Vancouver Friday Fishing Report, Dec 23
Pacific Angler Outlook:Well, Christmas is just around the corner and it looks like it is going to be a wet one. Most anglers will be hoping for that centerpin reel or rod underneath the Christmas tree on Sunday. Well, if you have some free time try to get out on the water on Christmas day. There are definitely some steelhead out there to be caught.
Over the weekend you should expect a high ranging from 5 to 7 degrees celsius with precipitation starting on Friday and then carrying on until almost New Years. The level of daily precipitation on the weekend ranges from 5mm to 30mm, so the rivers should remain at a healthy level.
On December 24th we will be getting a new moon and as such the tides are quite large. This means that fish will be on the move. And if the rivers get a bump of water there are sure to be some fresh steelhead entering our local rivers.
The healthy dose of precipitation will also get the bulltrout, resident rainbow, and cutthroat populations more active.
Remember when heading out fishing always keep in mind the weather patterns, time of year and refer to old notes if you have them. If you don’t, start making a journal so you can keep track of productive fishing times.
Local Saltwater Fishing Report:Well, the winter saltwater season has officially gotten underway. Late last week I got a phone call from good friend Jason Assonitis of Bonchovy, “The fishing is going off right now. Get out of the shop, buy a pack of beer and meet me at the dock.” Of course Christmas is in full swing and the store is jam packed with people so there is no way of getting down there. What a tease!
There have been some winter springs being caught out. As I said before Jason hit it just right and boxed a couple chrome winter chinook of a legal size. We expect the fishing to improve over the next couple of weeks. It is always worth a shot as these fish are bullet chrome (great tasting) and you can enjoy some beautifully sunny, crisp days out there with a world class view of snow capped mountains with Vancouver on the other side.
The West Vancouver shoreline is usually the ticket from the mouth of the Capilano to the pink apartments. You will see a few boats in the Vancouver harbour amongst the freighters but 99% of fish hooked are immature springs below the legal limit.
The fishing can be quite challenging as the springs are simply chasing bait and packing on the pounds (maturing). Spoons run behind a flasher are the ticket for this time of year. It makes things easy as you don’t have to deal with bait.
Make sure to drop by the store for a full selection of our specialty spoons and flashers that you won’t find anywhere else in Vancouver. We are also putting on a Boxing Day & Moving Week Sale with some great deals on flashers, spoons, hoochies and Scotty products.
BC River Fishing Report: Andre was out on the water this past week. He fished the Vedder with a double handed rod. This is what he had to say, “Fished the lower Vedder today. The water conditions were perfect. It was pretty warm for December. I talked to one guy that came from the upper river. He said that he had one on and 4 were weighed in at Fred’s so they are coming in. Who said the Vedder is a busy place, I had the the canal to myself and 3 guys fishing by the highway. Did not see anybody catch fish. Until the next 500 casts, adios amigos.”
The fishing in Sea-to-Sky country is worth while if you feel like making the trek out there in search of bulltrout and some resident trout.
The cutthroat fishing on the Harrison and Stave should be good. Kilby park is a popular and productive area. There are many tributaries, sloughs, and back channels in the Fraser Valley that hold fish. It is just a matter of getting out there and finding the fish. You never know what you’ll find.
It is still too early for the local Vancouver rivers. While there are hatchery programs on both the Capilano and Seymour River they typically do not receive strong steelhead returns. This is a shame as it would be a fantastic fishery for Vancouver residents looking to wet a line before and/or after work.
Some good friends of ours were fishing the Stamp River this past week and hooked into a few nice fish. They said overall the fishing was tough but there seemed to be a fresh pod of steelhead cruising in just as they were heading home. Things have definitely slowed down but it should be a great season over there. If you are thinking of heading out to the island please do not hesitate to drop by. We know the best guides and can give you the most up-to-date information.
Lake Fishing Report: We haven’t heard too many local lake reports. Most fishermen are thinking about steelhead at this time of year. However, if you do get the itch to do some lake fishing please do not hesitate to stop by the shop. There may be some good cutthroat opportunities in some of our lakes. It is just a matter of finding these gypsy fish…
I hope you were able to find this fishing report helpful. If you have any recommendations or things you would like to see changed please do not hesitate to leave a comment.
Kind regards & have a fishy Xmas,
Jason Tonelli
Brute of a fish caught a few years back. How time flies!!!
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Topic: Vancouver Friday Fishing Report, Dec 23 (Read 6053 times)