Fly Fishing
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations has suspended angling – for conservation concerns – in streams and rivers throughout southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands (except for the Big Qualicum, Puntledge, and Quinsam rivers, which have enough water and low enough temperatures that they are exempt from this closure). All lakes in Region 1, including Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, are exempt from the closure and are still open for fishing.
Following last year’s unprecedented warm spring and early summer with severe drought conditions, Vancouver Island is once again experiencing very dry or extremely dry conditions. The majority of Vancouver Island streams and rivers have very low water flows and above-average seasonal temperatures. A result of the warm spring and early snow melt, freshet also occurred about one month earlier than the average across most of the province. While most rivers and lakes across British Columbia are still suitable for anglers to pursue their favourite pastime, we’ll update this post if conditions change. And before heading out for a day of fishing, it’s a good idea to check the government’s Freshwater Fishing Regulations page for in-season changes.
Given the forecast for continued warm temperatures, it is also good to review proper fish-handling practices. If you plan to practice catch-and-release angling, appropriate handling will dramatically increase the survival rate of fish. There are many factors that contribute to whether a released fish will survive unharmed, and some of the most important include how long a fish is played, how it’s handled, where in the fish it’s hooked, the water temperature, and gear type.
During summer, trout will seek out deeper, cooler water where conditions are better for them. When hooked, fish brought up into warmer water (which holds less dissolved oxygen) are very stressed; the longer a fish is played, the worse the impact. As a general rule, always play fish as quickly as possible.
And during this time of severe environmental stress on fish, please consider keeping the number of fish you catch and release to an absolute minimum. Never harvest more fish than you need, and if you have taken your limit, it would be advisable to stop fishing.
Originally published here.