Fly-Fish-BC

Men in Plaid - the video

2011-11-26T17:02:00.000-08:00

Well I finally got around to editing some footage of Plaid Lake in the Kootenays of British Columbia. Hiked up to the lake in late August and caught a lot of feisty little brooke trout.
Sorry, the upload quality is not very good, if anyone knows how to achieve better quality without taking forever to load, let me know.

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Brooke Trout in Plaid

2011-11-04T11:34:00.000-07:00

Paiz and I finally make it to Plaid

Well after three years of planning and then cancelling, Paiz and I at last made it up to Plaid Lake.

We'd been talking about it for years and finally late in August we tackled the ascent.

Plaid lies nestled amid the peaks of the Purcell Mountains on the East Shore of Kootenay Lake.
A steep 4X4 goat track takes you to the trail head where a narrower goat track climbs a couple thousand feet to a nice view of the Kootenay Lake, Kokanee Glacier and the Selkirk Mtns.

The climb to the summit is unrelenting. No breaks just straight up. Once attained, there's a brief hike along the ridge that drops a thousand feet on either side. The descent took us through a series of microclimate alpine meadows with patches of Indian paintbrush and black-eyed daisies growing alongside a refreshing mountain stream.

Overlooking the West Arm of Kootenay Lake

It's a nice hike with good views but not necessarily spectacular. It's basically a 1.5-hour steep hike up and down with the only level ground found in the basin of Plaid Lake.

Plaid is much larger than we expected, probably 2 km X 0.5 km in girth but its filled with nice little brookies that came readily to a dry fly. You can see them cruising in the crystal clear water, and when your fly hits the water, one or three of them torpedo toward the offering and smack it with an eager splash. It was good fun.

Beautiful Plaid Lake brooke trout with dry fly

The trout must have been in pre-spawn mode as many were caught in the shallows near a stream mouth, their colours spectacular.

They'll take any dry fly in the size 14-16 range, I'm sure: Adams, Tom Thumbs, elk-hair caddis', a piece of dandelion fluff whatever.

We both used 3-4-wt rods which make the hits and feisty runs a little more exciting.

All in all it is a good day-hike, nice views, not too long, and beautiful trout - I'll probably return in another three years or so, if not, well at least we can cross it off the list.

Nice descent through alpine meadows

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The descent

2011-09-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

Father and son casting hopefully on the river.

I suppose in the vast order of things one must sometimes descend through hell in order to get to heaven - and then go back again.
I didn't plan it that way, but a few years ago I wrote an article entitled the 'Pools of Heaven' describing the clear brilliant turquoise holding areas of massive bull trout on an incomparably pristine stretch of river that held massive wild westslope cutthroat, a veritable Eden for reclusive fly fishers.

At the time however, I was conducted through the gates of hell and into the promise land by Dante's contemporary Virgil, a local guide who knew every inch of the terrain, every idyllic pool in the steep river canyon and the secret to raising big fish in the hereafter.

But I was no Virgil not even an Odysseus or Orpheus and leading my good friend Colin and his 12-year-old son Aiden into the realm of Hades and back was not a good plan.

Westslope cutthroat caught on a
dry fly.

The descent was precipitous, much of it accomplished on our backsides using trees, willows and the odd thistle as brakes. But going down would prove much easier than the return...

We emerged from the trees a little worse for wear in the early morning but hopeful and excited about the divine pools and fertile runs. It didn't take us long to find the first one.
I landed a nice cutthroat almost immediately but encountered only a few bull trout. I expected stacks of them, perhaps we were too late, too early, unsure.
Regardless, standing on the lip of one pool I watched a 20-inch cutthroat rise easily to the surface and snatch a mayfly. I cast my fly to the same area and sure enough the same monster rose and inhaled my fly, I waited a second, set the hook and immediately broke off.

The burning shins of hell. Part of the joys
of bushwhacking into a canyon.

The "Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away," not that I'm religious but hooking up with large cutthroat on a 3-weight rod with light tippett may prove more difficult than expected. Indeed, Colin and Aiden were having a tough time raising trout let alone hooking them.
At times when they did get a hit, they would invariably and regrettably lose the fish - not from lack of skill I was told - but because the guy with the net (me) wasn't around to land it for them - pitiful really.

I managed to hook up with a few fish, one really nice cutthroat and a few smaller westslopes. One I brought in had a nice stonefly nymph fly protruding from its lip.
I was not looking forward to the ascent. But it was either that or wade the approximately five kilometres back to camp.

We started the bushwhack up in the early afternoon so as not to be caught in the dark - and as expected, it was long, arduous, hot as hell, frustrating, painful, tedious and a little dangerous, as the steep terrain, almost impenetrable brush and uncertain footing made for a litany of strained remarks with every scar and fall.

But the team made it, much to my astonishment. Colin who only just had a fused ankle operated on a year ago was a trooper, and Aiden at 12, complained not at all or at least considerably less than was his right.

Unfortunately, we landed no bullies this trip. Aiden was casting a fly like a pro by the end of the trip. He hooked into a 20-inch cutty on one of his final casts, in the miniscule Ram Creek, fought it bravely but lost it as he tried to stop if from burying itself under a sweeper.

I'll probably descend again next year but I may choose a less daunting route or at least it's pretty to think so. Colin says he's in too, with or without me - what he lacks in landing skills, he definitely makes up for in spirit.

Sometimes you just have to catch fish

2011-08-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

In the course of fishing with my friend Dave the other night, our conversation turned to the philosophical, something that is apt to occur after a couple trout with a beer chaser.
Our questionings turned to the legitimacy of catching trout on a wet fly as opposed to a dry.

The classic empirycist's utilitarian argument versus a kind of Socratic idealism.

Dave is what most anglers call a dry-fly purist, a small sect of rigid, uncompromising traditionalists.
He asserts with conviction that the only trout worth catching is one caught on bits of feather and fur that imitates the adult form of a mayfly, caddis or whatever. Whereas, nymphing or dredging for trout sub-surface is an ignoble and wretched pursuit left only to the dissolute and damned fly-angler (perhaps one micro-step up from the bait and lure chuckers.)

My reply: "Sometimes you just gotta catch fish, Dave."

Dave with a beautiful trout caught on a dry fly.

Indeed, it's not that I was nymphing or tossed out a full-sinking line (I did that later); I employed a dry-fly for a while but when no fish are rising, it seems to me that they might be feeding below the surface.

So I went with a "dual-purpose caddis," one that floated for the first while but would slip under the surface on the retrieve, imitating the very image of an emerging caddis.

I didn't see anything wrong with this, and neither did the trout. One trout took it on the surface and I picked up a couple more sub-surface. It was the best of both worlds, a kind of Cartesian dualism if you will.

Not for Dave, who changed up from one dry fly to another, the words of his dad, Rudy, still haunting him from youth. "If you're not fishing with a dry fly, you're cheating," and everyone hates a cheater.

Just to show that I didn't mind cheating or cheaters, I tied on a bead-head nymph and chucked it out there. As another great philosopher once said, "If you're not cheating, you're not trying hard enough."

The next cast, I nailed a fish - but Dave also hooked up seconds later.

So there we were, a double header, one on a dry fly and one on a wet, both sides satisfied with their obvious proof, but locked in an existential dilemna.

I don't suppose either of us reconciled the other to their argument, so I'll defer to the venerable writer/philosopher and fly fisherman Thomas McGuane, who once wrote:

“I was swept by the perfection of things: the glorious shape of each trout, the angelic miniature perfection of mayflies and the "dual-purpose caddis" and by the pure wild silk of the big River. For such things are we placed on this careening mudball - but sometimes Dave, you just gotta catch fish.”

Thanks Tom

Me with an equally beautiful trout caught on a dual-purpose caddis.

If you care to wade in, leave me a comment below.
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The Columbia River rife with rainbows and river moths

2011-08-05T23:51:00.000-07:00

If you can stand clouds of river moths crawling in your ears, eyes, nose and mouth without twitching, you are a true Columbia River fly fisherman.
In what is more than a typical summer, hot weather and high water made for perfect conditions for the river moths, as locals call the prolific hatch of caddis flies.
This year, the hatch seems more intense than normal but it has also translated into some excellent fishing in the stretch of water between Castlegar and the U.S. border.
For those of us who still wade, evening is the perfect time as huge trout come into the shallows to gorge themselves on the caddis buffet. As you cast, the moths insinuate themselves into every oriface, while you stand there stock still slowly twisting in line anticipating a take from one of Columbia's best fighting fish.

Derek cuts through the mass of caddis on the Columbia

And success . . .

Caddis patterns are most effective. Try John's river moth, Elk hair Caddis or any emerger pattern.
Double check knots, tippet and leader, I was broken off twice after raising two heavy trout.
The red band rainbow is a unique strain to the Columbia, they grow huge and are great fighters. If you do hook up, try to keep it in slack water because if a big fish blasts out into the current, better hope it forgot something cause chances are it won't be back.
One rainbow I was playing literally jumped over my head while I was getting ready to net it, so be patient, just when you think they're done, they'll go for another line-screaming run.
The evening has been the most productive time with fish rising and good action right into dark.
Derek landed some lunkers the other night including this beauty, that spent more time in the air then it did in the water.
Who knows how long it will last but I plan on being down there as often as I can, enduring river moths in pursuit of the Columbia River rainbow.
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A nice 22-inch rainbow on the Columbia, the white lights in the
background aren't stars but river moths caught in the flash.

Rushing water and running bulls

2011-07-11T20:02:00.000-07:00

Almost everywhere in the East Kootenay region, bull trout are purposefully finning their way to the smallest of tributaries, sometimes within feet of the spot they emerged from a fertilized egg years earlier.

It is an annual act of procreation, the one time a year they stack up in deep pools, and wait for the perfect conditions and perfect time to have sex.

But unlike their ocean swimming salmon relatives or fresh water Kokanee, these denizens of large waters do not perish after the consummate act but rather return to their body of water to recover and train for next year's fun run.

A mid-size bull caught on a black
and red streamer and 6-wt. rod

This year I was joined by three friends and avid string tossers, as we headed out the first week in July with hopes of intercepting one or two of these monster bulls with a fly. Jake the younger had much to prove after disappointing results last year shut him out. His older cousin Derek was back and as confident as ever, and both Waterstreets were chomping eagerly at their Wintergreen Skoal to hit the river.

I invited an old friend of my own, Colin Munro, from the coast, a more diligent and cerebral fly-fisherman whom I could lag behind with and enjoy a days fishing and a cold beer, rather than try to keep up with the Waterstreet express.

Unfortunately spring conditions were brutal, delaying run-off and causing rivers to swell to the point they were almost unfishable - almost.

We hit the same river at the same time last year but this cool season had it at least six feet up and the colour of strong coffee with a drop of cream. Nevertheless, after an hour of worrisome casting I hooked into and landed a smallish bull trout.

It was a relief to myself and three companions. With the first one landed and released we could now more confidently spot holding areas or attractive lies. But it was tough going. With high water and no visibility, identifying areas such as large boulders or small impressions was all but impossible. We passed weighted bunny streamers through seams and slack water, close to shore, through riffles and pools until at last I stuck another.

Jake crossing the river
in a relatively easy spot.

But this bull trout was a full grown, no-nonsense behemoth that tore me into the current and was zip-lining my backing as I chased it down the bank, over trees and under branches, frantically looking for slow water I could guide its nose into. After about a 100-yard dash, it flew into the wild water and broke off. Great fun but the raging water coupled with the size of the bully was no match for my G-Loomis six-weight.

We investigated other waters on a flat stretch of valley that produced many trout for Derek and Jake, even Munro touched a couple on the flats but aside from one palpable hit, the flats proved futile ground for me.

On average the bulls on the flats seemed smaller than the upper river (probably because I didn't catch any) but nonetheless, the marathon fishers, Jake and Derek, seemed to land seven or eight each time they fished the plain while Colin and I managed only two or three a day on the upper section.

Perhaps our slight success was due to the leisurely pace of our endeavour; often distracted by a casual observation, a mayfly hatch, an eagle soaring overhead or a nice weathered log upon which we could rest our prodigious laurels.

But often excitement was just around the next bend.

Derek with one of the larger bulls of the trip

Crossing the river to explore more promising water was always an adventure. The murky conditions made the depths incalculable so at times we'd be swept away by a strong current and carried downstream until we'd find our footing, gagging for breath and spewing water, scary at times but safe and invigorating in the end.

A variety of streamer colours and sizes were effective from black and red to olive and grey, or black and purple. The weight was determined by the strength of the current. Lighter flies did better on slow water, while getting the fly down quick in rushing current was effective.

We knew water everywhere was high, and that the trip was a gamble but we were confident it would be one well worth taking.
Aside from a mosquito-infested tent trailer whose effects we neutralized by a good meal and a few cold ones before bedtime -the trip paid off in the end. I think we landed and released 25 bull trout, a few cutties and the odd sucker.

All in all, had a great time and look forward to next year.

Thanks guys.

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Four seasons on the Columbia River

2011-04-17T22:42:00.000-07:00

An April day spent on the Columbia River may seem like a full season of weather as the morning snow turned to rain, then a concerted hail storm followed by more precip and finally sunshine. Despite the frenetic weather the fishing was fine, as large rainbows gulped my stone nymphs and woolly buggers in a consistent frenzy.

The golden stones are emerging from beneath their rocks and in spite of the cooler than average weather, have morphed into their adult form - at least a few of them.The best pattern was a number 8-10 olive wooly bugger with an orange or gold head, however a recently tied golden stone picked up a few fish too.

Turn over a few embedded rocks
to find Golden stoneflies

Crawling nymphs along the bottom requires an intermediate to fast sink line. The take may be subtle so set the hook at any pause or light pull. Soon the warmer weather will arrive, I hope, and then top water action with salmon flies, cicadas and flying ants should be the patterns of choice.

Just to be clear, despite what people say in the West Kootenay region, salmon flies are a type of stonefly known as pteronarcys californica - They are not a cicada - you know the black-blue bugs on the wall of the mall- those are cicada NOT salmon fly.Go to the entomology page at fly-fish-bc.com for more info.

The fishing is pretty good this time of year as large trout move into the mouths of creeks or slack water to spawn. Predatory trout will feed on eggs and insects targeting the seasonal bounty indiscriminately.
Be sure to release the spawners which are generally darker and often the males may even have a kype showing.

Photo tips: For great photo tips check out flytowater.com, a humorous and helpful Blog by a fellow fly fisher and superlative shutterbug - check out his recent tips on photography and how to fish and hold a beer in your waders at the same time - brilliant.
And for what it's worth, I'll throw in my own tips for solo photography.
Due to a bizarre schedule, I go fishing solo the majority of the time so I've had to learn how to take fly fishing photos of myself casting, catching fish, grip and grins etc.
It can be challenging but what I've found is that predicting the spot and shot and preparing the camera goes a long way to getting promising results.

1. Sun at your back.

Unless your going for a halo effect, be sure the sun is behind the camera thus illuminating the subject which is obviously yourself when alone.

2. The majority of outdoor magazines want to see your face for some reason, so be sure to tilt your hat back or take it off, and lose the sunglasses.

3. Set up your camera on a tripod pointed in position, sun at back, shooting a pleasing background (not the highway or house on the shore).

4. Set 12 sec. timer on camera and then in manual focus, focus on a spot where you will be releasing fish with the sun in your face and a beautiful backdrop. I focus on a log or rock then be sure to stand right there for the photo depending whether a shallow depth of field is the impression looked for or a deep one.

5. Now catch a fish.

6. Once hooked up you can "casually" reach over and click the camera while rushing to the spot as you play the fish. Make sure you have a good rod bend when the shutter clicks.

7. When you land the fish, keep it in net or handle it gingerly. Press the shutter button, rush to the spot, hold the slippery, squirming fish in a gentle but pleasing manner and wait for the click.

It's a bit of a gong show and looks somewhat ridiculous but I've had good results in my desperate attempts to get something published.

Self portrait with slow shutter speed
to get waterfall effect

"...My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him, all good things—trout as well as eternal salvation—come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy." - Norman McLean "A River Runs Through It."

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Fly fish BC goes in pursuit of Kootenay Rainbows

2011-03-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

Perfect conditions on Kootenay Lake

The mighty Gerrard Rainbow is the largest species of rainbow trout in the world, with leviathons occasionally topping 30 pounds. So it was with excitement and a great deal of anticipation that I hit the water of Kootenay Lake Wednesday, a fortunate guest of father and son team, Rudy and Dave.

Dave ties on one of his hand-tied flies

We climbed aboard their comfortable 22-foot Trophy trawler (which is for sale by the way) fairly bright and fairly early but not too early, as local informants indicated the bite would not kick in until about 10 a.m.

Rudy is a retired doctor and his son Dave, a school teacher, who have lived on the lake off-and-on for the past 40 years. So their combined experience and a ton of fish landed over the years made this a promising venture.

Fly fish BC lands mighty
Gerrard on Kootenay Lake

Still, the first three hours on the water vetted nary a nibble. The "Bill Normans" and Rudy's personal favourite, the "Silver King" seemed to have lost their expected magic for winter trawling at an excruciatingly slow pace.

At 11:30 Dave decided to change it up and replaced one impotent lure with a hand-tied-polar-bear hair fly, lovely creations, that seemed somehow indignant at being passed over by the more unwieldy and ineffectual plugs.

As if to say, "I told you so" the fly was not in the water for more than five minutes when the rod bucked and line screamed.

I fought and landed a beautiful eight-pound rainbow, shiny and thick - a harbinger of more good things to come.

Rudy's 20-lb rainbow from Kootenay Lk.

Soon we had all three rods pulling hair, and again, just minutes after the first fish, another one was on.
I grabbed the pulsing rod as line tore off the reel for what seemed like minutes. I passed it off to Rudy who played the massive rainbow like a pro, patient but intent on keeping the line tight and the hook set. Dave netted the 20-pound trout, with wild exclamations and hardy congratulations all around.

In the next three hours we released five more Gerrards ranging from two to six pounds. It was a rare day for a lake that can be unforgivingly slow at times.

Perhaps it was the alignment of the stars, perfect conditions, good flies, experience and expertise, or a combination of the lot - I find on days when I catch more fish than expected, I don't question it, I just thank the fish gods and the men who made it so.

Thanks guys for a great day.

For more fishing adventures go to fly-fish-bc.com

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2011-02-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

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Cougar photo irks hunter

Jay Mykietyn holds the 160-pound cougar a friend of his shot in the Pend d'Oreille last month.

By Jim Bailey - Trail Daily Times
Published: February 14, 2011 5:00 PM

The photo of a Trail hunter straining to lift a massive cougar has generated controversy and as the photo spiders its way through cyberspace, heated debate follows, which is the last thing the man holding the cat was looking for.

The photo was taken after local cougar hunters tracked and shot a 160-pound cougar in the Pend d’Oreille and was subsequently posted online by a friend of one of the hunters. Media soon reported that the man holding the seven-foot two-inch cat, Trail resident Jay Mykietyn, had also shot the animal.

“They didn’t even have the courtesy to phone me,” said Mykietyn.

“It’s my picture with a cougar that I didn’t shoot.”

Mykietyn had already filled his cougar tag so it would have been illegal for him to shoot another cat, however, hunting partner Gerry Merlo was perfectly within his rights to harvest the animal and apply his own tag.

“It’s all part of game management and cougar hunting is here to stay, they kill lots of deer, elk, and moose – we have to have a balance and Mother Nature doesn’t take care of things like that,” said Mykietyn.

But there are detractors. Rossland city councilor Jill Spearn wondered online how “cougar hunting could be considered sport in the 21st century,” suggesting that it should be “outlawed.”

Pronouncements like these have made many hunters defensive but Mykietyn and others remain undeterred. Hunting is a precious and vital part of their heritage, something woven into the fabric of Canadian rural living and they mean to defend and preserve it.

Area cat hunters are a small fraternity. They share hounds and work together to exercise and train dogs.

The task is not an easy one, hunting cougars is difficult and expensive, but the few who do raise dogs are committed, spend hundreds of hours training, and at times are faced with unavoidable risk.

Mykietyn has been hunting all his life, tracking cats for 16 years and training his own hounds for 11, during which time he has lost one dog to a cougar.

When dogs are killed, “we feel sad and we have a little tear, but they’re soldiers, they are bred to do that, there is nothing that they’d rather do,” he said.

During last month’s hunt, one of the three hounds on the chase, a young pup named Rocky, was severely mauled by the cat. Mykietyn revived the dog, and after a pricey visit to a vet in Pullman, Washington, “the dog will make a full recovery.”

Because of the elusive nature of cougars, the Ministry of Environment has been unable to field an accurate study to determine populations. Nevertheless, hunting regulations put strict quotas on the cat harvest.

In Trail area management units 4-8 and 4-9, hunters are limited to one tag per year and each cougar killed must be reported and inspected. Once 10 female cougars are harvested and reported, hunters can no longer hunt in the area. But in the eight years a Fruitvale reporting and inspection station has operated, that quota has yet to be reached.

“Cats are almost impossible to hunt without dogs; a cat won’t tree because there’s a person following it, you have to have dogs, you have to have noise, and cougar hunters are selective with what they shoot - they don’t shoot every cat they put in a tree,” said Larry Hill, a Fruitvale hunter who has been scoring trophy animals for the West Kootenay Big Game Club for 28 years.

Hill says that most cougar hunters will tree cats, take a picture and let them go, doing so for training purposes and the thrill of the chase. And while he admits this particular cat is large, Hill has definitely seen bigger. Even Mykietyn acknowledges that he has come nose-to-nose with over a half-dozen larger cats and was with his father when he bagged the world-record, a seven-foot eleven-inch lion.

Responsible cat hunters try to avoid the spotlight as much as cougars avoid being spotted.

“Advertising like that (photo), it takes a long time to get straightened out . . . with cougar hunting, we keep a low profile, we don’t rub it in anybody’s face.”

Bighorn sheep photos

2011-01-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

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Sorry, I've been a little negligent towards my fishing website lately been too busy with work and holidays. The last time I was fishing was over a month ago and that was cut short when I discovered ice-cold water leaking into my right toe. Anyway, I've finally fixed my waders so a little winter fly fishing is imminent. I have hit the bench and tied up some killer flies for full-sinking fly-fishing - rainbows beware.

In the meantime, I took a hike up the Salmo-Creston and hung out with some bighorn sheep. I got a few good shots and was surprised at how tolerant they were of my presence.

Northern Pike Enter Columbia River

2010-11-30T10:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a piece I wrote about yet another invasive species, the northern pike, entering the Columbia River.

Predatory species moves into river

By Jim Bailey - Trail Daily Times
Published: November 18, 2010 5:00 PM

Northern pike ‘potentially’ trouble, says B.C. ministry

The Columbia River holds a variety of native and non-native species of fish but one particularly nasty predator has invaded, an ominous sign for the burgeoning trout fishery.

As their name suggests, northern pike are more at home in places like the Yukon, Northwest Territories and northern B.C., but within the last three years, have become familiar sights in the Columbia as well.

“Pike are native to B.C. but only in the northeast, Fort St. John country,” said Jeff Burrows, senior fish biologist for the Ministry of Environment. “They are an invasive fish (in the Columbia), they’re predators and competitors, and can also bring in new parasites so, yes, they are potentially a problem.”

The pike have infiltrated the Columbia from a number of reservoirs on the Pend d’Oreille and while not yet abundant, there are most likely to increase.

“I’ve talked to Washington state fish biologists and they’ve noticed quite an increase in Box Canyon, a reservoir (on the Pend d’Oreille) upstream from the border, so no doubt there will be more,” said Burrows.

The river has already suffered invasive predators such as walleye and smallmouth bass that threaten native species, so the presence of pike is an added menace.

Golder Associates’ fish indexing program for B.C. Hydro conducts annual fish sampling surveys in the spring and fall and have caught a number of pike during their studies.

Three years ago, the research crew thought they observed a northern pike but did not capture it and last year, they nabbed a juvenile pike in the upper section near Robson, said Golder biologist Larry Hildebrand.

“This past season, which just ended about three weeks ago, the crew captured, I believe it was five (northern pike),” he said.

While it is still early, the presence of a new top predator introduced into a system whose species have never had to evolve to adapt to the presence of that predator, will likely have some implications on certain species, he added.

As far as fishing for pike, some anglers have already hooked into the voracious invader including Freedom Fishing owner Ken Apps, who recently caught what he estimates to be a 10-pound pike.

“Between the squawfish, the walleye, the bass and now the pike, there is always concern not just for the rainbows but the sturgeon fry as well,” said the avid fly-fisherman.

The Trail man is not only worried about pike predating trout, he is also concerned about the increased competition for food sources.

And according to a bizarre fishing regulation, it is illegal to fish for bass or pike in the 50-kilometre stretch of river between the Hugh Keenleyside Dam and the international border. Any caught incidentally must be released.

“As good as the trout fishery is getting here, to have another predator introduced and leaving it just as a catch-and-release fish, all that’s going to do is allow it to establish . . . It has the potential to be an incredible detriment to the rainbow fishery which the Columbia River is known for,” said Apps.

According to Burrows, the regulation is meant to discourage people from moving alien species into native trout habitat in the first place. But if the pike population increases, the ministry may implement an exemption similar to the walleye quota of eight fish per day.

“I think our approach is we’re going to wait and see if it gets worse. Right now they’re not common enough to be more than a rarity and not of biological consequence.”

Running with the Bulls: The Elk River Odyssey

2010-07-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

Fly-fish-BC returned once again to the East Kootenays for the annual migration of monster bull trout from Lake Koocanusa to the tributaries of the Elk River.

A week or more ago, three avid fly fishers, Derek, Jake and myself, hit the river for what we hoped would be an exciting and eventful outing.
The first morning on the river started out promising enough as Derek, a guy who can catch a fish in a glass of beer, immediately hooked and landed a nice bull. Unfortunately, the time between hook ups that morning got longer and longer.

In the afternoon we made a trip to the mouth of the Wigwam. A perilous descent down to the raging Wigwam left no doubt that we would not be crossing it that day. Instead we fished the pocket water and hooked a few good bulls but once they left the relatively calm eddies and were into the rushing water all hopes of landing them was relinquished, as the massive trout peeled line while racing downstream.

All one could do was hold on and run along the river's edge in hopes of finding a small pocket of slack water to land the fish, which of course we always failed to do. It's difficult to stop a 10-lb running bull in raging water with a five weight rod but still it was fun and I think Derek did manage to land one.
The next day we decided to pound some bush and head upriver from our campsite to investigate. After an outrageous hike straight up and diving headlong into impenetrable brush, we emerged scathed and bleeding onto the rivers edge and - a parking lot. A family of camouflage-clad locals with large spin-casters and spoons, had driven to the spot we just spent the last two hours bushwacking.
Ah well, such is life in unknown territory. Serendipity did eventually smile on us, however, as we soon found a beautiful pool where Derek landed two bull trout and a squaw fish and I managed one monster bull.

The third day we returned to the mouth of the Wigwam. The raging river was merely a torrent that day so we three intrepid anglers linked arms and crossed.
We fished the mouth and Derek again hooked up with a nice bull before losing it. We headed down the Elk into the canyon where we touched one and lost a few but nothing remarkable. We actually did better when we returned to the Wiggy.
I hit one and lost it, then Derek hooked it in the same pool in what would prove to be an epic battle as he struggled desperately to keep the bull trout in the pool and out of the current.
To see more photos go to www.flickr.com/photos/fly-fish-bc/?saved=1

Jake, desperate to touch anything, went up ahead and around the bend. He found a pool and was immediately into a bully but, alas, lost it at his feet, as the man with the landing glove was nowhere to be seen.
Derek did manage a smallish bull trout that inhaled his fly and we had to do some delicate stream-side surgery before release. I eventually hooked into a beauty that again took me into the current and was gone.
We also investigated the mouth of the Elk the last evening, where Derek managed another while I downed a few Coronas and took a a much needed rest.

Jake tried relentlessly to land one but after hooking up a number of times his five weight and slight leader was no match for the running bulls.

Well Jacob, there is always next year and who knows maybe we'll bring along a couple 8-weights just to give us an edge. In any case, I look forward to it.

Here is some footage from the trip - Derek still has the good stuff though.
http://

Trout Lake weekend

2010-06-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

Like the swallows to Capistrano or the monarch butterflies to Mexico, so the Leishman family made their annual pilgrimage to the rocky shores of Trout Lake on the weekend.
Actually, it was my wife's family's first such camping trip to the lake but who knows - it may be the first of many to follow.
We gathered there to celebrate Bob's 50th year of stalking the earth with revelry, reminiscences, refreshments and of course a good dose of fishing.
Flying black ants were everywhere this weekend and of the two fish I retained for dinner, the one was stuffed so full of the insects, they were coming out of its mouth.
Amazingly I caught most of the Gerrard rainbows on an olive woolly bugger or similar fly trawled just below the surface. They averaged about 20 inches but I did lose one monster at the boat.
The weather was hot and the water relatively calm all weekend, surprisingly there was no evening rise.

While not fast and furious, the fishing was good, and the entertainment and company even better.

Happy Birthday Bob.

Great food, good wine, okay fishing and a ton of laughs - fabulous time.
Thanks for a great weekend everyone.

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Spring fly fishing is hot in cool Kootenays

2010-05-29T17:32:00.001-07:00

I haven't had much time these past few weeks but I did manage to make it out to Summit Lake and Champion Lakes recently.
Two weeks ago, I met Julius from Grizzly Bear Ranch and a few of his guests for a day of fishing on Summit Lake. I arrived two hours prior to our arranged meeting time and so put those minutes to good use.
Generally, I don't have much luck on Summit until the afternoon but this day I anchored off a shoal at about 10 a.m. and proceeded to catch a dozen fish in the next two hours. Most were caught on a bead head-leech pattern but a few on chironomids.
Once I met up with the party, I took Patrick, an author and ex-bureau chief for the London Daily Telegraph, into my boat and got him into a nice 16" rainbow almost immediately. I also landed one shortly after that and then the trout went into lock-jaw mode and I could only coax two more to the boat the rest of the day.
Still not a bad day.
My good friend Colin visited me this past weekend and we had a great time catching small rainbows on Second Champion Lake Friday. The lake is at much higher elevation than many other local lakes, and you can tell by the long skinny trout that they hadn't much time since ice-off to pack on some weight. By June the fishing should be excellent.
Check out this video of a classic How "Not" to release a fish:

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Spring Chironomid Fishing - nothing like it

2010-04-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

photo: chironomids pumped from trout's stomach

Lakes are open which means targeting rainbows with tiny chironomids can be the most effective way to catch trout. I headed to Rosebud yesterday with visions of huge triploids caught in past years. (see chironomid section of Etomology at http://www.fly-fish-bc.com/ )

The day started slow with no wind and a hot sun beating down. I rigged up with strike indicator, chironomid and a small split shot. I anchored at a favourite drop-off in about 18-ft of water. I set the indicator to allow for 16-ft of leader and cast out two rods.

It never fails, you look away from your strike indicator and look back only to see it bob to the surface signifying another missed strike.

This happens more times than I care to admit - occassionally if you twitch the line in a little the trout will return and take the chironomid. That's how I landed my first Rosebud rainbow.

After that the action improved as I caught another one right away then missed two and caught one more. It wasn't a bad day but I've had days when the action is so constant I had to stow the second rod and just fish one.

I was on the lake for about three hours before I packed up to get in a round of golf before dinner.

I can't wait to return - it's only going to get better.

Also, I have an article in BC Outdoors this month, entitled "A Fly fisher's Guide to Catching Bass" - It features a photo of a huge bass caught by Kyle Bartsoff, 10-yr old son of friend Mike. Not that he caught it on a fly but the fish is giant, so had to include it with a healthy dose of poetic license.

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2010-03-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

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Columbia River Rainbow Trout,

This past Sunday Mike and Dave invited me on another outing, this time a trip up the Columbia River on Mike's Starcraft fishing boat. The day called for rain and it looked like most of the day to be inevitible, however, it held off. The fishing stayed as cool as the weather for the first part of the day. Up near Fairfield we could see large rainbows in the shallows but they were too busy spawning to pay attention to our offers. Dave and I sent cast after cast, and after one initial strike, they ignored us completely.

Down river we went, checking out various spots. Dave had one fish on ever so briefly. Mike, tired of watching us lose fish, pulled out the meat rod with weighted 3-way and worm and cast into an eddy. 30-seconds later, literally, he'd hooked a beautiful 5-lb doe, played and released her unharmed.

The two of us fly fishers were getting desperate. Finally, after I lost another one, Dave connected and pulled in a beautiful 3-4lb buck. What a relief. It had only taken the two of us almost four hours to land one fish - Mike had done it in less than 5-minutes.

An hour later, Mike and Dave had both caught another. The sun was setting, darkness loomed, the air chilled but we could still see trout rising. I knew I was down to my last few casts. Dave gracefully let me take the open bow, after reminding me how he had caught a couple already and seeing I had caught nothing today I might as well have one last shot at it, and what kind of fly-fisherman did I think I was and that I should consider changing the name of my site from fly-fish-bc to no-fish-bc...etc,etc...

Well, as Dave remarked, 'There is a God' though cruel, he does show some mercy - after a good drift I felt the tell-tale thud of a strike, set the hook, and was into a nice doe. Finally, the drought was over. In the last week I had lost three fish outright and missed a half-dozen. As Mike tailed it, I breathed a sigh of relief, admired the beautiful Columbia River rainbow, took a couple pics then released her into the dark water.

Thanks guys for a great day. Click on the Link below to see a video of the trout that broke the streak.

Dave entitled it "There Is A God - Jim's First Fish"

http://sharing.theflip.com/session/719cab86a40a578feab53d9d6107db32/video/11920185

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2010-03-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

March 15, 2010

The weather has been incredible for March so I took advantage of a couple friends and headed out to Kootenay Lake to trawl for some large Gerrard Rainbow trout. Dave and his Dad, Rudy, Mike and myself left early for the lake where Dave's 'Trophy' fishing boat awaited. Once we were rigged and loaded we sent out four lines, two on downriggers and two on the surface. In winter you have to fish slow, like 1.5 mph - trawling is not the most exciting way to fish but is the most effective on large lakes like Kootenay.

By most accounts it was a slow fishing day for everyone. We had one fish on which I promptly lost. It hit, I grabbed the rod, set the hook - perhaps too vigourously - the trout ran, jumped a few times, then was gone. According to Dave and Mike it was a big fish, 15 lbs or so. It broke off shortly into the fight, and for the rest of the day (and who knows how much longer), I had to endure the pointed verbal barbs of Mike and Dave. "Yes, I thought I knew how to fish too..."

I apparently need more practise, so this afternoon I headed down to the Columbia River. The day was similar to the previous day, sunny and warm. Last week I managed a nice rainbow caught on a nymph pattern but when I saw large adult stoneflies floating by en masse and trout rolling, I tied on a stimulator dry and threw to the most recent splash. Sure enough the trout rolled over my fly. I hooked him good, the rod bowed then went slack. I cursed and knew immediately it had broken me off. That was a nice trout. I lost two more that day. Needless to say not a great day but I count them both as good days. Anytime the sun's shining and you have a rod in your hands, sharing stories, laughs, an a few cold beer with friends - well one could do worse.

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New Article: Casting Spells

2010-02-25T21:10:00.000-08:00

My article entitled "Casting Spells" is out in the recent addition of Canadian Fly Fisher Magazine. It's another version of my trip to Coughlan Lake, Yukon courtesy of Wilderness Fishing Yukon. This is a great fly-in-fishing outfit owned and operated by my friend Bernard Stehelin. Check out Bernard's site at www.fishingyukon.com I highly recommend it.

Just added a new fly pattern to the Fly Patterns Page. I used Biggie's Crayfish pattern as a bass pattern on local lakes. I found out that it is not only great for bass but I also landed this huge rainbow on it fishing local waters on the first day of February. Click the address below for the recipe.

www.fly-fish-bc.com/FFBC%20Fly%20Patterns/Biggie%27s%20Crayfish.html

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Calviello Rods: Merry Christmas to all the Bamboo Community

2010-02-08T14:15:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting blog with some very nice bamboo rods: Calviello Rods: Merry Christmas to all the Bamboo Community

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To Cozumel in Search of the White Fox

2010-01-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

Albula Vulpes in Latin means white fox and it is the taxonomic name for bonefish. Bonefish reside in the warm tropical waters of the Caribbean and Africa. They are a streamlined torpedo shaped mass of muscle and speed that cruise the flats in often less than a foot of water searching for shrimp, crab, clams, smaller fish and other items.

Two weeks ago my wife, Natasha, and I headed south for a weeks vacation and a hidden mission to persue and hopefully catch the powerful fish. We asked our local tour operator, he of course had a guy with a hundred years experience, state of the art equipment and guaranteed fish. It was pricey and he demanded cash up-front which always leaves you a bit suspicious and worried in foreign countries known for misleading the odd tourist. I paid it without a second thought.

As promised the guide met us at the pre-arranged place - a 19th century catholic church near the town square at 5:30 AM. We jumped in a taxi van with our guide and another fishermen and his guide. A 20 minute ride later we were at the north end of the island at a dock with many beached 25-foot fiberglass flatfishing boats. Not quite state-of-the art, I mean don't expect the canopy-covered, elevated-decked-sloops of the Bahamas, but they were effecient in shallow water.

The sunrise that greeted us was magnificent. We motored past Isla Pasion and poled our way over the shallows into a lagoon. The wind blew hard and I knew it was going to be a tough day of casting. Our guide, Adolfo, readied the gear - handing me a 9 1/2-foot, 8-wt fly rod with a shrimp pattern tied onto the tippett. It was decent enough but I can't stand it when I get a fly reel that has a right-hand wind - that's just not good or smart.

In any case, I took the rod eager to make my first cast. Adolfo explained in his broken English and my shattered Spanish to look for mud clouds in the shallow water. These indicate bonefish activity as they dig for crabs and other invertebrate embedded in the sandy bottom.

That was not an easy task. With the wind and a pair of non-polarized sunglasses which I had picked up at the last minute from a streetside vendor, I could barely see the surface let alone what lay below the chop. It was a disadvantage, however, Adolfo identified areas immediately, pointing vigorously at spots where fish had been feeding or cruising. Occassionly, he'd grab the spincaster launch it out into the sea and hook up within seconds. Natasha gladly played these fish to the boat before release.

I did have many hits but missed most of them. After catching and releasing a few Jack Crevalles and amber jacks, I managed to hook a bonefish. The fight was amazing for its size. I thought I had hooked at least a 5-lb bonefish the way it tore line, but when I played it to the boat it may have pushed 12-inches if you stretched the tape a bit.

We had a great day though. The north end of Cozumel is a beautiful if not pristine area. We only saw a few boats all day, we're greeted by a stunnning sunrise, decent fishing and a blissfully relaxing day of fishing the flats in pursuit of that cunning white fox, the elusive bonefish.

Happy Holidays Everyone - Thankfully they're over

2010-01-05T00:44:00.000-08:00

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I'd like to wish everyone a happy New Year and hope all have a brilliant and successful 2010.

Sadly, I had neither the time nor inclination to fish in December. Between work and Christmas and the obligatory cheer one is compelled to indulge, the month held no time for fishing. However, I did make it down after New Years to fish the Columbia on a surprisingly warm Sunday afternoon. As you can see, one fish at least cooperated.

I am looking forward to 2010. We start by visiting Cozumel, Mexico at the end of January for a week. Look forward to some flats fishing and maybe a deep sea excursion.

I have also posted a new set of photos on my gallery page entitled 'East Kootenay Streams'. Check out some pics of arguably the best fly fishing country in the world. http://www.fly-fish-bc.com/Photo%20Galleries/Photo%20galleries%20pg.html

If you'd like more information just email me or leave a comment on my blog.

Warmest Regards for the New Year,

Jim

Rosebud, Rosebud...

2009-11-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

Like the enigmatic final words of Orson Welles in Citizen Kane so our very own Rosebud Lake can be as cryptic, difficult to fish one day, and unable to keep trout off your line the next.

I decided to head to Rosebud yesterday before ice over. Mid-November can be good fishing on lakes as trout generally feed heavily in anticipation of winter and the hardwater. It was a surprisingly nice day, the water calm, with the white peak of a distant mountain reflecting off the surface.

Almost immediatley I hooked and released a smallish rainbow trout, a promising beginning. I had the whole lake to myself and I tried various techniques from dragging streamers, to drift casting, and chironomid fishing. A few hours and a couple hits later, I packed up, only one fish to the boat but still a pleasant day.

Of course the spring is the best time to fish Rosebud. Chironomid fishing and casting nymphs or attractor patterns can be productive. Until then I'll spend time tying flies and making a few forays down to the Columbia. Once winter flies and the winter liberates the lake from her icy grasp, I shall return, for in the spring I intend to solve the riddle of Rosebud.

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Snow Flies in the Kootenays

2009-10-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

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Well it's here. Frozen white flakes blanketed our back yard and, our apple tree, still full with its autumn plumage, toppled from the merciless onslaught of wet snow.

I am not looking forward to winter. Once the snow flies it is a sign to air out your rods, clean reels, hang your fly line, and otherwise buckle down in your den and start tying flies. I can't do it. In a last ditch revolt against mother nature I loaded my truck with rod, reel, waders, boots and vest and went down to the Columbia.

It has been two months since I last fished the mighty Columbia which is sad as it's only 5 minutes away. I blame it on my increasingly busy schedule. I now have hockey and curling and an altered work schedule to attend to, and of course the weather has been tragic, and I am getting old and apparently more and more prone to making poor excuses.

In any case, I finally pulled on my neoprene waders and strung my fly rod. The cool weather has made hatches non-existent so I went with my bead head woolly bugger (a type of attractor pattern fly) and sinking line. A thick gauze of cloud covered the sky, as two eagles chased each other over the water, dipping and diving, then circling slowly overhead before alighting on the nearby branches of nearby trees. I cast into the clear cool flow, letting the line drift with the current before halting then executing a slow retrieve. I was busy watching the eagles and thoughtlessly twisting line between my fingers when the first trout struck. More often than not, I miss these hits when otherwise distracted, but for some reason this small trout hung on and I brought it to hand in no time. All in all, I landed 4 fish in two hours, released two and kept two smallish ones for my mom who is the best mother in the world and more than deserving of a couple fresh trout.

I forget sometimes how much I love fly fishing. Often, it takes a little time away to rediscover that passion and understanding of why I fish. To paraphrase Henry David Thoreau, " A man can fish all his life and not realize that it is not the fish he is after". I think most true fly fishers realize this but still a good fish can make a trip just as an appreciation of the natural world, its beauty and wonderful intricacies can make a fishless trip also worthwhile.

A week ago I also returned to the Lardeau for a quick day trip. I arrived an hour before sunrise, hiked up a winding trail into the alpine and scouted the banks and hillsides for sign of grizzly and/or elk. I found sign everywhere, fresh grizzly droppings on my way back down the trail, fresh elk prints, but unfortunately no sightings. Finally, as the sun rose into a lovely day, I enjoyed watching eagles, osprey, turkey vultures and mergansers feed on the last vestiges of spawning kokanee.

I tried out a new waterproof camera I bought for Natasha for her birthday (which she probably hasn't used yet) and took some photos of the spawning kokanee subsurface. I found it difficult to get the kokanee to pose but through trial and error and freezing hands, I eventually got a few shots.

If anyone has similar stories or experiences I'd like to hear them. I get tired of listening to myself all the time. Thanks sp for leaving a comment on my last blog and encourage anyone who reads this to do the same.

Have a Happy Hallowe'en One and All.

If you click on the pictures you get really big pictures.

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Meadow Creek Grizzly

2009-10-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

North of Kootenay Lake in southern British Columbia, tucked between the Purcell and Selkirk Mountains, lies a small community called Meadow Creek. 'Meadow Creek', that is the creek, is also a tributary of Kootenay Lake where a spawning channel has been created and maintained by the Freshwater Fishing Society of BC.

Every autumn the annual kokanee spawning run occurs, when millions of kokanee salmon fill numerous tributaries of Kootenay Lake to dance their last dance and sow their last and only seeds, before departing into the great watery hereafter.

The spawning and decaying salmon provide vital nutrients to both flora and fauna, from a myriad of bird species to grizzly bears and other mammals. I try to venture to the area at least once during the fall to seek out the elusive grizzly and try to get him to smile for a few photos. My intentions were to travel there early Monday morning after Thanksgiving on Sunday. Unfortunately the holiday was more festive than anticipated so I got a late start come Monday. Nevertheless, I made it to the channel in the early evening with what I thought would be enough light for my digital slr camera.

The spawning channel is a complex maze of small dirtroads, ensconced in thick forest, following the meandering Meadow Creek. I didn't travel far before I came upon a young grizzly up to his haunches in the kokanee infested creek. Unfortunately, he fled to the bush before I could get an adequate shot. I also realized that I'd have to bump up my ISO to 1600 in order to capture them in the dimming light. Sadly, the high ISO also creates a lot of pixelization and fuzziness which obviously ruins many shots.

An hour passed before I ran into a larger male griz. This awesome specimen stayed and fed on the spawning kokanee for over a half hour. I was 50 yards away on the road watching him through the bushes. I moved closer, down to the creek, and set up my tripod and shot happily away. A small side-road ran alongside the creek separated only by a thin line of brush. I thought I could get closer if I stayed low and snuck up until I was parallel to the bear. The grizzly was busy feeding on the salmon so I was able to move within 20-ft.

It was difficult getting decent shots through the branches, made even more difficult by the ebbing light. The boar soon noticed me squatting in the bushes busily taking inadequate photos - he just stared at me, apparently unperturbed... I had a can of bear spray in my vest, but really at the time, I didn't even consider it. I just tried to get a clear shot of him staring at me. Anyway, I took a lot of underexposed shots but was able to salvage a few which I'll soon post to my website gallery page here:http://www.fly-fish-bc.com/Photo%20Galleries/Photo%20galleries%20pg.html

I am always disappointed when my shots don't turn out but invariably I learn something - unfortunately, it usually ends up costing me a bit of money. After this event, I may have to invest in a better lens. Oh well, life could be worse. Just being so close to such a magnificent animal is always exciting and makes it worthwhile.

In this light the photos seem impressionistic - if Monet ever came across a grizzly this may have been one of his paintings.

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Indian Summer at fly-fish-bc.

2009-09-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

Sept.30 - the last day of summer.

It's been a pretty incredible September, beautiful weather, great fishing, a trip to San Diego with friends, and a recent hike into a pretty mountain lake which was invigorating - unfortunately the trip down was not so successful.

The fishing on local rivers was incredible at the beginning of the month. My christmas tree leech pattern worked its magic and I landed a number of rainbows and cuttbows on the PdO and Salmo.

The Columbia too was hot. One evening I hooked a half dozen fish on a klinkhamer caddis and tom thumb, was broken off twice, quick released two, and landed two.

My trip to San Diego forced me to lay down the fly rod for a week and brush up on my golf. Such are my personal woes. I met my good friends from Whitehorse, Randy, Andrew and Dan, for a week of golf, a few beers and a Chargers football game -pretty much in that order. Had a great time and will definately return. The photo to the right shows Andrew in a little trouble at Torrey Pines.

I returned refreshed and looking to get in a little fishing before the weather turns. This past weekend I decided to hike up to Kokanee Lake in Kokanee Glacier Park. It was a beautiful sunny day with a stiff breeze to cool you off from the hike. I packed my 4-wt and had fun catching small cutthroat on almost every cast. I hiked down from the lake with a smile on my face, looking forward to Monday night football and a cold beer. As I rumbled down the poor excuse for a logging road, I heard a 'thunk', my left wheel wavered, as I slammed on the brakes... Almost five years ago, to the day, the same thing happened while I was way up in Boundary Lake country. I hiked 24-km out that day, then sat on the side of the highway with my thumb out for 4 hours before someone picked me up.
It was the same unmistakeable sound of my tie rod exploding. This time I was in no mood for more hiking. I took a length of rope and bound the two ends of the tie-rod together and limped the last 10-km down to the highway. It wasn't pretty as I had to stop and physically straighten the wheel every kilometer or so. Neither was my wife too happy when I called her and explained my situation and the fact that she had to drive an hour to come fetch me. She also reminded me ever so shrilly that I had not left a note as to where I was going, and what happened if something serious happened and she had no idea where I was, and because I'm too stubborn to get a cell phone, what would I do then.... you get the idea.

Anyway I love her dearly and thanked her again for driving back to the truck the next day to drop the car keys off so it could be towed. I suppose something bad was bound to happen after such a great month. Here's hoping for better in October.

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East Kootenay Bulls

2009-08-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

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With three days off and a yearning to get away and cast my fly in fly-fishing-only waters I packed up the truck and headed east - to the East Kootenays - home of classified waters and some of the best cutthroat and bull trout fishing in the world.

I went to the same stream I had visited a couple years ago with good friend Colin M. The stream was a small stream that fed into a small river. We discovered a spot on that stream that held large cutthroat - I mean really large. Only Colin and I know of "the spot". Unfortunately, Colin could not make this trip but very near the very same spot we landed the biggest damn cutthroat ever and a very respectable bull trout, I also landed a few of the nicest bull trout ever taken on a fly.

At this time of year the bulls are in full gallop up

many East Kootenay streams and rivers. They are not difficult to find, however, the real challenge is to get them to take your offering once you do find them. I could see a half dozen of them holding under a sweeper at the pool end of a tailout. I tied on a large weighted bunny leech pattern and dropped it into the current. I stacked line and watched the tip of my floating line for any dramatic shift or movement as the rabbit bobbed its way down the stream. Often, the slightest pause would mean a hook up but many times it was simply a snag. The first few bulls I hooked, the barbless bunny leech would eventually come free but finally it held and after some tense moments, I was able to land a respectable 28" bull trout.

I landed three more that day with a few misses and lost flies thrown in. It was a great day on the river.
While I used my 6-wt for bulls, I also landed many cutthroat on my 3/4-wt, healthy and broad shouldered as any cutthroat I've ever caught.

The streams I fished were 'Classified Waters', 'fly fishing only' streams and all catch and release. They had every restriction short of 'no fishing' as you can get. And I loved it.

I saw many vehicles but few people. Most fly fishers are loners, somewhat surly and uncommunicative even when in groups. One group of four, I stumbled on somewhat unexpectedly, as I turned a bend. They glanced at me, probably noticed my impeccable casting skills as I snagged another sweeper on the opposite shore, before sheepishly exiting the stream and driving away without so much as a wave. Which is fine, they relinquished the water without me having to pretend I was a passable caster or interested in them or their fishing day in any way.
Of course there are exceptions. Shortly after, another truck drove up. I was completely and obliviously up to my chest in water trying to free my fly from the sweeper when two men walked down the beach towards me. I hadn't noticed them until I was back across the water and lifting my rod to attach another fly. They were dressed in Cloudveil's best fishing attire - I was immediately envious and a little embarrassed as I had decided to plow through water in my shorts and a ratty tank top on such a hot day. Nevertheless, each grasped a cold can of Bud in their hands which made me think "okay, either they're American or Albertan" if they were local they'd probably have a Fernie Lager or a Kootenay True Ale in their mitts.

After some initial pleasantries, I discovered they were indeed from the U.S. And even more interesting, one turned out to be a fly-fishing writer while the other was an industry rep from Cloudveil Fly Fishing. Wow I thought. I even recognized the writer from a piece he had done in FR&R years before.

We chatted and exchanged info. I thanked them for the cold Bud they shared with me and wished them well. It never ceases to amaze me at the people I meet and the opportunities that have been afforded me all by a perverse desire to throw string and live life among the fishes.

Fly-fish-BC Photo Gallery

2009-08-08T12:58:00.000-07:00

http://www.fly-fish-bc.com/

The wonderful thing about fly fishing is that it gives one an opportunity to experience the hidden beauty of the natural world which often translates into some great photo ops. I've added a couple new galleries on my website's Photo Gallery page but I'll add some photos here that I just took yesterday.

Good friend Larry Connel and I were up the Pend d'Oreille chasing smallmouths, when this massive eagle took flight just a few feet away from us. It surprised us both as we were concentrating a little too intensely on the bass. Amazed at the sheer size and proximity, I dropped my fly rod and began shooting as it settled into the top of a nearby tree.

The fishing was good as usual but it's the presence of wild things in wild places that makes for an unforgettable trip. The last time I was here a cow moose crossed the river just ahead of us, not to mention the many deer, elk, bears, and variety of birds I've come across in the past. You just never know - so, like a good boyscout, I try to "be prepared".

I have forgotten my camera many times in the past and almost always regretted it. I try now to never leave without it, batteries fully charged, empty cards, and clean lenses but of course just last week I left it at home when Colin and I had a great day on the Salmo River - such is life.

Thanks for a good day Larry - I hope you and Dorothy enjoyed the fillets.

If you're interested remember to be a follower or at least check in once in a while and say Hi.

Kootenay Rivers

2009-07-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

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"Time is but a stream I go a fishing in." - Henry David Thoreau

Well the full weight of summer is upon us. The heat is almost unbearable so
the best thing to do is to wade into a refreshing kootenay stream and throw
flies at hungry trout.

I was on the Salmo and Columbia Rivers this past week and had good success on both. The Salmo is a pretty stream that flows through the town of Salmo and empties 60km later into the Pend d'Oreille River. It holds rainbows and bull trout as well as smallmouth bass in the lower sections. The rainbows fight hard and will come to a dry fly or hopper pattern. I also had success in the lower Salmo casting stonefly nymphs into the faster water.

The Columbia has been nothing short of spectacular. Monday I waded into one of my favourite spots and promptly caught and released a healthy 16-inch trout on a Klinkhammer caddis. I also missed many, as the trout swirled over my fly the barbless wouldn't stick or would be thrown on the first jump. I did manage to land another nice rainbow but the one I lost at the net and the two that broke me off were hogs: typical Columbia River redband rainbows in the 3-5lb range.

The evening has been the most productive time of day for me on the Columbia. Good hatches and less sun make for a pleasant couple hours on one of the best trout rivers in the west.

Best of luck out there... wherever 'there' is.

Bass Fishing PdO

2009-07-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

Fly-fish-BC goes bass fishing

In an effort to cutdown on the introduction of alien species, such as bass, perch, sunfish, walleye etc., into BC waters, BC fisheries has implemented a "no fishing" ban in its 2009 regulations. It is now unlawful to fish for alien species such as the aforementioned on any lake or stream in Britsh Columbia. However, read your regs carefully because many waters are exempt from the ban.

This past week my sister, Juli, and I hit one such local reservoir to fish for smallmouth bass. It didn't take long before Juli had a hit on a bright red woolly bugger. Minutes later she landed a nice smallmouth bass. I followed right behind her with another caught on my own bass fly creation. We exchanged fish for the next three hours and even had a few double headers.

The retention limit is still a generous 8 fish and we caught over 20, casting from shore or trolling streamer patterns, releasing all but two. We saved these for our mother who absolutley loves fresh fish and chastizes me everytime I return home without a couple for her frying pan. My sister doesn't get out much since the birth of her third child so it was a pleasure to spend a few hours on the water with her.

I understand and deplore the spread of alien fish to our fine BC trout waters but alas, as a wise old fly fisher once told me, sometimes you just got to catch fish. And a morning spent fly fishing BC for bass in those areas that are still allowed, is a morning well spent.

Fly Fish BC is launched and fishing

2009-06-26T00:32:00.000-07:00

Fly Fish BC

Well my Fly fish BC site is launched. I still have a lot of work to do fixing links and adding content but check out the new look and let me know what you think. http://www.fly-fish-bc.com/

We had the good fortune of taking a holiday at the end of April and spending a week in Victoria, BC's capital city. Natasha and I had a wonderful time visiting old friends, golfing, whale watching, and re-visiting some of our favourite restaurants and pubs. As a bonus we were invited to stay at Fraser River Lodge and do some sturgeon fishing on the Fraser River courtesy of the lodge owner, who now owns my old website's domain name.

Sturgeon fishing is... well...different. It's not fly fishing, but it does have its merits. You speed out on a jet boat to get to the prime locations, drop four baited and heavily weighted lines to the bottom and then watch and wait. The slightest movement in the rod tip had me lunging towards the rod. It was entertaining but I missed more than I hooked. We managed to land 6 sturgeon though not what locals would consider very big, although I still have a difficult time calling a 4.5 foot fish small. They're great fighters and I can see why this type of fishing is becoming so popular on the Fraser.

As far as fly fishing goes, since May I have been hitting as many small lakes as possible: Rosebud, Champion, Jewel, Wilgress, Loon and just this past weekend Summer and Premier.

The early chironomid fishing was great on Champion and Rosebud. Jewel Lake also turned into a pleasant surprise as I landed more than expected, both rainbow trout and eastern brookies. I also spent a nice day fishing on Loon Lake near Ainsworth Hotsprings, hooking numerous cutthroat trout - a 4x4 is highly recommended though to access this pretty little lake.

I picked a bad day to hit Summer Lake, a high elevation lake in the East Kootenays. It rained torrential for most of the night and into the next day when it eventually threatened snow. I decided to pack up my tent and head to Premier Lake, a popular lake just off Highway 95 near Skookumchuck. The scenery at Summer was compelling however, and the few trout I landed were decent enough to prompt a return sometime in the future.

I'm looking forward to stream fishing. I'll be visiting the East Kootenies again as well as hitting local streams as soon as the freshet relents a bit.

As the fishing season progresses I'll be sure to post more frequent blogs on how the various rivers and lakes are fishing, and plan to contact other fly fishers to update me on those places I have yet the fortune of floating a fly.

Fly Fish BC emerging slowly but surely

2009-06-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

Hello and Welcome to Fly Fish BC.

My name is Jim Bailey. I am an avid fly fisher and outdoor writer who lives in the Kootenay region of British Columbia Canada.

Formerly, with the help of friends and family we created a site dedicated to fly fishing known as www.fly-fishing-british-columbia.com. But after a few years another avid fly angler/fishing-lodge-owner desired the domain name more than I and had the persistence and means to wrestle it away.

And so with a view to streamlining and simplifying my former site, I have already started losing bulk with the less ponderous "fly-fish-bc", I have begun anew and the transformed site should be up and running soon.

But as before, the site will bring you information on fly fishing, fly tying, entomology and patterns as well as informative articles on where to fish in supernaturally beautiful British Columbia - particularly the Kootenay region.
So like a day of fishing, go slow, enjoy the peaceful rhythm of the cast as much as the excitement of the catch - check out my articles, the beginner fly fisher section, learn about bugs, or join me on my recent adventures on my blog as I go Fly Fish BC.