OUTLOOK
We are still seeing relatively warm weather for November, but our river systems have been dropping all week. Many of the rivers are low as we write the report, but that will likely change this weekend, as we have another storm coming. The good news is the storm they are forecasting is not a major one. That said, we recommend everyone keep a close eye on water levels if you are heading out. If the numbers hold true in the forecast expect dirty water by Saturday/Sunday, but we expect most fisheries to remain fishable. Light rain will continue well into next week so this could shape up nicely to bump rivers back up and then hold them at good levels.
This week we have reports on the major systems locally with a little more detail on how we expect the rain to affect each system. When you do head out, be sure to check the regulations before – as we have chatted about in our last two reports there have been a number of openings announced along with some updates to those openings related to gear restrictions.
We also have a sturgeon report. With good numbers of salmon throughout the Fraser system sturgeon fishing continues to be excellent and well worth a trip if you have the time. Both bank anglers and boat anglers are consistently finding lots of big fish. We still have a few spots open for trips so be sure to reach out to us via email or on our charter line if you’d like to book a guided sturgeon trip.
Taylor has an article on twitching jigs and some tips on how to use them. With the expected rising water levels, large twitching jigs are an amazing way to target coho in all of our major systems.
Lastly, a friendly reminder we will be closed on Monday November 11 for Remembrance Day so if you are looking to drop by the shop be sure to come by on the weekend, otherwise we will see you on Tuesday!
On to the report!
CLASSES AND COURSES
Fly Fishing Egg Patterns
This course is designed to teach you the secrets to one of the most productive presentations in the BC fly fishermen’s arsenal; nymphing egg patterns. This deadly method can be used for different species of trout, char, and salmon. During a 3 hour evening seminar we will teach you key concepts, strategies, and gear that will give you a well-rounded foundation during the seminar portion of the class. Then you will put those skills into practice during a fully guided day on the water.
Dates:
Seminar: Nov 20, 2024
Guided: Nov 23 or 24, 2024
Seminar Only Cost: $75.00+GST
Seminar & Guided Walk’n Wade Cost: $325.00+GST
Seminar Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Guided: Full Day
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Chilliwack/Vedder River Fishing Report
It’s already November, and the C/V system has been continuing to produce decent numbers of both chum and coho. Normally, things have wound down and the fishing is slow by now… but not this year, apparently. I suspect the sheer size of the coho and chum returns this year are the reason for the better-than-average November; the fish aren’t necessarily “late”, there are simply more of them.
The river is currently running at what I would consider to be a slightly low level, though clarity is slightly compromised by the clay slides; I’d say there’s something like 3-4′ of viz at the moment. Unfortunately, there’s a bunch of rain in the forecast for the weekend and beyond, which is very likely to put the river out of shape for a while. Assuming the river doesn’t blow out again, I’d think there’s still a week or two of decent coho fishing and roughly two weeks of decent chum fishing before the season is over.
As always, you’ll want to check the forecast and river levels before you head out and use that data to determine if the drive is worth your time… no point in heading out there if the river looks like chocolate milk.
Squamish River Fishing Report
After some intense rain and variable conditions, the river seems to have settled to a reasonable level and visibility… for now. The freezing level finally dropped low enough to see the water begin to clear up despite the pretty consistent rain. Instead of brown muddy water, we got to fish in some fishy green water. I finally got to retire the bright flashy flies and subbed in the classic small coho flies.
Note: as we are writing this report, we are hearing reports of water getting even lower but with rain in the forecast today, and through the weekend, be prepared for both low and clear conditions and high-water conditions. It will all depend on snow levels and the timing of the rain.
For the gear fisherman out there, the go-to in any system up the Sea to Sky when the water clears up is copper. Whether its coho or trout, copper spinners and spoons are king as they are a bit more subtle and don’t overwhelm the fish with too much flash the way silver might.
The chum are abundant in all systems from the lower to the upper. If you’re fishing the Upper Squamish, remember that chum are not open to catch and release in this section of the river. Even if you’re not fishing pink and purple, you’re likely to encounter a few while on the hunt for coho. Remember to treat these fish with respect while handling and releasing, and if you seem to have found a spot where you keep hooking them, it’s probably best to switch tactics or move spots all together.
If you’ve been looking to do some nymphing for trout, now is a killer time to give it a go. The abundance of chum in the river has the egg eaters in all out feed mode trying to fatten up on the big chum salmon roe before the cold winter months where food is scarcer. This is the least picky bull trout are ever going to be. Size and colour can be adjusted with conditions, but for the most part these trout are going to be indiscriminate. Have an assortment of different size and colour globugs, as well as some bead rigs that can be fished with conventional float gear or on a fly set up. What is going to be more important than presentation is where to look. If you find a spot with multiple chum rolling, make your way below them. you’ll likely encounter various trout species parked in water behind the salmon waiting for eggs to tumble down stream.
The outlook for the weekend and following week is going to be a tough one to call. There is a fair amount of rain in the forecast and the freezing levels aren’t quite low enough to be confident that the good visibility will stick around. With that being said, if the past couple weeks proved anything it’s that fish can definitely be found in the high, muddier water, and, therefore, you just have to adapt and experiment with spots and tackle. If you’re planning an outing, keep a close eye on the graph as well as the rain forecast to make sure you’ll be safe out there.
Tight lines!
Jake Comrie
Fraser River Sturgeon Fishing Report – October Recap & November Outlook
October has flown by, and what a stellar month it was! The sturgeon fishing has been nothing short of outstanding, setting a thrilling stage for what November may bring. The fall salmon run is still going with a few late arrivals making their way up the river. With spawning now in full force, the abundance of salmon has the sturgeon feeding actively—giving anglers a prime opportunity to get in on some intense action before winter sets in.
November is “crunch time” for sturgeon. As temperatures drop, they’re busy fattening up to prepare for the colder months ahead. So, grab your rain gear, and limber up, because there is some terrific action to come!
This Fall has been exceptional for salmon returns in the Fraser River. Most salmon species have reached their tributaries and are deep into spawning, but one species is still making its way up the river: the chum salmon. Unlike other salmon, chum migrate a bit later, continuing their run and spawning later than the other species. For hungry sturgeon, this means one last feeding frenzy as they prepare for winter.
What does this late chum salmon run mean for sturgeon anglers? As the saying in fly fishing goes, “match the hatch!” With sportfishing regulations allowing chum retention in parts of the Fraser and its tributaries, any angler who takes home a fish has some fantastic sturgeon bait on hand. Waste pieces and roe from chum salmon make prime sturgeon bait, mirroring the abundant food these fish are currently feeding on.
The Pacific Angler Jet Boat has been out on the water, and despite the cooler weather and rain, reeling in these river giants has kept our anglers warm! The sturgeon bite has been excellent, making November the perfect time to chase one of these legendary fish before the season cools down.
Ready for one last Fall adventure? Give us a call at 778-788-8582 to book your November sturgeon trip and experience the rush of these prehistoric giants on the Fraser.
Jake Comrie
The Harrison and its Tributary Systems
The Harrison continues to be a fantastic venue to target late season salmon. We have had bumps in the water pushing fresh fish into the system and tributaries. This keeps the action hot and anglers busy. Fish can be encountered in canyons, sloughs and river pools so go prepared to tackle any environment.
It comes as no surprise that the record amount of chum has flooded this system. Anglers will encounter a mix of fresh and stale fish. If you are looking to target fresh chum focus on the lower reaches of the soughs or river. You can also find fresher specimens as they roll in on high tides and push up the side channels. Chum are prolific spawners and can be encountered in almost any bit of running water. Do your best to target moving fish and leave the spawners to do their thing.
Coho fishing is still excellent but be prepared to put in the leg work to find the fish. Fresh fish can still be encountered all though November, but we are hearing reports that some easy access spots are “chummed out”. Jigs, spinners and spoons will allow you to cover water quickly. Drifting quality roe will always be a go-to late season where you know fish are holding. Fly anglers can do well when conditions get low and spooky. I like clear intermediate lines or long leaders on floating lines for a delicate presentation. Smaller flies stripped at various speeds can be deadly when the fish get tired of seeing the larger gear.
North of the Fraser you will encounter a mix of fresh and coloured fish. Late season coho have an interesting habit of “going dark” after you kill them. If you choose to retain fish look for clean white bellies and white fins. It’s always a shame to bonk what you think is a chrome fish, only to bring home a boot… Do your best to practice gentle fish handling skills and release all by-catch with care. As the season progresses fishing pressure will increase so the morning bite will be important for a successful outing. Remember to keep your fishing areas cleaner than when you found them and be courteous to your fellow anglers.
Eric Peake
Special Feature
Beginners Guide to Twitching Jigs for Salmon
If your goal is to catch a salmon, there are countless ways to do it- but it’s my humble opinion that twitching a jig can be one of the single most effective ways to accomplish that goal… in the right circumstances, of course. Twitching is a rather aggressive form of fishing that is extremely good at triggering strikes from aggressive fish; it’s usually regarded as exceptionally effective for coho and pinks, and it will also work well for chinook. Chum and sockeye will occasionally swipe at a twitching jig as well.
With twitching being such a widespread and popular tactic these days, you’d be hard-pressed to find an angler that doesn’t know what it is… but here’s the basic rundown anyway:
Twitching is a technique that involves casting a lure- almost always a twitching jig- out to an area that is likely to hold fish, then “twitching” it back. This “twitching” is accomplished by a combined effort of raising/lowering the rod and reeling to make the jig rise and fall in a fish-attracting manner. The jig can be twitched with quick, short rod movements, with slow, methodical rod movements, or anything in between. If you’re twitching in an area with some current, you’ll want to cast slightly upstream to allow the jig to sink before you start twitching it. Fish will almost always strike a jig as it’s dropping, so you’ll know you have a bite when you go to twitch the jig, only to meet a bunch of dead weight- rarely will you get a hit as the jig is moving up. My usual rule is as follows: if I feel weight when I start to raise the rod, that’s probably a bite; I set the hook. If I feel weight halfway through my twitch, I’ve probably hit a fish in the body; I won’t set the hook. This has saved me from a lot of grief induced by snagged fish.
Twitching jigs usually range from 3/8oz-1/2oz, though jigs as light as 1/4oz or as heavy as 1oz may be used at times. There are a number of different styles of twitching jig, with the most common being made of rabbit fur, marabou, or a combination of the two; rabbit jigs tend to be larger and more “poofy”, while marabou jigs are smaller and have a lot less profile. They all work, though one may want to adjust the size and profile of their jig to suit the conditions they’re fishing. You can get jigs in every colour or combination of colours imaginable; they all work- again, consider choosing a jig colour to suit the water or weather conditions you’re fishing. For what it’s worth, I find 3/8oz to be the size I use most often, with darker colours (blue, black, purple, or any combination of those colours) being what I have the most luck with.
As far as rods/reels are concerned, specialized twitching rods are available, but I don’t believe they’re entirely necessary- I started twitching over a decade ago, and my tool of choice back then was a 9’ medium-action spinning rod. It got the job done but was a bit heavy and cumbersome at times. These days, I use an 8’6” fast-action medium-heavy spinning (or casting) rod; I find them to be great for all-around use… perfectly at home twitching jigs or chucking spoons/spinners. If you want a dedicated twitching setup, a 7’-8’6” fast-action medium-heavy spinning or casting rod will be ideal. 20-40lb braided line is your best bet; the excellent sensitivity and lack of stretch make bite detection and hooksets a breeze. Regarding the reel, a 2500-4000 spinning reel or 100-200 low-profile reel will be perfectly sufficient. If you’re going to use a leader, which you probably should, 12-15lb mono will be perfect- no need for fluorocarbon when you’re twitching.
There’s not really a “right” way to twitch a jig, though there are a few mistakes that many anglers make that reduce the amount of success they have. One of the single most common mistakes I see anglers making is a simple one: twitching too deep. As mentioned above, twitching jigs excel at triggering strikes from aggressive fish… and aggressive fish are more than willing to move up to swipe at a lure. Remember, fish always look up, not down- so it’s better to pass a lure above a fish than below it. Twitching too deep is likely to result in lots of lost lures due to snags, and even worse- lots of snagged fish. Try to keep your jig somewhere near bottom, but not on it… and don’t worry if your jig is in the top-half of the water column, as aggressive fish, especially coho, have no qualms about smashing a jig near the surface.
Another common mistake is twitching in the wrong kind of water. Twitching is especially well suited to deep, slow pools, or even “frog water” … not so much to the kind of water you’d swing a spoon through. Consideration must also be given to the concentration of fish in each area. Unfortunately, the act of twitching a jig comes with a relatively high risk of snagging fish; it’s the single biggest downside to twitching and has resulted in some negative views toward the technique in recent years. There will be a point where there are so many fish in a given area that twitching a jig is going to result in an excessive number of snagged fish; this is common in low water, when fish congregate into deep pools in large numbers, during large returns of fish (such as pink, chinook or chum season on the Vedder. A judgement call should be made by the angler before attempting to twitch a jig in a given area; the question I ask myself is this: “Am I going to get fish to bite or am I just going to snag fish in the arse?”. If I think the risk of snagging fish is low, I’ll twitch. If I think the risk of snagging fish is high, I’ll probably use something else, such as a spinner or float gear… simple as that.
When done properly in the appropriate types of water, I believe that twitching a jig is easily one of the most effective ways to target salmon; I’ve seen a well twitched jig outfish well fished spoons, spinners and float gear by very large margins… something about the rise and fall of a jig drives aggressive fish absolutely nuts. I’ve been twitching for over a decade, and I’d say that anywhere from 40-70% of the salmon I catch every year are on twitching jigs. So, if you haven’t given it a shot- or if you’ve tried it but had poor results, you’re gonna want to grab your spinning rod and sling a few jigs before the season ends… just heed the advice above.
Happy Twitching!
Taylor Nakatani
