The New Fly Fisher is a TV show and an online magazine that covers the art of fly fishing throughout North America. I have been a regular contributor to the magazine since it hit the shelf almost three years ago, and my most recent article highlights fly fishing on secluded West Kootenay streams, with a historic nod to James Arthur Lees and William S. Clutterbuck, two early explorers who were the first to toss flies over Kootenay water and chronicled their adventures in the book 1887: A Ramble Through British Columbia. The cover shot is of me fly fishing ..read more

By Jim Bailey - Trail Daily Times Published: September 18, 2013 1:00 PM Updated: September 18, 2013 1:26 PM The West Kootenay Fishing Report is back with reports and tips on how to catch fish on local lakes and streams. Columbia River: The Columbia saw some great fishing over the summer months. After a July of furious action, the dwindling caddis hatches made way for hopper patterns in late August and early September. Hatches will begin to fall off as the weather cools and fly fishers are generally more successful using sink-tip or full-sink lines and throwing woolly buggers and stonefly nymp ..read more

  "My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him, all good things - trout as well as eternal salvation - come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy." - A River Runs Through It The Wigwam River is a pretty and remote stream that flows into the Elk River in the East Kootenay of British Columbia. Its turquoise pools are pristine and the trout that hold in them are big and beautiful Westslope cutthroat trout. I set out for the Wigwam at the end of last month with Colin and his three sons Spencer, Taylor, and Ai ..read more

The West Kootenay Fishing Report is submitted by Kerry Reed of Reel Adventure Sportfishing Charters. Call Kerry at 250-505-4963 to book your trip or go to www.reeladventuresfishing.com.  Darrell and Graham casting into the Columbia October started out with some warmer than seasonal temperatures and some beauty weather for being out on the water. But then switched to be more like the fall that we are accustomed to. And now that we’re in November, the temperatures have dropped and we are fully into our winter fishery.  The beginning of October handed us some nice weather and some pr ..read more

  The West Kootenay Fly Fishing Club is hosting its third annual showing of the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4), but with a typical coronavirus twist. Due to COVID-19, the IF4 will not be screened in a theatre, but will be shown in virtual form from the cozy confines of your den, couch, fly-tying table or wherever your laptop may take you. “Covid-19 restrictions prevented the club from hosting a theatre-based event in the spring and since then the IF4 group came up with alternative viewing options that are flexible and allow safe viewing of the films in the comfort of your ..read more

There’s a growing concern from anglers that there may be another species contributing to the decline of the kokanee salmon in Kootenay Lake.  The presence of northern pikeminnow is becoming more and more prevalent, particularly in the West Arm, and some anglers believe they are making an impact on the kokanee.  Balfour resident Chuck Wood has been fishing the lake for 36 years, and has never seen more of the predator than he has this year.  “The last two times I fly fished the arm there were huge schools of them coming up,” said Wood. “I caught 10 the first evening and nine the ..read more

Thanks to Kerry Reed for submitting the Kootenay Lake fishing report. And to Graham Cloutier and wesportfish.com for Columbia River and Area Lakes report. Contact Graham at chillbillycharters.com or call 250-304-4378.  Contact Reel Adventures Sportfishing at www.reeladventuresfishing.com or call 250-505-4963. Kootenay Lake: During the month of August, the weather was scorching hot and the water temps were close to 20 degrees. That made a difference in the fishing for sure. Our guides did a few trips very early in the morning to beat the heat and tried to be back at the dock before ..read more