Jeff Weltzs Weekly Fraser Valley Fishing Column - March 6th

Sport fishing column for March 7 to 14 by Jeff Weltz It has been a while since I ruffled the feathers of my critics and in consideration that my first editor taught me good press stems from challenging popular belief; I believe it's time for a shake-up. I have always believed and taught in my classes that steelhead are nothing more than a sea going sub species of rainbow trout. I also teach that it is not the craftiness of this fish that makes them so challenging but more the external factors that regulate their feeding activity. Recently a study done by Mark Christie of Oregon State University has confirmed my beliefs. One of the more useful bits of knowledge gleaned from this study is the interdependence between these sea-going giants and resident freshwater relatives. Fifteen years of analysis of 12,725 of these giants has shown that 40% of their DNA is from wild resident rainbow trout and not other steelhead. Co-author of this study Michael Blouin,professor of zoology at Oregon State, commented; "One implication of this study, is that the genetic contribution by wild trout is diluting the input of genes from hatchery fish to wild steelhead." Once again we can see that fish know what they are doing and that we could learn a thing or two from them; provided we are humble enough to be taught. The Report The sun has finally returned.  Spring has come to the western Fraser Valley and we can expect the ice to be off our eastern valley lakes before the end of the month. Kokanee are on the radar. For better success try to concentrate your fishing from late morning through mid-afternoon, in and around the north western sections of your favorite lake with: Chironomid, Bloodworm, Big Black, Woolly Bugger, Micro Leach, Sixpack, Dragonfly Nymph, Halfback, Doc Spratley, Buggy shrimp, or Zulu. The Fraser River and sloughs are good for cutthroat and dolly varden.  For cutthroat try: Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Eggo, Tied Down Minnow, Epoxy Minnow, Winter Stone, Flesh Fly, Professor, Lioness, Coachman, Zulu, Chez Nymph. For dolly varden try: Large (#4 to #1)Eggo, Dolly Whacker, Bucktail, Epoxy Minnow, Big Black, Muddler, or Zonker. The Vedder River is good for steelhead, dolly varden and resident rainbow, by the weekend. For steelhead try: big Black, Popsicle,Steelhead Nightmare, Polar shrimp, GP, Thor, Squamish Poacher, Kaufmann Stone, Purple Peril, or Eggo. For rainbow try: Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Eggo, Flesh Fly, Kaufmann Black Stone, Black Gnat, Zulu, Chez Nymph, Big Black, Sixpack, or Renegade. The Stave River is fair to good for steelhead, rainbow and cutthroat. The Chehalis River is good for steelhead and cutthroat. The Harrison River is good for cutthroat, and rainbow. Hatch Match'r Fly and tackle is offering a variety of fishing seminars this winter and spring, call 604-467-7118 for details and registration. You can find more at "The Reel Life Press" by Jeff Weltz. Jeff Weltz is an avid angler from the Fraser Valley region of British Columbia and writes a weekly fishing column.