OUTLOOK
We have a lot to cover this week. There are so many great angling opportunities this time of year. Sturgeon are back on the feed, the chinook fishing, crabbing, and prawning is good right now, the local lakes just got stocked, interior lakes are icing off, and of course it is prime time for chrome, spring steelhead. We also have a lot of great courses coming in April, so check those out, and give the report a read for what is going on right now and what to expect in the coming weeks.
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: 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: 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
Date: April 15
Time: 6:30 – 9:30pm (At the store)
Sign up here
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Pacific Angler Course: Introduction to Fly Fishing
INDUSTRY EVENTS AND UPDATES
Recreational Fishing Licence Renewal
It’s that time of year again! April 1 marks the start of the new licensing year for fishing for both saltwater and freshwater anglers.
For more information on recreational freshwater licence options, fees and other key information check out the province’s detailed website here.
For details on recreational saltwater licence options, fees check out the Government of Canada’s Website here.
Friendly reminder: All licences are purchased online, and we do not sell them in store!
BC SPRING STEELHEAD TACTICS
The next few weeks are some of the best and most pleasant weeks to fish for steelhead during a long and often cold season. As such, we thought it would be prudent to focus on some spring steelhead tactics for the fly and gear angler that will work on all your favorite spring steelhead rivers. Here is what Eric and Taylor have to say. Enjoy….
Spring Steelhead Fly Tactics
The recent rains have provided a good bump in water on all systems, so the Spring steelhead are rolling in. As river levels drop, the fish should be willing participants.
So, what does this mean for your chances of swinging up a Spring steelhead? The rise in water will push up the bulk of the Spring run fish and disperse trout through the river. Swinging flies can be a great tactic when you have aggressive steelhead moving through and hungry trout looking to fatten up after the Winter season. I have some tricks and tips for the fly anglers hoping to make the most of their Spring sessions.
Fish everything… if you can’t see the bottom, it might be worth a swing. Fish will hold in deeper pools and shallow riffle runs for cover.
- Look to swing through the deeper runs with heavier sink tips and weighted flies. Long casts with big mends upstream will be the ticket to get your fly down into the fish zone. T14 tips for two handlers and heavy Versileaders for single handed rods are the best option.
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You can change your fishing depth without changing your sink tip by how far up stream you cast. Cut the angle down for a faster swing and shallower presentation. Cast close to 90 degrees with a big mend to allow time for your fly to sink and swim slow and deep though the buckets.
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You may notice most anglers will seek out larger pools. Get up early and try to hit your favorite spots at the start of the day, or you might be fishing second or third through a run.
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Shallow runs with water moving walking pace are another great place to swing, especially when pressure is high on the river. These spots are usually low and clear, but with the Spring rain they will now offer cover and hold fish. These smaller sections of traveling water are often overlooked by anglers moving fast to hit larger spots. The trick here is to fish lighter tips and smaller flies to keep you from hanging up on bottom. T8 or T11 tips with unweighted flies will do the trick. Single handers can opt for medium Versileaders or trout Versileaders.
Nice bull found fishing a shallow bit of traveling water. Only 2 ft of water but with good colour to conceal the fish.
Flies for this time of year can come in a range of sizes or flavours.
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If the water is up, try larger bright flies to generate aggressive bites.
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If the conditions are clear, try smaller and sparse flies in darker colours.
This will also change depending on what you’re after. If you want steelhead stay to the larger sizes and brighter colours. If trout are your target, then try more fry and sculpin patterns. Bull trout will still hit steelhead flies and vis versa but one thing you might want to think about is the amount of flash on your flies. When fry are present and temperatures rise, fish really key in on that flash.
We had a shipment of local flies from shop alumni Brendan that are deadly colour combinations for steelhead in the Spring.
Fresh shipment of steelhead snacks!
As with all steelheading trips (gear or fly) move fast and cover water. Don’t be afraid to do some leg work or bushwacking to find less pressured water. Your perseverance will likely be rewarded.
Stay dry and I hope you get out there!
Eric
Spring Steelhead Gear Tactics
Longer days, rising daytime temps and seemingly incessant rain are a few signs that Spring is here, and with the changing of the seasons comes a bit of a change in the behaviour of steelhead. Those who adjust their tactics to suit these new behaviours are more likely to have success than those who don’t.
Rising water temperatures are the main driving force behind the behavioural changes. While water temps average 32-38° in the wintertime, springtime temps usually range between 38-45° here in the Lower Mainland. For example, the C/V system is currently about 43° at the crossing. This is quite obviously a significant increase and can drastically change the way I approach my steelhead fishing.
With steelhead, and all other salmonids, being cold-blooded, their metabolisms are influenced by water temperature- the higher the temperature, the higher their metabolic rates. Higher metabolic rates influence several behavioural aspects in steelhead, the most important of which for us anglers are:
They’re more likely to eat. Unlike salmon, steelhead do feed in freshwater, albeit sporadically. With a higher metabolism comes an increase in a fish’s caloric requirements, so they will be more likely to aggressively eat stuff as a result. “Stuff” can include small fish, such as salmon fry, insects, and, of course, baits and lures.
They get more active. A steelhead in warmer water is much more likely to move to intercept a lure, bait, fly or other presentation than it would be in cold water. This also means that they will fight harder than they do in cold water... sometimes a lot harder, so keep that in mind when choosing your rod, reel, mainline and leader material.
Their oxygen requirements increase. This one is a bit of a double-edged sword. The higher a fish’s metabolic rate, the more oxygen it requires... and at the same time, the warmer the water is, the less oxygen it can hold. This means that springtime steelhead will often seek out water with more dissolved oxygen, such as the head of a run, riffles, tailouts, pockets or faster, choppier runs.
Putting these three factors together, we can make some reasonably accurate guesses at where fish will be in a given run, and how they will react to your presentation.
Fish are less likely to sit in deep slow pools or close to shore due to their oxygen needs, so I don’t spend much time covering these types of water; I tend to focus my efforts on riffles, pockets, tailouts and the heads of runs instead. I also try to cover water fairly quickly most of the time, as I can assume that the fish will be aggressive and thus more likely to bite within a few casts; their willingness to move to grab a presentation means that I don’t have to put my gear directly in their face... so, in theory, I don’t have to be quite so precise with my casts and drifts. Presentations that lend themselves to covering water quickly, such as jigs, rubber worms, and Colorado blades, or even swung spoons, spinners and flies are all great options, though beads, bait, yarn such can -and will- still produce fish.
These worms, jigs, blades and soft plastics are all great options for springtime steelhead.
I always bring a second rod (usually an 8'6" baitcaster, but sometimes an 8'6" spinning rod) for swinging spoons and spinners in the Spring, as they are excellent for covering a lot of water in a very short amount of time. Wide-bodied spoons such as the Gibbs Koho are ideal for swinging; I prefer them in nickel, brass or copper. Swinging spoons can work well for pressured fish, as the presentation of a swung lure is very different from the standard drifted presentations that they've seen a thousand times.
Some of my favourite spoons for swinging up a steelhead.
Of course, there will be exceptions to the paragraphs above- for example, the highly-pressured fish in the mid-upper C/V system have seen so much gear that they usually don’t display the level of aggression that would be expected from a springtime steelhead, so I’ll usually slow down and cover water more thoroughly when targeting them... though I can still safely assume that they’ll be in well-oxygenated water, so at least I know what areas should be receiving the bulk of my effort.
While being later in the season means that there are more than a few dark fish hanging around, there are still a fair few steelhead that push into the Lower Mainland systems during the springtime; way more than most people think there would be... I’ve caught bullet-chrome fish well into April on the C/V system. This, coupled with the reduction in angling pressure that typically occurs right about now means that Spring can be one of the most rewarding times to target steelhead... especially if you adapt your approach to suit the changing conditions!
Good luck out there,
Taylor
FRASER RIVER STURGEON FISHING REPORT
It’s Spring and that means the sturgeon fishing is picking up. This time of year, the sturgeon start to shake off those winter cobwebs and are looking to feed. This makes for some great fishing and we had a charter the other day that didn’t disappoint!
One of many sturgeon hooked up last weekend!
We did well in the lower Fraser and our best baits were roe and eulachons. If you are looking to do battle with the largest freshwater fish in North America, book a guided trip with us. It’s a great way to see the Lower Fraser, get some sun and fresh air, and battle some behemoths. For more info, visit us at Sturgeon Fishing Vancouver
BC STILLWATER FISHING REPORTS
Local Lakes Fishing Report
Well folks, Spring is here, and along with that, so are the trout!
This past week saw a handful of the local lakes get stocked, with many more in queue to receive their share of trout over the next coming while.
This can be a great time of year to dust off the gear, get back into the rhythm of things, as well as try new tactics or spots.
When targeting these local stocker trout, smaller and lighter gear is often preferred.
Pairing your gear, tackle, and tactics down the size of fish and water can make for a more productive and enjoyable experience as well.
Lighter spinning rods and lines will make casting smaller lures easier, as well as increase sensitivity when angling for these smaller fish. This will also allow one to cast lighter and more sensitive float set ups as well, wither it be dangling a piece of bait or a micro-jig/fly.
For lures, small spinners and spoons are great, as well as casting and retrieving small flies under a float.
When bait fishing, the two most common methods are to suspend bait under a float, or with baits sitting on or just off the bottom. This is where dew worms, corn, shrimp, and similar density baits are versatile. When fishing along the bottom with bait for trout, I often like to have my bait suspended a few inches to a foot or so. This allows fish that are swimming and cruising to see the bait, versus having to be looking down at that specific spot. Buoyant baits like Powerbait and small marshmallows can be a great addition to one's offering and can sometimes combo-up that piece of corn or dew worm.
Feel free to come on by the shop for any help- all of our staff will be willing to help you out and point you in the right direction with some tips and tricks.
When it comes to picking a spot, a great way to open up options is with a Lower Mainland edition of the Backroads Map Book to keep under the seat of your vehicle. Equally helpful is the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC's website, www.gofishbc.com
For the most recent stocking report, follow this link Recent Stockings
As of writing, it looks like most, if not all, local lakes have been recently stocked. This includes but is not limited to Rice Lake, Lafarge and Como Lake, Green Timbers, Sanctuary Pond, and Browning. For the most part, if your township has a local lake, it has most likely been stocked by now. This can make a great opportunity to get outside without having to go too far.
As you can see, a good majority of the local lakes across all Lower-Mainland townships have received their first of many stockings. If you take a look at this website and scout the previous years, you can often build a pattern of when each lake will get stocked, allowing you to plan when to try your luck at each lake.
Remember that the new angling year is coming up on us, with anglers needing to have new licenses by April 1st. This will include any conservation stamps as well.
Cheers,
Jordan
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BC Interior Lakes Fishing Report
Things are heating up fast and more and more lakes are coming off. A lot of lakes around 600m are now off and it looks like Stump should be fully off by this weekend or close to, as well as many others in the area and at similar elevations.
I covered early season tactics in last week's report, so this week I am going to talk about timing. Some of the lakes that came off earlier this week are already starting to turn, especially the smaller to mid-size lakes. Timing ice off fishing can be tough on these small lakes. I prefer to let them turn and clean up and fish them as the water is warming up and the chironomid hatches are picking up steam. A good rule of thumb is to hit a lake about 3 weeks after ice off. This gives it time to turn, clean up, warm up and the fishing picks up.
Larger lakes like Stump can take longer to turn, so the ice off fishing window is longer and easier to time. So, keep that in mind if you are chomping at the bit to get out there. Opportunities exist, but you need to have a few lakes to check out in case the first one you hit is turning already. The season is officially under way though, so if you are like me, you have your dates set to hit your favorite lakes about 3-4 weeks post ice off and are counting the days to the big chironimid hatches.
See you out there soon!
Jason Tonelli
BC SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS
Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report
The final report of March! That went by fast, probably because it was another awesome winter chinook season. If you are regular reader of the report, you know it has been great winter chinook fishing in our area since November and we are going on about 6 years of good winter seasons.
Here is where we found our fish this week. The first spot was out at the Bell Buoy. It has been good in that area in 120-180 feet of water as it drops off towards the QA. Find the bait and find the fish. For depths, we have been getting some fish on the bottom but also 10-20% off the bottom. Move around to find the bait balls and you will have good success.
A nice chinook from the Harbour on Monday!
We are also getting some chinook off South Bowen from Cowan to Roger Curtis in 150-350 feet of water, so pretty close to shore. Productive depths have been 90-150 on the riggers.
Nice to see some South Bowen spots producing!
In both areas the brighter chartreuse and green glow flashers have been doing well with the same colours in spoons and hootchies. You can’t go wrong with these flashers, Salty Dawg, STS, Lemon Lime, Green Onion Glow. For spoons, a Skinny G in Irish Cream, Trailhead, No Bananas, and Yes Bananas have all been deadly.
Crabbing and prawning has also been excellent. So, get out there this weekend as this is your last chance at chinook retention in local waters and the traps have been doing well as a bonus!
The Fisheries Notices are out and as per last year, there will be no fishing for chinook regulations in our local waters effective April 1. Your next opportunity to retain chinook will be July 15 in certain portions of Area 17. Coho will open up in Area 29 on June 1, as per last year. Bottom fish will open in Area 17 on May 1 as per last year.
See you in the shop or on the water,
Jason Tonelli
