Fishing Report Dec 3rd, 2009 Hi, and welcome to the Michael & Young fishing report. You can feel it, winter is here and things are getting cold. Before you put away your rod and reel for the season you may want to give it one more kick at the cat, so to speak, as there are still some decent fishing opportunity’s to be had. Locally Coho are still around in catchable numbers, there are still a few chum around, the Vedder steelhead scene is just beginning, and the almighty Thompson is open. Currently all our rivers are on the high side, with last months warm temps and torrential rains. With the weather getting cold all systems should be dropping quickly and hopefully in good fishable shape soon. Although there are rumors of a few early steelhead being caught on the Vedder/Chilliwack, remember that it is very early and the numbers of fish in the system are few.  Take advantage of the early season and few anglers to really explore the river and dial in the runs so that when fish do start showing up in better numbers you’re well prepared. Heavy tips and big flies, especially when the water is on the high side, are the preferred way to target these sea run beautifies. Remember that fly choice is not as important as your presentation, and covering water quickly but efficiently and effectively is key. There are still a few fresh Coho pushing into the Harrison and Chehalis, as well as the North side Fraser River Sloughs. These late fish have been intermixing with what’s left of the Chum in the slower water. Try stripping rolled muddlers, flash flies and small wooly buggers above the fish. Also try dead drifting wool patterns, glo bugs and flash flies with strike indicators through slower current for Cutthroat as well as Coho. Watch for fish moving, they will often jump and boil, and move to them. Fishing over these fish can often be frustrating, as they can seem to have a serious case of lockjaw, especially if they have been in the fresh water for a while. If this is the case keep changing flies and retrieves, often you will find that fish will bight right after you change up as they get a look at something new. The Squamish River should still have some chum to target. Try swinging marabou flies in chartreuse and orange along the bottom with heavy sink tips. For the cleanest fish, concentrate your effort on the lower part of the river. Cleaner fish will tend to hold in the tail outs as the Chum that are closer to spawning are more aggressive and will concentrate in the deep holes and head of pools. Also remember that high tide will push any fresh fish that are holding in the estuary into the river, therefore many fresh fish will be moving in as the tide ebbs out. There are also some great opportunities for Bull Trout/Dolly Varden fishing on the Squamish and its tribuaries. For those of you who are unaware, the Thompson has been open to fishing since Oct 23rd, and will close on Dec. 31st. Water levels have been fairly low all month and it is being fished hard, especially on the weekends. Now that the weather is getting cold, expect angling pressure to drop but fishing conditions to get tougher as well. While Thompson steelhead seem to withstand colder temperatures better than any other steelies, and will often stay active at water temps in which many other fish become dormant, it may not be a bad idea to break out the tips and weighted flies. Remember that the Thompson is a classified river and a Classified Waters License and Steelhead Tag are mandatory. Going further north, the Skeena steelhead are winding down as the weather gets nasty and temperatures fall. Still there are fish to be had for the sink tippers in systems such as the Bulkley, Copper and Nass. This time of year can be quite temperamental but fishing pressure should be extremely light. Lake fishing in the interior is winding down as temps plummet, lakes start to freeze, and, aside from Region 3 where the regulations changed last year, many lakes closed on Nov. 30th. If you are brave enough to head out for a late season trip, check the regulations to ensure your destination is open to fishing. Local lakes have been fishing “alright” with the warmest time of the day being the best time to be on the water. Try general nymph patterns such as pheasant tails and Careys. Also leeches have been deadly as they so often are on late season trout. Here at the shop our Annual Xmas Flyer is out and in effect. See the link on our homepage to view a PDF version, or stop by the shop to pick up a hard copy. We have some great deals on discontinued product from companies like Sage, Scott, Winston, Ross Reels and Simms, as well as some great stocking stuffer ideas. As we clear out the old, we bring in the new, and there is some fabulous new product rolling in the doors right now. Check out Simms’ new Guide Windstopper Softshell Jacket, or Scott’s incredible award-winning S4S series rods. We have the new Vantage, Xi3 and 99 rods from Sage in stock, and have received a huge shipment of Fishpond product (which always makes excellent Christmas gifts). Also, we have set course dates for most of our 2010 classes, including On-The-Water Schools, Fly Tying and Casting. Our Annual Spey Day is set for April 10, 2010. For more information give us a call or stop by the shop. Tight lines and happy Xmas shopping!