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[chrisc54]

Hi, I new to the upper Fraser Valley, and I'd love to fish close to home. I drive by the sloughs by where Jones Creek runs into the Fraser and I believe the other is herrling Island that looked to have sloughs. Are these sloughs good fishing for char and trout? I haven't stopped off yet, but I'd like to float fish or spin cast a panther Martin, maybe even get some practice on the fly. Does anyone have info on those sloughs or sloughs off the Fraser in hope, where I live...not asking for your secrets just a point in the right direction, gotta beat the cabin fever and go do some fishing. Thanks guys!!!

[Blood_Orange]

Not sure about the fishing but the areas around Herrling are prime spawning habitat for white sturgeon. Be mindful if you're planning on doing some exploring

http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/plans-to-build-bridge-clear-land-in-heart-of-the-fraser-raises-serious-fish-concerns

[chrisc54]

Thank you for the heads up, I'll keep it in mind when fishing new ground

[wildmanyeah]

Perhaps cutthroat when the water temp gets above 10C

[chrisc54]

The small back water sloughs of the Fraser can be productive aswell though? I like the slower water Stillwater

[colin6101]

Any slough connected to the Fraser will have cutthroat around at different times. Not the easiest fish to find at the moment but when the fry start migrating you can usually spot them. Try throwing some attractor patterns (wooly buggers and the like) right now and you might be surprised.

[clarki]

Perhaps cutthroat when the water temp gets above 10C

Just a hunch, but you don't fish for cutthroat much mid-winter, do you?

To respond to your question, Chrisc54, yes, all those tributaries/sloughs that drive over, or can see on a map, can be good fishing for cutthroat and char. Depending on the size of the trib/slough, the fishing can be better this time of year where it enters the Fraser. Later when the freshet starts and the tribs/sloughs back up with clean water it can be very good fishing quite a ways up into the waterbody.

The Herrling Island backwater from the Jones Hydro outfall and down is a very juicy and well worth exploring.

And don't neglect the mouth of the Coq in your hometown of Hope. Good fishing downstream of its confluence with the Fraser.         

[RalphH]

Herrling has been known as a spot to fish cutthroat for a very long time. The old access road is gated and you have to walk in. Basically winter and early spring until the river colors and rises is the best time to fish for trout from Sumas Mountain up to Hope. You won't encounter char that often but fish long enough and you will run into just about anything you can reasonably expect to be present. Any backwater, side channel or slough is worth exploring but there are not a lot of fish and a massive amount of water. Check out google earth & any good maps for access. Some good looking areas are private property - such as much of upper Herrling Slough. Learn a handful of productive spots, make notes and then concentrate on those. However depending on the freshet, gravel mining and dredging activities things change year to year. Last year's hot spot may be a dud this year and a write off for several.

I pretty much fly fish exclusively - anything from from good sized streamers to small nymphs and dry flies will work depending on conditions. I have encountered hatches of mayflies ( March Browns, baetis and callibaetis), midges (chironomids) caddis and stoneflies. In early winter salmon egg patterns will be productive- alevin patterns after that until you start to notice a few fry in the shallows. Any general bait fish or minnow pattern will also produce consistently.

With gear small lures to match the above will also work.

This is one fishery to avoid using bait if you can - the fish tend to be small and eager feeders - gut hooking wild and/or undersized fish is probable and those fish are likely to die.

[chrisc54]

tons of good info! thanks guys

[Gone_Fishin_]

I would suggest using stone flies this time of year until the fry start to hatch, can be fished under an indicator if there is a little bit of current or lightly stripped with a sink tip, always had lots of success fishing this way mid-winter for cutties. Once the fry start to hatch use a thin streamer that is mid-light green, keep in mind "thin" has proven to work better for me in the past.

One of my favorite times to fish and best memories is fly fishing for cutties in the snowy/winter on the back waters of the Fraser.