OUTLOOK
We are in for a real treat this weekend with amazing weather and a number of rivers coming into great shape. We also have a detailed feature in the saltwater section where Jason is going to share some tips on how to make sure your saltwater gear and boat are properly put away for the winter. If you can’t make it out fishing this weekend, take a few hours at the dock. It is way nicer and easier to put a boat away for the winter when it is sunny and warm than dealing with in the rain or freezing temperatures.
On the river fishing front, the weather is also very interesting and something all anglers will want to watch. We have possible record high temps arriving over the weekend. It rained on Wednesday and blew out the Squamish but did not seem to affect the valley rivers. The valley rivers have fished well for the last couple days and the Squamish is dropping nicely. Jordan has been out a number of days over the last week and has some details and predictions for the weekend. We expect good chum fishing, good bull trout fishing and with any luck, more waves of Coho moving through the system.
With the weather poised to set records it will be interesting to see how it affects all the rivers. Clear skies should be good but too much heat might cause water clarity and snow melt issues.
We have reports on the Capilano, the Stave, the Vedder and Harrison systems all below with details and predictions.
CLASSES AND COURSES
Introduction to Fly Fishing
We’ve had a couple of spots open up in our next Introduction to Fly Fishing Course. This is the last Intro to Fly Fishing Course for 2017 so if you’ve been thinking of taking this course, now is the time!
This course was 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.
Seminar: Wednesday November 1, 2017 – 6:30PM – 9:30PM
Casting: Saturday November 4 – 2PM – 5PM
Cost: $125+gst
INDUSTRY EVENTS
Fly Fishing Film Tour
It’s almost November and that means it’s almost time for this years edition of the Fly Fishing Film Tour.
Don’t miss out on a great evening!
Date: November 14, 2017
Time: Doors at 6:15PM, Films Start at 7PM
Location: The Cinematheque, Vancouver
For more details including trailers check out the film tours website!
FRIDAY FEATURE PRODUCT
Simms Gloves
Amazing weather is coming down the pipes – clear skies, no rain for at least a week and temperatures possibly reaching the 20’s – What should we feature this week? Sunglasses? short sleeve T-shirts? Nope let’s be realistic. This weather will not last. Enjoy it while it lasts but be prepared for when reality kicks back in.
We just received a big shipment of Simms gloves and if you were fishing last week before the weather changed you know that cold hands can ruin a day of fishing. Come in and check out the selection and make sure you are ready for when the weather goes the other direction. All Simms gloves for this week only will be on sale at 10% off!
FRESHWATER FISHING REPORTS
Capilano River Fishing Report
The past week saw some of the most productive days on the Capilano River. With the water fluctuating high and low, the river was murky and people were having lots of success casting lures and drifting.
The water level has dropped again, and water condition is now back to crystal clear. With the drop again drift fishing won’t be a viable option anymore as you won’t have nice drift with the water being so slow.
So try to cast lures like size 2-3 blue fox and 3/16 to 1/4 oz crocs. The fish are easily spooked with the low clear water. try to look for active fish as they can be spotted in the pocket water behind the rocks or log jams. try to see if there are any coho chasing small fish around.
You can also target chinook that are in the deeper pool with bigger lures such as Kitimat 45 – 55, you can twitch jigs as well as that will trigger bites from coho, chum, and chinook.
For the flies, check out Andre’s Coho patterns, and anything from streamers, Cap buggers, Mickey fin, or Christmas tree. For chinook, and odd chums try to use the marabou popsicles and swing them in pools.
With the rain that we had, the canyons are very slippery. Watch out for slippery and muddy areas as felt boots can be very slippery with mud.
Keep watching the water level as water can rise very fast when they release the dam.
Please keep in mind that there is a bait ban in effect for another few days till November. If you see any of the guys snagging or 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.
Be safe out there,
Dustin Oh
Chilliwack River Fishing Report
The Vedder is in full swing! The bulk of the coho run is in along with a good number of chum salmon and there are a few nice chinook still kicking about. The water is high currently but very fishable and lots of fish are being caught. The entire river has been producing due to adequate flow so it is very possible to get away from the main crowds if you go for a walk. First light has been the most productive as it always is but they can bite all day. Drift fishing with pro-cured roe, colorado blades, beads, and egg ties are all effective in moving water. If you can find slack water it can be a great place to cast spoons, spinners, and twitching jigs. There are ample fly fishing opportunities now too and we have lots of sparse flash flies that can be absolutely deadly in addition to bigger popsicles for swinging in the current.
Alex Au-Yeung
Squamish River Fishing Report
The Squamish was still a little high and dirty this past weekend but we did see its tributaries drop in to shape. There have been some good reports of chum in the lower river, with quite a few older ones farther up.
Jordan with a coho jack taken on a bead.
Coho fishing has proven to continue with a variety of lures and flies producing both on the swing and the strip/retrieve. Bull trout are a welcome by-catch for many anglers tossing lures and flies, with their size being a mix of standard issue and some being larger and heftier.
Nice bull trout that ate a spoon.
Fishing should continue to be good up in to late November, with even December sometimes producing the odd bright fish that arrives late to the party.
Remember to always check the graph and to be careful while wading, especially during periods of rain.
Keep those hooks sharp,
Jordan Simpson
Stave River Fishing Report
Through all the rainstorms we had this week the Stave was the only system that stayed in shape, thanks largely to its water levels being controlled by the Ruskin Dam. Chum fishing remains steady and the coho fishing has ramped up considerably. Since these two species don’t typically intermingle it is possible to target one and not the other. Look for chum in the faster water while coho typically stack in slower to stagnant water. It is hard to beat a float fished jig or a swung intruder for chum while spoons, spinners, roe, and smaller flash flies cast and retrieved can be deadly for singling out coho. Fresher fish push in on every incoming tide so definitely time your trips to coincide with these pushes for a chance at some chrome.
Alex Au-Yeung
Harrison/Chehalis River Fishing Report
We had some heavy rainfall last week, which brought the river levels way up making it challenging to walk and wade the river. The good thing is fresh fish move into the river and guys with boat access have had good fishing. The only down side right now for anglers with boat access is that the fish are not slowing down and sitting in the back channels. There is enough water for them to move up to tributaries that flow in to the main stem and it has made finding fish more of a challenge.
It should be better fishing now as the river levels are descending again. I had a good friend that went up the river last Monday with a boat when the water level was at 9.5 but did not find any coho so this indicates that the fish have moved up the river or they are just not there yet.
We are hoping they are late and we still have another three weeks to fish this river so hopefully the rainfall will take it easy on us. At 9.2 meters you can fish the golf course side but the French creek side will still be a little high to walk and wade. At 9.0 meters is when you can start venturing out on both sides of the river. At 8.8 and down is when you can access the back channels and walk to the mouth of the Chehalis. It doesn’t look like there is any rain soon so try to get out this week while the river is at a good level.
Andre Stepanian
STILLWATER FISHING REPORTS
Local Lake Report
Everyone is excited about the amazing salmon fishing that’s happening around this time. Due to that reason, people often miss the amazing fishery that picks up around this time – trout fishing in lakes.
Alex and I had a short period of time on Sunday morning to go out together and fish Como Lake. We saw a bunch of fish jump as the sun was coming up for small insects. For the 25 minutes we spent tossing spoons and spinners, we had more than 10 strikes and the fish were chasing the spoons and spinners really close to shore.
Fall trout fishing can be amazing as it is a time the trout feed more aggressively compared to the spring/early summer season. As hot summer passes, the temperature becomes perfect for the cold-blooded fish to be feeding. You will also notice that these fish will be thicker compared to the ones you get in springtime as their fat content will be much higher getting ready for the winter.
A double header from the local lakes.
As I have mentioned above, the fish are very aggressive. So it is a better idea to use spoons, spinners, or flies. Try tossing 1/16- 3/16 oz spoons and spinners such as crocs, blue fox, Mepps or roostertail. For the flies, try leeches, nymphs, Doc Spratley, wooly buggers, Carey Specials etc.
A nice rainbow from our quick trip to Como Lake.
If you want to relax with a buddy or take the family try rigging a power bait, worms, shrimp, or roe either under a float or just off the bottom. Although this method might not be as effective, you will still have lots of action compared to the summer months.
Check with gofishbc.ca on their stocking data and dates. I like to give the fish a couple of weeks after they are introduced to the lake to get used to the system and start hunting for food.
Best,
Dustin Oh
SALTWATER FISHING REPORTS
Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report
Well it is that time of year, you either have your boat out of the water or you are gearing up for winter chinook. In today’s report I am going to talk about gear and boat maintenance. Next week I will go into detail on winter chinook tactics. Sneak peak there, it has been a good start to the season, but that’s all I am going to say for now…
If you are done for the year, make sure to spend some time taking care of your boat and gear. Take the old line off your reel and give your reels a good bath of warm water to get rid of the salt. Open up the reel, wipe away any excess moisture and let them air dry. Next apply grease and oil as needed and put the reel back together. Hold off on putting on new line for the winter. Best to wait until the springtime so it is nice and fresh. Some anglers wait until the bitter end to put on new line, trying to squeeze more than one season out of it. It just isn’t worth it in my opinion. It’s only about $25 to get your reel spooled up. This is cheap when you factor in all the other costs of saltwater salmon fishing. Remember it is the one thing connecting you to that fish, so leave the reel empty in the winter and put fresh line on in the spring before you head out. For local downrigger fishing I like 40 pound Berkley Prospec. It has great knot strength and is very thin, so the 40 feels more like the 30 of other brands. Another good choice is 30 pound Maxima Ultragreen.
Examples of reel grease and oil we use on our reels and have in stock at Pacific Angler.
It is also a good idea to check out your tackle. Make sure it is dry and wipe away any rust on your spoons, flashers, and terminal tackle with some WD-40 and a cloth. Keep your tackle in a warm and dry place.
When it comes to rods, give them a quick look over to make sure the guides are all in good shape and there are no issues with the reel seat. Pay particular attention to the guide insert, making sure there are no nicks, which can damage the line.
If you do all of the above, when spring comes you will be ready to get back out on the water and your gear will be in great shape. If you don’t, there is a good chance your reel will be seized up and your tackle will be rusty. We see it every spring when anglers come in last minute to get out on the water. They pull their reel out of the pouch (where it was put away wet last fall) and want to get it spooled up with fresh line, but instead it is seized up! Not good. Sometimes we have to use some serious brute force to get the reels apart and often there is damage done in the process. Usually a bearing has to be replaced.
If you do need parts for your reels, we can help you out. We stock the major parts and bearings for Islander, Abel, Shimano, Daiwa, Trophy, and Amundson mooching reels. The winter is a good time to get your reel fixed as we have some time to work and source parts if needed. The same can’t be said for the springtime and parts can be back ordered that time of year as well. So grab a coffee and come down to the shop with your reels and we can show them some love.
When it comes to your boat, if you are keeping it in the water make sure you check on it at least every other week. If you can, keep a heater inside to keep the moisture down or use a desiccant gel pack, or both. Specific boat heaters and desiccant can be purchased at most marine stores. Inspect your bilge to make sure water isn’t accumulating and test your bilge pumps and bilge pump float switches. Check your batteries and make sure they are fully charged and if you can, put them on a charger periodically to make sure they stay that way. Each winter there are boats lost when for whatever reason they fill up with water, the bilge pump float switch goes on, the water is drained, and as this process repeats, the battery eventually dies. Next step is the boat fills up full of water, the battery is dead, the bilge pump doesn’t turn on and the boat sinks. The last thing to do is keep it clean. Don’t let the dirt, algae, and bird poop build up on your boat. It can cause damage and stains that you won’t be able to repair or get out, at least easily.
This all sounds like common sense, and it is, but we all get busy in the fall and winter and next thing we know a few months have passed and we haven’t been down to the boat. The best thing to do is put it in your schedule so you don’t forget. A quick check and clean every few weeks will go a long way in keeping your boat in good shape and will maximize it’s resale value in the future. It will also give you peace of mind when you look outside, it is pouring 50+ mm of rain and you know your boat is warm, dry, and the bilge pump is working!
Jason Tonelli