Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => Fly Fishing Cafe => Topic started by: Ssypark on March 26, 2012, 03:22:52 AM

Title: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Ssypark on March 26, 2012, 03:22:52 AM
I was wondering what kinds of flies you guys use for trout when fishing the small murky rivers/canals in our Lower Mainland. I've fished the Nicomekl and Seprentine in Surrey/Langley ever since I was a kid but just started to fly fish.



 Please treat these sensitive small rivers with respect, its not the same it used to be. :-\


Thanks :)
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Sandman on March 26, 2012, 06:53:30 PM
Small Mickey Finn is my first choice then Woolly Bugger and Muddler Minnow after that.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: colin6101 on March 26, 2012, 07:59:47 PM
I did really well fishing a small chartreuse muddler for cutties in October on the Nic. The toughest part about these rivers is finding the fish!
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: steelie-slayer on March 26, 2012, 10:58:53 PM
i have caught cutties in both. What seems to work are shiny minnow patterns, micky fins, and black wolly buggers patterns. Have also caugh coho using wool buggers and flashy flies in them in these rivers. On the nick in some of the pools in oct-dec egg patterns under and indicator works good.
These fish are getting less by the years, but there still there. Look for fallen trees and branches in the water, uncder cut banks, and some of the faster deeper pool towards langley.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Ssypark on March 27, 2012, 12:13:35 AM
Cool tips guys! Thanks for all the info. This forum is just awesome.
 planning to hit the Serpentine tomorrow morning.  8)
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: steelie-slayer on March 27, 2012, 08:49:07 AM
dont be depressed if you get nothing, these rivers the fishing is only any good when it rain and brings the water levels up. Hit it a day after heavy rains and there should be fish.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Sandman on March 27, 2012, 07:17:32 PM
Cool tips guys! Thanks for all the info. This forum is just awesome.
 planning to hit the Serpentine tomorrow morning.  8)


It is time I started carrying the rod with me as I walk to and from work to cast a fly in the Nic.  The fry should be moving out of the gravel in good numbers and heading down stream.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Ssypark on March 27, 2012, 08:42:23 PM
i was at the Serpentine today for 2 hours and didn't notice any activity. The water level was higher than usual and I did notice small schools of fry swimming along the sides of the river. Lost my only mickey finn and tried out a small chartreuse fry pattern but no bites. Still had a relaxing time though :)

This river really tries my patience, but I know they must be in there!
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Blackgivesway2blue on March 27, 2012, 09:29:38 PM
Enjoy fishing these the rest of the week, all 3 of these flows close april 1st. Just a heads up :)
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: RalphH on March 28, 2012, 02:36:06 PM
fishing a smallish (#10) wooly bugger with some flash deep and slow would likely work best this time of year. What fish there are will be not in great condition after a winter of not much to eat and possibly recovering from spawning. The rivers do close April 1st to protect ocean bound smolts particularly steelhead smolts.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Sandman on March 28, 2012, 07:57:50 PM
Enjoy fishing these the rest of the week, all 3 of these flows close april 1st. Just a heads up :)

Yes, it is a good reminder that while many of the smaller flows north of the Fraser close May first, these ones south of the Fraser close a month earlier.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Ssypark on March 28, 2012, 09:51:23 PM
Yes, it is a good reminder that while many of the smaller flows north of the Fraser close May first, these ones south of the Fraser close a month earlier.

Thanks for the reminder! Almost forgot  :P
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Bushman512 on June 19, 2012, 09:30:22 PM
anyone ever used a small canoe on the Serp and Nik rivers?    kinda fun to explore the area....a few muddy portages involved.....but still fun to paddle and not see anything but grassy river bank next to you for miles,. :D
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Burbot on June 19, 2012, 10:34:58 PM
It is actually 'Dyke Bank' not river bank anymore sad to say.  The Nic and serp are nothing like they used to be when they were full of fish. They have been diverted and turned into big ditches. Although at times fishing can be ok for trout, salmon, carp and a million bullheads.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Clarki Hunter on June 20, 2012, 09:02:54 PM
Leeching and run off from the farms have also added some ripe odours as well.  These little systems struggle mightily but enhancement programs and a ton of volunteer hours keep them hanging on. 
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: RalphH on June 25, 2012, 07:07:40 AM
all that said those 2 rivers are in better shape than they were 30 or more years ago and have more fish.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: pwn50m3 f15h3r on June 30, 2012, 09:28:38 PM
So, what can you catch right when those rivers open?
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Blackgivesway2blue on June 30, 2012, 09:51:53 PM
So, what can you catch right when those rivers open?


weeds and dirty water, maybe a few bullheads or course fish, nothing really till september or october.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: pwn50m3 f15h3r on July 01, 2012, 09:17:09 PM
do you mean bullhead catfish or sculpin? I also heard that theres bass there.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Blackgivesway2blue on July 02, 2012, 09:30:24 AM
do you mean bullhead catfish or sculpin? I also heard that theres bass there.

yea, and I'm not sure about the bass. its best to not even waste your time on these rivers , there's no point, they will never be the same.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: SteelheadAdict on July 03, 2012, 01:13:01 AM
U want to fish small rivers try weaver creek any small   Creek around there sg
Should hold fish if u don't mind taking the 3 hour drive go up to penticton and look on the back roads maps for small creeks 90% of them have fish
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Steely on July 05, 2012, 10:50:49 AM
Just to set the record straight, these rivers do not contain bass, carp or catfish, many seem to think they do by the look of them but they don't. At this time of year the best that you could catch is small steelhead smolts and cutthroat. All of which will be no bigger then 10''. When the salmon move in that is when the bigger cutts begin to push in, maybe the odd resident rainbow as well. As said before these rivers are small and fragile so treat them with respect and hopefully they'll thank you with a few fish.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: SteelheadAdict on July 05, 2012, 11:34:55 AM
steely is quiet corecct i have seen way to many rivers and creeks latley got the S#$%`/ some in my oppinuion the only really cleen creeks around hear are wever creeks and any of the small creeks that come of of the skagit
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Todd Oishi on July 05, 2012, 01:11:42 PM
Czech Nymphs, Gold Ribbed Hares Ears and Pheasant Tail Nymphs (of various densities) that are fished European style. I also use soft-hackles and emergers, and dries only when the trout are on top.

In fact, here's a nice, plump, wild rainbow trout that I caught (and released) while Czech nymphing in a Lower Mainland river on Tuesday evening...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v129/Toishi/trout-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: big_fish on July 05, 2012, 04:02:39 PM
steely is quiet corecct i have seen way to many rivers and creeks latley got the S#$%`/ some in my oppinuion the only really cleen creeks around hear are wever creeks and any of the small creeks that come of of the skagit

??? ??? ??? ??? ???
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: SteelheadAdict on July 05, 2012, 06:48:44 PM
Tyson im u dont mind me asking were did u get that wild bow
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Noahs Arc on July 05, 2012, 08:46:07 PM
Tyson im u dont mind me asking were did u get that wild bow


Haha ya right
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: SteelheadAdict on July 05, 2012, 09:16:06 PM
Well  I don't need a exact location just were abouts I'm always looming for little trout creeks to explore creek fishing is my addiction I have a 1 weight 9 foot custom made rod so alway looking fOr new trout creeks
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Rodney on July 05, 2012, 09:18:33 PM
Well  I don't need a exact location just were abouts

In fact, here's a nice, plump, wild rainbow trout that I caught (and released) while Czech nymphing in a Lower Mainland river on Tuesday evening...
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: pwn50m3 f15h3r on July 05, 2012, 10:31:12 PM
Just to set the record straight, these rivers do not contain bass, carp or catfish, many seem to think they do by the look of them but they don't. At this time of year the best that you could catch is small steelhead smolts and cutthroat. All of which will be no bigger then 10''. When the salmon move in that is when the bigger cutts begin to push in, maybe the odd resident rainbow as well. As said before these rivers are small and fragile so treat them with respect and hopefully they'll thank you with a few fish.
no bass? check this site out.
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/337851.pdf
scroll 3/4 of the way down to table 41
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Steely on July 06, 2012, 01:04:19 AM
Ok, I stand corrected of that is in fact true. That being said here is why I said it. I frequently fish the three rivers in surrey and I mean I fish them a lot. Judge me if you want and yes we shouldn't be talking about these on a public forum. Anyway, I have caught many fish from these rivers; salmon, trout, sculpin, stickleback, chub, pikeminnow, sunfish(at least that's what they looked like), shiner perch and even a crayfish or two. NEVER have I caught a bass, carp, catfish or another invasive species other then the sunfish mentioned above. I have also never seen one caught or signs of them in any of these rivers. That is what I was basing my information on. Also if anyone wants any info or has questions feel free to email me anytime. I don't like seeing this on the open Internet, that may make me seem like a bit of a jerk but that's just how I feel and there are many others on here who feel the same way. Again, my email is there if anyone wants, all I was trying to say was I have never seen one and they defiantly are not worth targeting if that's what your after.

Tight lines :)
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: SteelheadAdict on July 06, 2012, 10:49:01 PM
very funny rod (:
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Ssypark on August 31, 2013, 02:33:47 AM
Hey all,
Just like to revive this thread to update my latest report on these small local streams. I've been fishing the salmon River now for about 2 years now after moving to Langley. Ive caught a large juvenile rainbow/steelhead, some cutthroat trout, and plenty of pikeminnow. This river also has runs of salmon as well. For these two years, Ive noticed small black spots on the pikeminnow that frequently catch. almost all of them have these spots, i dont remember if the rainbow i caught had these spots, but it does not look good. I was just wondering where these spots came from and what they are.

(http://imageshack.us/a/img29/7134/4q18.jpg)
(http://imageshack.us/a/img209/9710/gazc.jpg)
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: RalphH on September 02, 2013, 08:32:05 AM
I don't recall seeing that and the PM even looks pretty. The Salmon is in an index stream and receives very little enhancement. There is (was?) a coho project and a counting fence. Try googling it for info.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Sandman on September 03, 2013, 08:34:35 PM
I don't recall seeing that and the PM even looks pretty. The Salmon is in an index stream and receives very little enhancement. There is (was?) a coho project and a counting fence. Try googling it for info.

My students have done biological and chemical monitoring on the Salmon River with the Langley Environment Partners Society (LEPS) for years and one component was to set fish traps over night.  While we never personally caught one, they (LEPS) have caught bass in their traps (they had some on display in an aquarium one River's Day a couple of years back).  They came out of the Trinity Western ponds after a heavy rain caused the ponds to flood into the watershed.  We have caught small coho smolts in them though, but not many (1 in three traps set and sometimes none at all).  I should mention our studies were done in Williams Park (mid river) and despite being below the Greater Vancouver Zoo, and some industrial and agricultural areas, it was remarkably healthy for an endangered urban stream, the lower river where you likely caught the Pike Minnow would likely be considerably more stressed.
Title: Re: Small Lower Mainland Rivers
Post by: Sandman on September 03, 2013, 08:57:30 PM
I will also add that I have noticed an increase in the pike minnow bicatch this year while fishing for pinks.  Sunday's trip to the Ladner area yielded a few over 2 pounds and a recent trip to the Harrison (before they opened the Fraser) had the pike minnow outnumbering the cutthroat 6 to one, and the cutthroat fishing was awesome by the way as there looked to be a recent minnow hatch (likely sticklebacks, although I did not get a close enough look at them to confirm this).  The water would literally explode as the cutties attacked the bait ball from below, launching themselves clear out of the water.  Unfortunately, I did not find any pinks among the schools if sockeye surfacing all over that beautiful river (I usually find a couple early fish in there), so I was happy when they opened the lower river later that day.