A Chat with Chillbilly
WeSportFish caught up with one of the Columbia River’s premier guides, Graham Cloutier, and asked for some insight into fishing the Columbia in the fall.
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Fishing Report September
In September local anglers related some amazing fishing stories -and who doesn’t love a good fish story? I look forward to October hatches, and some good top water action.
BC Rivers Day
Celebrate BC Rivers Day by joining Neighbours United at Gyro Park on September 24 to celebrate the mighty Columbia River and help clean up the river shores.
Salmon Recovery
Salmon may indeed be on their way back. This past month (Aug. 2023), local anglers reported catching juvenile chinook salmon and sockeye on the Columbia near Trail and Castlegar.
Fishing Report August
I was fishing a promising run for trout when I hooked a smallmouth bass. A couple casts later I brought in a walleye, then a rainbow. All caught on Emile Contant’s Sore Lip Jigs.
Fly Fishing 101
Some call fly fishing a sport, others a hobby. For the best of fly fishers – it borders on a religion. It’s as deep as you want it to be, says Sport Fishing on the Fly host Don Freschi.
Fishing Report July
Fishing the Columbia River has been literally up and down in the month of July. The fishing was great in the first week or so, challenging after that, but getting better.
Open For Fishing
The Columbia River is exempt from the provincial order that anglers fish only in the morning and early afternoon. These cool deep tailwaters allow the fish to find respite.
Summer Dry Flies
I’ve fly fished the best rivers in BC, Alberta, Alaska, the Yukon, and Pacific Northwest. None holds a candle to the Columbia’s line-peeling Redband rainbows caught on a dry fly.
Walleye on the Fly
When I first moved to Trail in 1999, I was unfamiliar with the walleye and its big, vacant eyes, coarse scales, and dagger-sharp teeth. I’ve learned a lot since then…
Fishing Report June
Two weeks ago, I had one of those days when the fishing is so good I almost felt guilty. Lots of trout were feeding subsurface on the Columbia with the epic caddis hatches.
Fishing Report May
In May, with high water and strong, fast current the trout found refuge in the smaller eddies and slower runs near shorelines and off rocky outcrops. The biggest rainbow I hooked…
Sturgeon Recovery
An incredibile angling experience is to see an 8-foot white sturgeon glide by your boat or a 300-pounder take to the air. Encounters with this prehistoric species can be common.
Fishing Report April
April is one of my favourite months for fly fishing on the Columbia River. Insects begin to emerge as the weather warms and you see bigger rainbows moving into runs and riffles.
Expanded Fishing Inventory
Valley Firearms offers a vast and growing fishing inventory with rods, reels, bait, flies, fly-tying material, lures, lines, weights, and more. If they don’t have it, Sue can find it.
Fishing Report March
The Columbia River between the Keenleyside Dam and the U.S. border is as low as it gets. Angling can be challenging when known runs and riffles disappear or are ankle deep.
Fishing Report February
February was mixed weather, but I did ventured out on several days to my favorite spot just south of Trail. I packed rods with sink and floating line, and reeled in a few nice trout.
Fishing Report January
As December temps and snowfall gives way to mild January weather let WeSportFish introduce you to other local fly fishers and some great online resources.
Fishing Report February
I live near the Columbia River, and it has proven a wonderful place to get away and escape the bitter realities of the modern world by working the runs, seams and riffles.
Fishing Report August
August is my favourite time to fish for walleye on the fly. I caught my largest walleye ever, a nice 32-incher just North of Trail. I thought it was a small sturgeon at first…
Fishing Report March
It’s early March and the mighty Columbia has finally dropped into fishing shape… yay! We asked master of the long rod Bruce Kruk: How’s fishing?
Bigwater Bucktails
Trolling bucktails on West Kootenay lakes is a tried-and-true method for catching large Gerard rainbows and bull trout.
Fishing Report January
Let’s face it, there are few better ways to spend a day than on the water trolling for big bull trout and rainbow trout. I couldn’t have had a better day.
Gifts for Anglers
Need a gift for your favorite angler? View our list of over 30 great gift ideas you can purchase locally to avoid online shopping delivery delays and disappointment.
Columbia River Flyfishing
We Sport Fish caught up with Bruce Kruk from Columbia River Flyfishing for an update on the progress of the 2020 fishing season.
BC Restart Plan -Phase 3
We Sport Fish is thrilled that British Columbia is cautiously easing into Phase 3 of the BC Restart Plan allowing safe and respectful travel within BC.
Fishing Report April 20
I stopped at a favourite spot below Trail and spent a couple hours nymphing a stonefly pattern over a rocky run. I had a nice rainbow on almost immediately
Video -Orchard Cicada
This fly mimics the Columbia Valley Orchard Cicada. Trout seek out this large terrestrial during hatches as it makes a hearty meal.
Fishing Report April 12
When I got to a good fishing hole I would first nymph it, then pull a streamer through it. I landed 2 trout, lost a half dozen, and landed two whitefish.
What is COVID-19
COVID-19 is not a living organism, but a protein molecule covered by a protective layer of fat. It cannot be killed, but does disintegrate.
Fishing Report March 27
We landed two nice rainbow trout chucking lures, and lost one at the boat. Fishing is good, and the trout are feeding on tiny worms and chironomids.
Fly Fishing Film Festival
POSTPONED: Are you ready to go? The 2020 International Fly Fishing Film Festival is in Castlegar on March 27. Want to win tickets?
Australian Wildfire Support
To support Australian wildfire relief efforts, competitive spey caster Bruce Kruk donates guided Columbia River fishing trip.
Video -Prince Nymph
This fly is productive in the spring, early summer and fall. It is visible from a distance and can entice trout to bite when little else can.
Video -New Adventures!
Chillbilly Charters expands offerings to include new jet boat fishing tours and scenic river tours with their new guide Darrell Cross.
Video -LS Pheasant Tail
This pattern imitates a long-body “swimmer” mayfly and is productive when fished with bump and tug motions in back eddies.
Video -Flashback Prince
This fly is a very good performer in the shallow fast runs and in small streams, and catches the trout’s attention from a very long distance.
Fly Fishing The Columbia
Don Freschi, Dwayne D’Andrea and Rod Zavaduk. Some call fly fishing a sport others a hobby. For those who do it well it is an art, for those who do it very well – it borders on a religion.
Video -JJ Special Nymph
This is great pattern for drifting the back-eddies and runs. Use an indicator in May and June for some great back eddy action, and fish the runs from August to October.
Video -Red Chironomid
This red bloodworm chironomid is one of Rod’s favorite nymphing patterns, and is used 4-10 feed down with a split shot weight and an indicator.
Fishing Report January 21
Ice fishing on a 3lb line with shrimp on a bait hook yielded the biggest rainbow I’ve seen in Erie Lake along with a few perch and a nice brook trout all out of one hole.
Video -Winter Spey Casting
It doesn’t matter what weather Mother Nature brings, rain, sunshine, snow, or sleet you can always find Lyle McLellan practicing his craft on the Columbia River
Fishing Report December
Winter in the West Kootenay means one thing -big fish. Anglers are landing up to 10 fish per day with rainbows up to 11 pounds and bulls up to 14.
Video -Emerging Caddis
This pattern is used during and after the big caddis hatch. Trout normally won’t take a dry fly until they run out of pupa and emerging caddis.
Video -Chocolate Caddis Pupa
This signature caddis pupa fly is used near the end of the caddis hatch. At this time of the year the caddis are smaller and darker.
Video -Soft Hackle Caddis
This pattern works well before the big caddis hatch, during the caddis hatch, and when there is very little on the water surface.
Video: Spey Casting
We Sport Fish spent a day on the water with Bruce “the slab-master” Kruk. Bruce resides in Trail, BC and competes in the world championships for two-handed Spey casting.
Video -Partridge Caddis
This floating pattern works well for most seasons. This is the fly Rod turns to when the trout are finicky.
Video -Cinnamon Caddis
This small floating caddis pattern is used in the mid-season when the caddis flies begin to change colour, body size and wings.
Video: Crystal Coachman
The Crystal Coachman Caddis is a dry fly attractor tied on a wet fly hook to prevent our large Columbiar River trout from straightening the hook.
Fishing Report September 17
We saw 6-7 otters, a sturgeon, some black bears, heron, eagles, and an osprey catch a fish. The wildlife and scenery were a big hit with my guests
Fishing Report September 5
The “big fish” season is now just getting started. I use a spey rod in the 14-16ft range with a 73-83ft head and heavy 12lb tippet for the vicious grabs.
Fishing Report September 3
The Walleye were really aggressive towards any green and black combo. We caught enough to feast upon. Lost a few, kept a few and the bite was aggressive.
Fishing Report August 26
We caught and released six trout from 16-20 inches and lost another six or so. I don’t think my client was accustom to hard fighting trout.
Fishing Report August 20
We averaged 10-15 bass/day with lengths between 6-12”. Bass are greedy, so almost any colour works.
Fishing Report August 19
August and September are usually good months for anglers targeting all species of fish on the Columbia River and Arrow Lake.
Salmon Restoration
Three Indigenous groups and the BC and federal governments signed an agreement to restore Salmon to the Upper Columbia
Fishing Report July 22
Dave Pasin and his fishing partner landed 13 rainbows on dry flies. The biggest fish caught was a 27-inch monster rainbow.
Rod Sprocket Telus Pitch
Rod Sprocket and their new and improved rod holder is one of 100 top businesses selected across Canada in the Telus Pitch contest.
Fishing Report July 3
Most fish were in the 18-20 inch range, and the biggest was 23 inches. All looked very healthy with really nice colours and big backs.
Fishing Report June 25
I hooked into an 18-inch rainbow. It ran like a freight train and performed aerial acrobatics’ -one of the best fighters I’ve had all year.
Rod Sprocket Contest
WeSportFish is teaming up with the inventors and manufacturers of the Rod Sprocket to offer 3 lucky winners a Rod Sprocket of their very own.
On the Fly Adventures
Looking for the ultimate fishing experience? Don Freschi, creator/host of “Sport Fishing on the Fly” is unveiling On the Fly Adventures.
Fishing Report – June 16
We landed one on a nymph and indicator, 12 on dry flies. We missed probably a half dozen more. Once they started hitting, it was non-stop.
BC Family Fishing Weekend
The Family Fishing Weekend has become a Fathers’ Day tradition. Why not celebrate Fathers’ Day by taking dad out fishing.
Launch Contest
One lucky person will win a 1/2 day guided fishing trip for 2 on the mighty Columbia River with Chillbilly Sport Fishing Charters.
Fishing Report – June 1
In our 4 hour outing we landed and released 4 rainbows from 16-22 inches. The trout fought really hard and peeled line right into our backing.
Rosebud Lake
Rosebud is a beautiful little lake within a quick drive of Trail and Castlegar that is notorious for its feast or famine type fishing.
Columbia Black Ant Pattern
With May’s warm weather, the black ant hatch is one of the highlights for angler on the Columbia as trout feed heavily on these terrestrials.
Spring Rainbow Trout
With the Columbia’s big water and powerful current, using fast, full-sink type 6-7 line to get your pattern down is key.
Fishing Report – May 7
With two rods in the water we landed and released 23 rainbow and probably lost 12-18 fish. Most of the trout were in the 18-19 inch range.
BC Hydro Alters Flows
Since BC Hydro began regulating flows to prevent redd dewatering the trout population has grown at least 10-fold.
Kokanee Fishing Heats Up
Kokanee fishing on Lower Arrow Lake and the Columbia River below Keenleyside Dam is heating up.
Fishing Report – Apr 27
This report covers four days of fishing with clients from April 24 to April 27. Most trout landed were between 16 and 20 inches.
Fishing Report – Apr 21
I nymphed for about 3 hours. In that time I caught and released nine rainbows ranging in size from about 16 to 20 inches.
Fishing Report – Apr 13
In the 2.5 hours I was out I landed 8 rainbow ranging in size from 16 to 24 inches. I was hooking a fish every second or third cast.
Fishing Report – Apr 9
With spring now on us the fishing is heating up. We drifted down the Columbia and landed a gorgeous 23 inch rainbow around noon.
Invasive Northern Pike
On the Columbia River, Northern Pike are an invasive species that threaten the rainbow trout fishery. There is currently a $10/fish bounty on pike.
Invasive Zebra Mussels
The economic impact of mussel colonization can be staggering and have devastating affect on municipal water treatment systems.
Fishing Report – Apr 1
The first taker was an 18 inch rainbow in about 5 feet of water. Not more than 5 minutes later the second taker was a 20 inch rainbow