Kootenay Lake
The fishing remained slow for the month of March, however we did hook into some big fish. Mostly Bull Trout, but there was the odd Rainbow caught that was of size.
We didn’t spend as much time out there as we normally do, probably due to the inconsistent weather that March brought us.
But now that the weather has started to show signs of spring, we are getting out more often. Maybe the warmer temperatures will trigger the fish’s eating habits.
Since the beginning of the warm weather, we have had a few Rainbows up to 10 pounds, so hope the trend continues and the fish get bigger. The beginning of April saw the one-week opening of Kokanee fishing in the west arm. It was a welcome addition to our fishery.
Not a huge crowd of boats out there, but the regular crews seemed to do well. Most people catching their limit within the first hour or two. Looking forward to the May opening, as these fish should be even bigger.
What are they biting on?
That’s the million-dollar question. Since most of the fish haven’t been feeding much anyway, we are trying everything in the box.
But our most successful lures have been Lyman plugs Nos. 16, 73, 98, and 135. Also using our favorite bucktail flies have produced a few good fish. Lucky numbers for the flies have been: 210, 215, 228 and 234. We have been noticing a lot more small Rainbows showing up now as the weather warms, so hopefully the big ones follow suit.
Columbia River
Again, inconsistent weather made it hard to get out there. But when we did we had some good days on the river. Healthy Rainbows averaging two to five pounds were being caught. Fly-fishing with streamers seemed to work pretty well, as well as bottom fishing with bait.
As the weather warms up, we should see some fantastic fishing. Looking forward to spring finally showing up.
Duncan Lake
The ice has finally thawed and the lake is fishing well. A nice alternative to fishing Kootenay Lake is a trip up to Duncan. Lots of Bull Trout being caught daily up to 12 pounds lately.
Favourite lures on Duncan have been Lyman plugs in all colours as well as coyote spoons and flasher/hoochie combo. Our most productive depths have been 25 to 65 feet.
Some exciting days left on the Duncan. Looking forward to the next few weeks. In summary, it looks like the warmer weather will create some of our best fishing coming up. So, let’s go fishing.
Salmon Fishing 2014, Vancouver Island
We are currently booking for our 2014 Salmon/Halibut trips out of Ucluelet on Vancouver Island. Prime dates are filling fast, but we still have a few dates open in July and August. So, drop us a line if you’d like help arranging your summer vacation. Tight lines.
— Kerry Reed operates Nelson’s Reel Adventures. He can be reached at 250-505-4963 or visit reeladventuresfishing.com.