Sport Fishing in BC (and elsewhere): Discuss, Share A Photo, Tell A Story

[Kryten]

8 hours ago, Gnarcore said:

I grew up in Campbell River and caught my first salmon at age 3.  I started fly fishing at age 6 but am far from one of those 'purist' types. I'll use whatever works best.  I went on a steelheading trip to the Island like 10 years ago with a crew of friends who were all those types. Of the crew I was the only one born and raised in BC and we were going back to rivers I had fished growing up: the Stamp, The Gold and a few others.  I absolutely slayed them using a float and rubber worm or cut plugs. Every time they bitched and moaned about me not fly fishing I just held up my hands with my total fish caught vs. their zeros. I wasn't invited the next year or since   

I don't fish nearly as much as I used to. It is more of something I do if I go camping but every summer when I go home I do a little fishing on the Quinsam River just to see my old stomping grounds again. I keep meaning to go back for the coho run one year. 

I pretty much am one of those types, but I don’t expect others to follow suit. None of my close friends are fly-fisherman, they prefer to troll lakes with flashers and wedding bands. One thing we all have in common though is a passion to conserve our waters (we only use electric motors on the lakes and we release 99% of our catch).

 

I do like running into other purists: use single barbless hooks, catch and release, use scud patterns as a last resort, refuse to use multi-imitation patterns like Spratleys or Careys etc

 

When it comes to river or saltwater fishing however, I will use any rig that catches fish. 

[Kryten]

[Gnarcore]

2 hours ago, Kryten said:

I pretty much am one of those types, but I don’t expect others to follow suit. None of my close friends are fly-fisherman, they prefer to troll lakes with flashers and wedding bands. One thing we all have in common though is a passion to conserve our waters (we only use electric motors on the lakes and we release 99% of our catch).

 

I do like running into other purists: use single barbless hooks, catch and release, use scud patterns as a last resort, refuse to use multi-imitation patterns like Spratleys or Careys etc

 

When it comes to river or saltwater fishing however, I will use any rig that catches fish. 

I'll use single barbless unless I plan to eat it while camping. Even then mostly do. 

 

Some water is just not ideal for fly fishing and the Gold is mostly that.  I'll fly cast more than not but I grew up doing it and tying flies (don't bother now...I just give a buddy beers for him to do it). Big lakes trolling is the way to go but I find that so damn boring. I prefer to fish rivers or the inflow to lakes. 

 

I have friends who spend a season chasing a single steelhead catch on the fly. I caught far too many of them over the years to do that. I commend their patience though. 

[luckylager]

3 hours ago, Kryten said:

I pretty much am one of those types, but I don’t expect others to follow suit. None of my close friends are fly-fisherman, they prefer to troll lakes with flashers and wedding bands. One thing we all have in common though is a passion to conserve our waters (we only use electric motors on the lakes and we release 99% of our catch).

 

I do like running into other purists: use single barbless hooks, catch and release, use scud patterns as a last resort, refuse to use multi-imitation patterns like Spratleys or Careys etc

 

When it comes to river or saltwater fishing however, I will use any rig that catches fish. 

Lmao

I hate woolly buggers and the tom thumb.

Stupid look like everything but nothing flies.

Total posers 

[luckylager]

5 minutes ago, Gnarcore said:

I'll use single barbless unless I plan to eat it while camping. Even then mostly do. 

 

Some water is just not ideal for fly fishing and the Gold is mostly that.  I'll fly cast more than not but I grew up doing it and tying flies (don't bother now...I just give a buddy beers for him to do it). Big lakes trolling is the way to go but I find that so damn boring. I prefer to fish rivers or the inflow to lakes. 

 

I have friends who spend a season chasing a single steelhead catch on the fly. I caught far too many of them over the years to do that. I commend their patience though. 

But that's the beauty of it, Gnar.

 

I threw flies at the Lower Cheakamus too many times through the winters before I finally landed a steely on that river. 

I remember fishing the &^@# out of that run across the hwy from the black tusk access road one day. Threw everything in my box at it. Every last steelhead fly and sink tip combo.

I sit down kn a log to smoke a fatty and have a beer when some &^@#ing nerd with a spin and glo rig shows up.. bastard nails a nice doe on his 3rd cast. &^@# was I pissed.

I wanted to kill that dude. 

 

I grew up fishing heavy tackle in the ocean and lakes. All rivers should be fly only IMO. Fight me!

[Kryten]

2 hours ago, Gnarcore said:

I'll use single barbless unless I plan to eat it while camping. Even then mostly do. 

 

Some water is just not ideal for fly fishing and the Gold is mostly that.  I'll fly cast more than not but I grew up doing it and tying flies (don't bother now...I just give a buddy beers for him to do it). Big lakes trolling is the way to go but I find that so damn boring. I prefer to fish rivers or the inflow to lakes. 

 

I have friends who spend a season chasing a single steelhead catch on the fly. I caught far too many of them over the years to do that. I commend their patience though. 

Are you accepting resumes?

[Kryten]

2 hours ago, luckylager said:

Lmao

I hate woolly buggers and the tom thumb.

Stupid look like everything but nothing flies.

Total posers 

I get not using a WB but the Tom Thumb will always have a place in my box. One of my secret lakes has an insane Traveller’s Sedge hatch and hooking 20”+ bows on dry flies in clear water is fun as #%@$!

[coho8888]

Vedder in September this year.  

[coho8888]

9 hours ago, Kryten said:

I get not using a WB but the Tom Thumb will always have a place in my box. One of my secret lakes has an insane Traveller’s Sedge hatch and hooking 20”+ bows on dry flies in clear water is fun as #%@$!

The old pumpkin head.  Practically the only pattern I use to troll with.  When the hatches aren’t happening this will catch fish.  Works on every single lake I’ve fished.

[Ajax-]

Great stuff in this topic.

 

Instead of traveling this winter, my wife and I have taken a job as winter Caretakers in Nootka Sound, Nice resort, off grid.

 

Have fished off and on most of my life but just starting to understand and really enjoy. The salmon are mostly gone but the bottom fishing is still excellent.

[luckylager]

10 hours ago, Kryten said:

I get not using a WB but the Tom Thumb will always have a place in my box. One of my secret lakes has an insane Traveller’s Sedge hatch and hooking 20”+ bows on dry flies in clear water is fun as #%@$!

Sorry, something about the Tom Thumb I just hate. I don't fish lakes for the most part but I do love dry fly season on the rivers. The water is usually gin clear by then and hatches are thick. 

 

A bud used to get mad at me for fishing the Prom Dress. He calls it a spoon pattern..lol. So while I'm bias against a couple patterns I'll fish one of the most phoney flies ever tied!

[ABNuck]

Years ago (early 90's), the company I worked for used to provide security in and around the Vancouver - New West harbour areas. We owned 11 Boston Whalers and operated them under the group known as the Protective Services Division.

Once a year, the company's sales reps would conduct a massive fishing expedition up the coast (for the elite clientele) to the QC Isles. The life jackets we wore all said "PSD" on them (for the division that ran the watercraft as noted above). One time a client asked what the "PSD" stood for on his life jacket...one quick-witted sales rep piped up "Pacific Salmon Division"...I think the laughter scared away the fish...

[Tarkington]

The family went to visit my dads memorial site at the edge of his favourite fishing spot. Growing up I had no luck there, but I took my rod for a few casts in his honour anyway. Thanks Dad.

Edited November 21, 2020 by Tarkington

[Chris12345]

I love fishing. Also love hunting.

 

Tie my own flies. I love getting out in nature and no one can bother me. I've made some great decisions while fishing.

[Jester13]

21 hours ago, Kryten said:

Nice lil chronies and catches you got there!

 

When I lived in ye old Salmon Arm years ago I would hit up the Kamloops area lots. Small hike-in lake with my belly boat on my back while listening to Eddie Vedder's Into the Wild soundtrack, just loving life. It has been almost 10 years since this photo (around 8lbs on a 5lbs rod), when I was last fishing, but this upcoming spring I will be getting back into it, tying up some chronies and my patented dragon leech, and enjoying the early morning mist rising with no one around. I sure miss seeing a strike indicator barely move before setting the hook. 

 

Best thread in ages. Cheers. 

[Chris12345]

Given this pandemic could continue, where's a great place for a fishing trip in the interior?

 

 

[Kryten]

28 minutes ago, Chris12345 said:

Given this pandemic could continue, where's a great place for a fishing trip in the interior?

 

 

Roche Lake. You have to make this your home base and then fish every lake in the vicinity (Bleeker, Horseshoe, Black, Hosli). While these lakes are great, Roche is hands down my favourite lake in BC. 

 

Another solid choice would be Hwy 24 (known as “The Fishing Highway”. Sheridan Lake has monsters (big lake with lots of nice bays) or Irish Lake (big fish but does see a lot of traffic).

[kingofsurrey]

35 minutes ago, Chris12345 said:

Given this pandemic could continue, where's a great place for a fishing trip in the interior?

 

 

Valley is great for fall coho.

South side tribs early on... move to north tribs later in season.   In January move on to Steelhead...

 

End of Steelhead season is time to start thinking about Kamloops lakes....

 

Next Sept - rinse and repeat.  We are so lucky to have 12 months a year of great fishing here in the lower mainland / southern BC.

 

I would love to have the opportunity to river fish on Van island.. must be some amazing hike in small flows to explore. 

 

 

[Kryten]

1 hour ago, Jester13 said:

Nice lil chronies and catches you got there!

 

When I lived in ye old Salmon Arm years ago I would hit up the Kamloops area lots. Small hike-in lake with my belly boat on my back while listening to Eddie Vedder's Into the Wild soundtrack, just loving life. It has been almost 10 years since this photo (around 8lbs on a 5lbs rod), when I was last fishing, but this upcoming spring I will be getting back into it, tying up some chronies and my patented dragon leech, and enjoying the early morning mist rising with no one around. I sure miss seeing a strike indicator barely move before setting the hook. 

 

Best thread in ages. Cheers. 

Thanks man and that is a beautiful rainbow. Cheers!

 

If you were in Salmon Arm, I am sure you fished White Lake or maybe Philips? I can’t resist fishing White Lake, that water is something else.

[Jester13]

29 minutes ago, Kryten said:

Thanks man and that is a beautiful rainbow. Cheers!

 

If you were in Salmon Arm, I am sure you fished White Lake or maybe Philips? I can’t resist fishing White Lake, that water is something else.

Absolutely - White Lake all the time. Great shoals, so clear! The better one ended up being Gardom Lake after they killed it off to get rid of the bass and perch. Within four years I was landing 6lbs'rs. I was in the water after work within 15 mins. When a hatch happened it was something to behold. Just an absolute swarm of mayflies and the fishing was almost too easy. Gawd I miss the fly.