Fly Fishing in BC is on hold up north, as rivers like the Upper Fraser flow at peak levels for the next few days with a higher than average snowpack melting down mixed with spring rainfall.
However, fly fishing on the Columbia River near Nelson is looking great for the long weekend. We spoke with our good friend Terry this week after he’d been out on the water and he sent a few choice shots of the rainbow he’s been hooking. Terry is a local fly fishing enthusiast who also spends his summers as a fishing guide way up north.
Although Terry wasn’t about to give up any specific locations he did share that the creek mouths (on the Columbia) are always great for fishing. While the creeks themselves are flowing hard and silty, there areas near them are still very fishable and he’s been pulling in 4 to 8 pounders all week.
There’s been no major hatches as of yet and while these are good size rainbow, they can get well into the double digits on the Columbia. They jump like crazy when you hook ’em and then take off on blistering runs.
Until relatively recently, little has been known about the Columbia River near Nelson and Castlegar despite hosting some of the best rainbow fishing in BC. In fact, it’s been named one of the most exciting tailwater fisheries in the province. When the hatches occur in June and early July it is game on on this river with rainbow big as they possible get.
You can check out the BC River Forecast Centre for advisories and updates. This is the second pulse in the spring runoff in the southern interior this year; after this levels and turbidity should drop significantly and it’s game on for fly fishermen.
What are you up to this long weekend? Visit us at Holy Wateres Fly Fishing if you’re interested in booking a guide for fly fishing on the Columbia River or nearly any other river in BC.