Pacific Angler Friday Fishing Report: February 14, 2025

 

OUTLOOK

Warmer weather should be coming soon and with it we are looking forward…. forward to rivers bumping up, forward to salmon fry hatching and though it is a way out, it’s time to start prepping for lake season!

If you are dreaming of ice coming off and getting out on the interior lakes, we are hosting our Stillwater Fly Tying Jam session. Come down to the shop, hang out, talk lake fishing and see a bunch of great tiers getting their boxes ready for this season. If you would like to join them at the tying table, be sure to sign up for a tying ticket and bring your vice and tools and do some tying with our knowledgeable team here to help.  The event is free, but you will need to sign up for either a tying spot or a mix and mingle spot. Check out the details and industry events section below.

On the river front, we have reports on both the Chilliwack and Squamish this week. They are still very low and that is not going to change until things warm up and we get more consistent rainfall. We will continue to see cold temps today into tomorrow, but we’ll see a warming trend starting this week. They are actually forecasting double digits days in the 14-day forecast.   When we get rain combined with warmer nighttime temps, we should see river levels come back up and the fishing should get good. Check out more details in the river section below.

Jason is back this week with a quick saltwater report.    We weren’t out a lot with the cold snap this past week but now is the time to put away those snow shovels and get out on the water!

Lastly if you are tired of the cold and need to dream of warm places, Eric just got back from his trip to Mexico. He has a little write up on what he saw with some more tips on how he made his family vacation into a fishing success.

 

INDUSTRY EVENTS AND UPDATES

Fly Tying Jam Session – 2025 Stillwater Edition

There are just a handful of tickets left to join us in store on Wednesday February 26 for the 2025 Stillwater Fly Tying jam session.  If you haven’t joined us for jam sessions in years past, it is a relaxed and fun night for tyers of all levels of experience from beginner to expert to hang out, do some tying, share their favourite flies and techniques, and of course talk about fishing!⁠

Get your FREE tickets here.   If tickets are sold out be sure to add your name to the waitlist!

We’re Hiring – Join Our Guide Team Today

Pacific Angler Sport Fishing is expanding our saltwater operations and looking for experienced guides to join our team for the 2025 salmon fishing season. If you are passionate about fishing and want to grow in the sportfishing industry, we want you on our team.    More details on this opportunity here. 

 

FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS

Chilliwack/Vedder River Fishing Report

It’s been a cold week, that’s for sure... but despite frozen eyelets, cold hands, unbelievably low/clear conditions and very low water temps, the C/V system has been consistently producing fish. While the fishing is nowhere near as good as it would be if the water wasn’t so pitifully low, the numbers of fish being caught suggest that this year’s run is -thus far- a strong one... though the number of wild fish has been significantly greater than the number of hatchery fish as of late. 

I’ve discussed how to approach low, clear water many times in past reports; the same can be said for very cold water as well... but to recap, you will want to consider downsizing your presentation, choosing more neutral, natural colours for your lure/bait of choice and focusing on water that will make the fish feel “safe” while requiring the minimal amount of energy to hold position. Having said that, the cold water will reduce the fishes’ metabolisms significantly- resulting in them being less aggressive. As such, a small presentation in a fairly bright colour might be worth a shot; sometimes a brighter presentation can wake a fish up a bit and trigger a bite. All this to say, an 8-10mm bead in fluorescent pink, orange or red may be worth a shot. 

Thankfully, there’s a warming trend in the forecast that should result in some liquid precipitation over the next week. Again, how much precipitation falls as rain and how much falls as snow will dictate to what degree the river rises, so keep your eye on the forecast and river levels and use that info to get an idea of what the river will look like when you plan on heading out. 

Taylor Nakatani

Squamish River Fishing Report

We have a much better outlook for the Squamish this week! After a low drought spell, we finally have a little moisture coming to the region. It’s not a big but the rise in temperatures should make for a much more pleasant family day long weekend. Looking ahead, temperatures are expected to stay above freezing with some increased chances of mixed perspiration next week.  

I hope we have made it thought the toughest part of the season. The extreme cold and low flow makes fishing difficult. The full moon also added pressure on the fish this week. I am not going to do a full nerd out on lunar effects, but the full moon will make for big tides that move migratory fish up system but also stresses out trout in gin clear rivers. Think of it like leaving the lights on all night. Fish will look for cover so fish anything that offers shelter to grumpy, stressed-out fish.

With the low water we can look at places we normally do not consider fishable. The main stem river that normally flows wide and fast will now shape up to riffles and runs. Migratory fish will still have to pass through, and resident fish will take cover here. This is a great fishery to break out a two-handed rod and cover water. I carry a few larger bright steelhead flies for lower reaches of the river and smaller patterns for when I venture up and the water gets skinny.

Finding trout is still possible using egg patterns or smaller streamers. With the temperature increase we might see more activity here. If you're after trout, a productive but often overlooked method is nymphing alevin patterns. Some alevin will hatch early and often do not survive the cold. These make a great presentation to tumble down river under an indicator. The season is short, but it is an important feeding opportunity for winter trout. You need to work hard to find fish and have the grit to face the elements. In the winter I rely more on my gear. Without the right layers, gloves, and glasses I cannot maximize my time on the water. Stop in the shop if you need a layer or two to stay comfortable, or check out our massive selection of steelhead flies, including a re-stock of Matt’s famous Black and Blue. 

Flies are stocked...  including the Black and Blue! 

Stay warm, cover water, have fun!

Eric Peake

 

SPECIAL FEATURE

Mexico Update

Mexico is a fun family destination that can offer some great shore fishing opportunities. Taking advice from Matt, I dragged down some gear to try my luck with whatever salty in shore species I could find. If you are willing to put in a little time you probably have a chance at encountering fish right in-front of where you are staying.

Fishing the Surf: Fishing the sandbars and contours of the beach is fun. I found it most productive at first light and last light. This is when larger bait pushes closest to shore. Most your time here will be blind casting into deeper water and getting covered in sand. If you are lucky, you will see feeding fish blow up on the surface (usually followed by birds). You cast out in-front of the school and rip your presentation back fast. It is exciting to go running down the beach chasing the blow ups. Buzz bombs, zingers and large crocks worked well here. If you have larger game species around (roosters or large jacks) then you may want heavy duty poppers and stick baits.

 

A fun morning with a few jacks on the fly. 

Fishing Rocks & Jetties: I found most of my success fishing from jetties. My home rental was on a large, sheltered bay intersected by a few rock jetties and a panga marina. Bait would hold up on the rocks and give a chance to cast flies or lures. Fishing bait is defiantly the most productive and if you find yourself fishing around locals you may be able to get some. I found myself wanting to fly fish and was rewarding most mornings with something… I was able to find, Jacks, pompano, small grouper and a few other critters fishing the rocks with fly and gear a short walk from where I was staying. I had plans of a day trip to a prominent rock point to target the larger jacks and small roosters, but it was not in the cards this trip. My 8 weight was sufficient on the small fish... Small shore jacks will pull you right into the backing. If you choose to target something larger look to a 10 or 11 weight. 

Rocks, coral and shells will shred your line like a razor – Bring a stripping basket! 

Tips and tricks:

• Fast retrieves! Don’t be afraid to skip your lure in the surface, or two-handed strip your fly back as fast as you can.
• Stripping basket for the fly angler is a must. Don’t be me and shred your expensive saltwater line.
• Bring good pliers/multitool
• A trick from the locals and Jordan - run a small white fly a few feet behind a lure when fishing is shallow. This will pick up loads of fish in the shallows where the bait might be smaller.
• Polarized sunglasses and sun protection is needed so you don’t burn to a crisp.
• Fish first light and last light: in the dusky or twilight hours I was seeing way more in shore activity. I would fish an hour or two and be back before breakfast.
• Local knowledge is gold: I talked to a few residents before my trip and a few fishermen when I was down there. Not only will you get insight in to where to fish, but you can arrange better rates on boats or get the Intel on the best local beaches.

An early morning hunting the beach.

My trip was a family vacation, so my priority was not on the fish. I was still happy finding what I did without much effort. If you vacation somewhere warm, I recommend you find a morning to watch the sun rise and throw a few long casts at whatever might be around.

It’s cold back home. 

Eric Peake

SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS

Vancouver Winter Chinook Salmon Fishing Report

It looks like the deep freeze is coming to an end with some warmer temperatures and rain in the forecast.  It’s not often I am cheering for rain, but bring it on!  This should get rid of the snow and the warmer temperatures will make for some more comfortable days on the water.  The winds are looking good this weekend and Monday in particular the winds and weather look good, no rain, and a high of 8.  We will see you out there that day.

 Looking forward to more days like this!

We weren’t out much during the cold, preferring to leave the boats as is in the sub-zero temps and re-schedule our clients. We do know a few people who braved the cold this past week and there are some fish around.  The main spots have all been well rested and I am sure there will be some great fishing in the back end of this month and into February.

We have quite few trips coming up and we can’t wait to get out back out there!  If you haven’t been fishing this year, this is the time to get a trip on the books as the winter chinook season ends March 31^st and we have some special rates on right now.

Winter Chinook Special Rates

So put those snow shovels away, grab those sunglasses and get out there.

See you on the shop or on the water,

Jason Tonelli