Fly Line Care

Today we want to talk a bit about fly line care and cleaning. If you want to get the most out of your investment there are a few very simple rules to follow:

1. Clean… “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”, and if you want heavenly results from your cast  then nothing rings truer than cleaning your fly lines.  To clean your line, mix a small amount of household detergent with warm (not boiling) water in a bowl or sink. Strip the line from your reel into the water and allow to the line to soak for 2-3 minutes – this will loosen any dirt and clean any algae build-up from the surface.  Then dry off the line by winding the line back onto the reel through a clean dry cloth. Do not put too much pressure on the line, as the heat generated in the cloth can distort a fly line, also, if you put the line onto the reel under too much tension then this will cause reel set or memory.
2. Treat or Coat…. This really only applies to floating lines or sections since you don’t want your sinking lines to float. Using a product like AgentX Line Dressing from RIO can bring your old tired lines back to life. Easy to apply and well worth it.
3. Storage…. If you’re leaving your fly lines on the reel during the off season you’re doing your lines a disservice. Dirt, algae, and dampness can hamper a lines performance, not to mention line memory from being stored on a small circumference. Remove, clean, dry and treat or coat the line first, then store it in about 8″ – 10″ loose loops — I like to keep mine in marked freezer bags.

That’s it for now, have a great day and we’ll see you on the water!

Steelhead on the Chilliwack

Good afternoon everyone! Reports from the Chilliwack and Vedder have been outstanding. The water is in excellent condition, with wild and hatchery steelhead being caught from pretty much every run on the system. If you haven’t been out yet WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR????

In addition to steelhead there are lots of big bull trout getting picked off — 3 to 4 pounders being the norm. They will sit in the same water that steelies inhabit, as well as big soft frog water.

Gear guys have been using bubblegum, pink pearl and methiolate worms, single eggs, roe, and marabou jigs. Spey/Fly anglers are having success with nightmares, intruders, egg sucking leeches and prawn patterns. We’ve got one of the largest nightmare selections around, plus a huge lure selection  so drop into the shop on your way to the river. Store hours are 7:30am – 6pm Monday to Wednesday, 7:30am – 9pm Thursday, 6:00am – 7pm Friday, and 6:00am – 5:00pm Saturday /Sunday.

If you get the chance check out Paul Hong’s blog at http://blog.daum.net/steelheader. He posts hundreds of pictures of his exploits searching for steelhead. Even though the blog is in Korean the pictures are worth it.

That’s it for now, see you on the water!

Cutthroat Tour 01.23.10

An amazing day Saturday touring the back waters of the Fraser River on the RFT Jet Boat. The weather was perfect, the company was exceptional, and Al Short schooled us all, landing cutthroat and white fish drifting egg patterns under an indicator. Our next Cutthroat Tours are scheduled for February 13, 27, March 13, and 27. Call the store at 604-870-3591 to book your spot.

Fishing Report

Lower Mainland / Fraser Valley Rivers

Vedder Chilliwack… Fishing in the V/C is as good as we’ve seen in nearly a decade. The recent rains have changed things a bit but that shouldn’t keep anyone away. The big springs, coho and chum are running very strong on all areas of the river system. Anglers are experiencing unbelieveable days with some beautiful chome hatchery coho being landed. Gear anglers using roe, wool and spinners are doing very well. For swinging flies we suggest muddlers, egg sucking leeches, and christmas trees (green or blue) for coho, and purple patters for the chum. We’ve really loaded up on salmon flies so be sure to drop in on your way.

Norrish (Suicied) Creek… Fishing exceptionally well for coho. Chums are c&r only.

Stave… The Stave is certainly not disappointing. Coho and chum are coming up in fantastic numbers. Their are opportunities for both gear and fly anglers alike.

Harrison… Superb!!! Salmon runs are phenominal and cutthroat on the fly has seen 21+ inchers in recent days. Our RFT Fish Outs will be focusing the next few weeks on this system. Come join us!

Fraser… The main stem of the Fraser has been providing outstanding salmon and sturgeon opportunities. Usually the fortgotten sister when things heat up on the tributaries, the Fraser should not be discounted by any means. Pegleg is poor right now while most of the other bars are fishing very very well.

Little Campbell… Fishing very well for coho and springs.

Skagit… An amazing year for the Skagit. Lots of big bullies were brought in for photo opportunities. This is still an option for fly fisherman looking to get one last fix before the system closes midnight October 31st. The bullies are fond of big food items so large leeches, wooly buggers and rolled muddlers are good options. Bows will still take dries, emergers and a swung caddis.

Lower Mainland / Fraser Valley Lakes

The cooler Fall weather really opens up some local opportunities as the holiday crowd have departed and anglers can move in.

For urban opportunities check out Mill, Green Timbers, and Lafarge. Mill has been fishing really well on black micro leeches and chironomids.

Some valley lakes worth checking out include Rolley, Allouette, Grace, Wolf, Mike, Buntzen, Ross, Kawkawa and Jones.

For gear you can’t really go wrong with wedding bands and worms. Take the kids out to a dock and jig with a grub – lots of fun!

BC Interior

Morgan has been fishing really, with Tunkwa and Logan also providing some good Fall fishing. On the fly micro leeches (olive, and black/red) , K-marts, pumpkin heads, and scuds. For gear hot shots and quick fish are doing well.

All Rolled Out

So today I went to the Tim Horton’s across the parking lot from the store (yes it’s right across the parking lot) for the morning ritual. Much to my disappointment they were now all out of Roll-Up-The-Rim cups. All good things must come to an end but I think that we’ll definitely see a reduction in coffee consumption. Don’t get me wrong, I love the coffee. But let’s face it, I also have an addiction to rolling up the rim and seeing those magic words – Please Play Again.

~ Finzilla

Dust off the Hard Baits

Various Crank Baits

With only weeks away from some of the best bass fishing, it is time to pull out the crankbaits, jerkbaits & spooks, dust them off and replace any of those rusted hooks.

Bass will start schooling anytime and schooling bass are an absolute blast to hunt and catch. At this time of year these fish form schools according to size, so if you catch one 3 lb. Bass, then chances are you will catch multiple 3 lb. Bass in that area. For fall tournament anglers, this opportunity is rarely targeted; we tend to get caught up in the typical targets rather than the bounty that cruises behind us searching for their next meal.

The schooling formation allows these fish to corral baitfish for a fast and furious feed before the water temperatures drop too dramatically.

The key to schooling bass is their activity. Schooling fish do not quietly go about their business. It seems they work themselves into a frenzy, corral and then bust on all sorts of game, whether it is baitfish or trout, keep your eyes peeled for erratic baitfish jumping out of the water in fear of being eaten. When you see this happening, cruise over and start casting you lipless or diving crankbaits, jerkbaits or zara spooks. Make well placed casts trying to lead the school. As soon as your lure hits the water start reeling, pumping your rod tip and get ready. When these fish hit, it is for keeps!! This time of year produces more multi fish strikes than any other. It is not uncommon to catch two or more fish on your hard bait.

Have a number of rods set up: One with a 2” or 3” lipless crankbaits for burning, one with 3” or 5” Jerk (Minnow) Bait and another with either a popper or zara spook.

In clear water, it is important to wear good polarized glasses so you can see all the other fish following the one you just hooked. They will follow that hooked fish right to the boat, when that happens quickly drop down another lure, this should produce another strike.

It is also a good idea to have a 4” or 5” Soft Bait rigged on a spinning outfit just in case the bite slows down. Having this available as a follow up baits for missed strikes on your hard baits, can prolong a fading frenzy. This wonderful opportunity lasts into the fall or until the water temperature starts to consistently drop.

Get geared up and get out there!!! Because you can’t catch ‘em from the couch.

Kawkawa in the Spring

The ice is off, the water’s warming up and the fishing is HOT, HOT, HOT at Kawkawa Lake.

Kawkawa Lake Dock

This is an awesome lake during the early spring as the only people on the water are the fishermen. And the lake is big enough to accomodate plenty of anglers. Plus it has a real good stock of kokanee, with coho, cutthroat, and various other species there as well – check the regs for retention limits, etc.. With the weather forecast looking real good, this weekend would be a perfect time to get out there.

The kokanee are not only one of the nicest eating fish but are a lot of fun to catch on light tackle. Hook into one and they jump, dive, spin, and dart all over the place.

For fly patterns you’ll want something with red. I’ve had days where they won’t touch a killer bright red micro leech but go nutbar over a pheasant tail chironomid with a flash red butt – go figure?

Staple flies would be micro leeches, Doc Spratleys, San Juan worms and chironomids. Again, if you haven’t figured it out red is a good colour.

For gear you cannot go wrong with krill. Park the boat, put a krill on the hook, weight the line and drop it to the bottom. Of course if sitting still is not your thing then a wedding band with krill, worm, or even a leech.  Did we mention red?

If you haven’t been to Kawkawa Lake it’s right in Hope, BC with easy access at the boat launch / picknick area off Kawkawa Lake Road and Lakeview Cresent. There is a nice day camp, washrooms, and dock there as well. The lake is 50′-ish at its deepest point and can be trolled, jigged, chironied, and everything in between.

Drop by the store before you head up. We’ve got plenty of krill, and flies to satisfy the kokanee’s urge for red.

See you on the water!

BOOYA! Catch of the Day

I love it when that “Shamwow” guy goes off about how the German‘s make good stuff. Why? Because he’s right! Whether it’s cars or shammies they got it dialed in.

When it comes to outfitting fisherman there’s nobody that matches up to Simms of Bozeman, Montana. These guys make good stuff. Correct that, they make freaking great stuff! Which makes this BOOYA! Catch of the Day special that much more worth it… a Freeston Mesh Vest, nothing but quality for only US$39.95 plus US$5 shipping in the US and Canada.

Available in S, M, L, XL, and XXL. This vest features a mesh exterior for cool comfort, 11 pouches, supports full size fly boxes, and comes with built in retractors. Did we mention it was made by Simms? And Simms make good stuff.

Check it out on our website.

It’s thread…no it’s Ultra Thread!

I’m usually pretty relaxed about things as simple as fly tying threads. After all it’s just thread, and I’ve been using the same stuff for years so I’m not about to change – old dog, new trick syndrome. Strike up the band and crack open the champaign because there’s a party going on. Wapsi’s UTC Ultra Thread is now slowly replacing my Uni and Danville threads.

This stuff is amazing! Especially when it comes to building smaller flies. Unlike twisted threads, Ultra Thread is more like floss, so it lies very flat. Making my chironomids, tapered bodies, and heads much cleaner. I also find that wire ribbing sits better and doesn’t get caught up in the rolls that twisted threads create.

The colours are also considerably richer and more vibrant. On a recent trip to Pass Lake, Washington a throat pump revealed #20 chironomids with a slight greenish hue. Back at the shop I found an Ultra Thread (Watery Olive) that sported the shean and subtleness of colour to recreate the Pass lake chironie. Needless to say I’ll be tying up a few of these darlings and testing them out in the very near future (if it ever warms up of course).

Wapsi created Ultra Thread as a tying thread from the ground up and have set a new standard for tying materials.  Whether you’re tying #20 chironomids or flamboyant Intruders, I have no hesitations in recommending Ultra Thread.

~ TC

Anywhere, Anytime, Any Fish

Bass in the City

Fly fishing enthusiasts around the world love to daydream over picturesque photos of the lone fisherman exploring rugged, unexplored terrain. Living the experience vicariously through those who appear to have all the time in the world to hunt out the perfect brown or cutty. As mystical and utopian as these images appear, many are creating their own rugged adventures in the creeks, sloughs, quarry lakes, and canals right in their own back yard. Check out the article “On Fly Casting’s Urban Frontier, the Fish Are Big, the Water’s Dirty” by Justin Scheck in the Wall Street Journal and you’ll get a whole new outlook on what a fishery looks like. Here’s just a snippet…”Mr. Barton was a die-hard trout fisherman until about 2000, when he was driving between the Sacramento suburb where he lives and far-Northern California, where limpid trout streams drain the Cascade Range. Alongside the highway, Mr. Barton says, were farm ditches and stagnant creeks without a single fly fisherman on their banks. He had an epiphany. “You see a lot of water going by, and you say: ‘There’s got to be some fish in there.’ “