In the past number of months, the air temperatures each day were above normal and that means local trout lakes’ fishing conditions would have changed.
Trout fishing at certain lakes can be a bit tricky as trout will find shade and a comfortable water temperature. Larger bodies of water such as Roberts Lake and McCreight Lake can be fished during warmer weather and other bodies of water, such as Echo or Maple Lake, can be a challenge. In addition to fishing, on local lakes you will be accompanied by paddle boarders and kayakers, swimmers and dogs cooling off in the water.
School is back in and the tourists, for the most part, have gone home but a few are still coming to enjoy outdoor recreation around Campbell River.
The fall stocking of trout will take place in a few weeks. That will include Echo, Reginald and Beavertail Lakes along with Maple Lake in the Courtenay area.
For the past few months, the locals were concentrating on fishing the local rivers for pink salmon and now that the run is over, the hunt will be on for coho anglers to have some fun.
Each river has different fishing regulations and signs are posted in each fishing area. For example, on the Quinsam River you can retain coho beginning Oct. 1.
The Oyster River is zero retention for coho and cutthroat trout. Rain is needed to get the salmon shooting up the river to their spawning grounds. The coho started showing up mid-month at the Oyster Estuary and the coho and chinook were showing themselves just off casting range for those angling near Pacific Playgrounds Resort Marina.
Catch reports from the Marine Centre show that chinook size ranges from 12 to 18 pounds and a chinook 30 pounds hit the scoreboard. The Marine Centre will remain open for fishing, whale and bear watching until mid-October. Painters Lodge’s front desk supervisor had informed me that they will open this winter.
Over the past few months, I was delighted to meet a couple from Campbell River who recently sold their house and will travel with their RV up-Island, then relocate to the Qualicum Beach area. They used to own a high-end fishing resort near Kamloops and they gladly donated books, along with a few fly rods and a long list of various fly hooks which I will use in the upcoming fly-tying sessions, with information forthcoming.
Brad Root from Campbell River had given me a call and said he had some materials that I could use for the sessions.
He had been in the fly-tying wholesale business years ago in Kamloops and now concentrates on salmon fishing here in Campbell River.
Brad had showed me his fly collection that works for trout and salmon. His fly selection has given me a few ideas for needlefish patterns that we will tie up during this year’s fly tying sessions for beginners.
I will contact those who signed up at the library and dates and times will be announced here in the fishing corner.