Anglers will have to make some decisions when it comes to fishing salt or freshwater around Campbell River this weekend.
There is a trout derby at Buttle Lake and each year this memorial derby is well attended. Everybody has fun fishing and you have a chance to win prizes. Buttle is known for good fishing and the lunkers are there but are hard to catch.
Small trout can be caught by fishing a worm below a bobber and fly fishers can try their luck by trolling a wide variety of patterns.
In the cold weather months, water levels were down but that can be good as the stump areas can provide good fishing if you are willing to put in the time.
Starting in early spring, trout tend to change their feeding habits and they go after what is available at the time. Trout eat crayfish first and then the sticklebacks came.
In late May, the ant hatch was on and the lakes were exploding with trout going after falling ants. Fly fishing on Mother’s Day was a ball with anglers throwing out black ant fly patterns.
I had a chance to fish the lower Campbell Lake with a sink tip and floating line and my fly of choice was the old Irish standby the Bibio tied on a number 12 hook. The couple of trout I kept were full of digested black ants. When the ant hatch is done, the trout fishing usually settles down and that was the case again this year. Anybody fishing with worms did very well in late May and early June. As the weather warms, the trout go deeper and stay there.
On saltwater, the Campbell River Salmon Derby organized by Royal Lepage Advance Realty will see a heavy concentration of boats fishing areas 13 14, and 15 this weekend.
By early morning light Saturday, the destination points will be Green Can, Hump, Cortes bell buoy along with Bates Beach and Sentry Shoals.
In past years, the weather has been okay but wind can be a challenge.
For those who are not fishing the derby, the staging area is located at Ostler Park and I will be there around one in the afternoon to view the fish coming in. A number of local anglers who fish Discovery Pier are planning to enter the derby. It is possible that a winning salmon can be caught from there but no one has fished the pier during the derby before. Large springs can be there and it only takes one lucky strike.
Stories I am working on include local reaction to the new regulations pertaining to Chinook salmon; day use areas are being abused by some; and a fly fishing time capsule opened from 1954.
Your comments are welcome have fun fishing and fish safe. I can be reached dddon27@yahoo.com and text 250 8951691.