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[Sea-Run Fly & Tackle]

Sea-Run’s Weekend River Report – December 9th, 2017

Steelhead

December means Winter Steelhead, plain and simple. Being that we are only into the 2nd week of December, most fisheries haven’t really picked up yet, but some are certainly worth a look. Some systems will surely see Winter fish in them at this point, but covering as much water as possible this time of the year is critical in successful early season Steelhead fishing.  This time of year is not to be taken for granted as earlier season fish tend to be extremely aggressive and are often easily caught once located.

The main river system that will see earlier pushes of fish year after year is the Vedder-Chilliwack River system. With a mix of both wild and hatchery steelhead, run timings can vary early in the season. There aren’t any major areas to focus on this time of the year – The fish will be where they will be. “You cannot catch what is not there” is the common quote when it comes to steelhead fishing, and it could not stand more true. River levels on the Vedder-Chilliwack are currently sitting at a great “medium” level with excellent fish catching clarity.

Presentations and bait choices for early Winter Run Steelhead will not be as important as covering water. To some degree, having the right thing at the end of your line can be a deciding factor on whether or not you will elicit a bite, but earlier Winter fish tend to be quite aggressive. Sizes of your baits or flies should often match the current water level and clarity. With that being said, carrying a good variety of presentation selections can be the difference of getting fish and not getting fish on any given day. Check out our “Fishing Reports” Section on our website for more detailed early season Winter steelhead bait or fly selections ~ http://www.sea-run.com/river-fishing-report/ ~

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Guided Steelhead Trips and Steelhead Classes

If this is the year you want to learn how to catch Steelhead, this is your opportunity to learn from some of the best.

Guided Winter Steelhead Trips

Sea-Run will once again be offering Guided Walk and Wader Winter Steelhead trips for the 2017/2018 Season. During your guided trips, our main objective is to put you on fish. You will be shown typical steelhead traveling and holding water, adjusting your gear to proper depths, bait and lure choices, covering water, and much more. See our Guided Trips page for more information: ~ http://www.sea-run.com/guided-trips/ ~

Winter Steelhead Fishing Classes

We will cover water types, gear setups, artificial and natural baits, steelhead habits, depths and much more. See our Winter Steelhead Fishing Classes page for more information: ~ http://www.sea-run.com/winter-steelhead-gear-fishing-class/ ~


Cutthroat

An underrated fishery over the Winter months, our local cutthroat fishery is not one to forget. There are many opportunities to get a taste of this fishery from the Lower Mainland to the Fraser Valley. Both resident and anadromous (sea-run) cutthroat trout are available depending on the area or watershed you are fishing. Resident and anadromous fish can be found in most small streams and bigger bodies of water throughout the Winter as they either wait or search for food. A main staple to a cutthroat’s diet in the early Winter months are salmon eggs. These fish will also specifically target smaller fish such as salmon fry or stickleback.

Most Fraser River tributaries will see populations of both resident and anadromous fish year round, so finding good water heights and clarity will often be your only deciding factor on where to fish. Once we get further into the Winter months, the mainstem Fraser itself and its backwaters can produce extraordinary results once water levels drop to their lowest of the season. Like Steelheading in a way, this fishery often requires anglers to cover a lot of water in a day in order for success. Cutthroat can often be quite transient, meaning they tend to move around to different locations quickly in search of their next meal.

In situations where salmon or salmon eggs are present, egg imitations will be your best bet. This means the use of Troutbeads or glow bugs are necessary. In areas of stagnant water, try stripping attractor patterns such as woolly buggers and sparkle buggers or minnow patterns such as stickleback imitations or fry imitations.


Cheers and Tight Lines,
Sea-Run