Local Lakes Now Being Stocked MARCH 2010

It’s that time of year again, stillwater season has arrived. As of the beginning of this month, local stockings have begun with just a handful being stocked so far, however the stockings will continue all Spring and into the beginning of Summer. The mild winter this year has permitted an earlier starting stillwater season than usual so don’t hesitate to get out as soon as possible. Stockings have started out in Maple Ridge, Abbotsford (Mill Lake), and Coquitlam, however the official updated stocking report has not been released yet this month, which contains information such as size and number of fish released into the lakes. Although the exact size of the fish released aren’t known yet, you can be sure that all are “catchable”, meaning they are all in the 10 to 13 inch range with some being stocked much larger.
As you may know some lakes fish better than others at certain times of the year. Honourable mentions for good early spring fishing lakes go to Whonnock, Lafarge, and Mike as they are smaller and shallower than most meaning they warm up faster. Both gear fishing and fly fishing are very effective this time of year. My favourite flies for this time of year are Woolly Buggers (Olive is a favourite for many), micro leeches (dubbed), and #14/16 half backs. For gear fishers try power bait fished off the bottom and worms or krill mooched off the bottom or under a float. Regardless of your methods fishing is picking up quickly so get out there! For more info or questions, come into the shop, we’re happy to help you.

~Michael Thom

Trout fishing Feb 2010

The local lakes have been fishing fairly well with the nice mild winter  we’ve been experiencing.  The lakes have cooled off but not too much the trout are still pretty active.  Try the lakes a little  further out of the way, such as Weaver, Whonnock, Rolley Lake rather than Lafarge and Buntzen.  The lakes were all stocked at the end of last year and have hardly seen any pressure.  So on those nice warm winter days go try some trout fishing and I’m sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

Don’t forget the BC Sportsmen’s Show is coming up on March 5, 6, and 7th at the Abbotsford Tradex.  See you there

Trout Fishing Jan 2010

The local lakes have still been producing  good numbers of fish.  In particular, Lafarge lake and Buntzen Lake have been producing the best out of the local lakes.   Worms and power bait are still the most effective techniques.  Watch for stable weather patterns and sunny weather, this will get the fish moving and biting.  Stay at it and you will be rewarded with some good days.

Local Lakes Fishing Well Dec 09

Despite the cold, wet weather the local lakes are fishing well, especially on those rare sunny days.  The local lakes were stocked for the last time this year in the first half of  November.  A lot of fish were put in to Lafarge(2200), Buntzen and Mill (1150), and Rice Lake(1650).  Now with the cooler weather we have the fish are very sluggish, but not impossible to catch.  Talking with the people who have been fishing in the rain the are still easily catching the daily limit.  But the best days are still the sunny ones.  The water warms near the surface and the fish actively feed on these days.  Power Bait and dew worms are fishing well.  Take advantage of the late stocking and get out there.

Garrys Baby Pool is now Over!

Garry and Erika welcomed a beautiful baby girl to the world on Dec 7th 2009.  Her name is Audrey Maria Elgear, she weighed in at 7lbs 12 oz and was 22 inches long.  Mom Dad and the baby are all doing well and thank everyone for their well wishes.  Garry will be back in the store Dec 16.

Local Lakes Fishing Well Nov 09

Well winter is almost here and the fall stocking program is almost done.  Lafarge Lake, Rice, Mill, Rolley and Green Timbers Lake were all stocked at the end of October with both catchable size rainbows and a few hundred nice 1-2lb trout as well.  Rolley Lake is now closed for winter , you can walk in but it’s a long way to pack all your gear.  Lafarge is still fishing well and so is Mill Lake in Abbotsford.  Rice Lake and Green Timbers have been fairly quiet though.  So if and when that sun does shine through I’d hit one of the local lakes just for some fun.  We  stay stocked on most trout flies through winter so stop by on your way and we’ll fill you in on the latest fly that’s working.

BC Fish Stocking Program: BC Fish Stock Report

You know, we here in British Columbia are pretty lucky, well those of us who like to fish are anyway. Sure an argument can be made for those who don’t enjoy fishing to have reason to feel blessed for living in Canada as well but hey…those are many and would only serve to mess up a good fish story.

Since the last week of September I have been regularly checking the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC website for the Recent Releases Stocking Reports. Having 3 boys that I am trying to instill a passion for fishing, I needed to know when and where the best places were going to be for some local lake angling success. Nothing ignites the passion for fishing more than actually catching some fish and I wanted to get in at least one more day of fishing with my sons before the weather got too bad.

On October 17th I checked the site and they finally updated the recent releases report for the Lower Mainland and I noticed that they had stocked Mike Lake with some decent sized rainbow trout a few days earlier. For those of you who do not know about Mike Lake it is a small lake located within Golden Ears Provincial Park. Mike is a nice little lake that is small enough to negate the need for motor boats and in fact, they are not even allowed.

According to the recent releases report the fisheries released 182, pound and a half trout, on the 13th of October making this a really good place to go catch some fish with the kids. As luck would have it the weather was supposed to break on the 18th and it did but all of the kids had other plans for that day, bummer.

Not wanting to pass up a perfect fall day with really good fly fishing prospects, I packed up one of my pontoon boats and went out on my own. Armed with my favorite #4/5 fly rod and a black micro leech on a sinking line, I set out to rowing around the lake.

Having rowed one and a half times laps without so much as a nibble I figured it was time to try another fly. So what did I put on? A green micro leech, how is that for a new presentation? Don’t laugh as I barely got the fly in the water before I landed me a nice and fat 17 inch bow. Looking to shake hands with a few more like that I worked the green micro leech for a few more turns of the lake but with only a few small ones for my rowing efforts.

With the Park under winter hours (gates locked up at 5:30 PM) and it getting later in the afternoon I figured I would try some other flies. The sun had been poking through some scattered clouds all afternon but it appeared that it would be out for the rest of the day so I figured I would try me a nice and shiny silver Muddler Minnow pattern.

Oh man was that ever the right call as I caught me a 16 incher right off of my cast and no sooner did I land that one when I got another a few moments later. Wishing that at least one of my boys could have come out with me I vowed to take one of them with me next weekend rain or shine. I finished off my day with 2 more beauties that I took home with me.

Fast forward to next Saturday the 24th; I consult the BC Fish Stocking Program again and see that on the 20th they stocked Rolley Lake with some even bigger fish so I grab my oldest son and head on out. Having stopped at Riverside Fly & Tackle to talk to Christian about Rolley Lake, he outfitted us with a couple of chartreuse muddler minnows and a request for a report on their effectiveness.

Squared away with some tips and gear my boy and I head on up to the lake only to find that winter hours for Rolley Lake means closed to the public. After all that build up I felt sorry for my son who was really looking forward to catching some respectable sized trout. Not wanting to just go back to the house we figured that we could stop by Mike Lake on the way home and check it out.

Upon arriving at Mike Lake we walk out on the dock just in time to watch some guy land a fish. Apparently there were still a few of the recent stock left so we geared up and took the pontoons out. Both of us figured we would try the chartreuse muddlers and my son landed one right away. Myself, I wasn’t having any luck with the thing so I went back to the silver minnow but to no avail.

I tried the chartreuse, silver and even a gold muddler with no success. Oh well at least my son was catching fish and that was what was important.

With the afternoon getting on I figured I would go back to the old tried and true green micro leech and wouldn’t you know it, I hooked into a really spirited 16 inch rainbow trout to close my day.

All in all I landed two for the day and my son got 3 which was perfect as his fish allowed for his younger brothers to get in on the day’s events too by cleaning them. But that is another story.

Les Romhanyi

Local Lakes are Heating Up Aug 09

The local lakes are really warm so try heading for the hills.  Higher elevation lakes will still produce fish you just have to go a little deeper.  Try using black and red or olive micro leeches with a red bead head on a type 6 full sink line to get down to the fish.  Some lakes will also do well with a burgundy leech pattern.  Silver lake, Jones Lake and Weaver Lake have all been producing fish.  If heading to the valley is a little farther than you want to go try our local deep lakes, such as Alouette, Buntzen and Stave or Hayward Lakes.  They produce fish all summer but most of the fish are in the 40 foot range.  Alouette is fishing well for Kokanee in the 10-20 foot range, and these fish are both aggressive, and plentiful.

Local Lakes getting you down? July 09

The local lakes are starting to heat up with this warm summer beating down on them.  To keep producing fish try going deep, or fish higher altitude lakes.  The smaller shallower lakes like Como, Lafarge and Mike Lake are all turning in to bath tubs so try deeper lakes like Alouette Lake or Sayers Lake or Jones Lake.  The higher or deeper the lake the more it has the ability to not warm up as much, therefore the fish are still actively feeding rather than hiding at the bottom of the lake trying to stay cool.  Buntzen has been producing fish still, as it is very deep and cool, but you have to fish in the 20-30 foot range and maybe a touch deeper.  Alouette has been doing quite well with lots of fish being caught between 8-12 feet deep.  Come on by and ask us for some tips we are always happy to share.

Local Lakes fishing well June 09

All the local lakes have been producing some nice fish.  Buntzen and Lafarge have been producing the best so far.  The few anglers who have ventured to Rolley and Whonnock have been rewarded with good fishing and some peace and quiet as these two lakes are generally overlooked by most anglers.  At Buntzen Lake wedding bands and worms have been doing quite well, and if you like to fly try a olive wooly bugger or a green micro leech with a red bed head.  At Rolley try a purple leech or red spratley.  Whonnock likes the green micro leeches as does Lafarge and of course power bait works well at all stocked lakes.  Enjoy the weather and see you out there.

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