OUTLOOK
It looks like we’re in a similar situation to last weekend. There’s a storm coming this weekend, but with less precipitation in the forecast, we can use what we learned last week to get a better gauge of what to expect.
In the Freshwater Section below, you’ll find info on the Chilliwack, Harrison and Squamish rivers. We’ll be looking at what happened last weekend, so you have something to work off for this weekend.
Fry are now hatching in almost all our major fisheries, and in this report, Matt has shared another “Top 5 Tips” article. It’s packed with things to think about when fishing for species that love eating salmon fry. If you’re heading out to any of our river systems over the next few weeks, it’s definitely worth a read.
Saltwater fishing has started to shift. Jason was out on the water this week, and he’s tuning in this week with an update straight from the water, spots that you’ll want to consider and gear to bring along if you’re heading out. Be sure to check out his update at the end of the report.
If you’re thinking lake fishing do not miss out on your chance to take in a new course for this year – Contemporary Chironomid Tactics – taught by Jason Tonelli. There are still a few spots left, so don’t delay on getting one of the last spots. More details below in our Classes and Courses section below.
On to the report!
CLASSES AND COURSES
We have a great line up of courses set for this Spring. Check out all of our upcoming March and April courses below and our full course listing here and sign up today online or over the phone at the shop - 604.872.2204!
Pacific Angler Course: Contemporary Chironomid Tactics
Chironomids can account for 2/3 of a trout’s diet in BC lakes and on many days, it is all they will eat. If you want to catch the biggest fish and the most fish, you need to know how to effectively fish chironomids. Your instructor, Jason Tonelli, has been fishing BC interior lakes since he was 5 years old, and in recent years he has been extremely devoted to chironomid fishing. We finally convinced him to share some of his very productive techniques and insights using today’s contemporary rods, fly lines, tippet materials, fly designs and electronics. Here is what he will cover during the course.
- Life cycle of chironomids and their importance to trout and anglers.
- Boat selection, setup, rod holders, anchors, oars, electric motors.
- Rod, reel, fly line, leader and tippet selection.
- Floating line indicator setups, floating line “naked” setup, sinking line “dangle” setup, and when to use them.
- Understanding and utilizing todays electronics (sonar and GPS) including High CHIRP and Forward-Facing Sonar (Live Scope Plus, Active Target 2, Mega Live 2) with recommendations.
- The steps to properly assess a lake and subsequent boat positioning and fishing techniques.
- Contemporary fly design and fly choice (dark flies, bright flies, dark beads, white beads, etc).
- Chironomid fishing seasons and elevation.
- Course booklet.
- 10% off all in store purchases on course night.
Cost: $100+GST
Dates: March 19 or April 15
Time: 6:30 – 9:30pm (At the store)
Sign up here
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Pacific Angler Course: Introduction to Fly Fishing Lakes
This course will give you an in-depth look at the fundamentals of fly fishing lakes. We explore equipment, techniques, major insect hatches and ideal lakes to begin with. You will learn all you need to plan your next successful lake trip to one of BC’s 5,000 lakes! This course is comprised of one 3hr evening seminar.
Cost: $85.00+GST
Class Size: 20
Date: Apr 1
Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm (at the store)
Sign up here
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Pacific Angler Course: Introduction to Fly Tying
There is no greater satisfaction than catching a fish with a fly you tied yourself. This Introduction to Fly Tying course was specifically designed to give you the fundamental skills needed to tie proven fly patterns used here in BC for trout, salmon, and steelhead.
This course consists of 3 sessions, spread over 3 consecutive weeks. Each session is 3hrs. Location: At Pacific Angler from 6:30pm - 9:30pm. Choose your 3 dates below.
Students are required to supply their own vise, tools and materials. A 10% discount is available on fly tying materials and tools purchased for the course.
Cost: $130.00+GST
Class Size: 7
Dates: Apr 2, 9, 16)
Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Sign up here
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Pacific Angler Course: Winter Steelhead on the Fly
Fishing for winter steelhead on the fly (single hand or Spey) is arguably one of the most challenging and rewarding fisheries in BC. Let our steelhead gurus help you unlock the mysteries of these magical fish with their decades of steelhead guiding knowledge. This course consists of a 3hr evening seminar and 1 full day of guided fishing on the water. In the seminar we will go over rods, reels, lines, sink tips, flies and reading water and swung fly techniques. The fully guided day on the water we will be work on casting, reading water and swinging the fly.
Seminar Only Cost: $85.00+GST
Seminar & Guided Walk’n Wade Cost: $375.00+GST per angler, minimum of 2 anglers per guided day on the water.
Dates: Seminar: April 8 Guided: April 12 or 13
Seminar Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm | Guided: Full Day
Sign up here
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Pacific Angler Course: Introduction to Fly Fishing
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Chilliwack/Vedder River Fishing Report
While last week’s atmospheric river pounded the GVRD with rain earlier in the week, the Fraser Valley seems to have been spared from the worst of the storm. While the C/V system did see a bump in water levels, it was much less than anticipated and the river actually stayed in shape. The bump in water levels got a bunch of fish moving, as expected, and fishing has been very good as a result. This is a perfect example of why looking at the forecast and the river levels can be so important- had I not checked the river levels, I’d have assumed the river was blown out and unfishable based on how much it rained in Vancouver.
There are a lot of fish in the system right now, spread from top to bottom... as one would expect in mid-March. Steelhead spawn in the springtime, so all the fish that pushed into the system in December will still be hanging around in the system... assuming they have survived this long, anyways. There will also be plenty of fresh fish pushing into the system well into April, so that means there will be a mix of chrome bullets, double-striped boots and everything in-between for the remainder of the season.
Warmer water temperatures mean that the fishes’ metabolisms will be picking up, thus resulting in fish that have the potential to be more active and aggressive. This means that swinging spoons, spinners and flies are very viable options, alongside the standard float fishing presentations that have been producing fish all season. I always bring a second rod for swinging spoons, and it definitely gets used a fair bit this time of year. As always, remember to adjust your presentation to suit the conditions, and cover as much water as possible to increase your odds of finding a willing fish.
Generally speaking, the higher up the system you go, the more dark fish you will encounter, so keep that in mind. If you do happen to hook a dark fish, do your best to get it landed and released as quickly as possible- the odds of it being a hatchery-marked fish are very low. A majority of the hatchery fish get bonked before they have a chance to colour up and the table quality of the flesh will be quite poor even if it is a hatchery fish, so you might as well give it the best possible chance of survival by releasing it quickly and properly. More successful spawners means more fish to catch in a few years.
Taylor Nakatani
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Squamish River Fishing Report
The Squamish is low after a bump of water earlier in the week. Fishing was good and we had several customers out who had success. The river never blew out and remained fishable all week. This much needed water should have kickstarted fish migration and possible fry action. Looking ahead we can anticipate a wet weekend up the valley. For those willing to brave the weather fishing should be decent.
Trout fishing has been improving with the increase in temperature. For gear anglers I recommend you pick up a few small spoons to swing through pools. This is an easy technique for new anglers to implement, but it's also very productive once the fry start to hatch. Predatory trout really key in on the flash, so spoons are on the menu. If you prefer to drift a float you can fish a Colorado blade. I tend to prefer smaller ones in the clear water and larger ones with colour when the water bumps in the spring. Well-presented egg or worm imitations will work on the steelhead. Don’t forget to throw a few float jigs if you find yourself hunting in faster water. If the water stays low think about going smaller and lighter with your floats and gear. We are restocked on Clear-Drift Floats for that stealth drift in clear water.
Fly anglers have had success on streamers, intruders, and fry patterns. This is the time of year I carry a lot of variety in my fly box.
Steelhead:
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Medium and small sized intruders in bright and dark colours
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Small bright and dark single salmon close-out patterns
Trout:
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Medium intruders in olive, black, and white
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Slump-busters or small rabbit flies in whites and olives
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Fry and alevin patterns
Our shop fly boxes are stocked with a massive selection of steelhead and trout river flies. Swing larger flies on a medium sink tip and the fry patterns on longer fluorocarbon leaders. Your basic fly rods in 5 and 6 wt range will be fine for trout and 7-8 wt for steelhead…. don’t be surprised when a steelhead grabs your fry pattern. For that reasons I prefer to fish heavier gear this time of year.
As I mentioned, it’s shaping up to be a wet one this weekend but It’s also pretty chilly. The lower reaches of the river should see rain but the upper may see snow. Low evening and morning freezing levels may materialize in-to slush and snow. Make sure you’re prepared for the weather if you’re heading upriver.
Have fun, cover water!
Eric Peake
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Harrison River Fishing Report
The Harrison bumped up with last week’s storm. As a lake fed system it takes a lot longer to come down than other systems. It is still at a good height for hiking but keep an eye on it with the rain coming this weekend.
We had a couple positive reports of cutthroat this week and it should only get better as we move into the middle of the month. The Harrison is a good example of the system to use the skinny fry patterns that Matt talks about in his Top 5 Salmon Fry Fishing Tips article.
Fish floating lines, long leaders and skinny fry. Cover lots and ground and if you are getting out send in your pictures!
SPECIAL FEATURE
Top 5 Salmon Fry Fishing Tips
Salmon, salmon eggs, and the subsequent salmon fry form the foundation of a complex web that impacts hundreds of species living in our coastal streams. In this article, we’ll explore how the “hatch” of salmon fry every Spring influences our fisheries and my top 5 observations/tips that anglers should know when it comes to biology, gear, and techniques.
1 – Water Temperature Matters Big Time! Temperature plays a huge role in both the hatch timing of salmon fry and their development/movement. You can geek out on cumulative water temperatures and dissolved oxygen levels if you want to learn all the details about how fry hatch and develop, but anglers can keep it simple: when it’s cold, fry hold close to the bottom or hide in rocks and barely move. When the water warms up, they venture out and start moving.
So, for the first tip: check water temperatures. If it's cold, use sink tips or small, deep spoons with a slow swing or an erratic but not-too-aggressive retrieve. A small Colorado blade under a float is deadly in these conditions.
2 – Swim Up Stage: This is a fascinating and vulnerable phase. As the fry develop, their yolk sacs (the Alvin stage) shrink, and they begin forming their swim bladders. No need for a biology degree here—just know that fry must fill their swim bladders with air to swim with more balance. This is called the Swim Up Stage, and during this time, fry instinctively swim to the surface to take in air.
At this stage, fry don’t swim well and spend a lot of time near the surface. Their movement is very temperature-dependent, so around late March into April, you’ll often see fry near the surface, swimming poorly. They make perfect targets. When this happens, use a fly or small spoon near the surface with an erratic retrieve. It’s much more effective than a pattern or spoon fished deep.
3 – Use longer leaders to outsmart the predators. Because you’re fishing small patterns or spoons and predator fish are looking upward, a longer leader is a must. If I’m fishing a sink tip, I stick with my standard “breast-to-hand” streamer river leader with a 10lb butt section. Then, I add a “breast-to-hand” length of 3-4X fluorocarbon, giving me a total leader length of 6-7 feet.
For floating lines, I go with a full 10-foot leader, again using 4X fluorocarbon tippet.
4 – Fat Fry for Fast Water; Skinny Fry for Slow Water. In moving water (think classic walking speed), I prefer fat fry patterns. Predator fish can spot them from far away, making them more effective even if they’re not a perfect fry imitation.
In slower, clear water, I switch to skinny fry patterns. This makes it harder for predators to notice anything unnatural.
5 – Odd Spots Are Worth A Cast - Explore odd spots and cover ground. Salmon fry tend to migrate along the path of least resistance. That means I target choke points, small inflows from spawning habitats, lazy water sections, shallow riffles, small side channels, or creeks.
These “odd” spots often hold predator fish during fry season—places where you wouldn’t find large bull trout or cutthroat any other time of the year. Don’t waste a ton of time on the “odd” spots but don’t miss them either.
Good Luck this fry season!
Matt Sharp
STILLWATER FISHING REPORTS
Local Lakes Fishing Report
As of writing this report there are no updates on local lake stocking but if we look back to last year the first lakes were stocked between March 11 and March 22 in 2024. Keep an eye on the reports and note that this early season can be a ton of fun for the kids and family.
Check out the stocking reports here.
SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS
Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report
We are in the last few weeks of chinook retention in Vancouver waters. It’s a great time of year to get out on the water, with the warmer weather and longer days as well as solid crabbing and prawning. Let’s take a look at what is going on for chinook options.
I had some solid crab and prawn sets yesterday!
Over on Gabriola, the Trench has slowed down a bit after being excellent for about 3 months. There are still some fish to be had there, but the numbers seem to be backing off a bit. There are some good numbers of fish at Thrasher and the Grande has been producing some nice fish too. So, if the winds aren’t too bad in the coming weeks, heading over to Gabriola is a solid option if you can stomach the fuel bill.
Locally there is a lot going on. Yesterday there were fish taken at the Bell Buoy, the Waterfall and at Grace. Gower Point has also been producing a few fish. I spent a few hours trolling off Roger Curtis and South Bowen but it didn’t produce anything for me. However, I do know of some fish that were landed in this area earlier in the week. Later in the day I ended up trying some of the Howe Sound spots and hooked quite few unders and lost 2 larger fish that were likely keepers.
Beautiful colours on the tail of this winter chinook from earlier in the week!
Just to add some more spots for you to fish, mid-week I was out in the middle of the harbour in 150 feet around the freighters while I was working on some autopilot settings on one of our boats. There were some big bait balls out there with definite chinook arcs on them. So, there are still quite a few fish in the harbour, which isn’t surprising considering the amount of bait in the area. I’m sure if you put your time in off West Van down to the Cap on the flood you would see some chinook in that zone too.
A reminder that this time of year we start to get some fish suspended off bottom and I was marking suspended fish in the Howe Sound spots on Thursday as well as the harbour mid week. Try bringing one of your rods up a bit if you are seeing suspended fish. The tricky thing is there are still plenty of fish right on bottom and most of our bites yesterday were on the deeper rod. That being said, I do know of some anglers who kept 3 yesterday and they were all suspended fish. Classic mid-March fishing!
As far as gear is concerned, this time of year you can’t go wrong with your chartreuse and green glow flashers and the same colours for your spoons or hootchies. The algae bloom is happening and the water is getting darker, so time to use the bright gear.
I mentioned earlier that the crabbing has been great and the prawning has been decent, so bring your traps.
See you in the shop or on the water,
Jason Tonelli
