OUTLOOK
We start another report off with our thoughts going out to all those affected by the major flooding in the Interior and the Lower Mainland. As anglers who look at water levels on a regular basis, it was hard to watch the numbers come in. We also want to say thanks to all at the Fraser Valley Angling Guides Association and all other volunteers who have been working hard to help. We have a few more atmospheric river systems destined for the coast this weekend and into next. Though today, Friday, looks to be ok and possibly quite good for angling on some of the systems not affected by the floods, more rain is coming unfortunately.
It is very rare that we recommend not fishing but for this weekend with safety and travel/gas issues in effect, it is probably not recommended for systems in the areas affected by past storms
With flood relief in mind last weekend, we set out to auction off a winter chinook saltwater trip. Your response was so amazing we auctioned off not one but three trips and raised just over $11,000 which will go directly to flood relief efforts. We are BLOWN AWAY by your response and generosity! To continue our fundraising efforts this week we are teaming up with our friends at Islander and are giving away an awesome saltwater setup – an Islander MR3 and PA mooching rod. Make sure to follow us on our Pacific Angler Instagram account for all the details on this upcoming auction. You can walk away with a great rod and all proceeds will go to flood relief.
Following the theme of great fishing gear, it is also Black Friday!
We have some screaming deals this year so come on down and save all weekend long. For a list of all items on sale check out our blog post here or swing by the shop to see all those deals and more in person! Sale is in effect until this Sunday at 5PM.
On the fishing report side of things, we have details on the Squamish as well as saltwater fishing. Winter chinook fishing continues to be awesome and it’s a great way to spend a sunny day on the water.
This week Matt tunes in with the video version of our report. He looks at the crazy water levels, the weather coming + all the fundraisers and the black Friday Deals. He also talks a little about the limited fishing option this week. Click here to see the video version of the report:
INDUSTRY EVENTS AND UPDATES
SFI Big Splash Online Auction and Annual Policy Conference
The SFI Big Splash Auction is now live and online until December 2nd at 7:00 p.m. An excellent variety of items are available for your viewing and bids once you register. The auctions will be open for one week until Thursday December 2nd wrapping up at 7:00 pm. All the details on how to register and bid on items can be found here!
The SFI Policy Conference will be hosted online December 2nd from 1:00 to 3:00. This year’s session will be an opportunity to hear from DFO and Provincial officials and others on SFI’s theme – The Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative and BC’s Public Fishery. As many know, the SFI conference is a key forum where elected officials, public servants and those in the sport fishing industry can meet and share their perspectives on trends, innovations and issues facing BC’s public fishery.
Attendance to the conference session is free, with thanks to conference and auction sponsors, but you must register in advance for the session. We hope to see you online at 1:00 pm on December 2nd – Conference Registration.
CLASSES AND COURSES
Our 2021 classes are wrapped up for the year! We thank all that attended our classes and we look forward to having you all in the classroom whether virtually or in person next year.
Keep an eye on your inboxes for the full listing of 2022 courses to be released soon.
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Squamish River Fishing Report
Though we want everyone to pay close attention to water levels the Sea to Sky corridor did not get hit as hard by the storm as the valley last week. There was heavy rainfall overnight, but the river still looks to be in good shape from a river level perspective so if you’re in the area today this is a good option. Saturday we would recommend keeping an eye on the levels if you are planning on heading out as there is another weather system forecasted that will dump heavy rain on this region Saturday and Sunday so watch the levels and be safe.
Though we want everyone to pay close attention to water levels the Sea to Sky corridor did not get hit as hard by the storm as the valley last week. There was heavy rainfall overnight, but the river still looks to be in good shape from a river level perspective so if you’re in the area today this is a good option. Saturday we would recommend keeping an eye on the levels if you are planning on heading out as there is another weather system forecasted that will dump heavy rain on this region Saturday and Sunday so watch the levels and be safe.
Last week Matt was out and a number of friends and customers hit the water. The river was actually quite low over the last 6 days. Last Saturday the egg fishing and coho fishing was quite good but Sunday the guys had a more challenging day as the water dropped more and cleared up.
Pale beads and smaller coho spoon and fly patterns were the ticket and the guys hooked a number of fresh coho on the beads as well as bull trout and rainbows.
So, if you have time to head out, we recommend keeping a keen eye on the graphs!
Matt Sharp
SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS
Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report
There hasn’t been much good news these past few weeks when it comes to weather, flooding, and river fishing. Our hearts go out to our friends in the Fraser Valley and as some of you may have seen, I donated two winter chinook trips that generated over $5,000 in funds that will go to helping the families and fish habitat affected by the recent flooding. Details on our Instagram pages.
At the very least, the saltwater news is more positive. The debris field in the ocean has been manageable and the fishing has been good. In fact, the fishing has been good to great for a couple of months now and it seems it is not just our immediate area. We have been over in the Gulf Islands, as have some of our other guide friends, and the fishing has been great. There has also been some good fishing further up the Sunshine Coast.
So overall, there seems to be a strong showing of winter chinook this year. We won’t know exactly why it’s good this year or where the fish are from until we get our DNA results back, but in the meantime, we are happy to be out there enjoying the good fishing and are thankful for it.
Remember that this is a fairly long season, with good fishing right into March. That means you have the ability to pick your days. It does look pretty nasty and rainy for the most part in the immediate future with some big SE winds and lots of rain. Probably won’t be crowded this weekend, especially Saturday. Sunday doesn’t look too bad though with the SE backing off and lighter winds.
If you do head out, remember to keep your gear fairly close to the bottom, cover lots of water, find the bait and you will usually find the fish.
See you in the shop or on the water,
Jason Tonelli