The rivers are dropping!! We will not lie, its going to be cold, the rivers will be low and clear but there are fish around. This is prime-time for fishing egg patterns and flesh flies for hungry trout and char and there are still some fresh coho coming into our local rivers!
After the record rainfalls last weekend, the river levels dropped and we have had beautiful sunny days all week and continuing into the weekend. This is good for the many people in Vancouver going through sun withdrawal but not good for the fishermen. Low and clear conditions means smaller flies, lighter tippet, and longer leaders. Fluorocarbon will be your friend.
If you are still coho fishing, a good bump of fish came in on the high water. There were some great late reports from the Harrison, Chehalis and Squamish mid-week.
The rain also made for some awesome egg fishing. The high water washed out a ton of eggs and salmon flesh. There were a number of good cutty, bull trout and rainbow reports. Fish flesh fly patterns, egg patterns, beads or run wool and single eggs under floats.
The egg and flesh fishery is one of our favorites. The best fishing seems to be after the first big rain in December and then the last big rain in January. We will be offering the Famous Indicator Egg Course early in the New Year. If you want to get out and try this technique, come in and we will go over the rigs and strategies that Matt teaches in the course.
The local ocean fishing has been slow. Jason was out this past Tuesday and caught a few undersized fish. It is expected that the feeder springs will show-up around the second week of December.
There have been whispers of the first winter run steelhead being caught. Also, when things warm up a little the northern steelhead rivers can still produce excellent fishing. Andre is out braving the weather right now.
If you have any specific questions, please do not hesitate to give the Pac Ang boys a call (604-872-2204).
Hope to see you on the water,
Matt