I know it doesn't feel like it, but summer started last Thursday, marking this as the first official long weekend of the summer.
"I first learned to fish in summer holidays from school and never gave any thought to theories that it might not be the best time to fish...the stream was there, the fish were in it and fish in a stream were to be tempted, risen, hooked and landed. If they chose to lie on the bottom through the heat of the day, there would be a hatch later and they would come up."
- from Roderick Haig-Brown's book, Fisherman's Summer.
While many of us fish year round, summer tends to be the beginning of high season. For me, summer holds many fond memories of stalking trophy fish on warm evenings during fire red sunsets.
Those of us who have tried to boat a 30-pound Lake Erie rainbow, during the three-week long Ontario Great Lakes derby, know what I am talking about, as do those who pursue the coho-sized rainbows that rise aggressively in many of our B.C. rivers during the stonefly hatch.
Other have memories bathed in the rosy hue of a red sun as it sinks into the sea beyond the line of fishing boats, while rod and reel strain heavily under the pulse of strong and healthy Tyee.
Summer is a season like no other, as memories made in this moment can last a lifetime.
Make time for it, because like that trophy fish you missed, it will be gone all too soon.
THE REPORT
With sun in the forecast, our Lower Mainland lake fishing looks good for the weekend. For wet (sinking) fly trout fishing try: Chironomid,
Bloodworm, Red Spratley, Coachman, Zulu, American Coachman, Professor, Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, Dragonfly Nymph, Sixpack, Doc Spratley, Pumpkinhead or Baggy Shrimp.
For dry (floating) fly trout fishing try Tom Thumb, Irresistible, Royal Coachman, Renegade, Elk hairCaddis, Black Gnat, Griffith Gnat or Lady McConnel. For kokanee try Red Ibis, Double Trued, Blood Worm, San Juan Worm, Red Spratley or Red Carey.
