It is renewal time, your B.C. fishing licence has likely expired and your Washington state licence needs a new stamp at the end of the month.
If you like the peace and tranquility of fishing, this could be your favourite time of the year since many anglers don't renew their licence until May.
As we stand on the threshold of another fishing season, let's try to remember to keep fishing fun for everyone.
I know how it happens, with so many options and so many species to choose from, it is not like it was in the "good old days."
Today we have a completion for this and a completion for that; and of course there is a whole list high-priced items for each category.
Then there is our B.C. fish species -- five species of trout, five species of salmon, two species of bass and three species of panfish -- and we feel a need to master them all.
Why, because someone else says we need to, or is it because we want to pride ourselves on being better than the next guy?
Pride sets you up for a fall, and sucks the fun right out of the game.
What happened to fishing for fun? What happened to fishing for recreation?
As a fly fishing instructor and sport fishing columnist, I remember a time when I lost track of what fishing is supposed to be.
In my quest to be at the top of my game, fishing became research, research, research. It took three days confined to a barge floating on Stave Lake to realize I had forgotten the key ingredient to great fishing -- fun.
Since that day, when I teach a class or I take someone fishing, I endeavor to keep it simple so everyone can understand, and ask myself, "Will this be fun?"
This year, as you make your plans and set your goals for your best fishing ever, try to keep it simple and make it fun for everyone.
THE REPORT
Fishing on our Lower Mainland lakes is fair to good.
The ponds I fished last weekend registered 11 degrees Celsius, which means all our local lakes should be active soon.
Concentrate on the northeast sections of your favorite lake for best results.
The Fraser River back waters are fishing well for cutthroat.
The Stave River is good for cutthroat.
The Harrison River is good for cutthroat and rainbow. The Chehalis River is fair to good for steelhead and cutthroat.
The Vedder River is good for steelhead and cuttthroat.
