In this week's series on Vancouver sport fishing personalities we discuss Art Lingren, our very own B.C. sport fishing historian.
To his credit this Vancouver resident has committed to page more books - nine to date - on B.C. sport fishing than any other writer I know.
He has also contributed to five others and was historical and technical advisor for three segments of the Knowledge Network series Casting Shadows.
Over the years Art has held the office of president of the Totem Fly Fishers, B.C. Federation of Fly Fishers and director of the Steelhead Society of B.C.. He has received the B.C. Federation of Fly Fishers Angul Award, the Federation of Fly Fishers Roderick Haig-Brown Award and induction into the B.C. Sport Fishing Hall of Fame.
I met Art when he came to speak to the Kwayhquit Fly Fishers (the Kwayhquitlum Middle School Fly Fishing Club). Quiet and unassuming in his interest and encouragement, when talking to each member of our club I found him to be a true ambassador of our sport and how we would like it to remain through future generations.
I challenge you to read any of Art's books. Do this and you will find yourself swept away to a place and time when B.C. was the place the whole world wanted to come and fish.
THE REPORT
Fishing on our Lower Mainland lakes is good. Concentrate your fishing on the north east area of your favourite lake from late morning through mid afternoon.
For rainbow and cutthroat try chironomid, bloodworm, black gnat, royal coachman, coachman, American coachman, professor, woolly bugger, micro leach, sixpack, dragonfly nymph, halfback, doc spratley, baggy shrimp or Zulu.
For Kokanee try red abbis, bloodworm, red spratley, San Juan worm, red quill or double trude.
Our late spring has finally warmed things enough for the ice to begin coming off our interior lakes. Reports will begin soon. The warmer interior weather also means the beginning of our Fraser River freshet. With the late thaw and record snow pack, are there any bets on how high the Fraser will go?
The Fraser River back waters and sloughs remain good for cutthroat and dolly varden. For cutthroat try rolled muddler, mickey finn, eggo, tied down minnow, epoxy minnow, professor, lioness, coachman, Zulu or chez nymph. For dolly Varden try (large #4 to #1) eggo, dolly whacker, bucktail, epoxy minnow, big black, muddler or zonker.
The Vedder River is closed to all fishing above the crossing bridge but remains open to fly fishing below the crossing for steelhead, dolly varden and rainbow. For steelhead try big black, popsicle, steelhead nightmare, polar shrimp, GP, Thor, squamish poacher, kaufmann stone, purple peril or Eggo.
For rainbow try eggo, kaufmann stone (black or tan), Zulu, sixpack, Tom thumb, irresistible, chez nymph, big black, or renegade.
The Stave River is good for rainbow and cutthroat.
The Harrison River is fair to good for cutthroat and rainbow.
Our fly fishing school is running Saturdays May 28 and June 4 at Hatch Matchr's Fly & Tackle in Maple Ridge. Call 604-467-7118 or 1-604-820-4099 for further details.
You can find more at "The Reel Life Press" by Jeff Weltz.
