COLUMBIA RIVER
The Columbia River is home to one of the finest trout fisheries in the world. Tens of thousands of large wild Rainbow Trout swim these waters, just waiting to grab your fly! The section of Columbia River that flows from Castlegar, British Columbia to the US border is one of the last free-flowing stretches on this large and beautiful system. The dams that feed this river provide a year round fishery.
DRY FLY FISHING TIMES
The fly fishing methods used for these wild Rainbow Trout depend on the time of year that you will be visiting. The months of May – October provide dry fly action, with the best fishing period being from the end of June to the end of August. The sight of so many large fish will leave you shaken at first, but you will be challenged as you start picking out the fish that you want to target. This can be a very exciting time to fish, as you watch with anticipation, as the large rainbows rise to the surface to feed. This fishing is best done with two anglers in the boat, as you will be fishing the large back eddies and drifting in the boat as you are casting.
WET FLY FISHING TIMES
The Columbia, being a tailrace fishery, is fished from August, through the winter months, and into May. Many of the largest fish are taken during the spring, when these bruisers, weighing up to 10lbs, are feeding heavily on the baitfish and large stonefly nymphs. You’re not going to catch 10lb fish every day, but they do average a very hefty 4-5lbs! Even the smaller fish will leave you breathless. Sometimes, all you can do is watch your line disappear from the reel as the fish swims for the other side of fast flowing river.
One of the favoured techniques is the use of Spey rods, which help you, get a little more distance on this wide river, and also aid in the mending of your long line. You will be swinging your fly as you would for steelhead…down and across… and the take of these brute, fish will surprise you every time!
