite lakes in the Whistler and Pemberton over the next two weeks.

Another door that is still open is the sturgeon fishing.  We’ve heard of some mixed reports from this fishery.  Basically some gang buster days mixed with some average days.  But it only takes one 8 foot sturgeon to make your day so definitely take advantage of the Fraser River sturgeon fishing before the Fraser blows out from the warmer weather we are expecting in the interior.

Another door that is opening for us is the beach fishing scene.  Last night I was down at our docks in Coal Harbour doing some minor repairs to the Salty Dawg (the PA guide boat).  There were a TON of fry on the surface of the water just bouncing around.  It was pretty amazing to see so many fry in the water.  Well, the predatory fish will be chasing around those fry.  Now is the time to start thinking about getting to your favorite beaches for cutthroat fishing.  I am looking forward to some early morning outings in search of these ocean going trout.

The forecast for the weekend in Vancouver is looking good.  You can expect some sun, clouds and a high of 12 degrees Celsius for Saturday and 14 degrees Celsius for Sunday. Enjoy the predicted sun on the weekend because on Monday the rain will be back and persist throughout the entire week.  That is at least what Environment Canada is predicting.

Please read below for the Marine Forecast.

Friday and Saturday:

“Wind southeast 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 late this afternoon then diminishing to southerly 5 to 15 late this evening. Wind becoming northwest 5 to 15 Saturday evening”

Sunday:

“Wind northwest 5 to 15 knots”

The store has been gearing for the amazing spring & summer season ahead of us.  Pacific Angler has got you covered, whether you need lake fishing or saltwater gear, or just some old fashioned helpful advice.

Local Saltwater Fishing:

The Salty Dawg had been out fishing a couple of times this past week and Jason will be out for the next three days.  We’ve heard some very mixed fishing reports.  A few guys are getting fish on the odd trip but as mentioned before Jason just got into his first chinook off Thrasher Rock.  Yes, this is what we’ve been waiting for.  Expect this fishery to heat up as we get closer to the May long weekend.

The productive areas for this time of year are along the QA, Bell Buoy, the Hump, Tunstall Bay, Cape Roger Curtis, and Pt. Cowan (Bowen Island area).  If you are thinking of sticking more locally then QA and Bell Buoy are probably your best bet.

Our guides are running 4 rods out of the boat.  Two rods are typically fishing anchovies with teasers, and the other two rods are fishing spoons.  Favorite spoons are the Cop Car and Knight Rider.  Popular flashers are the original Green & Glow and the Kinetic Green in Glow, Purple Haze, and of course the Purple Onion.  Make sure to run your rods at a good spread as you are searching for pods of chinook at varied depths.  Popular depths have seemed to be 70 to 90 feet, but that can vary a lot depending on where you are fishing.

The crabbing locally has been quite good.  Even if you have a small canoe you can get out there and drop some traps for big dungeness crabs.

BC River Fishing Report:

The river fishing has taken a bit of a beating this past week with the high water levels, resulting from heavy rain fall.  Could this be the end of the steelhead season?  Make sure to check your water levels.  This is where knowing the water levels will really pay off for you.

While the Vedder River is looking like it will be done for the steelhead season there are still some opportunities for cutthroat around the Harrison/Stave area.  We’ve also heard of the first reports of coho being caught on the Capilano River.  This is a great local fishery.

Also this can be a good time of year to hit the Whistler area, such as the upper Cheakamus River.

BC Lake Fishing Report: 

Pacific Angler got it’s first really good fishing report this past weekend.  It seems like the lower elevation lakes around the Merritt area have opened up.  We still have a long way to go for the interior lakes.  If you are keen to get out there here are our recommended lakes:

  1. Jacko Lake;
  2. Morgan Lake;
  3. Courtney Lake;
  4. Kidd Lake (maybe);
  5. Logan Lake (maybe).

There are some great local lake fishing opportunities as well to be had.  Here are our recommendations:

  1. Bunzten;
  2. Sasamat;
  3. Rolley;
  4. Mike lake (nice hatches),
  5. Alta Lake (Cutthroat – woolly buggers and fry).

We’ll keep an eye on the ice off in the interior and make sure to update you next Friday.  If you have any questions as well please do not hesitate to contact us.  Our store is stocked with tons of lake fishing gear for the discerning lake fisherman.

Have a great weekend I’ll see you out there,

Dave

What’s New Wednesday: Crab Traps & Trout Flies

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Well, it’s that time of year!  It looks like the rivers are out of shape with all this rain we’ve got over the last couple of days and warmer weather to boot.  But as the steelhead rivers come on the rise it’s time to start thinking about planning some trout fishing trips and get out on the saltwater.

In preparation of the lake fishing season Pacific Angler has stocked up on all of your lake fishing needs.  We offer the best selection of trout flies in Vancouver, extensive selection of fly rods, reels, & lines.  And we’ve also got the spinner fishermen covered with setups ranging from $50.00 and upwards.  So no matter what your level or choice of tackle the boys will be able to help you out with the best service in the business.

Pacific Angler offers a great range of quality fly fishing products
As well as quality spinning rod/reel packages!

Pacific Angler has been working hard at building the most extensive selection of flies for not only our local fisheries but for more exotic fisheries such as Cayo Romano in Cuba.  The boys are busy putting out a large trout fly order that we received yesterday as I write this article.

The one fishery that the boys at the shop have really enjoyed lately is the local crabbing.  On Sunday I met up with a few good friends, dropped some crab traps and within two hours pulled them up.  Our traps were full with our limit of large dungeness crabs.  Needless to say we enjoyed an amazing dinner with fresh crab, melted garlic butter, and fresh bread.

Not many Vancouverites know they have an amazing opportunity to catch large crabs right at our doorstep.  This is not only a fun activity but a great way to save a bit of cash and prepare a local meal for your friends.  If you have any crabbing questions don’t hesitate to drop by the store.  The boys are all experienced crabbers and the store is fully stocked with the latest and greatest crabbing & prawning gear.

The best selection of crab traps in Vancouver

Lead core weight and bait boxes!

Pacific Angler can not wait for the saltwater season to get into full gear.  We’ve heard some great reports last week.  Make sure to give us a visit to top up on your favorite gear!!!

What’s New Wednesday, New Course Dates

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Pacific Angler has just posted two new dates for our two most popular courses, Introduction to Fly Fishing & Master Local Saltwater Salmon Fishing.

If fly fishing is on your bucket list this summer, then this is the time of year to do it.  The lake fishing is just starting and we have the entire summer ahead of us.  The Introduction To Fly Fishing course is the perfect way to get started in this life long adventure.

The most popular course in our line up, Master Local Saltwater Salmon Fishing, is a must for any saltwater enthusiast in local Vancouver.  Whether you are a complete beginner or experienced rod you will gain valuable knowledge that just can’t be learned elsewhere…that is unless you’ve put in thousands of hours on the water like Mr. Jason Tonelli…your instructor for the night.

Please read below for our new dates.  Space is limited so call Pacific Angler today at 604-872-2204 to book your spot.

INTRODUCTION TO FLY FISHING

This course is designed to give the new fly fisher the basic knowledge, casting skills and fly fishing strategies to effectively fish our local waters. This course is comprised of two sessions: a 3hr evening seminar and a 3hr casting session.

Cost: $100.00 (before taxes)

Date(s): May 2 (theory) & 6 (casting)

MASTERING LOCAL SALTWATER SALMON FISHING

Over 50 million salmon migrate past Vancouver annually.  Learn how to catch these fish with Pacific Angler. This course offers an in-depth look at the local saltwater scene. We cover the local saltwater salmon fishing for the entire year, showing you the how, when, and where. The course includes a 3hr evening seminar and a full guided day on the water in our 27ft Grady White.

Cost: $225.00 (before taxes)

Date(s):  June 13 (theory) & 16 or 17 (on-the-water)

Didn’t find what you were looking for?  Do none of these dates work for you?  Please call Pacific Angler (604-872-2204) and speak to the friendly staff.  We can set up private courses for small or large groups upon request.  

Happy Fishing!!!

The Vacuum Cleaning Chronicles, Part III: Dealing with a Player

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From the bank of the river, I see my client’s rod bounce.  The line pauses.  The rod bounces again.  My heart quickens. The words “don’t set the hook,” whisper across my lips but I know that I don’t need to say it out loud – I have been drilling the concept all morning.

The rod tip bounces again, then stops.  My client shakes his head, calms shot nerves, and makes another cast. The fly swings and again the rod bounces, still the fish refuses to take. My client looks back at me with a defeated grimace.

He may not be happy that the fish refused to take – but for me, now is when the fun begins.  He has found a ‘player’ and together we are going to get him.

In the last installment of the Vacuum cleaner Chronicles, we looked at what can be done to minimize the Steelhead DTs – the heart shattering loss that comes with missed fish.  In this article, we will take it a step further to look at what happens after a missed strike, and the techniques used to entice the fish to take for a second, third, even fourth time.

The ‘playing’ steelhead is the bane of some and the ultimate challenge for others. What is a player? It is a steelhead that is willing to tug but refuses to commit to the fly.

Found a player?

When faced with a ‘player’ many anglers make a half dozen casts to the same spot then give up, passing it off as a picky fish or trout.  Sometimes a second or third cast finds reward but there is a more effective method to deal with a playing fish.

The first thing to do after a failed strike is to calm shaking nerves.  Take a few moments. There is no rush.  When focused, make the exact cast that produced the hit.  More times than not, after a few moments – for both angler and fish to settle – the steelhead will come back and hammer the fly.

If he does not come back, it is time to change gears.  Don’t flog the water. The fewer casts you make over him the less chance he will spook or go lock jawed.  Look to the shore and mark your position, then take five to ten steps up stream (a solid 2 ft. per step).  Now with a controlled cast, cover the water one-step per cast down river.  If you have taken five steps up stream, make seven casts (with a 2ft step between each).  Cover the water thoroughly.

With this, you accomplish two things.  When the steelhead first hit he may have moved up stream or settled in a slightly different lie.  By stepping up river, you are guaranteeing that he hasn’t passed you.  If he has not moved, the time it takes to cover those five to ten casts gives him a rest.

Now, what happens if he hits again and doesn’t take?  This is the time to change flies.  In my arsenal of feathers, I have what are called “close-out flies”.  My two favorites are a small woolly worm or egg sucking leech.  The rule of thumb is go small, sometimes really small, size 8 or even 10.  If you are already fishing a small fly, go big.  The key is to give the fish something different to look at.

Once again, while changing flies there is no rush.  Take time to make a solid knot, check your leader and take out any nicks or tangles.  You may find your heart racing and your casting arm itching to sling line. Don’t give in.

With your new fly and calmed nerves, repeat the process.  Make one controlled cast to where the fish hit.  If you are not rewarded, walk up stream  five to ten steps and cover him with one-step per cast.  There have been times when I have covered a playing fish five even six times with multiple flies before he has finally taken my presentation.  If he continues to hit, don’t give up.

The only thing that should stop you is a respect for fellow anglers.  If you are fishing with a partner or another fisherman is behind you, it is a good rule of thumb not to fish through the water more than twice (three times if the hits are coming hard and fast).

If the angler behind you is becoming visibly frustrated, tell him that you are working a player.  After you have made two passes without a strike, point out where the fish last took and continue down the run.  More times than not with the knowledge of where to focus, the second angler will hook up.  It may not be as good as a bent rod, but you can take a little credit in his success and good karma is never a bad thing in steelheading.

Lastly, if the fish stops hitting but you are confident that you have located a steelhead, mark the spot with a rock on the side of the river and continue fishing through the run.  When you have covered the entire run, return to the spot and make one pass of the area (a half dozen or so casts, one-step per cast.)

Out of all the ‘players’ I have encountered at least fifty percent will take if you follow these simple steps.  The satisfaction of fooling a player is sometimes more rewarding than catching the fish hell-bent on swallowing your fly.

We hope you enjoyed the 3rd Installment of “The Vacuum Cleaning Chronicles” written by Matt Sharp of Pacific Angler.

Vancouver Friday Fishing Report, April 13

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Pacific Angler Outlook

Well it’s lucky Friday the 13th.  Hopefully you are all enjoying the fine weather Vancouver has got to offer.  This weekend is definitely going to be a great one for fishing.  Sunny with some great daily temperatures.

Within a two hour drive you’ve got your choice of fishing for steelhead and cutthroat trout in our rivers.  April is the peak of the run so if you are crazy about steelhead or cutthroat make sure to get out there.  The local lakes have been receiving their fresh stocks of fish as well.  Also, for the saltwater angler we’ve started to hear some good reports locally.

The forecast for the weekend in Vancouver is looking good.  We are expecting sun on Saturday with a daily high of 13 degrees Celsius.  On Sunday we are expecting cloud with a high of 13 degrees Celsius again.  Make sure to enjoy the sun on Saturday because rain is in the forecast for the upcoming week.

The marine forecast for the Straight of Georgia is looking somewhat mild.  We should expect to have winds ranging from 10 to 20 knots and shifting from Northwest from friday and Saturday to southeast on Sunday:

The saltwater guys have started to roll into the store getting ready for another great salmon season.  You know summer is just around the corner when purple haze flashers start flying out the door.

Local Saltwater Fishing:

The Salty Dawg had been out fishing a couple of times this past week.  The fishing had been pretty tough locally with few undersized shakers being caught.  However, any day now we should hear of a few reports of fish being caught around the Hump and the south end of Bowen Island.  This fishery should be good any day now until the middle of May.  Our largest fish of the year was caught off of Bowen Island in late April – so you know they are around.  It’s just a matter of getting out there and fishing.

Spoons and hootchies and even anchovies fish well for this time of year.  The Hump is fairly deep between 300 to 400 feet.  You typically want to stagger your lines around the 90 foot mark on the downriggers.  Once you find a pod of fish try to focus on that area until the action dies down and then move on.  The name of the game is covering ground and finding those moving pods of fish.

I also talked to a customer who ran over to Thrasher Rock for the day.  He did not have any luck but again it is a bit early for this fishery.  Expect it to start fishing well towards the middle of May.

The crabbing locally has been quite good.  It’s always great to see a smile on our customers when they go home with a few big crabs for dinner.

BC River Fishing Report:

The river fishing has been nothing short of amazing, and as it should be for April.  The cutthroat fishing has been great.  Pretty much where there are large concentrations of fry there should be cutthroat hanging around.  The Harrison seems to be a favorite this year with lots of big cutties and even steelhead being caught on the fry.

The steelhead fishing has also been red hot at the moment.  The Vedder is fishing very well at the moment with lots of fish in the system.

Usually steelhead fishermen are burned out by this time of year.  After a long winter of grinding it out on the rivers the average steelheader now has his sights on lake fishing or just wants to take a break.  But now is the time that you want to be out there.  Our daily temperatures are now in the double digits and the nightly temperatures are well above zero.  This means that the water temperatures will have come up a few degrees, making steelhead just that much more aggressive.  If you love to catch steelhead on the fly then make sure to get out there and swing away.

The don’t come any brighter than this…

Float fishermen usually have their best days on the river at this time of year as well, often getting to double digits.  Steelhead roe is the ticket for these fish at this time of year.   Dimitri, our gear fishing expert, has put an incredible number of days on the water this year.  If you have any questions or just want to talk about anything related to steelhead and float fishing then drop by the store when Dimitri is in.  Check out this double header he had a couple of weeks ago…

In fact all of the boys at Pacific Angler love steelhead and love the month of April.  So if you have any queries regarding steelhead please don’t hesitate to drop by the store or give us a shout at 604-872-2204.

BC Lake Fishing Report: 

Well I was hoping of doing a detailed report for all of the lakes in the interior then I went to Lac La Hache for the easter weekend to help my wife’s family with the ranch and wow…there was a lot of snow and ice.

So the bad news is there is still lots of ice on the majority of the lakes in the interior.  I’ve heard of some of the lower elevation lakes around Kamloops starting to open up but the majority of the productive lakes still have a good layer of thick ice.

So here is the good news.  There was noticeable snow melt within the three days that I was up at Lac La Hache.  I also asked the locals when they expected the snow to melt and they all said 2 weeks if they get a warm spell.  The nightly temperatures were still well below zero degrees Celsius but the daily temperatures were quite high (around 9 degrees Celsius).  So here is hoping…

We’ll keep an eye on the ice off in the interior and make sure to update you next Friday.  If you have any questions as well please do not hesitate to contact us.  We’ve got all you need for your lake fishing, from fly tying materials to rods and reels.

Have a great weekend I’ll see you out there,

Dave