Starting 2023 off right! A mission for Bull Trout!
Winter fishing in the Lower Mainland can be frustrating for a few reasons. Often most of our good local lakes are frozen. Consistent rain and wind can make a fishing trip to any of the un frozen lakes less than fun. The Salmon are still spawning and most of the local rivers, if open, have a steady line up of fishermen chucking gear. Yes, there are a few lakes that, if you know where to go and what to use, still produce but they are bit out of the way and can be hard to get to. Especially if roads are washed out or there is snow on the ground.
There are some exceptions though. Some of our more remote rivers will produce all winter long. Places far off the beaten path but still accessible if you have 4 wheel drive.
Most are quite a long mission from Vancouver to get to and you may find yourself fighting traffic heading to and from a favourite ski run. But if you do find yourself out there.......... You are in a whole different world. It is wild and untamed. There Elk, Bobcat, Cougar and Grizzly bears. There are Bald and Golden Eagles! There are fish!
Most of these rivers hold resident Rainbow trout and Cutthroat trout. Many species of Salmon spawn here. There are fabled winter and summer runs of Steelhead that draw those chasing their own personal unicorn. For us though, we get out there for the Bull trout.
We have made no attempt to hide our love of Char. Brook, Laker, Dolly, and Bull. All you need to do is scroll through some of our older blog posts to know this!
Tyler and I set out to one of our favourite rivers on the third Sunday of January in search of winter Bull trout. We packed our rods and a good selection of streamers and set out early in the morning,
By the time we got there, there were already people posted up and fishing at most of our favourite runs so we kept pressing on up the rough pot holed road. When we did find our spot, we geared up and head out across the scrub and through the forrest until we got to our first run of the day. We cast, we swung, we stripped and we caught! It was a good day.
This is a truly magical out there and we never take a second for granted. We know we are seeing/visiting places very few have ventured to.
What a great start to the year!
Gone Fishing