OUTLOOK
The rain is here! The ice is coming off and we have a long weekend incoming!
Even though we would all love to see a nice sunny Easter weekend the rain is a good thing. We will see a substantial dump this weekend up the Sea to Sky and out the valley with 50mm in both directions on Sunday. We need the water but it comes with concerns of blow outs. If the weatherman is correct, we expect good fishing Friday / Saturday and if high water comes Sunday / Monday when it settles, we should see some of the best conditions of the season. We have more details on the Vedder and the Squamish in the freshwater report sections below and we are also hopeful that the water will help kick off the Harrison cutthroat fishery.
The other good news is that we are starting to hear that lower elevation lakes are icing off. Lakes below 2000ft are off or close to and though the weather isn’t super warm in the interior, it is warmer than it has been so we are hopeful that ice off will be quick for the lakes that are behind historical dates.
Matt has an update on the lakes that are off as well as some ways to geek out on satellite images to gauge your favourite lake’s ice condition. He also talks a little more about what we are hearing about the winter kill situation and he is updating his lake fly box for the season. With all the cool new patterns coming out in lake world he has some new essential patterns that you will want to add to your box. Check out a quick overview of the new flies as well as the updates in the video version of the report here:
In the store, we have some cool product which hit the floor this week. There is a new wader and boot that is making some waves in the wader market. Grundens has come out with a premium zip and non-zip Gortex wader. Grundens is known for super tough commercial fishing gear and we are excited to see this great history of durability and customer service carry over to their new fishing line up. Check out this short on some of the features and come down to the shop if you are looking for new wader.
Matt has an update on the lakes that are off as well as some ways to geek out on satellite images to gauge your favourite lake’s ice condition. He also talks a little more about what we are hearing about the winter kill situation and he is updating his lake fly box for the season. With all the cool new patterns coming out in lake world he has some new essential patterns that you will want to add to your box. Check out a quick overview of the new flies as well as the updates in the video version of the report here:
Last, but not least, we are open today until 7PM and closed on Monday so plenty of time to stop in and get ready for your next day on the water!
EASTER LONG WEEKEND HOURS
Friday April 7 | 10AM-7PM
Saturday April 8 | 10AM – 6PM
Sunday April 9 | 11AM – 5PM
Monday April 10 | Closed
APRIL & MAY COURSES
Introduction to Chironomid Techniques
Chironomids are the number one food source for trout in BC’s lakes; however, few anglers have taken the time to become true masters of this discipline. Those that do are often rewarded with the largest fish. Trevor is a former member of the Canadian Fly Fishing Team and an excellent chironomid angler. Dedication to his sport has helped Trevor become one of the top fly fishermen in the province as well as a fisheries biologist. This course is comprised of one 3hr evening seminar. Content is for beginner to advanced.
Date: Apr 25, 2023
Cost: $60.00+GST
Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Introduction to Fly Fishing
This course is specifically designed to give the new fly fisher the basic knowledge, casting skills and fly fishing strategies to effectively fish our local BC waters. This course is comprised of two sessions; 3hr evening seminar and a 3hr casting session. The dates below show the seminar date first and casting date second.
Dates: May 9 & 13, Jun 14 & 17, July 11 & 15, Sept 19 & 23
Cost: $175.00+GST
Seminar Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Casting Time(s): 10am – 1pm or 1:30pm -4:30pm
INDUSTRY EVENTS AND UPDATES
Join Our Retail Team – Full + Part Time Positions Available
Spring is on the horizon and summer is not far behind it. With that in mind we are looking to add to our team! We currently have full and part-time openings for Retail Sales Associates. For more details on the position, check out the full job posting here and send your resume to kathryn@pacificangler.ca
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Squamish River Fishing Report
The weather looks very interesting for the weekend. Though we are a little concerned that we will see high dirty water, the river needs water. As we are writing the report, it is raining in Squamish but the river is on the rise and it has a way to go before being too high.
We are hopeful that through Friday and Saturday it will rise but not blow out. Sunday and Monday are in the hands of the rain gods but either way if it doesn’t blow out fishing should be good. If it goes out Sunday / Monday, when it settles it should be excellent.
There are still issues with access to the upper river due to bridge work on the hydro channel bridge so plan appropriately.
Good Luck,
Matt Sharp
Chilliwack/Vedder River Fishing Report
Spring is here and so are the salmon fry! This past week we have seen some better fishing on the C/V than the previous weeks with consideration of the low conditions and colder than average night time temperatures. Fortunately, we are expecting some much-needed rain, which can make for some excellent fishing. The river is currently sitting at a 2.01m, which I would expect to rise a fair bit with consistent rain forecasted for the following 7 days. The real deciding factor on how the fishing will be is if the clay banks hold during the rain and for how long. Unfortunately, this is hard to predict as we have seen the river hold with lots of rain as well as clay banks giving out with no rain at all. One thing is for sure, once the river starts to drop, you can expect to see fresher fish in the system replenishing the different areas that have been hit quite heavily throughout the season.
Please make sure that you are familiar with the boundary changes as of April 1st.
Fishing can still be very productive from Tamahi Bridge down, as new fish will push into the system well into late April.
If the rain induces another clay bank slide, make sure to have some 6-inch pink worms and big globs of roe ready. If the river decides to hold clarity above 2-3ft, using a colorado blade can be highly effective for spring steelhead. Warmer temperatures alongside the abundance of salmon fry makes for very snappy steelhead.
Get out there and put some kilometers on your boots!
Gavin Lau
Harrison River Fishing Report
The Harrison River has been quite low this past month with ambitious anglers encountering the odd trout but fishing has not been anything to write home about.
We haven’t heard any solid reports of fry migrating out and the fishing reports have reflected the lack of food. The good news is that this should change with the bump of water and warmer days coming.
With these warm spring rains and hopefully increasing height, we should start to hear of and see more fry, which in turn will hopefully activate the trout.
Once the fry become an active food source, anglers will want to target trout with small fry patterns, along with spinners and spoons.
4wt-5wt rods paired with floating lines and tapered leaders is all that is needed. Most fly anglers who trout fish already have an appropriate rod and reel, with casting practice being the only thing missing.
Being able to cast in the wind can be important as this river can get quite gusty while offering no shelter or protection. Being able to double-haul and generate line speed can be the difference, as often times these fish can be moving just outside of casting range.
If you don’t know how to double haul it is key to taking your cast to the next level. Matt has an awesome video on how you can learn sitting in front of your computer. Check it out here:
Muddler minnows, epoxy fry, and small Thunder Creek-style baitfish are all great options for imitating the small fry that these trout will gorge themselves on. Even small poppers can produce exciting top-water action when the trout are ravaging the fry in the surface.
Small trout rods and reels paired with light mono is a great place to start. Lighter rods, and even ultra-light rods will make casting with small spoons and spinners easier, as well as make these often smaller fish more fun.
Gibbs Crocs and Mini-G’s are great spoon options, with Rooster Tails and Panther Martin’s being great spinners. That said, any small spoon and spinner will be great to bring along to help round out your kit.
Hopefully the rain that is hitting us this weekend will warm the water and help raise levels, in turn, moving the fry about and activating the trout.
Wade safe!
Cheers,
Jordan Simpson
STILLWATER FISHING REPORTS
Local Lakes Fishing Reports
The local lakes have been stocked with over 15,000 fish this season. This is a great time to get out and enjoy the sights of spring and catch a fish or two! Stocked lakes have had some time to settle and are fishing rather well. The fish are aggressive and will hit a variety of baits. Shop favorites include worms, salmon eggs, power bait, and mini soft plastics. Stop in if you have questions, and we will be happy to set you up for success. The fishing should remain good for the next few weeks. Below are some tips to help you connect with more fish as the season progresses.
- Watch the weather. Calm stable warm weather usually makes for happy fish early in the season. Try to avoid fishing during spikes in pressure and temperature drops. During this time, I find bait can fool a fish or two but fly fishing very becomes difficult.
- Smaller baits on pressured fish. Many of these locations receive a high volume of anglers once the fish are stocked. Try presenting smaller more natural baits once the fish have seen everything else. This is where fly fishing can sometimes prove to be very successful.
- Keep your gear light and sensitive. Basic trout combos are awesome for new anglers and are budget friendly… BUT, if you want the most out of these fisheries, we offer a host of ultralight setups to help fool the spookiest trout around. Lighter rods lend themselves to smaller presentations and detecting the slightest of takes. Smaller floats provide better strike detection and lighter weight improves sensitivity. Ultralight rods also excel at casting small spoons and spinners. This is paralleled in the fly world with lighter weight rods in the 2-3wt category. It’s a great way to make every stocker rainbow or 10′ cutthroat an epic battle. I frequently fish a chironomid under a “lil corki”, as a strike indicator, for some of the most delicate bite detection around.
These urban fisheries are made to be fun and accessible to everyone. Please be courteous to other anglers, respect the regulations, and leave your fishing spot cleaner than when you found it.
Cheers,
Eric Peake