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Freshwater Rivers British Columbia, CA Saltwater Local Lakes
FISHING REPORT
Submitted by Eli Michael
June 2010
June is an excellent month for fishing we usually have nice weather and there are many fishing choices available.
Many rivers and streams open this month. Trout fishing is still good in many lakes and most warm water lakes will be at their peak this month. Kokanee fishing will also be underway.
In the saltwater there will still be a few weeks left to fish for lingcod, and cabezon will remain open through November 30th.
For details contact
Please check Regs. before fishing to avoid a ticket.
There will not be a lot going on in the main river at this time of year. If you are interested in fishing the main river at this time of year worms, eggs or spinners might work well to catch any cutthroat or dolly varden that might be hanging out in the river.
There may be a few dolly varden in the
There will be quite a few spring run kings in
the
I would use the same tactics as described for
the lower
This stretch of river may be your best bet if
you are looking to catch trout in the river. Being
higher up it will be quicker to clear and should have some resident
rainbows and possibly a few cutthroat. Some
of the tributaries may have some brook trout as well. When
fishing small water for trout in rivers and streams small is usually
best.
Middle fork
This stretch of river may be worth a look for some trout as lures are your only choice I would try some smaller spinners and spoons.
I have never fished this stretch of river but I would imagine there might be some potential for good trout fishing. Small lures would probably be your best bet as bait is prohibited in this stretch of river.
This stretch of river can have good rainbow trout fishing again small spinners and spoons will be your best bet as bait is not allowed.
Once again without trying to sound too repetitious. On this stretch of river small spinners and spoons should produce best results.
Good colors anywhere on the river for trout include brown, black, chartreuse, pink, red, white, silver and gold.
There may be some sea run cutthroat in the river at this time of year. Drifting whole night crawlers, or eggs can work well. Throwing small spoons such as Dick Nites, and Wicked Willies might work as well as weighted spoons such as Kastmasters and Dare Devils or Rooster Tails and Panther Martins to name a few.
If there are cutthroat in the river then you will want to look for them in the slower water and around structure such as rip rap banks, pilings, and log jams.
There are also a few sturgeon in the river throughout the year. Look for them in deeper holes. Fish an area for about 30 minutes and if you don’t get anything then move to another hole. Use a couple of sandshrimp and a 5/0 hook. Use a short leader (12-20 inches) of 80 lb test dacron. Attach your sinker to a Slydo and use enough weight to stay on the bottom.
This stretch of river may also have cutthroat and sturgeon.
This stretch of river should have a few dolly varden in it I would fish for them the same way I would fish for cutthroat.
There should be some dolly varden in this stretch of river
This stretch of river is open for spring chinook from June 1st. to July 15th.
Popular methods for fishing the
For drifting eggs you will want to use a large chunk of roe on a size 2/0 to 3/0 hook. Use about a 3 ft. leader and enough lead to maintain contact with the bottom.
This is a good place to pursue spring chinook especially if you do not have a boat.
Fishing eggs under a float is an excellent presentation for this stretch fo river. Fishing yarn in pink, orange, or chartreuse can also work well.
Throwing Blue Foxes in a variety of colors can also work. Silver and chartreuse, blue, or pink as well as straight silver or gold can all work well. Do not limit yourself to these colors as any color might work at the right time. Size 4 or 5 Blue Foxes seem to work best as they show up better in off color water and appeal to a chinooks aggressive side.
Look for these fish to be in the deepest holes in the river this can be limited to a few holes as the river is quite small and the open stretch is very short.
Keep in mind that this small river can get quite crowded.
In order to check river flows you can
Google “
In order to check Lummi Nation netting schedules call (360) 384-2252
In order to check Swinomish and Sauk Suiattle netting schedules call (360) 466-4112
ALL BC RIVERS REQUIRE SINGLE BARBLESS HOOKS
Fraser
River -
Cutthroat fishing is an option this time of year.
The catch and release Sturgeon fishery is always open and always worth a try for those seeking big game in local waters. Sturgeon should be becoming more active with the warming water and eulachon run.
Cutthroat fishing is another option expects them to be near tributary mouths and in sloughs feeding on outgoing smolt.
Remember that if you are going sturgeon fishing you will need to purchase a sturgeon conservation stamp even though sturgeon are not allowed to be retained in B.C.
Stop by on your way up, and we'll give you all the latest news and set you up with the gear needed to be successful!
Vedder/Chilliwack
River - British Columbia
The Chilliwack portion of the river will be closed to all fishing in May.
This month the Vedder is open to fly fishing only. There may be some opportunities for cutthroat in the river at this time.
Chehalis River There should be a few steelhead in the system at this time.
Thompson River - British Columbia The Thompson River is currently closed to steelhead fishing.
More to come please check back or call us.
For updates in the lower mainland, contact our friends at Hub Sports in Abbotsford, (604) 859-8316
For scheduled fishery openings and closings you can Google dfo pacific or more specifically: www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pages/default-e.htm-19k
For river flows Google environment Canada river flows or more specifically: http://scitech.pyr.ec.gc.ca/waterweb/formnav.asp?lang=0
Saltwater Area 7 Salmon: Closed. Halibut: Closed. Rockfish: Closed. Lingcod: Opens May 1st to June 15th, 20 fathom restriction. Cabezon: Opens May 1st. 20 fathom restriction.
Halibut: Closed
Lincod: Open May 1st.-June 15th. 20 fathom restriction (cannot fish deeper than 120 ft.) Lingcod can be easy to catch if you can find them. The hard part can be finding them and catching one that fits the 26-36 in. slot limit. Lingcod are found in the areas which are the hardest to fish. They like rocky bottoms, steep drop offs, and strong current. These areas allow for places to hide out of the current so they can ambush prey being swept over their lairs.
There have been some major changes to the regulations intended to protect declining stocks this year. For the first time a 20 fathom restriction has been imposed while fishing for lingcod or other bottomfish. There has also been a change in the slot limit. It has changed from 26-40 inches to 26-36 inches.
Lingcod are aggressive predators and are not shy. A large bait will produce results as a large meal provides more value to a lingcod for less effort.
6 to 8 in. curly tail single and double tail grubs work well fished either off of a jig head or a single 8/0 or double 5/0 setup on a short leader. There are two ways to go about choosing a color. You can either go bright or bold (white, glo, purple, or chartreuse) or natural and subtle (motor oil, transparent chartreuse, or brown with gold flake). Fish these with a light lift and drop technique.
6-10 oz lead jigs will also work. White is an excellent choice, especially in deeper water, as is plain chrome, especially in shallower water, or any color that will catch there attention. Jigs should be fished aggressively by lifting your rod up and letting the jig drop on a slack line. If your jig hesitates on the way down be sure to set the hook as it is likely to be a fish. Jigs give most of their action on the drop. This is when the majority of fish will strike.
Bait is my number one choice and the simplest to fish. The benefit of bait is that it is natural and naturally smelly. The downside of bait is that after a strike there is no guarantee that your bait is still there. For bait I like to use the largest herring I can find. Use at least Blue Label which are listed as being 7 to 8 inch size. I like to use a 50lb test leader with two 5/0 hooks tied about six inches apart. For purple or black label use two 8/0 hooks tied eight to ten inches apart. If you catch a greenling they also make good bait as long as they are kept alive. For greenling use an 8 to 10/0 double hook rig tied about 10 inches apart.
For my bait set up I either use a small spreader bar or a cannon ball attached to a barrel swivel with a duo lock snap. I make my own spreader bar out of coat hanger or wire from a hardware store. I set it up so that the short end is about 3 inches long and the long end is 5 inches long. For my leader I use 50 lb. monofilament and tie my leaders about 15 to 18 inches long. For weight I will use a 4 to 12 ounce cannonball depending on depth and current. I use 8 ounces most of the time as that seems to be just about right.
When choosing a spot I try to find a place where I am fishing from shallow to deep. This allows me to drop down the contour staying near the bottom while losing less gear. Fish will take advantage of this also because it pushes feed over where they are holding. I always plan on having a backup spot in case the current is too strong or moving the wrong direction where I choose to fish.
For gear I like to use the lightest rod possible. Considering that I might be using up to12 ounces this is not particularly very light. I like to use a 6 ½ to 7 ½ ft. rod rated 20 to 40 lb test. The new Shimano Voltaeus, and the Shimano Saguaro are great rods for the price. The Shakespeare Ugly Stik Tiger rods are just about right as are the Penn Mariner rods. I like to use a sturdy conventional reel that will hold at least 200 yds. of 50 to 65 lb. test braided line. Shimano makes the TR series reel. These are the best value. I prefer the TLD by Shimano as it is super durable without spending an arm and a leg. The Penn GTI is also a good choice. As far as rods and reels are concerned these are only a few examples.
Rockfish: Closed to all harvest of rockfish.
Cabezon: Opens May 1st 20 fathom restriction. Cabezon are also mostly caught incidentally while fishing for lingcod. If you are trying to target them specifically then you will want to focus on kelp beds and water between 20 to 80 ft. deep. I have caught them much deeper but they seem to be abundant in shallower water. I have yet to discover the perfect cabezon bait, but I have found that they will bite all the previously mentioned bait. They seem to prefer jigs and plastics though.
Clamming: Always Open, unless listed as closed in the regulations; or call 800-562-5632 to check for health advisories or emergency closures.
This is the time of year when the good clam tides start showing up in the tide book.
Crabbing: Area 7 Crabbing is opens in area 7 south and east on July 14th. Area 7 North opens August 11th.
Shrimping: Area 7 Spot prawns open May 1st, and again on the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 21st, and 22nd. Additional dates will be announced if a sufficient quota remains.
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