OUTLOOK
Well folks many of the salmon fisheries are winding down but there are still some excellent opportunities on some of the later run rivers and the egg fishing opportunities are just ramping up. If you are heading out for salmon the Vedder is not completely done and we are still hearing reports off the Stave but again it is nearing the end of the season. The Squamish and Harrison area waters are historically a little later and there are still good reports coming from these areas. All of the details are in this week’s report below.
On the salmon egg, trout fisheries things are just ramping up. Matt is out on the water this weekend and though we have a storm rolling in on Saturday, if the Squamish doesn’t blow out right away we expect good things. Sunday may pose more issues with over 50 mm in the forecast. If the weather does arrive as predicted and the rivers blow out, when they settle it could be one of the best times to get out for egging. Watch the weather and get ready.
Things have been quiet on the saltwater front mostly because not many people have been braving the wind and rain. We are just at the start of the winter chinook season so there are many more chances to get out there in the next 4 months!
You may have seen it earlier this week on our Facebook page but if you missed it there is a call to action for the Thompson River. Take a look at the link, get educated and please sign the petition. Link and more details below.
On the product front we are ramping up for next week’s Steelhead Fly Tying Jam Session Cool shipments of materials have been rolling in daily and this week we got a big order of OPST materials in the shop. We couldn’t wait until the Jam Session to show them to you so this week we are featuring the OPST products. Check out more details in the Friday Feature Product section!
Good Luck out on the water!
CLASSES AND COURSES
Our 2017 Courses have come to an end for the year. Thanks to all our students who joined us this year and we hope that you each learned some tips and tricks to implement out on the water. Keep an eye on your inbox for our 2018 course lineup to be released soon.
INDUSTRY EVENTS
Sport Fishing Institute – Annual Policy Conference and Big Splash Gala + Fundraiser!
Do you have your tickets yet? Don’t miss out on the Sports Fishing Institutes Annual Policy Conference and the Big Splash Gala + Fundraiser!
The one day conference is a key forum where officials, public servants and those in and interested in the sport fishing industry can meet, share their perspectives on the issues facing the recreational fishery and, receive updates on preliminary expectations for the forthcoming season.
The evening Gala is the BC sport fishing community social event of the year! With an amazing collection of unique and desirable goodies, trips, and services to bid on and raffles to win you will not want to miss this night!
November 23, 2017 – Conference and Gala Tickets are still available.
Click here for detailed conference agenda, Gala live auction preview!
We’ll see you there!
Pacific Angler Steelhead Fly Tying Jam Session
Wednesday November 22, 2017 – 6:30PM – 9:30PM
If you missed our special mail out last week you are not too late – there are still a couple of spots left at the tying table for our Steelhead Fly Tying Jam Session. Be sure to get your free spot today and don’t miss out on this sell out event!
We’ve got a great lineup of expert tyers for this relaxed and fun night. This event is for tyers of all levels of experience from beginner to expert to come hang out, do some tying, share their favourite flies and techniques, and of course talk about fishing.
From intruders to classics, we’ll be tying them all so come ready to share and learn!
For more details on the evening read our special mail out here or to get one the last tying tickets visit our eventbrite page!
THOMPSON RIVER PETITION
Thompson River Steelhead
Without a doubt these are some of the finest steelhead on the planet, only a mere 3 hours from Vancouver. These genetically distinct, monsters of the unique Thompson River, behemoths of all steelhead strains, are on the verge of extinction and need your help. You can make a difference, please sign this petition today.
FRIDAY FEATURE PRODUCT
OPST!
This week we are featuring OPST’s barred and dotted ostrich drabs, as well as their saddle hackles, dubbing spinners, and shank-chuck tools.
With their unique barring and dotted patterns, the ostrich drabs offer the fly tyer endless possibilities when creating profile and pattern on steelhead, salmon, and trout flies. From intruders to sculpins, these ostrich drabs are great for wings, tails, brushes, and loops.
Their saddles, with feathers of varying width and length, are great for doing shell-backs, antennae, and legs. Besides doing big anadromous patterns, they can also be used for smaller trout and bass patterns as well.
Barred and dotted ostrich, saddle hackles and tools.
Next up we have the OPST Dubbing Spinner and Shank Chuck tool. The dubbing spinner is simple, heavy, and has a large base/handle for spinning and control. With its hexagonal shape, it’s also very easy to control exactly how many extra rotations you may need (or not need).
After seeing the first models in the videos, the highly anticipated Shank Chuck tool was designed to fit into virtually any vise and hold shanks of varying gauges and length, making tying single and double stage intruders easier and more efficient. Besides intruders and other salmon and steelhead flies, this tool is great for tying articulated sculpins that utilize a forward shank.
OPST dubbing spinner and shank-chuck tool.
This week’s feature products are 10% off!!
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Chilliwack River Fishing Report
The Vedder came up quite a bit with all that rain we had this past week but it stayed fishable and a decent number of fresh fish moved through the system. While it is late in the season this is a cool time to fish (no pun intended) as there are fewer crowds and the smaller schools that come in are usually very fresh and very aggressive. This is when you will see some of the most chrome chum salmon that enter the Chilliwack, contrary to popular belief. There are some nice coho still being caught too and though it is tapering off they will be coming into the river straight into December.
All of the old stand-by gear and fly presentations will work, though we have heard good reports from those twitching jigs and fishing small sparse flies. Remember that there are fewer fish in the system so put some leg-work in to find them.
Good luck!
Alex Au-Yeung
Squamish River Fishing Report
This past week saw the Squamish quite low and clear, even with the dump of rain it received. Even with the rain, it never did break 3 on the graph and the sudden rise was welcomed as it added some much needed colour. There have been some nice coho encountered throughout the system, along with bull trout as well. Lots of chum have made their way through the Squamish and it’s tributaries, with most of the fresh ones found lower down. Most seasoned anglers recognize that the darker coloured chum found in large groups are spawning and therefore leave them alone. If looking to find strong fresh fish, it’s often best to look lower in the system for fresh ones that are rolling in versus actively spawning fish.
Matteo with a rare lower Squamish bull trout.
Matteo with his second fish of the day – a lower Squamish chum.
Matt is heading out on the water this weekend and he will be focusing on egging. This is the time of year when egging seems to pick up and though the weather does not look optimistic if it holds and you don’t mind getting wet we could see some excellent fishing. Sunday is less optimistic but again with cooler weather it is not guaranteed that the river will blow out and when the river is on the verge of blowing out but is still clear enough for the fish to see the egg fishing is at its best. Matt will be using beads this weekend and If you missed his last couple of “Learn How With Pacific Angler Videos” be sure to check out how he rigs them in his Advanced Egging Rigs Video and if you want to look at the custom leaders he uses for this fishery don’t miss his Advanced Nymphing Rig Video.
Jordan with a nice bright coho!
A nice bull trout caught by Zach.
If you are bring out he gear rods spoons, jigs, and spinners should all be in the box for the coho, chums, and trout. Having a well equipped box or pack can help when the fish turn on or off of various presentations.
A nice chrome coho from the upper this week.
Also, it is our responsibility to be good stewards of the river- picking up garbage and selectively harvesting only what we need within the legal limits will help keep our rivers healthy. Being aware of any in-season changes to the regulations is important.
If you see someone illegally possessing or poaching, please call the RAPP line at
1-877-952-7277 or #7277 on the TELUS Mobility Network.
If you want to become a millionaire while fishing, start out as a billionaire…
Jordan Simpson
Harrison River Fishing Report
The river levels were dropping nicely last week but unfortunately the rain brought the levels up again. If you were lucky to get out last week it may have been your last chance as the forecast is calling for more rain and we are almost wrapping up the season for this year. I heard reports of a few coho getting caught but they were pretty much coloured and getting ready to spawn so this is a good indication that the coho fishery is coming to an end.
However, with this rain the Nicomen slough was fishing well as the coho and chum were pushed trough especially at high tide. The slough is a great place to fish spoons and spinners as there is not a lot of back cast room for fly fishing. If you don’t mind the rain I would definitely give the slough a try before it ends soon.
Andre Stepanian
Stave River Fishing Report
The Stave is now tapering off for salmon fishing. Though there are small numbers of fresh fish coming through, getting them would be a much harder story as they are not as many as it used to be.
You can still target chum by either twitching jigs, or fishing jigs under a float. If you do accidentally foul hook a chum try to loosen the pressure. That way the fish can get the leverage to unhook itself.
For coho look for slow moving water. Try tossing spoons and spinners. At this time of the year, they can be spooked easily so downsize your lures for the best chance. Also, try stripping small flies. Patterns like wooly buggers, mickey fin, christmas tree etc. can be very productive. Come in and check out Andre’s coho pattern as they can guide you to one of your best days on the water.
As another salmon season is wrapping up, there are opportunities to target the trout in the system by egging. Using a trout bead can be a very effective method for both fly and gear fishermen. They can be set up very simply. If you want to try this method come by the shop or just simply search the videos on our webpage. When the single eggs are washed up down the river, trout will gorge on those as they are quite nutritious and the trout have to get ready for the cold winter months.
This method can be really effective if you can match the colour of the single eggs that are floating down the river. In saying that, it is a very good idea to stock up on a few variations of trout beads as there are quite a selection to choose from and you want to be sure you have the right colour in your box.
Please follow the regs. Make sure to release wild trout as only the hatchery trout can be kept. If you see any poaching activities such as anyone throwing the Salmon back after killing it and taking its’ roe please contact the 24-hour R.A.P.P hotline(1-877-952-7277) and report them.
Best,
Dustin Oh
SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS
Looks like we have some heavy rain this weekend, as one would expect with the SE winds. It seems like a few things have been relentless these past few weeks, like the wind, the rain, and these darn colds going around. I have been home sick for 5 days, finally just getting better today and looking forward to getting back to the shop tomorrow. So not much too report this week, but then again it is only mid November and we still have a good 4 months of winter chinook fishing to go. So we will keep a keen eye on the conditions, ready to pounce when things look good. The chinook, crabs, and prawns are out there, can’t wait to get out there after them!
See you in the shop or on the water,
Jason Tonelli