Winter Fishing – Plan Ahead for a Perfect Trip

With the change of the season, winter is finally upon us. Barren trees, crisp air, a brand new dusting of snow and I am exhilarated, anticipating and planning my next trip with my fishing partner for winter steelhead. Planning my trip is half the fun. I take pleasure in knowing I’ll be ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at me. I give thanks every morning because of my life. I am a man of many trips, and I enjoy experiencing everything our beautiful outdoors has to offer. Whether you are able to take off on many trips or only once a year, it is important to plan carefully as this is a special time that can rejuvenate your batteries.

One of the most important things for your successful trip is a list. Just like Santa, check it twice. One of the fun parts of planning a trip is playing out the trip in your head. Depending on the season, you will be planning which flies, lures or bait will be most successful. Ideally, bring three of each presentation. This is the most common mistake I see – people only packing one of each presentation, and they lose it. Try not to be this person.

Depending on where I go, I’ll have anywhere from two to six rod and reel combos with me. For my trip up North, I bring four rods. Two are always on my boat, one being a dry line and the other a sink tip.. The spare will come in handy if we have a problem, such as a broken rod. Now is the time to replace old lines, tapered leaders or cracked fly lines. Make sure your casting or spinning reel is in good shape. Replace these if they have excessive memory or abrasion marks, or, if your reel is just low in capacity. People not maintaining their equipment is the most overlooked practice. Something as simple as a touch of oil to the bearings, bushings and moving parts can make your trip run more smoothly.

Every year I travel abroad to a little destination in the tropics. This place is God’s land and resembles Gilligan’s Island. I chase bonefish and tarpon on the flats all day, but on a particular day of fishing, I was unprepared for the rain. A simple shell jacket was all that I needed for the day. Even though I was in the tropics, the cold was unbearable as I travelled across the bay, making my trip uncomfortable. Learn from my mistake. Always be prepared. Clothing is essential. Start from the top and work your way down.

A hat is key in cold and hot weather. It keeps in the heat and protects from the suns harmful rays. A good quality pair of polarized sunglasses helps with locating fish. Choose the appropriate shade such as amber for low light and a smoked tint for sunny days. Gloves help our hands in the cold, but also protect our skin from the sun. Anglers are among those who are at most risk for skin cancer, so using sunscreen is absolutely important, even on cloudy days. My favorite clothing to wear is micro-fleece in cold or hot weather. This material breathes, eliminates sweat and wicks it away from our skin, keeping us comfortable in all temperatures. One of the most important pieces of clothing are socks. My socks have the same quality as my fleece, taking the moisture away from my skin. They also have arch support built in, which allows me to walk all day and stay comfortable. Never double up your socks. This traps in sweat and makes a tighter fit in your footwear, which causes you to lose circulation and your feet to get cold.

Having fun and enjoying our experience can be helped with a proper list and being prepared. When you are in the great outdoors, something as simple as proper snacks for refuelling and clean water goes farther than just food. It brings a certain civilization when you’re in the middle of nowhere. I personally enjoy hiking, so I need snacks that are lightweight and high in fuel. The body burns fat first. Try bringing a bag of pork rinds. The energy delivered is quick. I also carry granola bars with fruits, nuts and peanut butter. I’m not looking to burn out, but keep my fuel levels running long.

In short, be prepared for everything, keeping in mind that being comfortable and well-fed will make your trip more enjoyable.

Garry Elgear

April 12 Rivers Report

Chilliwack  

  Until recently the Vedder had been consistently low and clear for the last several weeks. Now that we see early signs of snow melt the river has started to colour in its glacial summer fashion. This provides a feeling of safety for fish and can very possibly encourage them to move and bite. Personally I consider water like this perfect for bright plastic presentations such as your standard pink worm. This is starting to be considered late season for vedder Steelhead but some fresh fish will still continue to move in over the next month before the river becomes fly only on May the first. The majority of fish this time of year are wild fish, many reports we have received in the shop have consisted of people catching 10 or more fish before finally catching a desired hatchery marked Steely. However this time of year is often when anglers can try new things and learn a lot about how to fish different presentations and new water with the advantage of the added confidence knowing there are large amounts of fish spread throughout the entirety of the river system.



                            Capilano

    The Capilano is never the most productive Steelhead fishery around but can often be fun to fish and explore. Definitely one of the more scenic rivers around the Capilano has high canyon walls that can aid a good angler in spotting fish. try fishing small presentations and fluorocarbon lines. In about a months time the Cap Coho will start running. These particular Coho run in the spring and average around 3-6 pounds. Fishing can be productive on spoons spinners and drift fishing roe.  
  Please remember this river is entirely catch and release for Steelhead, hatchery marked or not!  
     

                  Stave

    The Stave river has been fishing very well for Steelhead this past week and should continue to fish well throught the next month or so. The river has a large number of chum fry that are hatching right now which provides fun fishing opportunities for cutthroat trout and white fish as well. Fly guys should try using fry patterns and Squidro intruders. Gear fisherman can continue to use standard Steelhead drift gear or switch over to fishing Croc spoons in an effort to imitate hatching fry. This can be an extremely fun time of year for the stave do to the aggressive feeding habits of all fish in the system. It is not uncommon to see Steelhead rising in chase of the salmon fry.

Always feel free to give Shea, Mike or Garry a call at the shop (604) 944 2479

Jig Tying Seminar – Garry Elgear Instructor

On January 27th Riverside will be hosting an instructional jig tying course. Jig fishing has been increasing in popularity throughout the the years and has become a solid tool in the arsenal of any decent Steelhead or salmon angler. Shop Owner Garry is the tying instructor for the course. Garry will take you through various steps and techniques needed to help you become a more confidant tyer & angler. Bring your tools and Vises (Vises available on request), Materials Provided To sign up call the shop (604-994-2479) or email us at fishing5@telus.net

Riverside RiverDaze and Coquitlam River Clean Up Feb 4th and 5th 2012

Riverside River Daze are coming soon. Join the gang at Riverside Fly & Tackle February 4th and 5th, 2012 at the store from 9am to 5pm. With free Spey casting lessons tailored to give you tips and info on how to improve your technique and free single hand fly casting lessons designed to improve your casting distance and accuracy, it’s a sure thing that there is something to learn for everyone. Take this opportunity to try out new lines and rods with no commitment. Everything in the store will be on sale: from fly rods and blanks to lines and reels, casting and spinning rods and reels, clothes, waders and more at 20 to 80% off. The Coquitlam River Clean Up will take place on February 5th, 2012. This is an important day to give back to our local river. From 10am to 3pm come on out and lend your hand at keeping our local river clean and free of garbage. Meet at 10am at the store, bring your own gloves or if you don’t have any just bring you. We’ll supply gloves and garbage bags for you. Please be sure to dress well for the weather and the task at hand. The Coquitlam River Clean Up has been an annual event for the past nine years with the generous help of volunteers and the support of the City of Port Coquitlam and the City of Coquitlam. In years past we’ve removed a tremendous amount of garbage including everything from discarded dog waste in bags tossed into the river to mattresses, sleeping bags, shopping carts, car parts and even fishermen’s waste items like line, floats and bait containers. Every helping handis appreciated and the river needs you.

Making Memories Last – Keeping a Fishing Journal

As the years go by and middle age advances, time sees to accelerate. High school may feel like it was only five years ago (a serious under statement!), but all that is left of it – and life’s other milestones – are memories. Throughout the course of our journey we may reach many destinations, all of which enrich our lives in some way or another. By writing things down we can increase our ability to treasure these fleeting moments forever. For myself, writing journals is something I’ve been doing for more than 20 years – specifically,journals about my fishing escapades. My first journal was a Christmas gift that I received from my father and I’ve received the same special gift every year since. I start and finish my journal entries each time precisely the same way, always ending in a short story highlighting a moment from my day and bringing a certain light to everyone. By establishing a fishing journal as a part of your routine you can not only achieve some enjoyment in writing, but also become a better angler. Each year looking back you can establish when nature starts to unfold her cards. Your journal will show you patterns of when runs of fish will move in or when specific hatches will occur, gibing you an edge for the following year. I break my journal into sections, each one beginning with what i am fishing for. i then break the section down to specifically where i am fishing whether it be a different country, certain river or a carp flat. i also write down the time at my location, because while i may have only fished for an hour on a specific day it may have been a magical hour that i will want to remember. The weather and temperature are also mentioned as they play an important role in the behavior of the fish. Whether it be a gorgeous autumn day or a torrential downpour, it gets mentioned in my journal. The people in my life also get a mention in my journal entries. All of my fishing partner know they can go back and see what we were fishing form where we were, what the weather was doing that day, what we were using and how much success we were having. I also write down all the details from the first fish caught, the biggest and our combined total if I’m fishing with others. I comment on everything from how I or others produce fish, to special tackle and area fishing reports so that I can go back and look outside my box. I can see where others were successful when fishing for Cutties on one river or steelheading on another. I’ll write down which sections of runs will fish better certain years or what freshwater bones are feeding on at different times. I even incorporate my gardening background, noting which plants are flowering or which berries are ripe – all observations to inform me on what nature is up to at a particular time. Every day consists of highs and lows, and all of these get cemented into history in my journal (although highlights of the day are favorite to write about). This part usually brings me to the end of my entry. I relive the day and write a short story about all the happenings that occurred: from losing the flies i spent all winter tying ( along with my belly boat, new flippers and lucky fishing hat), to steelheading up north with my two favorite partners, Ralphy and Gus, while fa four-point buck hangs nearby. this last story is from my latest entry an, as usual I have taken down every detail. We arrived to blown-out rivers, unsettled weather and slow fishing, but its still been an adventure I’ll never want to forget. Try to write in as much detail as possible and take down everything you think of. Its all helpful! these entries are keys to increasing you fishing success, but they also highlight what you still have left to learn. Which is a good thing, because if we knew everything what fun would fishing really be?!

The Swing is the Thing

This special place is the birth of my existence. Like thousands before me, I’ve chosen this river as my home water, me lifeblood. I have walked this beat 100 times before, and every time it feels brand new. Taking time to observe and watch my surroundings, nature once again opens it window of opportunity. Life, as well as fishing, is all about timing and today I’m blessed with being in the right place at the right time. Amongst the polished cobbles and fist-sized boulders, I see the flash of fish. Not just any fish, but my beloved bull trout. When fishing for most game fish that BC has to offer, the swing is the thing. When swinging a fly, spoon or spinner through a run while effectively covering all the water in front of you, fish have a natural tendency to crush your presentation. I’d like to tell you that this is complicated, but really, it’s the easiest and most effective style of fishing you could choose. The procedure is simple; always start at the head of the run, casting your presentation directly across from you. Avoid obstacles such as sunken logs, root balls and hidden obstructions that can grab the fly or lure. Simply, these structures are excellent for hiding fish. Textbook procedure states that you need to mend your fly-line upstream, which slows your presentation and sends it deeper into the depths. Once the line becomes taut your fly is now doing the dance, swinging and captivating its audience. Everybody wants to have her or his name on that dance card. The swing of your presentation mimics the prey fleeing the predator. Any opportunistic fish will grab it, sometimes plucking the whole way through its swing. Beginners may have a tendency to set the hook, which in turn will pull your presentation away from your quarry. Instead, let the fish take the fly. Sensing the struggle, slowly lift the rod as you feel the weight of the fish. When your presentation is finished the swing then your fly, spoon or spinner will be at your feet, effectively covering all the water in front and below. Now to fish the whole run correctly, take your steps downstream accordingly. I usually take five steps as my dance move. If I’m constanty hooking up, I will take baby steps covering all the water below until the tail out. Once completed, go back to the head of the run to fish through or walk down to the next run to swing again. Garry Elgear

Riverside Fly & Tackle’s 7th Annual Sturgeon Derby Oct 30th, 2011

September 29, 2011 by rsfat (Edit) It’s that time of year again for Riverside’s Annual Sturgeon Derby. This year’s derby will be taking place on Sunday October 30th 2011. We will be meeting once again at Two Bit bar (Duncan Bar) on the Fraser, which is located above the top end of Crescent Island just upstream from the mouth of the Stave River on the Langley side, at 9am. The entry fee this year is still $30.00 per rod. We will be offering 50/50 tickets for sale from now until the day of the derby in hopes of getting a really good pot once again this year. Last year we handed out $4700.00 in prize money and over $1000.00 worth of gear. First place (Largest Fish) will once again take 2/3rds of the money. Second place (2nd largest fish) will get 1st choice at the prizes. Third place (most fish in inches) will receive 1/3rd of the prize money. All derby entry fees must be paid in cash as well as for the 50/50 draw as the prizes are in cash. Come on in and register now and don’t forget to get your 50/50 tickets. 50/50 tickets will be 1 for $3, 3 for $5 and 10 for $10.

Know Your Rod

Going over my list of supplies for an upcoming charter, I find myself looking over the plethora of rods in my fishing room. How many rods does one person need? Has my affliction for rods become this bad, and are all the rumours true? Yes my name is Garry and I am a gear hoarder. As an angler my tool of trade is the rod. Rods come in many different lengths, actions, constructions and configurations. Not one rod can be used for all species. As golfers have different clubs for different situations so should anglers. I consider myself not just a guide but more like a caddy, and this charter is exciting for the fact of the different styles of fishing we’ll be doing. I’ve got three guests – a newbie, a veteran fly-fisher, and my favorite, the guy that has the same problem as me. He loves to fish and he doesn’t care how. The newbie will be casting spinning configurations, which is the easiest to accomplish. We’ll be outfitting him with three different rods. A seven foot fast action for the smaller side channels, 10 foot for the larger main stem where a longer cast is required, and a 11’3″ to float through heavy log infested structure which makes swinging a fly difficult. Remember, the rod is an extension of your arm no matter which way you fish, either casting or fly fishing, the longer the rod the longer the cast. Now a five foot six angler can be six foot six with a longer rod and we can extend our drift by keeping the rod high otherwise known as high-sticking and keeping the line off the water. As a tackle shop owner, I need to know how rods perform and one of the most important principals of the rod is its action from slow to fast. Every rod works its own angle and there is a rod for every piece of water. As a consumer, you need to have a game plan of what you’re looking for. Number one is the species you’re targeting. Is your casting stroke fast or slow when fly-casting? Choose the appropriate rating for the fish you’re targeting. For fly-fishers, two to nine weight rods are key in BC. A two weight for smaller pan fish and trout, a five weight for your staple rod and a seven weight is versatile to perform more tasks, such as casting in wind, bigger quarry such as small coho, pinks, and summer steelhead. And your eight to nine weight rods for larger salmon and steelhead. Every rod has distinct actions; just like people, they are all different. To find the action of the rod grab the cork which is your fulcrum and place the tip to the floor. This will give you an idea of the rods natural curvature. It will show you the backbone of the rod and how much of the tip bends if it is stiff or soft. Softness slows the rod and crisp speeds it up. This will give you an idea of how the rod will cast and set the hook. No matter which style you choose, some rods perform faster and are lighter as soon as you go up on the modulus of graphite, but they tend to be more brittle and break more often, so choose a lower graphite such as an IM-6 for more durable use. When looking at rods also consider your guides, they need to be high quality to run braids or cast your line effectively. The more guides usually the better the rod this eliminates line slap to increase your casting performance. Hopefully you don’t suffer the same affliction I do and have the need to own every rod out there. These key factors can help you in your decision on what rod to use with the different opportunities we have as British Columbians.

Trout Techniques on the Fly

For most people, the start of the new year begins on January 1st.  For myself, and fellow trout chasers, the beginning of a new year starts with ice off and trout  fishing.  Folks from all walks of life await this time anxiously as the warmer water temperatures kick-starts a new cycle of bug life.  We hit a window of opportunity as fish become more active, which trout bums dream of.  Trout  have a variety of insects to feed on all year as staples, such as shrimp and leeches, with many other bugs coming in and out of hibernation like dragons and damsels.  Early season brings with it the first chironomid hatches.  Think of your favourite  food and imagine  only being able to eat it twice a year – a small meal in the fall, and an all you can eat buffet in the spring.  You are going to gorge yourself come spring and that is exactly what the trout do, stuffing their stomachs on a variety  of all you can eat chironomids. Most of us targeting this special time in life are usually fly-fishermen from all parts, converging into a mecca of trout madness, many with fly boxes stuffed in excess.  Too many choices in flies can make one lose confidence.   My suggestion is to minimize  your selection of flies to four essential  patterns that bring you confidence.  Now, you  don’t have to be a fly-fishermen  to fish flies.  Some purists may think that this could be sacrilegious , but, when it comes down to it, we’re all just fishermen with the same pursuit of happiness.  To accomplish this one task,,  all one needs is a rod with a nice casting line.   Make sure that you change your casting line every year to get rid of memory.  This is a perfect time to change those old fly-lines as well.  Remember, 50 percent of your cast depends on your choice of line, be it fly or spin.  To suspend your fly, I would recommend an adjust-a-bubble  float, and to set your depth properly use a float stop.   You can now target a depth of 20 feet if needed.  To get down to your desired depth, split shot is required,  first to cast and second to load your float correctly.  Just like most of the successful fly  fishers, we’ll taper our leader down with fluorocarbon.  This can be attached by a two way swivel to join your spin line to your final leader. Opening my fly box to examine its contents you’ll  see four key patterns.  These four patterns are my  ‘confidence patterns’ during ice off.  You’ll notice that these patterns are tied in a variety of colours and sizes to match the hatch for different lakes.  During ice off chironomids are essential.  My favourite chironomid pattern is one that I tie  using a double tungsten bead pattern called  the Double Shamus, originated by  Dan the  Irishman’s son, a school teacher  from Kamloops  named Shamus Connely.  This chironomid pattern is  tied with basic colours.  Red for the bloodworm, natures first item up in the trout’s menu.  Other popular colours of ribbing  to imitate the segmentation of the chironomid.  These flies can be fished under a float (strike indicator), floating line or fished vertically with the use of a sinking line.  Most often, these flies are fished with little or no retrieve as the action to the fly can be imparted by the wind. My second fly is my favorite fly to fish with – the leech.  Leeches can be tied in a variety of ways with marabouand rabbit in various colours and sizes being the mainstay.  For a smaller leech, I fish a Kaufmann mini – leech, usually with a bead on the head to get down and impart an action that resembles a leech swimming through the water.  The second leech of choice is the Pumpkin Head, tied in a Wooly Bugger style that imparts lots of action with its hackle pulsating in the water and its vibrant colours that drive the fish nuts.  This pattern has been my go to pattern, whether I’m fishing locally or halfway across the continent for trout.   My favourite way to fish  these patterns is by using a type – 6 sinking line, and varying the retrieve  to impart an irresistible action that the fish can’t resist.  This pattern can also be suspend under a float. My final pattern is the shrimp.  Shrimp are one of trout’s staple foods, lasting year round.  My favourite shrimp pattern is a Jennings Shrimp.  It has an indestructible epoxy back which will allow you to catch fifty fish on one pattern.  To fish these crustaceans, my best results have been to use a clear intermediate sinking line and to target your quarry in the shallows. Remember,  the key to success is to fish with confidence. I hope these patterns help your catch rate and remember that we are all out there together enjoying one common goal. by Garry Elgear

Riverside Fly and Tackle Now Doing Reel Repairs

Riverside Fly and Tackle is now doing reel repair and servicing of all major brands and models of reels.  We have hired George Sakamoto to do all repairs. George has been fixing reels for many years for both Shimano and Daiwa and knows the reels inside and out.  We guarantee to replace any parts needed with genuine replacement parts, to avoid future reel breakdowns due to improper parts.  Come give us a try and see what we have to offer.  For more info please call Christian at 604-944-2479.

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