… Official flyguys.net Northern British Columbia, BC Interior, Kamloops Area Lakes & Rivers Ice Off 2016 Fishing Reports post!
As before, please use the comments/reply section at the bottom of this post to share and discuss your 2016 fishing, ice off, and even (but hopefully not) winter kill reports. Where did you go (not mandatory)? What worked? What didn’t work? General or specific questions about a fly, a technique, or whatever … feel free to ask it here and we’ll try our best to get you an answer! Oh, and a picture is worth a thousand words so please feel free to include one if you can!
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For those that would like to share a little more than just a fishing report we encourage you to submit your story (along with images/video links/etc) & we’ll write it up in a stand alone post for ya!
And last, but definitely not least, a BIG thank you to Surplus Herby’s for stepping up yet again to sponsor our yearly fishing reports post! Be sure to stop in for all your fishing & outdoor gear needs before hitting the water this year!
That’s it folks … tight lines & good times to all! 😀
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Happy New Year to all members of Flyguys. Hope for a El Nino early ice off!!!!
Until then its hard water…lol
Hey guys…. I monitor this blog like a hawk and want to thank you guys for all the input! Really helped me with my Stillwater fishing! But now I am Looking to ice fish around Kamloops…. Thinking of going to Edith. Any tips on Edith?
Hey FishinKid How was Edith , many lakes to ice fish and they be all frozen so some are good, some are slow, and well some are just not happening.
ollie
Fished Fleming Lake instead… Caught 1 lost another, still looking for lakes closer to salmon arm to fish… Went to Gardom.. Didn’t even see a fish, same at Phillips.
Hey FishinKid, I am a little late but Edith on the whole is one of the best lakes around for Brookies, AND a few rainbows in the winter. I personally like the weed bed to the left of the first launch. 6 ft of water or so, usually there are lots of fish there. Besides is soooo close to town can go if you are short of time. Tight Lines
Was at Monte today. Managed 3 Kokanee. Very soft bites which is typical. Ice was about 3 inches apprx. 150 yards off shore. Would not trust the ice to venture further out.
I was at yellow lake today, one Kokanee and two rainbows. Caught the Koke at 75′ in the middle of the day, the rainbows at 20′ at dusk. I was fishing over 120′ of water all day. Saw a guy 20′ away from me nail 4 nice kokanee in a row at dusk somehow the school never came my way. Was very slow fishing for most of the day though.
I am looking to purchase some Spirit River Lite Brite colours online – I haven’t been able to find what I want in town. Does anyone have any site suggestions where you are not paying an arm and a leg for shipping? Thanks
Hey Dannyboy have you checked the used store on mnt paul way they have some fly-tying stuff there. Has stuff from The Kamloops Fly Shop so if you haven’t they might. Good luck with that. Tight Lines Ollie
Posted for Wade …….
As a resident of Sun Peaks, BC Monte Lake is obviously a distance’ Decided to take my.6 month old lab/ retriever for a Kokanee fish to see if they are schooling early’ Showed up at 655am with my flashlight and no one on the ice’ Even though I saw people tracks I still augered a “Feel Good” hole’ 5 turns and she’s 4 inches of ice’ Set up my sounder and instantly there was a swarm of fish at 15 feet’ Thinking something was wrong with my sounder I let my line down’ 13 minutes later I had 5 beautiful kokanee on the ice’ Never gets old these little salmon eh 😀
I showed up at 10:30 on Saturday and all my brother and I could catch was two fish! I could see the fish on the sonar come up to my hook and swim off again all day long. You lucky bugger what were you using?
I haven’t been to Red Lake since early January and someone told me the water was clearing up. Any more word on this? Thanks.
Just got back from red lake. No action from us or two other groups. Lots of fish on finder but just not biting. Thinking of trying edith tomorrow.
Thanks Chaluga. Did you notice any change in how murky the water is at Red?
First time there but didn’t seem to be murkier then other lakes. Took a pic of the hole. Don’t know if it helps but I’ll post it.
Sounds like it’s trying to clear-up. Thanks!
At edith this morning and really slow. Went over to walloper and 15 people there catching small guys. One dude had a big fire on the lake with hot dogs. I’m doing that next time.
Ok Guys who has used the New Zealand Strike indicator system??? Thinking of picking it up but I can already see one down side and that’s in long lining anything deeper than 10 or 12ft out of a boat or less in a tube… The only thing I do like is not rashing up the leader with the back and forth kinks with depth adjustments, but I am not in love with the leader material and replacing sections constantly any how with depth adjustments ect.. So I maybe answering this my self but any feedback is welcome.. Is the NZ Indicator system simply great for streams and has its limits on our home waters of the interior? Must be I couldn’t find one post on it when I searched..
Nothing really new – using yarn as an indicator has been around for decades. Actually, using a pinned indicator (like a Thill or any bobber/toothpick setup is much simpler) and easier to reposition.
Well, I received a couple samples for review and sent one to ricer and flyfishaholic who have already done some preliminary testing. I initially inquired because it looked like something that could be reeled through the guides when long lining. Not kinking the leader was also appealing. After discussions with the Company they assured me that they work fine reeling, and peeling, through the guides but due to liability reasons (understandably) they could not advertise that. I can’t wait to test it out for myself but here’s what ricer and flyfishaholic said after their first outing with it …….
“Not the best, especially in the wind- they got drowned. If you use a bushel it will stay afloat, mind you we were using tungsten beads and swivels. If conditions are ideal and fishing shallow water I think they would be good. Soft landing and discrete. They go through the guides ok. ”
Sounds promising … maybe sans swivel, or with some added floatant? Like I said I’m really looking forward to testing this out and will provide a write up as soon as possible. airbc, if you are in an area that you can test sooner please let us know what you think.
I know that it is pretty early in the year but does anyone have any predictions for ice off this year?
All things being equal if the weather conditions stay in this current pattern lakes like 6 mile,Morgan, and stump should be off mid March . Same as last year
Well, I hope Wayne is right but I think it’s a long shot that things will be quite as early as last year. My guess would be a little later than last year but still earlier than normal. Darryl used to run an ice off prediction simulator every year … maybe he’ll spark it back up for us?
anybody been out lately I was at red today only saw a few small ones
Was at raven couple of days ago and caught a few 14″. And then at fawn today and saw someone else catch these. Could only sneak 45 mins at fawn and needed to come home.
This is what happens when you are nearing the end of a long winter, spending too much time on the bench, unable to get out on the water to regain your sanity, and a new Star Wars movie is released during that period.
I know these patterns are not helpful for fishermen, but with FlyGuys parting words from the 2015 blog:
“MAY THE FISH BE WITH YOU in 2016!!!”
…and based on the fact that there is a regular contributor with a username “The Force”, I thought some may get a kick out of these (inspired by my four-year-old daughter, and my inner geek).
Thought these might be good for a pre-ice-off chuckle.
2
3
4
LOL Deesee that is hilarious! You’re an artist! All you need to do now is go catch a fish with one! I hope you don’t mind but I’m going to share these on the FB page.
Here is the whole lot. Might be easier to post.
Six mile today
And Morgan
OMG!!! You made my day Jesse!!! 😀 😀 😀
that’s at 4500 feet already? anyone taking a swing by Kane valley in the next couple weeks? I need to wet some of the 200 +flies I’ve tied this month! lol
Not even close. Elevation is 590 m (1940 ft).
Yup way off GR. It will still be a while before we see the ice start to come off over 4000′. Here’s Edith today sitting at approx 3400′
Yeah Hackle, lol. I had done a quick search for 6 mile and it came up as having tunkwa as a nearby lake. kinda jumped on that as the chron junky in me started drooling. still daytime highs around merrit are hanging at 7-10 degrees for the next couple weeks at this point 🙂
Hey Fly guys! Love your videos and blogs. Im going to be heading up to the Kamloops area for the March Long weekend for a fish.. and hopefully it times out to be decent fishing. Where would you guys recommend trying out? Im from Prince George and we’re lucky to get a 3 pounder around here. Im looking to find out where some bigger lunks are hiding out. Thanks!
Hey Mike, it’s real early to tell which lakes will be fishable, and fishing well, by March long but if I had to guestimate now based on what I’m seeing I would say the timing would be good for Stump. But stay tuned cause Mother Nature may make it a very interesting year! 😉
Yes it can be very unpredictable. Its a long shot here but just cant wait so going to just go for it and see whats open. Thanks sir!
Ive had my rod out and catching fish but then wheres open water ?. Thinking of the boat next. So the stuff behind me is air
Ollie
Rainbows are biting and the bulls too. Hint hint
Don’t leave us hanging Ollie where’s the open water?? 😀
I give up on this computer . Why only did the start show up. So second try The river , the bulls or bull trout or dollys are in it now. Muddler minnow with a pink or red puff in fount is working. 16lbs is the biggest Ive got so far. And yes a dolly not a rainbow , but a fly not a lure or worm . Tight lines and good luck .
Ollie
No worries Ollie I fixed it for ya! 🙂