By Don Daniels
Fishing should be fun easy and affordable this weekend because of the Family Fishing Weekend starting Friday and continuing through to Sunday.
If you are a British Columbia resident, you can fish license free and there are some easy access fishing spots to get out with dad and the family and spend some time dangling a worm in one of the local lakes that contain catchable-size trout. The weather should be warm and the fishing dock at Echo Lake will be busy all weekend and Sunday starting at 10 a.m. you can get out and fish and gain some valuable information from local anglers.
The day-use area has a washroom and a few tables along with a fire pit. Even if you don’t want to fish, Echo Lake is ideal for canoeing, kayaking and swimming. There is no beach area but there is plenty of room to launch a small boat and get out on the water. If you are in the area, another nice spot to spend the day fishing is Miller Creek Campground. The day use area is near the water and the boat launch is close by.
I am getting reports that Roberts Lake has had good fishing over the past few weeks and the month of June has had great fishing if you can get to a spot near the shore and throw out spinners like a Panther Martin Rooster Tail. But remember, no bait can be fished at Roberts Lake.
There is a fishing dock on the south end of the lake and there is a washroom and a few picnic tables. There is a small parking area then it’s a short walk to the lake. The area to the right of the dock has had good fishing as the water deepens and the cliff side trolled has had good fishing results using a small plug. No fishing worms or any artificial bait allowed.
I am pleased to hear that a few of the local anglers are getting out the fishing gear and will do some lake fishing. Pontoon boats are becoming more popular and if you have a truck and want to sit up high in the water, this might be the answer. I still prefer a small inflatable boat because it’s stable on the water and I can pump it up and go fishing.
On any given day I see kayaks on the water but those paddling around for the most part are not fishing. I had purchased a float tube and I have had it in storage for a number of years but I am in the process of getting back into it to go fishing. New style fins have been developed and getting to and from the fishing spot is quicker. In a float tube you are in the water and your body is low in the water but you can sit in the shallows and when trout are on the surface its great fun. This week I scouted out a shallow lake area and the surface was full of black bodied water skimmers. The ant hatch is over.
The ladies catch and release salmon derby is on this weekend at Painters Lodge and I will have a full report next week. This is a fun time for the ladies fishing and socializing. The gals get out to fish with the local guides and I think there are stories to be told. Salmon smolts are in abundance in estuaries from Nanaimo all the way to Campbell River and if caught have to be released because they are undersize salmon. At Sayward, the wind can blow at any given moment but those camping and fishing are accustomed to waiting it out. A four-day camping and fishing trip on the Eve River is being planned and I will have a full report on what is happening in that area.
Enjoy Fathers Day, get dad out fishing.