Angler, Writer, Photographer & Island Angler's Fly Fishing Columnist
Historically, the sea run cutthroat trout fishery on Vancouver Island has been one shrouded in secrecy, however, with the right timing comes the opportunity for the fly angler to tangle with this scrappy sea trout nearly year-round. Almost every stream and many beaches on our coastline are home to these fish.
As outdoor recreation explodes in popularity, the more accessible the area, the greater the fishing pressure and it can be a challenge to break free of the crowds. Only a fellow angler would understand why anyone would trek miles into the backcountry, fording creeks, clambering over obstacles and navigating slippery logs just to cast a fly to wild trout in an untouched wilderness sanctuary.
Traditionally called “kebari tsuri”, meaning “hair hook fishing”, tenkara fishing originated in the Japanese mountain streams for Yamame trout, Iwana char and Amago. The beaches, streams and small lakes on Vancouver Island make this the perfect place to try this angling technique for trout, char and even bass. The long, telescoping rods of modern … Continue reading Tenkara Rods – Fly Fishing Japanese Style, Island Angler, June 2018, Page 7
As seasons shift and a new fishing year begins, thoughts move to warmer weather, longer days, spring hatches and adventures to come. Vancouver Island has a number of rivers and lakes which are designated as fly only fisheries by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. Where not outwardly regulated, there are many … Continue reading Spring Trout On Fly Fishing Only Waters, Island Angler, Spring 2018, page 7
How to make a rooftop fishing rod rack for an SUV or truck canopy.
A Vancouver Island advantage is that it is one of the few places in Canada that the winter chill does not freeze all the lakes, and thus fly fishing is possible year-round. Typically, the best time for lake fishing is spring and fall, however with the right understanding, a year-round fishery exists. Casting winter lakes … Continue reading Winter time fly fishing for trout, Island Angler, Winter 2017-18, page 3
As I stand knee deep in first river I ever fished for Pacific salmon, my autumn column on fly fishing rivers for salmon begins to come together. That day almost 10 years ago, I float fished, not fly fished, however it was not long before both methods became synonymous with fall fishing and our fishing gear began outweighing our camping gear.
Last year, one of my fishing goals was to learn how to beach fly fish for pink salmon. The advice was always pretty standard - pink for pinks, the deeper you wade the harder to cast, don't push the fish away... I spent the better part of 5 weeks last year in pursuit of pink … Continue reading Beach Fly Fishing For Pink Salmon, Island Angler August 2017, page 6
To be honest, I’ve never gone out of my way to target summer steelhead, but when the time has been right, I’ve been fortunate enough to be in the right place. Part of the appeal of this fishery to me is the element of surprise - my first summer steelhead was caught on the Stamp … Continue reading Fly Fishing for Summer Steelhead, Island Angler July 2017, page 7
While fishing a local lake after work, I watched a fin break the surface and circle the foam beetle I was fishing. I gave the rod a slight twitch and the fish propelled out of the water onto my fly, almost ripping the rod out of my hand as he dove for the depths. That … Continue reading Fly fishing for smallmouth bass, Island Angler June 2017, page 7
