 |
Web Hosting by Netfirms | Free Domain Names by Netfirms |
|
|
|
|
The map to the left is a guide to fishing areas and access points in the Fraser Valley. If you click on it, a larger picture will appear. You may then save it by right clicking your mouse, then selecting save image or picture. The printable size is 8 x 21 inches. ( 77k ) |
Fraser River:
DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES
AND OCEANS
PUBLIC NOTICE
|
Pursuant to Pacific Region Quota Order, No. 1999-123, issued at Vancouver, British Columbia, April 28, 1999, in the waters of the Fraser River bounded on the west by the downstream side of the Canadian Pacific Railway Bridge at Mission, and bounded on the east by the power line crossing upstream of the Agassiz/Rosedale Bridge, Effective 00:01 hours May 1, 1999
to 23:59 hours September 1, 1999 Effective 00:01 hours September 2,
1999 to 23:59 hours December 31, 1999: Pursuant to Pacific Region Quota Variation Order, No. 199-123, issued at Vancouver, British Columbia, April 28, 1999, in the waters of the Fraser River bounded on the west by the power line above the Aggassiz/Rosedale Bridge to the Alexandra Bridge: Effective 00:01 hours May 1, 1999
to 23:59 hours December 31, 1999 |
Note: The Fraser River’s spring freshet is now beginning with waters rising very fast and getting muddy. With that in mind, remember that a good portion of the early chinook run makes its way inside the cleaner waters of many tributaries to clean the silt and sand from their gills. Anglers may want to concentrate their spring salmon fishing efforts at the mouths of the Stave River, Nicomen Slough, Vedder River and the Harrison River.
Some good reports of big chinook being taken from some of the upriver bars and from just inside (upstream) of the clean water line at the mouth of the Vedder River and Nicomen Slough. Bar fishermen doing very good with size # 0 Spin ‘N Glos in chrome and green top. All boat anglers reported big spinners and spoons being the answer. Try casting half-and-half brass, chrome, green, blue or orange spoons ( brass and chrome with an orange fire stripe) like a 1 oz Gibbs Croc or a # 80 Kit-A-Mat just inside the clean water. You may also want to give big spinners like a # 4 Luhr Jensen (Rainbow) Tee Spoon, Mepps or Vibrex a try. Note: ALL tributaries have white triangular sport fishing boundary markers on upstream side of their confluence with the Fraser River. You may angle “only” on the downstream side of these boundary markers. Please make yourself familiar with the rules and regulations before heading out for a day’s fishing. Only one single barbless hook may be used to fish for salmon. Only one line per angler may be used. Immediately record all retained chinook over 50 cm on your license.
Over the past week, fly fishermen have reported catching decent numbers of cutthroat from the protected backwaters in and around the Stave River, Nicomen Slough and Maria Slough. Remember to watch for moving fish on the surface at all times. Try rolled muddlers, black wooly buggers, stone flys, flashy minnow imitation patterns and small spinners or Croc spoons. Note: Fish the spoons and spinners in deeper water where you can alter the speed of your retrieve. Remember: Hatchery fish and barbless hooks only.
Sturgeon fishing (catch-and-release only) has been reported as picking up very nicely over the past week. All anglers reported catching three or four sturgeon ranging from three to six-feet per trip. Try (headless) eulachons or smelt, sand shrimp, Cray fish, Lamprey or ditch eels and small (headless) fin fish. Try inside the heavy current flows and up into shallows where eulachons would spawn, eventually die, and become a meal for sturgeon.
Are you looking for a Fraser Valley fishing guide for your trout, salmon, sturgeon or steelhead fishing adventure? Fraser Valley Outdoor Adventures ( 1-604 - 826-3181) is now offering fully guided packages for all of the above-mentioned species, as well as fantastic heli-fishing for trout on some of southern B.C.’s most spectacular lakes.
Upper Pitt River:
Dan Gerak, owner of the Upper Pitt River Lodge reported only
fair fishing due to rising water conditions. Cutthroat trout
and Dolly Varden char fishing was reported to have been
fair-to-good over the past week. Guests reported catch-and-releasing
some nice (up to 12-pounds) Dolly Varden char in the Blue Creek
area. Fly fishermen were doing very well on cutthroat in the
cleaner waters of Red Slough with minnow imitation patterns.
Remember: When the water gets dirty or cloudy with the increasing
spring runoff, go to a darker/larger presentation. For more information
on the Upper Pitt River Lodge, you can see their site here at
Angling B.C., or give them a call at (604) 520-1796. Note: The
Upper Pitt River is strictly catch-and-release. There is also
new regulations on the retention of cutthroat in the Pitt Lake
- Red Slough region. Please check for changes in the Freshwater
Fishing Regulations Synopsis.
Chilliwack/Vedder River:
Note: The Chilliwack
River (above Vedder Crossing) will close to angling May 1 until
June 30. Fly-only fishing will begin May 1 on the
Vedder River from the Vedder River Crossing Bridge downstream.
Again, the Chilliwack River (upstream of the Vedder Crossing
Bridge) will close to all angling from May 1 until June
30. It re-opens July 1 for Chinook. The Freshwater
Fishing Regulations Synopsis 1999 - 2000 lists the following
under Gear Restrictions: Fly Fishing ... in these waters,
angling is limited to the use of a line to which only an artificial
fly is attached. Floats and external sinkers are not allowed
on the line. Artificial Fly ... in these waters, the only type
of lure allowed is an artificial fly.
The Vedder River was reported to be up and down with surges of runoff and in only fair fishing condition. Remember, “All” wild steelhead must be quickly and gently released. Fly fishermen may want to try an assortment of Glo Bugs, single egg presentations, minnow imitations, Squamish Poachers and Wooly Buggers. Stick with the bigger/darker presentations in dirty water.
Ken Fraser, of Fraser’s Tackle in Mission says he has a good assortment of steelhead flys ready for the fly-only opening on the Vedder River. Fraser’s also has an excellent selection of sturgeon and cutthroat gear now in stock. He also said he had some fresh lamprey and ditch eels, pre-tied roe bags, fresh cured roe and live worms now in stock. Don’t forget to drop in at their free Friday evening fly tying sessions starting at 7:00 pm. Drop in to Fraser’s for all your fishing needs, daily fishing reports, and a cup of fresh hot coffee. Please call Fraser’s Tackle at (604) 826-9899 for up-to-date reports, fishing information or to book a fishing adventure in the Fraser Valley.
Chehalis River:
The Chehalis will be closed to angling
May 1-31.
As of June 1, the Chehalis River will be open and should fish well for summer run steelhead and a few early red springs. Roe, eggsacks, dew worms and wool combinations will be your best bet.
Harrison River:
Tony Nootebos, of Harrison Bay Store & Tackle
(604-826-8845) called and said the Harrison River is fishing
well for cutthroat and white fish throughout the
system. Fishing is usually best on the rising barometer, or as
the current weather system stabilizes. Best baits include single
eggs, roe, dew worms, shrimp balls or Tony’s personal favorite,
Guide’s Choice spinner in size 3 or 4. Some fair-to-good
sturgeon fishing is also available on the Harrison River at this
time.
The best bait has been headless fin fish indigenous to this river
system.
Stave River/Lake:
Over the past week, anglers reported fair numbers
of cutthroat being taken on flashy minnow imitations patterns
with a dark back. Please use caution at all times, as
the lower Stave River’s flows are controlled by the Ruskin
Dam and water height may vary dramatically at times. Remember:
The cutthroat have been feeding heavily on salmon fry
and have shown a marked tendency to move in and out on the flood
tides. Anglers should try medium-sized minnow patterns (dark
back) and epoxy minnow imitation flys.
Although the Stave River remains closed to the retention of chinook
salmon, anglers will the opportunity to experience a great catch-and-release
sport fishery. Try trolling large spinners from the Hwy 7 bridge
upstream.
Nicomen Slough/Norrish Creek:
Fly fishermen reported taking good numbers of cutthroat
on the upper portion of Nicomen Slough using small minnow imitations.
Watch the surface of the water for moving schools of cutthroat.
Fish are moving in with high tide and falling back to the Fraser
as the tide drops. Note: The better cutthroat fishing has been
in the cleaner waters on the upper portion of the slough.
Local Lakes:
Fraser’s Tackle says Mike and Grace Lakes were reported to be very good for rainbows. Try small green shrimp patterns on Mike Lake and Doc Spratleys on Grace Lake. Morris Lake has slowed considerably for cutthroat due to the release of millions of sockeye fry from the Weaver/Morris system. Woods Lake is now fishing well. Fly fishermen using float tubes (and small boats) have reported some decent cutthroat and rainbow fishing on Weaver, Sayers, Morris, Hicks, Devils, Wolf, Francis, Sunset, Woods and Rolley Lakes. For the cutthroat, try small (flashy) minnow patterns. Until the weather warms up, rainbows should be fished with traditional fall patterns like dragons, leeches, damsels, wooly buggers, Doc Spratleys and Kerry Specials. Cooler than average weather has kept the snow around longer than usual and the water temperature of local lakes remain cold for this time of year. Remember to match your offering to the types of insect and aquatic food available for this time of year. If you’re using chironomid patterns on Lower Mainland lakes, be sure and use green to olive-green, or brown. Note: Chironomid hatches have been taking place in the early afternoons. A large cougar was reported very close to Sayers Lake. Please use caution and keep a close eye on pets and children. Kakawa Lake was said to be again fishing decent for kokanee over the past week. Although it sounds hard to believe, an 8-pound small-mouth Bass was reported to have been recently caught (and photographed) on Kakawa Lake. This should stir some interest from south of border. Try krill or chironomids patterns, and be on the lookout for rising fish.
Alouette River:
Closed to fishing above 216 St. (including North Alouette
River), May 1 - June 30.
Geoff Clayton, president of the Alouette River Management Society,
informed me that a floating count of steelhead was done
on the Alouette River April 14 with a total of 120 hatchery and
wild fish being counted. There was, however, some concern as
many steelhead were seen with hooks, line, imitation rubber baits
and pink rubber worms hanging from their jaws. Clayton fears
the steelhead are swallowing rubber baits and possibly dyeing
from plugged digestive tracts. He also mentioned he will be putting
in a proposal to DFO’s Bill Otway to have the Alouette designated
as a natural or biodegradable rubber baits “only” river.
I’m positive you will be hearing much more on this subject
very soon.
Hatzic & Whonnock Lakes:
Both lakes were reported to be fishing extremely good for carp, bass and large crappie. Carp and bass were said to be taking almost anything that fly fishers threw at them. Crappies were best fished small white, yellow or chartreuse jigs.
Mill & Albert Dick Lakes:
Both lakes were said to be fishing good for bass over the past week. Guss, an ardent bass angler, called and said he caught-and-released a nice 4-pound small-mouth bass on Albert Dick Lake yesterday.
Interior Lakes:
Stump Lake still reports trout and kokanee fishing
as being very good. Try burgundy leeches, halfbacks, 52 Buicks,
blood worms or black/brown/red chironomids. Lots of damsel nymphs
in the water, match them and the fishing can be great. Barnes
Lake says fishing is fair-to-good with the odd fish in the two
pound bracket. Try leeches, dragons and shrimp. Courtney Lake
reported good fishing with rainbows averaging two pounds..
Try chironomids, leeches, wooly buggers, dragon nymphs and muddler
minnow flys. Nicola Lake reported good fishing with halfbacks,
blood worms and chironomids. Trollers were also reported to be
doing well with Len Thompsons, Lymans, flat fish and Panther
Martins. Marquart Lake says fishing is good using leeches, dragon
nymphs and halfbacks. Tunkwa Lake reminds us to please catch-and-release.
Some nice fish to 10-pounds being taken beadhead chironomids,
red butts, V-ribs and Doc Spratleys. Fishing will improve greatly
as weather warms.
Summary:
The Fraser River was producing well on chinook over the past week. Cutthroat fishing has slowed somewhat in the Fraser River backwaters due to rising, dirty water. The Harrison River was good for cutthroat and the odd sturgeon. The Upper Pitt River and Red Slough (catch-and-release only) were fair for Dolly Varden char and cutthroat over the past week. Most lower to mid-elevation Interior Lakes are all open and have recently turned over, with fishing being reported as good. Fishing is expected to improve greatly as the weather warms. The main stem of Fraser River above the Mission bridge has been fair-to-good for sturgeon over the past week. Pay close attention to barometric pressure. Remember that all sturgeon will generally quit biting with the influx of a low pressure system. Some of the local Fraser Valley Lakes were producing good numbers of rainbow and cutthroat trout, carp, crappie and small-mouth bass.
Fish tagging in British Columbia
If you encounter a tagged fish please record the following information:
Please return information on all tagged fish to the Fish and Wildlife office in the region where you captured the fish.
River Angling Etiquette
In case you haven’t seen it, the
1999-2000 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis has an entire
section dedicated to river angling etiquette on page 16. Here
are a few important excerpts:
A few common sense rules will ensure each and every angler enjoys
their fishing experience.
To ensure future generations may enjoy
some of what we all enjoy today, please use proper methods of
catch and release on all species of fish.
To ensure this world-famous fishery remains open now, as well
as in the future, Please use proper methods of catch-and-release
on all Thompson River steelhead.
Good Fishin' Ken
Kristian
You can email Ken
Kristian or read his articles in
the fishing articles section. Or see his new website! KEEP ON
A FISH'N
|
[Previous 5 Sites | Previous | Next | Next 5 Sites | Random Site | List Sites] |
