OUTLOOK
First off, a huge THANK YOU to everyone who came out to last night’s International Fly Fishing Film Festival at the Rio! What an awesome turnout! The place was packed, the films were unreal, and it was great chatting fishing with so many of you. Even better, we were able to support both the Steelhead Society of BC and the Public Fishery Alliance.
Nights like that remind us how strong this community is
Now onto the fishing…
Things are off to a solid start on the lakes both locally and in the Interior. If you’re planning a trip to the Interior don’t miss Jason’s latest report—he’s got the inside scoop on what to expect in the coming week and how to make the most of it.
And if you’re lake-bound, this is a perfect time to level up your game—check out our Blob 101 video! In this first installment, Jason breaks down:
• What exactly a blob is
• Two effective styles we love to fish
• Our go-to colours for getting into fish
👉 Watch the full video here:
On the river side, we’ve got fresh updates across the board locally.
• Taylor checks in from the Chilliwack/Vedder
• Eric reports from both the Squamish and Harrison
With the warmer temps we’ve been enjoying around the Lower Mainland, river conditions are shifting—so be sure to read through the reports below before heading out. A little intel can make all the difference on your next trip!
CLASSES AND COURSES
Introduction to Fly Fishing
Introduction to Fly Fishing Trout Streams
Stalking trout on mountain streams defines fly fishing. In this course we will teach you the fundamental techniques for fly fishing trout streams; dry fly fishing, nymphing, and streamer fishing. This course will get you as close to being Brad Pitt (River Runs Through It) as you will ever be! This course is comprised of one 3hr evening seminar.
Cost: $85.00+GST
Date: June 16, 2026
Time: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
INDUSTRY EVENTS AND UPDATES
Salmon Allocation Policy Town Halls
Another round of town halls for the Salmon Allocation Policy are coming up! If you missed the earlier ones, this is a great opportunity to hear what’s being proposed, understand how it could affect anglers, local economies, conservation, and learn how to take action.
• Campbell River: April 11 - 1:00 to 3:00 - Campbell River Sportsplex
• Langley: April 18 - 10:00 to 12:00 - SouthRidge fellowship Church
• Victoria: April 19 - 10:00 to 12:00 - Langford Legion Hall
More details here - https://www.fishingrights.ca/getinvolved
PRODUCT FEATURE
Garmin ECHOMAP On Sale
It’s Spring and that means time to get the boat ready for the season. Garmin just announced a Canada only sale on our favourite Garmin LiveScope packages. Check out all the Garmin sales online here or swing by the shop!
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORT
Chilliwack/Vedder Fishing Report
While this spell of warm, beautiful weather has been quite enjoyable, it hasn’t really been doing the C/V system any good- the high daytime temps have been triggering some alpine snowmelt that has resulted in some less-than-optimal river conditions. Though the river hasn’t really come up all that much and is actually running at a nice level, the viz has taken a bit of a nosedive... something that has been a common theme this year. There’s some rain in the forecast for the weekend and the coming week, so I would think that a significant improvement in water conditions is unlikely for a while.
That’s not to say that the river is currently unfishable... viz has been varying between 1-3' since the start of the “heat wave”, which isn’t too bad... just a bit less than what most would consider optimal. There are still decent numbers of fish around, though we're definitely at the tail-end of the run; most of the fish are now in the upper river, which closed to all fishing at the end of March. I’m still hearing reports of fish from the mid and lower sections, with most of the action coming from the mid, with the fish varying in condition from “chrome bullet” to “double-striped boot”- something that is to be expected, considering how we’re well into April. Float fishing with various presentations has been the top producer, though fish are also being taken on swung hardware and flies. Higher water temps mean that the fish can be more aggressive, which is beneficial for those who are looking to swing a fish on flies or spoons- now is a great time to bring the spey rod or the spoon rod along, especially if you want to cover a lot of water quickly. Larger presentations will be helpful in the current water conditions.
Keep in mind that the mid-section of the river (the section between the Vedder Crossing Bridge and the Tamihi Bridge) will close at the end of this month, leaving only the lower section (from the Vedder Crossing Bridge to the confluence with the Sumas River) open to fly fishing only for the month of May.
Please handle any coloured-up fish that you happen to encounter carefully and with due respect and avoid any unnecessary wading to prevent the squishing of any salmon fry that happen to be hiding in the gravel.
Taylor Nakatani
Squamish River Fishing Report
The water levels have had a little bump over the week and fishing has been decent. These are the first signs of freshet in the valley. The warmer day time temps will continue to slowly melt the frozen alpine. This run off will colour the water and bump the water levels. If things stay on track this will be a gradual melting process and we will get a slow river rise with continued good fishing. Looking ahead we don’t have too much exiting weather to force a blow out, so fingers crossed it’s a solid Spring.
Most of the Sea to Sky salmon streams will have plenty of signs of life this time of year. The Squamish is a big system so it can be hard to find the right holding water to produce good fishing with fry patterns. Here are some methods for fishing fry like a pro on the Squamish.
1st method: The Swing
-
Look for large runs with walking speed water. The Squamish has plenty!
-
Try swinging flies a little larger than a fry with plenty of flash. Trout really chomp the flash this time of year. It’s the same with spoons!
-
Single handers or two hander fly rods with light and medium sink tips are used.
2nd Method: Indicator or Float
-
It can be difficult to keep your presentation down in to some of the deeper pools or drop offs. Try throwing a jig fly under an indicator. This is an excellent presentation for when the fish take cover in faster water.
-
Gear anglers will benefit from a jig or blade under a float.
3rd method: Long Line Delicate Presentation
-
I don’t use this that much on the Squamish but there are situations where a floating line long leader and small fry pattern do the trick. This is usually specific to shallower slower water. Back channels and ditch slow stuff.
-
Gear anglers can fish ultralight here with small spinners or micro spoons.
We are fully stocked on all the great river essentials to find fish this Spring. Check out Andre’s fry patterns or our selection of river flies in shop.
Andre's fry patterns & river fly selection
As always when heading up Squamish expect all types of weather. We have sun, rain, and snow all possible over the next week. This can add additional layers and technical challenges to the fishing. Pick your days accordingly.
Eric Peake
Harrison River Fishing Report
Warmer weather has kept the trout biting in the valley. Its full Spring mode and schools of fry have been migrating down the Fraser and Harrison systems. A few anglers from the shop have made the time to go chasing these little wolves with great success. Get yourself a fly combo and make the most of this Spring fishery. I like the Original Trout Kit from Redington as it’s a great lightweight rod to finesse these fish.
A few lucky PA customers had their hands full last weekend!
Stay mobile and look for those fish. Plan on fishing multiple locations and make some time to scout out new water. I love to chase these fish on the fly, but I don’t shy away from bringing a spinning rod with me. A little hardware can go along way if its windy or fish are moving too far off for the fly gear to reach. Check out the Legalis Combo from Daiwa if you want a simple light setup for this fishery. As with any fishery, weather can make or break a good day on the water. I tend to prefer a grey day to give me a little cover to make for less spooky fish. It looks like we have a little precipitation in the forecast so that might make for some decent fishing. If things don’t dirty up too much with rain later in the week, I anticipate fishing to remain good.
Eric Peake
STILLWATER FISHING REPORTS
Local Lake Fishing Reports
For those looking to get out on the water, while staying closer to home, local lakes are a great option and have been fishing well. These urban local lakes are a great way for new anglers or those with young children along to spend the day, or even a half day fishing. Many have great facilities close by if needed as well.
With a recent round of stockings over the past three weeks, many anglers are finding success at various local lakes and ponds. Since March 31st, there have been at least eight local lakes stocked with trout between the city/townships of Ioco, Burnaby, Harrison, N. Vancouver, and Ruskin. With stocking numbers ranging anywhere between 500 to 3,000+ per body of water, there are plenty of fish to try and angle for. Curious about stocking reports? Check them out here for your local lakes!
These local fish will take flies, lures, and baits- either under a float or off the bottom depending on their mood. Having a variety of tactics and offerings can help tilt the odds in your favour, whether you're tossing flies, baits or lures.
Small spinners, spoons, and flies are all popular choices but keep in mind that presenting baits under a float can be a fun and visual fishery.
When fishing hardware such as spinners and spoons, or even small bits of food offerings as bait, jazzing them up with some added scent can help a lot. In lakes where bait is permitted, I'll often put some gel scent on my spoons or spinners. I find besides the natural flash and vibrations of the lure, the added scent helps mask any unwanted odors as well as just helps turn that piece of metal into something more tempting. This Pro-Cure Bait Sauce is one of my favourite choices.
Baits such as Krill, Dew Worms, Power Bait, and single eggs are all great choices, and I would suggest having a combination of them to keep your offerings varied. This can be especially helpful when groups of fish move into an area that anglers are all presenting the same baits: having something that is just a little bit different can make a big impact.
Keep in mind these fish often move around in large groups, making it seem like only those ''over there'' are getting them. As the daylight and/or temperatures change, the fish will move as well. If you notice that one type of specific area has more activity, ask yourself why. Is there a feeder creek or outflow? Is there a significant transition between depths? Taking notes mentally on each trip can prepare you for the next.
A beautiful sunrise over one of our local lakes this past long-weekend.
I was out this past long-weekend, and while I didn't touch any fish myself, it was evident the fish were following shadows, staying in them as the sun moved its way around the lake. Keep an eye open for little clues like these and remember to either write them down in your journal or do your best to remember them. This can pay dividends in the long run.
Remember to leave the area you're angling in cleaner than when you arrived, and to keep those hooks sharp.
Also, another friendly reminder that 2026 license year started April 1st. If you haven’t renewed yours since last year, be sure to do so! Details on the new freshwater licensing procedures are here!
Cheers,
Jordan Simpson
BC Interior Lakes Fishing Report
Region 5 is still looking pretty cold and most of the lakes are still locked up under the ice. The 14-day forecast does not look too friendly either, with multiple days of sub 0 nighttime temps that will keep the ice from melting quickly in that region. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it will help spread out the fishing opportunities between Regions 3, 4, 5, 8 and others.
Further down in Region 3, things are starting to happen. Some lakes have been off for 3-6 weeks now and are starting to see some significant chironomid hatches. The higher elevation lakes are still iced up of course, but it is nice to have quite a few options if you are heading to Merritt or Kamloops for some lake fishing. Be prepared to fish leeches, blobs, boobies, baby damsels, bloodworms and of course chironomids.
Pennasks and Brookies were feeding on shallow water chironomids this past weekend and made for some fast and fun fishing!
I was on a lake this past weekend where the water went from dirty and 39F and not much happening, to 47F cleaning up and chrons all over the place. Things change in a hurry this time of year, so watch those weather forecasts and be prepared to adapt from blobs and leeches to chrons. To learn more about blobs, check out our Blobs 101 video on the Pacific Angler YouTube channel.
Speaking of the forecast, things are looking a little chilly on Wednesday of next week with nighttime temps dropping well below freezing in Merritt with some snow in the mix. That trend continues into the next week, so it looks like Mother Nature is keeping things cool after a relatively early ice off year. Funny how things balance out…
A quick note on LiveScope packages; they just went on sale, so if you are interested in learning more about Forward Facing Sonar and the Garmin LiveScope packages, please call me at the shop 604-872-2204 or email me at jtonelli@pacificangler.ca
To look at some LiveScope short video clips, visit my Instagram page @jasonrtonelli
See you at the shop or at the lake,
Jason Tonelli
