Continuing our series on Vancouver sport fishing personalities, we focus this week on Whistler pioneers, Alex and Myrtle Philips.
If you don't know who these folks are, it's understandable, since they arrived in Vancouver from Brooksville, Maine in 1910.
Their intent was to find a location and build a fishing lodge.
They found their dream in tales from Texas-born trapper and adventurer John Millar, who regaled them with his stories of a beautiful chain of lakes, in a small pristine valley, at the base of magnificent mountains and snow -capped glaciers.
Fascinated with Millar's tales, Alex and Myrtle made the trip by steam ship and pack horse in August 1911 to the valley where they built Rainbow Lodge on Alta Lake in 1912.
Two years later the Pacific Great Eastern was rolling past their lodge and soon provided enough guests to make Rainbow Lodge the western rival of Banff.
Alex and Myrtle sold their interest in Rainbow lodge in 1948, but the story does not end there.
The valley became a very popular summer recreation destination during the 1950's. A decade later in 1962, a group of visiting Vancouver businessmen envisioned the valley as a ski destination to be known as Whistler Mountain.
Forty-two years later Whistler hosted the Olympic Winter Games.
From a dream of a successful fishing lodge in the hearts of two visionaries to a world class four-season resort, what a story and what a province to live in.
It is stories like this that set B.C. apart from all other destinations.
THE REPORT
Fishing on our Lower Mainland lakes is good.
Concentrate your fish on the north east area of your favorite 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.
The Fraser River is 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.
The Vedder River is closed to all fishing above the crossing bridge as of May 1. Fly fishing remains open below the crossing.
The Stave River is good for rainbow and cutthroat. The Harrison River is fair to good for cutthroat and rainbow.
For flying fishing classes, call 604-467-7118.
