Columbia River Mayflies

I'm starting to sound like a farmer. Too wet. Too dry. After two weeks of rain, we're immersed in August-like heat. The trout are sulking until the sun hits the ridgetops. That should change with cooler seasonal weather due this weekend. The Slocan River level is perfect. PMDs and Green Drakes await. Evening caddis will continue to bring fish up. I'm predicting lunar alignment by next week.

Caddis hatches on the Columbia are lunar as well, with the heaviest activity just before dark. That too will change with cooler and muggy weather. Spotted Sedge will give way to Grannom again any day now. Meanwhile, we've been taking some killer rainbows midday on PMDs and Sulphurs. Shallow water. Big fish. A great combination.

Hoppers are starting to stir with the heat. We're getting eats along exposed high banks. Nothing like seeing a big fish roll on foam.

Check out these photos. PMD duns and cripples in classic glass... Chris

High Fishin Fashion

After doing his best bobbing cork imitation in a big Columbia River pool, Rio convinced me to outfit him with a Mossy Oak CFD (Canine Flotation Device) so that he can blend in with the weed-break occuring in the higher flows.

Yup, the Columbia is up and the caddis fishing has slowed while the trout adjust to the increased volume. Fast forward a couple of weeks and everything should be full-on again. The caddis, the first PMDs and the pink-tinted Sulphurs - a true #14 that likes to hatch in shallow water and provides us with some of the season's best dry-fly fishing.

The stretch of Columbia between Castlegar and the U.S. border is uniquely braided and structured, so we spend a lot of time wading channels and 'pounding the banks' with big dries and streamers from the drifting boat. It's quick and rewarding angling, with noisy reels spewing colorful backing as we pry big rainbows from smaller seams. Frankly, it's a lot more exciting than swinging flies blindly through huge pools.

The Slocan is running high but clear as spring runoff eats the snow out of the Valhalla Range. By the June 15 opener it should be in fine form. Actually, with hot weather over most of Western Canada, all the Rockies' streams are running strong and scouring nicely. We're looking forward to a great season. I'm in Fernie and Calgary scouring the fly shops and visiting family and friends, but can't wait to head West again. See you soon ... Chris

Columbia on Fire

Absolutely awesome dry-fly fishing on the Columbia right now. Grannom caddis hatches are starting early, ending late and hanging like smoke over the water. The photos below pretty much say it all.

The big spawners are back in the river and eating dries. The big high-pressure system we've been waiting for has set in for awhile. The flows are pre-big release and even the smaller seams have pods of rising rainbows to rival the Missouri. I'm flock shootin as usual but still stickin enough trout to keep me smiling.

If you have any chance to sneak away for a day or two now's the time. Our June and July bookings are filling quickly, so move soon if you want to secure a Columbia or Slocan trip. That said, my favorite month on both rivers is still September. Strong caddis hatches continue, Indian Summer sets in and the West Kootenays have the best Orange Sedge fishing anywhere.

But why wait? Get out here now if you want caddis crawlin in your ears ... Chris

Mother's Day Caddis

After a quick call to mom in Fernie, Rio and I headed to the Columbia on Mother's Day to check things out. Right on cue, the first big caddis of the season fluttered in the bankside bushes. Even better, out on the river a few trout took notice - in the last few hours of daylight I caught 4 decent rainbows, 2 on caddis dries and 2 on a caddis emerger lifted just beneath the surface.

You can tell the river is on the verge of popping. The leaves are newly budded. The trout are starting to disperse to shallower water post-spawn. Water temps are mid-forties and climbing. March Browns are about and flying ants are just around the corner with the first big hot spell of May. Stay tuned... Chris

Great Lakes Steelhead

It's been a while since I went Steelhead fishing however on a recent visit to Ontario I hooked up with my good friend John Valk (Grindstone Angling ) and two "new"friends Bill Spicer and Phil Rowley for a day of fishing on the Saugeen River .
John put us on the money and we hooked around 20 fish , pretty impressive to say the least.The run was in full swing and a lot of fish where moving up the river from Lake Huron ,we had most of our luck nymphing the downstream edge of a gravel bar where the fish where resting before moving further up river .
The fish averaged around 26 inches and where extemely "hot"
all in all it was a day well spent with some great guys !

The Season Ends

The Arizona Quail season ended on the 8th. of Feb.,I was joined by Lance and Ted for the final three days , we got into a lot of birds... high up ! Sunday brought some much needed rain and snow above 5000 ft. ..prefect ,let hope the moisture keeps coming as fore casted.
I am going to take a week off then start running &training dogs ,Cruz my pointer puppy needs to get out a lot and Tish my Lab. also needs some attention ,namely working on retrieves (doubles etc) .
Overall it has been a great season !


Pictures
1-The AZ High Country
2Lance covers a "Buddy "Point
3- more climbing
4- Male Mearns and a nice Fench Side by Side
5-'Spot" & the last point of the Season ...

Scenes from Arizona

Finally ! Winter storm warnings for Santa Cruz and Cochise counties ,although it prevents me from going outside to play (LOL) , we do need the moisture to get the Desert Quail numbers back up ! I have been spending most of my time hunting Mearns Quail ,I have also been out a few times for Gambles and Scalied Quail

Enjoy the pics more to follow.