OUTLOOK
The rivers are coming down but it is a slow process. With more rain in the forecast it is hard to tell what will happen. Squamish hit flood levels earlier in the week and was absolutely unfishable. Scary might be a better word to describe it. Logs and trees were coming down the river and it will be interesting to see how the river has changed after the high water. Anyone drifting should be very careful and be on their toes for new log jams. The river is still coming down and we expect some fishable water this weekend but we expect it to be high. If you’re headed out have fun and be safe.
The Vedder is in a fishable condition but fishing has tapered off a bit. It won’t be too long until the first steelhead start showing up and there should be a few coho and chum kicking around. Alex has more information in his report this week.
The Harrison and the Chehalis are a good bet for late coho but you might need a boat to properly access the Harrison. It is still huge (very high) and tough to wade.
We are hearing about some decent winter chinook fishing. Reports of a few fish over 10Lbs have come in over the last week up Howe sound so that is a promising start to the season!
For those of you wondering what this week’s Friday Feature Product is, you can head right to that section of the report for Jordan’s overview of Fishpond waterproof bags. If you are looking for a sling, hip pack or general gear bag their line up is impressive. When you take into account that they try to use recycled products, specifically commercial fishing nets, you get a bombproof material that is good for the environment. At 10% off for the next week you can’t ask for much more!
INDUSTRY EVENTS
Steelhead Fly Tying Jam Session
If you missed the special mail out yesterday with all of the information for this fall’s Steelhead Fly Tying Jam Session get all of the details here! The event is almost sold out so be sure to secure your FREE spot for this amazing evening.
FRIDAY’S FEATURE PRODUCT
Fishpond Bags, Packs + Slings
With the fall and winter rains making their presence known, anglers will be seeking out ways to keep their gear dry while on the river or traversing to and from camp, or from the boat to the bed of the truck. With many storage and organizing options available, not all of them are completely 100% waterproof. Or should we say ‘were’.
New for this year, Pacific Angler is proud to introduce a selection of Fishpond gear that is designed to help make your storage and transportation options easier and more efficient, as well as keeping your gear dry in a select variety of fully 100% waterproof bags and packs.
Here at the shop, we are no stranger to Fishpond’s great range of packs and bags (I myself own their Double-haul backpack/chest pack combo, as well as have used their range of Nomad landing nets), and we are excited about their newest offerings of waterproof options.
At Pacific Angler, we carry a range of Fishpond bags, packs, nets, and accessories, but today’s feature focuses on Fishpond bags and packs that anglers industry wide have been talking about.
What sets these bags apart is that besides being waterproof and/or submersible, they are made from Fishpond’s new Cyclepond material. What is Cyclepond you ask? Cyclepond is made from recycled commercial fishing net fabric that is then TPU coated and welded.
The benefits to using Cyclepond materials include but are not limited to:
- 27% less natural resources consumed;
- 28% reduction of greenhouse gas;
- Prevents and removes marine pollution; and
- Every tonne of fabric produced reduces the equivalent CO emissions of a car driving roughly 6,089 miles;
To make these products completely waterproof, Fishpond uses a TPU welded fabric, and on the sling pack, uses the TIZIP® submersible zipper made in Germany.
Some of our favourite Fishpond bags, packs and slings.
Some of our favourites includes:
Thunderhead Sling Pack
This pack is a fully submersible waterproof sling pack. With an expansive interior you can keep your gear dry while at the same time have your often-used tackle at your fingertips with the quick access exterior pocket, which has a water resistant zipper.
Features:
- TPU welded fabric construction
- TIZIP® submersible zipper
- YKK Aquaguard #8 water resistant exterior pocket
- Mesh sling and back panel for increased ventilation and comfort
- Large zipper opening with zippered interior accessory pocket
- Integrated guide net slot
- Exterior Hypalon® tabs and reinforced cord loops for tool and accessory attachment
- Cyclepond recycled fabric
- 2 lbs
- 16″ x 9″ x 6.5″
- 793 cu. in.
- Main pocket is fully submersible
Westwater Boat Bag
The Westwater Boat Bag is an excellent option for those of you looking to keep your gear organized and out of the elements while its on the boat (or on its way to the boat). This bag is easy to carry with either a shoulder strap or top carry and has the awesome feature of boat lash tie down points for those rougher days on the water. The adjustable Velcro divider system provides great flexibility for storage.
Features:
- TPU welded fabric construction
- YKK #10 water resistant zippers with oversize rubber pulls
- Signature Fishpond molded top and bottom for quick access
- Fully adjustable strap for shoulder or top carry
- Three clear interior zippered pouches
- Adjustable Velcro® divider system
- Four heavy duty boat lash tie down points
- Dual hemostat/knife/tippet accessory attachments
- New and improved Cyclepond fabric
- 3.7 lbs.
- 1,405 cu. in.
- 17.5″ x 10″ x 12.5″
Westwater Roll Top Duffel
At 55L you can pack it all in this bag! The roll-top design combined with Cyclepond fabric ensures whatever you can cram in this bag will be dry when you’re ready to use it. The Westwater line of bags from Fishpond does not disappoint!
Features:
- TPU welded fabric construction
- Roll top design to keep your gear safe
- One exterior accessory pocket
- Wide mouth for great access and organization
- Two padded jacquard nylon webbing handles
- Rubber shoulder strap included
- New and improved Cyclepond fabric
- 1.9lb
- 55L (Pocket: .2L)
- 3,355 cu. in.
- 22″ x 14″ x 11″
Yellowstone Wader/Duffel Bag
As the name would suggest this is a great bag for your waders. The bottom compartment of the bag has plenty of room for wet waders and boots. This is vented so that wet gear has a chance to breath on the trip home. The separate top compartment keeps everything else nice and dry which is a welcome bonus after a long wet day on the water. This is also a great weekend bag for non-fishing trips, if there is such a thing!
Features:
- Asymmetrical zippered main cargo compartment
- Bottom vented compartment for wader storage
- Fold out padded changing mat
- Two fishpond rod tube straps
- Jacquard webbing tie down attachment loops
- Exterior zippered accessory pouch
- Padded shoulder strap
- TPU welded fabric construction
- Lightweight, recycled fabric made from commercial fishing nets—Cyclepond
- 3600 cu. in.
- 23” x 12.5” x 14”
Come on into the shop and check these bags out; along with the ones featured here, we have also have a variety of other hip and chest packs from Fishpond as well.
Jordan Simpson
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Vedder River Fishing Report
This past week saw some more high, albeit relatively clear, water conditions for the Vedder. There are still a good number of fresh chum for those that wish to pull on some big fish though coho fishing does seem to be tapering off. However there are still a few chromers for those that put in the time. It is definitely worth one last shot in the coming two weeks before focusing our attention on other systems with late runs of coho.
For those that love fishing this river, do not fret! Steelhead season on the Vedder is just around the corner! A couple steelhead always seem to trickle in during the second to third week of November and by the end of December the run starts to materialize in decent numbers. Steelhead can be taken on many of the same things as salmon such as pro-cured roe, colorado blades, jigs, spoons, spinners, and flies, so it is very possible to tangle with an early fish while targeting late-run coho or chum salmon.
Come by the shop to get a head start on stocking your steelhead gear so you have a full arsenal when the season is finally upon us!
Alex Au-Yeung
Capilano River Fishing Report
With our wet fall weather upon us the Capilano has become a roller coaster of varying water heights, making it difficult to hit it when conditions are ideal. While the fall salmon season is tapering off quickly on this river there are still some decently fresh Coho to be found. A few chinook and the odd chum may still be found too. Drifting pro-cured roe or jigs can be an effective way of getting them as well as tossing a Gibbs Croc or Koho spoon. Blue Fox Vibrax spinners are also a good bet in slow pockets. Fly fishing with small flash flies or muddler minnows with a bit of flash can also be deadly for fresher coho when the water is lower.
Alex Au-Yeung
Squamish River Fishing Report
The river rose to 7.0 meters last Tuesday, which is flood warning for the nearby houses and started dropping on Wednesday. There is more rain starting today so please check the levels before heading up and be safe as the river could rise again. As we mentioned in reports earlier this season the river fishes well below 3.3 meters.
The Squamish River in blow out conditions earlier this week.
If the river is on it’s way down and just starting to clear then swing bigger and brighter colours for maximum results. If you step in ankle deep and can’t see your boots then the conditions are not favourable for fly fishing, as the fish can’t see the fly either. At least the levels on this system drops fast as the temperature cools down so we still have a good chance to fish for coho and chum well into the end of the month. They are calling for much cooler temps by the end of next week so we will keep you updated and hopefully have a much more positive report by this time next week.
Sean with a Squamish chum on a rare low water day this week.
Andre Stepanian
Harrison River Fishing Report
The Harrison river level is above 10 meters, which is higher than the summer freshet levels due to excessive amount of rain combined with warm temperatures this past week. Unfortunately it is safe to say that the chances of fishing for salmon for the rest of the season are minimal. The whole river is like a big pool; even some of the trees are under water so if you are brave to venture out be more cautious than ever. Fishing in situations like these is a crap shoot, as one can’t track the path where the fish are moving up but you can still try if you must fish this river.
Andre Stepanian
Chehalis River Fishing Report
Water levels play a big factor when it comes to success on this river. With the recent rains and warmer temperature one would expect the river to be fairly high but you will only know if you go. If you decide to head out during a rainfall be wary of the water level as it can sneak up on the unsuspecting angler. This river will fish throughout November for coho.
Sam Graham
SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS
Vancouver Salmon Fishing Report
Well the rivers have been flooded so we haven’t been out chasing the salmon up on the Squamish or Vedder, but we have been out chasing some winter chinook. The fishing is typical for this time of year, hit and miss, but we are encouraged by the number of undersize fish we are encountering. This bodes well for early 2017. The fish are also feeding on anchovies. It seems the anchovies that showed up in the spring are still here and that means lots of food and fast growing chinook. Some productive spoons have been the Skinny G, the Coho Killer, and Pesca 2.5. All these spoons are fairly small and represent anchovies well. You could go up to a Pesca 3.5 or a Kingfisher 3.5 and those would work well also. We just got our hands on some prototype Pesca spoons, including a new style that has a slimmer profile. We will be trying those out in the coming weeks. As usual for winter chinook, break out the glow flashers and glow spoons, keep it close to the bottom, and cover lots of water.