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Travis Bader speaks with Gillian Steele of Highwater Tackle, Catherine Laflamme of Michael and Young Fly Shop and new angler Tiffany Bader about how someone can fish every day of the year, particularly in the lower mainland of BC.
Cat and Gill outline a detailed calendar of what to fish and where so that an interested angler could fish every day of the year should they be so inclined.
To download the fishing calendar for yourself, visit: https://silvercore.ca/2021/02/02/planning-your-fishing-calendar-for-year-round-adventure/
If you have fishing questions for the pro's in this podcast, please don't hesitate to reach out to:
https://www.highwatertackle.com
If you are interested in joining the BC Womans Fly Fishing Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1451093961662565/
Thank you to Silvercore Podcast listener Brock Fisher (@brockfisher88) for the great podcast suggestion: https://www.instagram.com/brockfisher88/
If you have suggestions for topics or people that you would like to hear on an upcoming Silvercore Podcast, email podcast@silvercore.ca or reach out to us through social media!
https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreinc/
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Travis Bader, host of The Silvercore Podcast, discusses matters related to hunting, firearms, hiking, outdoor adventure, success, health and more with the people and businesses that comprise the community all from a uniquely Canadian perspective.
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Language: en-GB
I'm Travis Bader
and this is The
Silvercore Podcast.
Join me as I discuss
matters related to
hunting, fishing,
and outdoor pursuits
with the people in
businesses of the
comprise the community.
If you're a new to
Silvercore, be sure to
check out our website,
www.Silvercore.ca where
you can learn more
about courses, services,
and products we offer.
As well as how you can
join The Silvercore Club,
which includes 10 million
in North American wide
liability insurance, to
ensure you are properly
covered during your
outdoor adventures.
Silvercore Podcast
listener Brock Fisher
writes in and asks, "Any
thoughts on the podcast,
outlining the local
fishing scene, river
crabbing, Lake fishing,
that kind of thing?
There's such a large
amount of people who
are interested in
fishing, who live in
the South coast, razor
Valley, and just don't
know where to start."
so that's what I want
to delve into today.
Tonight, I'm joined by
Catherine Laflamme who's
dabbled in guiding,
works in Michael & Young
flyshop in Vancouver.
And we met through
a mutual friend,
April Vokey of
Anchored Outdoors.
Welcome Cat.
Hi.
Gillian Steele, who
guides part-time, works
at Highwater Tackle
in North Vancouver and
along with Cat, is a
founder of the BC Women's
Fly Fishing group.
Gillian, I met you
through my wife, Tiffany
Bader, who can't stop
raving about the good
work both you and Cat
are doing with the group.
Welcome Gill.
Thank you.
Finally, to provide the
new angler's perspective.
I have pro chef and
resident Silvercore
staffer, my wife,
Tiffany Bader.
Welcome Tiff.
Hey.
So Cat and Gill, when
we were talking before
looking at different
ideas of what we can
bring to the listeners.
There's a number of
ideas that were floating
around and I think the
top three that came out
was a fishing calendar.
Basically talking about
what to fish, where
to fish, when to fish,
advice for new anglers
and of course talk
about the BC Women's
Fly Fishing group.
But before we get too
deep into that, I kind
of want to learn a little
bit more about you two.
Okay.
So I grew up in a family,
my parents both really
love going camping.
So every weekend
growing up, we would
go camping and fishing.
My dad's a fly fisher,
he loves fishing lakes.
So anyway, we were
brought up fishing.
My siblings hated it,
I loved it, at 12 years
old I begged him to
teach me how to fly fish
because I hated worms.
Right.
Absolutely hated worms.
And there was something
very poetic about
watching my dad fly cast.
And one thing that
really got me was
that he would cast to
these rising trout and
basically count down.
So he'd cast out to
a dimple in the water
where a fish just rose
and he counted down
and be like, ready?
Three, two, one and then.
No.
Somehow.
No.
He just got it so
many times and I was
like, want to do that.
That sound's amazing,
looks amazing.
That's magical.
It's magical.
So anyway, begged and
begged and begged him
and he finally, we
went to Walmart, he
bought me at $50 fly
set up and that was it.
You know, there was a
lot of skipping school
in grade 12 and just
drive straight to
the Vedder and fish.
And then I met April
Vokey out of, I went to
Capilano University for
a couple of years and
did a outdoor recreation
management program.
And out of that,
I ended up getting
a job with April.
So I worked for her
for Flygal Ventures
for a couple of years,
actually three years.
Very cool.
Yeah.
Well, April, she
wasn't at Cap was she?
No, no, I just, I
met her at the Trade
Ex when I was 16
.
Ahh okay.
And we kept in touch.
And then with that
program I had to do a
practicum in the summer.
So I asked her, I'm
like hey, need any help?
She's like, yes.
And then she hired me
right on the spot in
February before summer.
So, and then I just
stuck around, helped
her with some office
stuff, fly tying,
all kinds of stuff,
shipping out packages,
blah, blah, blah.
So did that for
a few years.
Well, sorry, hold
on, backtrack.
Out of high school.
I got a job at the
Fly Shop in Surrey,
Michael & Young Fly Shop.
Okay.
So I was there part-time
on top of working
for April, did whole
bunch of fish bumming.
Fish bumming.
For a few years.
Fish bumming.
I like that term.
Yeah.
It's kind of like
bandit camping and out
on the river there.
Yeah, exactly.
Living in a trailer
by the river.
Perfect.
And then came
back, needed money.
So I got a full-time
position at Michael
& Young, and I've been
there ever since.
Wow.
Yeah.
I only have one
question for you.
Yeah.
So you said your dad
being French Canadian,
did he count three, two,
one, or did he count..
Threeee, twooo, oneee!?
Fish on!
Only cause I jnow your
dad and I love him.
I was like, he does not
just say three, two, one.
Cat, eh Cat, ready?
Threeee, twooo, oneee.
Sorry, dad.
Love it.
Love him.
But yeah.
I knew that I was
like, yeah he did not.
Three, two, one,
absolutely that's
not how it went.
Not at all.
Gill?
My intro, my dad has
owned Highwater Tackle
in North Vancouver for,
I guess now we are 20, 36
years coming up in April.
Wow.
So quite a long time
and he's owned that
shop for pretty much
its entirety with the
exception of six months.
He bought it off another
guy there, quickly
thereafter who was not
very well received in
the retail business.
One of those
types, I hear ya.
Yeah, so he purchases
off, then he essentially
came home to my mom and
said, Hey, I bought a
tackle shop and my mom
wasn't exactly that
excited about it, but.
No.
She didn't know?
She knew what she
was getting into
a little bit.
They met at a guiding
lodge up at Stuart
Island back in the day,
Sonora Island Resort.
So she knew what
she was getting
into at that point.
Got it, fair enough.
Anyways, so it's a
bit of a romantic
love story with them.
And then I came around
and I was just kind
of pushed into it.
Not pushed into it,
I shouldn't say that.
I was just kind
of indulged in it
my entire life.
So it came very
naturally for me.
And a little bit of
a contrast, I have
a sister who never
really got into it.
I was camping
and everything.
Whenever we went out
in the outdoors, it
always revolved around
fishing in some way.
So my dad wasn't going
to camp somewhere that
didn't have a water body
attached to it that just
wasn't going to happen.
I can get behind that.
So yeah, so fishing
was always a part of
it and it just kind
of grew naturally.
And then when I was about
15, I started working at
the shop and then going
to university, it became
a very convenient working
space for me as well.
And then ever since
then I've just kind
of grown and adapted
through there.
And I've got myself
involved in a couple
of things since then.
Various non-governmental
organizations,
NGOs, and some other
things as well.
Okay.
And then dabbled a
little bit in that
guiding side of it too.
Like consulting for the
NGOs or volunteering?
Yeah.
I work for the Steelhead
Society as a director,
not work, I volunteer
for the Steelhead
Society as director.
So that's been a big
passion of mine for.
It can be viewed as
work, but yes, yes.
It can definitely be work
sometimes for sure but.
It's a labour of love.
Yeah, it is.
So just kind of got
involved and then just
fish when I can and meet
lots of great people and
the industry certainly
helps that a lot so.
Well, one of the things
that Tiffany, you're
going on about, was
the calendar, the
fishing calendar.
And I really wanted
to sit in on that
episode, but you know,
it is the BC Women's
Fly Fishing group.
So I guess I get to hack
it a little bit by having
you guys here on the
podcast and learn about
this fishing calendar.
Can you tell me
more about that.
The calendar, or
do you want to know
more about the group
from the get-go?
Well, I don't know.
What do you want to
talk about first?
We can talk about
the calendar.
I think that's.
The calendar was sort
of something Gill sort
of did amidst COVID.
We tried to do a bunch
of like zoom meetings to
keep the group active.
Right.
While not being
able to interact
in person so much.
So Gill's has been
really great about
doing all these zoom
meetings and zoom
courses for the group.
And one of the things she
did over the holidays was
kind of explain all of
the fishing opportunities
in the lower mainland
throughout the year.
Well you guys must
get that question
all the time.
Yeah, I think one of
the things that is, I
mean, maybe an advantage
for us and maybe an
advantage for our group
overall is that, both
of us working in shops
and having worked in
shops for a long time,
relative to other people.
Yes.
You start to learn the
questions I get asked
and you start to learn
what the perspective
is of a new angler
walking into the store.
So one of the questions
that you get all the
time, especially this
time of year, cause
it's January and
if you're not like
hardcore steelheading.
Right.
What do you do?
You know, or if
there's, in the lower
mainland, we don't
have ice, so you're not
necessarily ice fishing.
We're lucky not
to have ice.
Yeah, maybe we're lucky.
We have lots of flowing
water, not hard water.
Yeah.
So, we could ask them
a lot about what to
do and what are some
other alternatives.
So I thought that was
maybe a good thing.
And then the other thing
is, you don't want to
miss out on something,
so you don't want to get
halfway through a season
and then not be prepared.
Right.
So just kind of preparing
a calendar of kind of,
what are your target
species, what you should
be thinking about based
on the time of year,
and this is based in
the lower mainland.
Sure.
So of course it's not
going to necessarily
transcend to all aspects
of the province, but at
least, kind of gives it a
good rounded idea of what
you should think about
and then what you should
kind of plan for as well.
Cause that definitely, I
would say in the shop is.
Upcoming fisheries.
You know, people walk in
and they say like, you
know, what can I do now?
Yeah.
Salmon, season's over.
I love to fish.
What do I do now?
Yeah, we get that
all the time in
the shop, at least.
So setting that kind
of up and making people
think also alternative
fisheries, you know,
although it's not like,
you're not chasing
coho and chinook and
the rivers right now
in January when we're
recording this, but
there's tons of other
things that you can do.
Sure.
Yeah.
Whitefish.
Gill's favorite.
Whitefish.
The Mountain Whitefish.
But it's true.
There's there's lots of
other, I mean, you can
go steelhead fishing.
You can still, there's
lots of like for right
now January, if we
start at the beginning,
there's resident
trout you can go for.
Bull trout, there's
starting to be.
WHitefish.
Cutthroat.
I really like whitefish.
Cutthroat trout,
you know, depending
on where you are.
So we kind of just got
into that, cause that was
just something that we
get asked all the time
and I didn't realize kind
of necessarily like how
you don't think about it.
Like how big of a
question that is until
you start making a
PowerPoint presentation.
Well I heard it was
pretty voluminous.
I heard you had a lot
of information in it.
Oh my gosh.
I wrote a lot of notes.
Yeah.
I signed in a little
late on that one
and I was like, wow.
This started at seven
it's now almost 11.
Dimitri hates me.
Yeah, that's my problem.
I have to tone it
back on the info.
It's very detailed.
I liked it.
A little, maybe
too detailed.
But yeah, but
anyways, so we kind
of went through that.
So I think we could,
for the listeners here,
we could probably go
through our kind of
our rundown of what.
And it's a good time,
it's January, so we
can do our calendar
year kind of thing.
Maybe not as detailed as.
No, we're not.
Don't worry.
We will not go on
for three hours.
Seven o'clock now,
so we've got, okay.
11:30 of this.
But yeah, I dunno.
We can just kind
of jump into it.
We can start basically
with, with now, January.
That's a good
way to do it.
Yeah.
Beginning of the year.
What do we do?
What do we fish.
January.
There's.
What do we do?
Winter steelhead
in certain rivers.
Not all rivers in the
lower mainland will
have winter steelhead,
but you know, the main
ones that have the
earlier run of steelhead
would be the Vedder.
And it's.
Fishing great right now.
The Chehalis is another
one that gets early
runs of steelhead.
You can start
thinking about the
Capilano if you're
on the North shore.
When you say fishing
great on the Vedder.
Ooh.
Yeah.
I mean, there's
fish around.
Okay.
There's also a lot
of anglers around.
Man is there ever!
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's one of the
things that's always
kind of scared me
away from the Vedder
river rafted down that
thing numerous times.
Sweet.
But I've never fished
it because I just look
in they're cheek by
jowl going down there.
Yeah, it's crazy.
Is there many steelhead
going down there?
It's got the biggest
number of steelhead
in the lower mainland
that's for sure.
And that's why
it's the busiest.
And you're also
allowed to keep a
fish, a hatchery fish.
So find anywhere
you're allowed to
retain a fish, there's
usually more people.
So for newbies, how
do you distinguish
a hatchery fish from
A wild one?
So hatchery fish will
have a clipped adipose
fin, so that little
nub of flesh above
in front of the tail.
So it's a little fin
that's essentially
useless and they clip
them when they're young.
So you'll see, there
should be a scar there
where it's kind of healed
over and a wild one will
have that adipose intact.
Okay.
Cool.
One thing I'll say about
the Vedder, just cause
it gets a lot of hate.
Sure.
And the Vedder
gets a lot of hate
because it's busy.
Yeah.
From the steelhead
anglers that I know, and
a lot of the steelhead
anglers that are very
prominent or very
well-rounded steelhead
angler, being a good
steelheader is not
necessarily about how
many fish you catch, but
it's being able to adapt.
The Vedder is probably
hands down one of the
best rivers if you
want to learn how to
steelhead fish, and
you want to learn how
to steal at fish well.
And it gets a lot of
hate because it is
busy, but as soon as
you have a catch and
keep fishery, that's
what's going to happen.
However, in terms of the
water that's available
there, the diversity of
the runs and the water
type there, and from a
learning perspective, it
is hands down one of the
best systems out there.
So it's a lot of hate all
the time, all the time.
People are like, Oh
I don't want it to
become the Vedder,
or I hate the Vedder.
Right, right.
We need to throw that
out because I don't
think that's fair.
It is busy because it's
also a high access area.
Easy access.
You can fit a lot of
water, easy access
that's available for
a lot of different
kinds of people.
You know, maybe
you're not mobile,
there's lots of places
that you can go.
So we need to kind of,
I think dispense that
idea that the Vedder's
bad because it's busy.
Let's think about the
Vedder as being good
because it has so
many opportunities.
There's also big fish
in the Vedder, you
know, there's 20 pound
fish that come out
of there every year.
Wow.
I was just there with
my boyfriend today and
he got a 15 pound wild
buck, it was amazing.
And there's not a lot
of places where you
can live in Canada or
North America for that
matter, where you can
drive 45 minutes and
catch 15 pound wild buck.
You know what I mean?
We're pretty lucky.
And yeah, the Vedder
is super busy, but
it's also incredible.
So I wonder if we're
going to see more
people on the Vedder,
what you're just
saying right now.
I'm sorry Dimitri,
I ruined your cover.
I'm kidding.
Maybe, but I think on
the other hand, people
know where they're going
when they are, what
they're getting into
when they go out there.
But I just, I kind
of want to dispense
that cause a lot of
people put a lot of
hate on that river.
And from a fishing
perspective, it is
probably one of the
nicest rivers to fish.
It's diverse, there's
lots of water, so.
It's true.
From the top to the
middle, to the lower.
And it's all
very beautiful.
It's all very different.
It is beautiful!
And it just
gets hated on.
And I just want to
dispense that cause you
know, you think winter
steelhead and everybody's
like, Ugh, I don't want
to go to the Vedder.
Right.
But you'll do.
Go to the Vedder,
you will learn.
You don't but you do.
Yeah.
But yeah lots of winter
steelhead opportunities
in the lower mainland.
January, February, and
that fishery will go
till the river blows
out in May pretty much.
Well, the Vedder closes
in May, above, not.
Not this year.
There's proposals
to change that so.
TBI is that
changing this?
Is this top secret?
It might be.
No, no, no, it's
not top secret.
No, no, no,
there's proposals.
Yeah.
So typically May,
but there is, I don't
know how it would
go in this year.
I don't know.
Actually.
TBI.
Okay.
Anyway, usually it
closes above the Vedder
crossing May 1st and the
lower, below the Vedder
crossing stays open in
May, but you usually
might get like a week
and then it blows out.
Okay well, we'll look
it up and put it in
the podcast notes.
If we can find
it, if it changes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then you get
into kind of as well
this time of year.
And I would say pretty
much through till March.
I mean, there's lots of
resident trout fisheries.
So all those, any
system that got salmon
in the previous fall,
those are all going to
have resident trout.
So your bull trout, your
cutthroat, your rainbows,
they're moving into those
systems, looking to key
in on egg patterns, on
flesh patterns, on all
those kinds of things.
So you see lots of guys
fishing fly patterns,
like big flesh flies
and stuff like that.
That goes right till
March pretty much.
March the salmon fry will
actually start hatching
when the weather warms
up in March typically, or
sometimes late February.
Okay.
And then the trout,
resident trout fishing
gets phenomenal
cause they'll gorge
on those salmon fry.
So bull trout fishing
is great, cutthroat
fishing is great.
Rainbows.
Yeah, yeah.
All through till the
rivers blow out with.
Well that'd be up
Squamish as well
and up through.
Yep, absolutely.
Yeah.
Squamish systems,
anywhere that connects to
the Fraser in the Valley
there, Harrison, Nicomen,
Dewdney all that stuff.
Stave.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Lots of opportunities.
Lots of opportunities.
And then.
So I see people sometimes
fishing, you know, as
you drive down towards
the border down highway
99, and right by the.
Yeah there's
the Nicolmickle,
Serpentine, Campbell,
all those ditches.
Right.
I grew up, when I was in
my teens, that's where
I used to go, cause I
grew up in North Delta.
So I used to go fish
cutthroat in those
ditches all the time
and it was great.
I mean, mind you,
they're not big, but
it's super fun after
school, on an afternoon.
Anything that connects to
the Fraser or the ocean
will have little runs of
and sea run cutthroat.
And that's what they're
going for is cutthroat?
Yep, cutthroat, or well,
some of those rivers
will have coho in the
fall and chinook in the
summer and some of them
will also have steelhead
there's hatcheries on
the little Campbell.
And I think the
Nicolmickle as well.
That's pretty
easy access.
Super easy access.
Do they get pretty
crowded as well?
No.
Dirty ditch water,
people don't find
it very attractive.
But they have fish.
There's fish in them.
Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah.
It's not exactly the most
picturesque fly fishing
experience in the woods.
No, no.
Fishing amongst farm
fields and whatnot,
but it's something to
do and it's close so.
I remember one time
going, I think it was
the Serpentine and I
thought I'm going to
raft down the Serpentine.
Nice!
I was getting really into
rafting at one point and
I thought, well we'll
just take this raft, I'll
put it in and I'll catch
it as a tide's going out.
And I basically put
it in a ditch, me and
this other fellow.
And I spent hours kicking
and paddling and kicking
and paddling with a
case of beer in my lap.
Thinkin I could have
some nice lazy little,
little drift down, it
never happened, but yes.
It sounds like
a lot of work.
It was a lot of work.
Yeah.
And yes, it's not the
most scenic place to be.
But did see some anglers.
Yeah, there ya go.
So, yeah.
So you get those kind
of fry popping out in
that kind of Mar- late
February, March, April.
And that's a big,
that's a big food
source for a lot of
those resident fish.
So anywhere that had
salmon, you think
about it, we got
chum fry coming out,
we'll have pink fry
next year, I guess.
Any of those systems,
that's when the fries
start to move out and
all the resident trout
really key in on that.
So that can be a
fishery as well.
You know, March, you
have a little bit
longer days, but maybe
you're not into steel
heading, you know, it's
not quite lake season.
What do you do?
SO there's all that
available cutthroat.
Some guys will go
fish off beaches in
the lower mainland
in the salt water, if
you want to do that.
But rainy day sometimes
that's not ideal either.
True, true.
It can be a little
bit harder as well.
That can be a little bit
nitpicky, but there's
lots of options too.
And then you get into the
springtime and then you
have BC's 20,000 lakes
that's available to us.
Fish a different lake
every day for the
rest of your life.
Pretty much.
So that's you're,
what, late.
Yeah, depending on
the year and the
temperatures we get.
Yeah.
But based on how
this year is going,
it could be a really
early lake season.
Right, yeah.
Mid to late April.
Yeah, mid to late April.
There's usually the
lower elevation lakes
that are icing off
and then may and June
will be your prime,
still water months.
Okay.
And there's so many
other things going
on at that time too.
You can go bass
fishing, which is also
a very new thing in
the lower mainland.
Where do you go
bass fishing?
Oh my gosh.
Anywhere.
Really?
Yeah.
There's any pon- Oh,
I'm going to ruin it.
It this an invasive
species or what?
Yes.
It is.
I mean, it's a fairly
new fishery, but
basically any pond or
slew in Abbotsford,
pitt Meadows, langley.
I heard there's a
--.
Yeah.
In the -- area.
It's a secret.
Shhhh, shut up.
You know what's funny.
You might want
to cut that.
I noticed you didn't
mention that during
the presentation.
I wasn't going
to say anything
But what's funny is, is
the person who actually
asked this question,
I'm going to call him
out right now because
he gave us some heat
for doing a crabbing
episode with MeatEater
with April Vokey.
Oh that's right.
Remember that?
So Brock, don't think
I forgot that one.
Well you're giving them
secret crabbing spots?
No, we didn't even
say the location.
We were just out
crabbing and I guess he
was able to determine
what beach we were at.
Oh my God.
He's a local.
Okay.
But in his defense, it
was his idea and actually
there's a few people
who put it up, but I
just thought he'd get a
kick out of hearing his
name mentioned on here.
It was his idea to
share this information.
But you guys let me
know if we've got
to beep things out
as we go through
here, we can do that.
Yeah, maybe
specific spots.
We won't say.
We're not going to talk
about specific spots.
But I mean, there
are like, right in
vanc- Burnaby, Deer
Lake has huge bass.
Yes.
Burnaby Lake has huge
bass and super easy
access and right in town.
You don't have to
go very far, but
there's there's bass.
Yeah.
Those ones you're
okay to say.
Yeah.
And we do.
Would you eat them?
Nah.
I've heard people
say you can.
You can.
Not from Deer Lake.
I think.
No!
Serious?
You can?
You can?!
But I wouldn't.
Okay.
I mean, depending on
where you got it from,
if it was like a nice,
clear Lake, maybe.
Apparently they're
delicious, but
not deer lake.
I've eaten
straight Mexico so.
No, so yeah, but
they are an invasive.
And I think that is
something that people,
it is becoming more
prevalent in the lower
mainland, probably
at the cost of a lot
of other species.
Especially as they,
those systems that
they're in to now that
connect to the Fraser
in the last, maybe two
years, there's been some
systems that do connect
to the Fraser that
are serious problems.
Yeah.
For residents steelhead
salmon in some instances.
So it is a problem, but
we have to be realistic
that it is a fishery
that is here now, and
it's very popular.
It's so much fun.
Yeah?
It is fun.
Would you fly
fish for them?
Or what do you use for?
You can, the only issue
with that is it's hard
to, people are gonna
hate me for this, but
it is hard to fly fish
in the spots that you
get good bass fishing.
In the lily pads,
under brush and that
sort of stuff in the
weeds, it's definitely
better with gear.
That being said, I
have fly fish for them
a bunch and like Pitt
Meadows, just take the
dogs for a walk and
bring your fly rod with
a little bass popper.
You get tons of the
smaller ones and a
bunch of little pumpkin
seed and pan fish and
that sort of stuff.
It's super fun.
But if you want
like bigger bass,
I'd definitely
switch to gear.
Actually an episode
of DAS boat, I
remember that.
Das boat.
Yeah.
Ahh, that's
right, you're.
She's getting
all frustrated.
Some people might hate
me for this cause the
fly fishing purists
will say otherwise,
but there's a reason
Bassmaster Classics
is all gear fishermen.
Just saying.
Can't catch
everything with fly.
Exactly.
You know, you gotta
know your place.
Yeah.
But yeah, and back to our
lakes, I mean, you got
your lake fishing, which
is just exceptional.
And it doesn't, you
don't have to do
crazy trips either.
I think that's another
thing too, is there's
lots of Lake fishing.
certainly within an
hour or two hours,
three hours, you
have the exponential
number of local lakes.
So it's not, it
doesn't have to be
a big production.
Yeah.
Not even that far really.
You don't have to
invest in a boat.
Like there's lots of
options that you can do
locally, which I think
gets underrated a little
bit because people
think that you have to
make some big excursion
to some camping, you
know, 150 miles house.
Yeah.
We're really lucky to
have the trophy lake
fishing that we have in
the interior in Merritt
Kamloops, Caribou,
blah, blah, blah.
But a lot of people
forget that there's all
of the local lakes in
the lower mainland are
also stocked with trout.
And if you don't want to
drive too far, or you're
a young kid and you don't
have a car, there's a
lot of lakes that you
can even bus to and fish.
Absolutely.
That's all stocked
with trout.
That's a great,
like the Freshwater
Fisheries Society does
an unbelievable job
in the lower mainland
stocking those lakes.
So it, yeah, that's a
great point actually,
because people get so
uppity about like going
to a big trophy, but
it meant you can go to
like Lafarge lake in
Coquitlam, Grayslake and
like North Van was like
10 minutes from my house.
Green Timbers, in
Surrey, they throw
in the odd broodstock
rainbow in there.
Ohh, there ya go!
Once in a while an 8
year old kid will pull
out a 10 pound trout
and your like, what?
So cool.
Yeah.
You don't have
to go far, right.
And I think that's kind
of, you know, you see
all the pictures of all
the grand adventures,
but that's like, you
don't have to do that.
Yeah.
If you don't have the
means to do that, there's
lots of fishing nearby.
If you do have the
means to drive out to
the interior, we are
extremely lucky with
what the Freshwater
Fisheries Society of
BC has done with our
interior lakes and
the triploid fish that
they've done and it's
absolutely phenomenal.
You can have some really,
really incredible fishing
and that's from yeah,
you know, late, mid to
late April till November.
Technically yeah.
Depending on
your elevation.
Yeah.
Till it freezes up.
Yeah.
Obviously it's better
May, June will be
your ideal month,
sometimes July.
Middle of summer is
usually your summer
doldrums, the water's too
warm, the fish go deep.
And then it picks up
again in the fall, so
September, October,
sometimes November.
So summertime just take
out on the ocean fishing.
Yeah.
Take your fishing
out there.
Ocean if you want.
Ocean and everything
that we love.
And trout!
Oh my God.
My favorite,
the best months.
The best months.
For river trout fishing.
Yeah.
So there's a lot
of, err, not a lot,
there's a few rivers
that open up July 1st.
Like the Skagit,
Similkameen that
are fantastic.
Dry fly trout fisheries,
and we're absolutely
obsessed with them.
On the Thompson,
good trout.
Yeah, I think that
actually opens earlier.
Yeah, it opens earlier.
But like the Chilliwack,
so then the Vedder
opens again July 1st and
you can target chinook
in there if you are.
And trout.
So apt.
And trout as well.
But the summertime,
I mean, in British
Columbia, especially
in the lower mainland,
it is endless.
So many options.
Summer, you know that
June, July, August,
September, October,
pretty much into November
pick what you want to do.
We have so much here.
I think that we like to
complain a lot about how
busy things are here.
Being attached to.
It's been known
to happen.
Being attached to a city
of two plus million.
But on the other
hand, it is endless.
We have so much.
Yeah.
And I mean, we, we
share a passion for
trout fishing a lot,
that's kind of where
we, I think fostered our
friendship, I would say.
So the summertime is
definitely just endless
things that you can do.
We got salt water
fisheries on the ocean
if you have a boat or
access to a boat as well,
and you can go there.
And then yeah, we
have dry fly fishing.
We have some of the best
dry fly fishing around.
Yeah?
I think a lot of people
would argue that, but
there's we have some
in British Columbia, I
should say as a whole.
Yeah.
Oh yeah.
British Columbia has
a hold absolutely.
Yeah.
The, I mean, the
closer you get to
the city, obviously
the more pressured
the fish are, so you
definitely have to.
Yeah, the fish are
definitely pickier,
more selective.
But the farther away you
go, like we fished the
Blackwater the summer
and any fly in your box,
pick the biggest one,
skate it, like everything
you've ever known about
dry fly fishing, throw
it out the window because
it doesn't matter.
Those are so unpressured.
Really?
And not picky whatsoever.
You know, hundred fish
in a day, no problem.
And there's so many
other fisheries
like that in BC.
What was that
when you fished by
Prince George there?
Regardless, doesn't
matter, I don't
have to name rivers.
You'd probably have to
beep it out anyways.
Yeah, exactly.
Beep.
River X.
But yeah, we're really
lucky with what we
have here in BC.
The rivers closer to
the lower mainland
or in the lower
mainland, or obviously
a little bit trickier.
But the other thing we
have this year, 2021.
Oh yeah.
Pinks.
I love it when
the pinks come.
Except when they
bump into the boat.
And you're not
catching them.
It's frustrating.
Tiffany knew right
where I was at.
She's like pinkksss.
I love catching pinks.
Yeah.
And I think this
is a huge thing.
And going back to what
we were talking about,
new anglers as well.
Yeah.
This is your fishery.
The pinks?
If you are a
new fly angler.
This is your year, 2021.
This is your year.
Okay.
New year, new you.
This is where
we're going.
But this, yeah.
This, especially
for fly anglers.
Absolutely, for sure.
So you're not
catchin tiddlers.
You're catching
salmon and they
are spunky as heck.
And if you.
They put up a good fight.
You know what, as a
new angler, this is
a fantastic resource
that we have that
comes in, I mean even.
Every couple of years.
Yeah.
Every odd year.
Every odd year.
And they come into
pretty much almost every.
Yeah, almost
all the systems.
Most of them.
I mean, big ones would
be like the Fraser.
The Frasers.
Squamish,
Chilliwack, Harrison.
Yeah.
They all, you know,
they all get them.
Hopefully they let
us fish for them.
Yeah.
Yeah last time we were.
Knock on wood.
A little out of
luck down there.
Yeah.
But pinks are a geat
option, especially
for those new anglers.
Cause they can go out.
Absolutely.
And I mean, you're not
catching like a little
like me- you know, little
dinker, you're catching
a salmon that's gonna be
anywhere from three to
six pounds on average.
You might get a bigger
one than that, but you
can go and you can catch
them and you learn a lot.
And as a fly angler,
especially when you have
that consistent kind
of rate where you're
interacting with fish,
you know, it really
helps you as an angler.
So that's depending.
Depending on.
Mid July.
Yeah.
Certain rivers.
Till September.
Like Squamish usually
gets them earlier.
Like Howe Sound Fisheries
usually get them
earlier than the Fraser.
But yeah, usually it's
like mid July, even early
July people start getting
them off the beach
and then July through.
Mid-October.
Yeah, technically.
Yeah.
Depending on where
you are for sure.
Depending on where
you are, the Fraser
will get them till
October anyways,
through September and.
That just overlaps
all the trout
fishing we have too.
Oh my gosh.
Everything's overlapping
in that time.
Yeah.
That's when I have.
September.
You have people
coming in the shop
and they're like, so
I want to go fishing.
I'm like, what do
you want to do?
Cool.
Pick one.
Which way do
you want to go?
How far and
what do you got?
Big fish?
Little fish?
So yeah, summer is great
and that's not, we're
not even counting the,
like you kind of touched
on before the crabbing
that you have available
to you, the saltwater
fishery that sits right
out in front of our city.
Oh.
So lucky.
You know, so.
So lucky.
So lucky.
So lucky.
You know, people are
like, what do I do?
I don't know what
to do this weekend.
I'm like, you know,
we've got so much.
Do you not know what
to do because there's
too many options?
Too many things.
Yeah.
And then we, I guess
we would shift into
the fall and then.
And you got
salmon for days.
Salmon, coho.
Coho, chinook, chum.
Where viable.
Yeah.
Coho starts in September
in the South Fraser
systems anyway, like
the Vedder we'll get
them early, early
September through
mid November, almost.
Squamish got some in
October, November.
Chum will start showing
up in October, November.
Yeah, it's just a roller
coaster of options.
Back into winter springs.
Yeah.
There you go.
There you go.
And then you
also, there's all
trout in like.
Oh in the fall.
Pretty much in
the fall too.
I mean, they'll follow
those salmon up as well.
So there's lots of trout
opportunities as well
that go right through
till Christmas time and.
Absolutely.
Really?
Through salmon eggs.
Yeah, absolutely.
There that's another
thing too, that
October on really when
the salmon show up.
Yeah.
All the egg
fishing and stuff.
So there's, that's
always kind of there and
people forget about that.
Interesting.
We get so stuck.
And then just like you
said too, October, you
can go lake fishing.
Oh yeah.
Totally.
It can be super good, but
that just kind of gets
thrown out the window.
As soon as July
comes around.
Oh, for, I mean for us
living in lower mainland
anyway, I'm sure the guys
end up in Kamloops or.
Like what are you
talking about all the
way till it freezes up.
And then we fish
the hard water.
That's right.
Yeah.
And then, yeah, ice
fishing, which, you know,
we don't get a lot of
down here, but that's
definitely an option.
A lot of people do that.
I'm dying to go ice
fishing this year.
I don't know why,
something about it.
It's pretty fun.
I've never had too much
success ice fishing.
I would dig a bunch of
holes, I put up flags.
I would.
Drank a lot of rum.
I did drink a lot of
rum, this is true.
Yeah, it's pretty fun.
That's the thing,
you just drink and
stare at a hole in
the water or the ice.
It's pretty fun.
I did go to
Tunkwa last year.
Oh yeah.
And it was, it, it
got pretty addicting.
Yeah?
I'm not going to lie.
Yeah.
And you have like the
little, when you have
your fish finder too,
it's pretty much like a.
Oh yeah, you guys had
a video game going on.
It was a video game, 100%
a video game happening,
live video game.
And huge shout
out to Tunkwa Lake
resort for that and.
Ugh, we're supposed
to go this year.
Rob up there at Tunkwa
lake, pretty much like
helped me with that.
And it is unreal.
Very cool.
When you get somebody
that is like dialed
into ice fishing.
Yeah.
And he like mentors, you.
I was like, this is
the funnest thing.
Oh, we did a trip, a
family trip up to a mile
high resort last winter.
I mind you, the
fish aren't big, but
it's so much fun.
So fun.
It is fun up there.
Especially when it's
not, like mind you, we
didn't have a big ice
fishing tent, we were
just in lawn chairs
on the lake, but man,
it's so much fun.
I could see if you had
a tent and a stove.
Yeah.
So my dad.
You'd be hard pressed
to get me off that.
My dad, we did
that one trip.
He bought himself a
huge 10 person ice
fishing tent this year.
Nice.
So we can go, but
thanks to COVID,
everything's closed.
So until next
time, I guess.
Yeah so.
But we're set
for next time.
Oh, there's, I don't
think you could
say, unless it rains
torrentially, which
can happen in January.
Yeah.
And we're in Vancouver
so, disclaimer.
But honestly,
unless there's some
apocalyptic event,
you can do something
every single day in
the lower mainland.
And even when there's
those crazy rains, there
are a couple systems
with dams on them.
There's things
that you can do.
That are still very
fishable with that.
Yeah.
Amount of rain.
We are so lucky here.
There is never a day when
there's not something
that you could do.
Absolutely.
So with the rain though,
that sort of blows out
the river or it's just
unpleasant to fish?
No, it blows up.
Yeah.
Like we're supposed
to get what?
80 mils tomorrow
that'll blow at the
river, it'll be brown,
it'll be too high.
Eh.
So go duck hunting?
Go duck hunting.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You know, maybe, maybe,
or, you know, it's
January, you could
go up the mountain or
something like that too.
But that, however, if
you were really, really,
really keen on it,
there would be things
that you could go.
There's some options.
To do tomorrow.
You know, you might
have to work a little
bit harder and it might
not be productive as
other opportunities,
but you could fish
365 here in never do
the same thing twice.
And the other thing with
when the river does blow
out, that people don't
really think about, those
fish are still there.
They don't just all
wash away into the ocean
cause the river came up.
Right.
They're still there.
And you know what,
what they do is that
we'll just tuck into,
you know, really close
to shore and they'll
go up the inside so.
So work the inside.
Work the inside,
maybe use a bigger
presentation.
There's still options.
It's definitely not as
productive, but there's
still options and those,
those rivers with dams,
they definitely, you
know, hold the water
back as one would say.
You're not going to
catch anything sitting
at home on the couch.
Definitely not going
to catch anything
on the couch.
Yeah.
Practice your cast.
It's a long cast
from the couch.
I like that.
You've used that before.
That's not mine.
I'll have to give a
shout out for, to Tim.
I snatched that one
from you, sorry buddy.
Well, okay.
So we've got an idea
of a calendar of what
we're looking for.
Basically, there's
something everywhere,
all the time, if you're
willing to work for it.
Yeah.
But a new person
getting into it.
So there's a couple
things that I'm sure
you guys probably
hear a lot in, like
what gear do I need?
And then I guess the
other one would be,
man, those regulations,
they're tougher to
read than the hunting
regulations and they
change and they change on
a regular basis and you
gotta be able to keep up
with the ongoing changes
and on my end, freshwater
or saltwater, or am
I, is it permissible
at this area or not?
Are those common
questions that you get?
Big time.
They definitely don't try
to make it easy on you
as far as regulations go.
What's up with that?
No.
They want to catch you!
You definitely.
And I guess you guys
from the hunting side
as well, I mean, you,
you, you almost need
a law degree to read
some of that stuff.
Yeah.
Kind of.
So, yeah.
And yeah.
I mean, I'm not a
conspiracy theorist,
but I do think that
there's a bit of gray
area that's intentionally
put in there.
Ooo, this'll be fun.
No I just, I think
that it there's a lot
of instances where it
could have been written
a lot clearer and
that comes from both
the federal and the
provincial side as well.
BUt it is, it is
hard and I can see,
you know, people get
intimidated when they
come in the shop.
Right.
They're like,
what can I do?
And you're
like, I get it.
I know why
you're confused.
Believe me.
I sit there and I try
and decipher half the
stuff half the time, so.
Right.
It can be challenging.
So for hunting,
there's Mark Stenroos.
He made an app he's,
did a podcast with him
before, called iHunter.
And it's got the synopsis
in an app form, but it
also has like pictures of
the animals and it tells
you geo locate where you
are and what you can and
can't hunt at that time.
Is there anything
like that for fishing?
There is actually, there
is a new, the BCWF I
believe, it's on my
phone, I can grab it.
They had one that
just came out as well
that is an app that's
similar to that as well.
Oh interesting.
Yeah.
I would urge people
though, like,
you gotta know.
You still have to do
your due diligence.
Right, learn
how to read it.
And stuff like that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I don't go fishing
without, you know,
don't go fishing new
area without checking
the regulations.
I feel like a lot of
people they just assume.
Yeah.
I think, I think an app.
I agree with the app.
I think the app is
a great resource.
Resource, but you never
rely on it, but the
same breath you read
the synopsis, it says
this is a resource
and it's not the law.
Have you ever seen that?
Yeah, I, yeah.
Woah, I haven't
seen that.
I feel like we have
to be aware of, you
can't use it and be
like, Oh the app said.
Right.
Oh totally not.
Yeah.
That doesn't work.
I've heard that before.
But if you can
cross check it.
Just say, okay I
got it, it says it's
open, let me take a
look at the synopsis.
Yeah, it looks good.
And I should put a caveat
on that one, for the
hunting synopsis anyways,
it says this isn't law.
This is to be used
as a reference.
It's a synop- the
word synopsis means
condensed version of,
and the same thing I
would think applies to
the fishing synopsis.
Cause it's all based
on something else so.
I would think that
too, but then how do
they charge you on
the wildlife act then?
Under, it wouldn't be
under the synopsis,
but it would be under
the wildlife act.
The wildlife act
would be synopsisized.
See, already were
in the gray area.
That's all of two
sentences to get
into the gray area.
Boop.
Let's back out
of this one.
Okay, so.
I mean, in short,
the fishing synopsis,
it's not that
ridiculous to read.
The fresh water one
anyway, for trout.
Sure, freshwater.
And steelhead
and whatnot.
For sure.
Don't get me
started on DFO.
Yeah, the province.
We talked about
this earlier.
Yeah, exactly.
So the annoying part
as somebody who works
in a shop anyway, is
that salmon regulations
aren't printed out.
They're on a website.
Right.
So they're are two
totally different
regulations.
Right.
And a lot of people don't
know how to find them or
don't know where to look.
So trout and steelhead,
everything managed
provincially is printed
out in the synopsis and
you get a paper copy.
And that does get easier.
It is easier.
So based on what region
you're in every, you
know, there's chapters
based on the regions, you
look at the front page
of that region and it'll
give you the general
regulations and if you're
going to a specific
river or lake, you
look them up in those.
There's basically a
huge list of all the
different exceptions.
Right.
So it'll be, you
know, let's say rice
lake, I'm going to
rice lake tomorrow.
Look up rice lake it'll
if it says something,
if it says, you know,
no motors allowed,
no bait allowed,
blah, blah, blah.
Then those are the
rules for that lake.
Easy.
If you don't see rice
lake in the list, then
you just refer back to
the general regulations
in that region.
Yeah.
That makes sense.
Salmon regulations are
on the a whole other
thing and they get
updated pretty frequently
in season, so it's
definitely a lot harder
for people to fall
along with that one.
Especially, well, I mean
the Fraser River, we're
talking about that, but
that's going to be tidal
water up until what
Mission.
The bridge?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I think, yeah that's
probably actually
one thing that
gets asked a lot.
I mean, we have
provincial regulations
which apply to all our
freshwater systems.
And then we also have
salmon, which transcends
both freshwater and
saltwater system.
So they're managed
by saltwater.
Right.
Or by sorry, by the
federal government, but
when they enter into
a freshwater system,
the freshwater system
regulations still
apply, but they're
still managed by the
provincial government.
Right.
So for instance, in
the summertime on the
Capilano, you cannot use
bait after August 1st.
Okay.
Okay.
That's a provincial
regulation.
Okay.
But if you're fishing for
coho in the summertime,
in August, you cannot
use bait, which is a
provincial regulation,
but you can only keep X
number of coho in there.
So you have to constantly
be looking at two
different regulations
at the same time, which
is not all the time.
I will say, clearly
explain that that's
how it works.
I'd agree.
Yeah.
So they had some
confusing ones
this season too.
Yeah, so that can
definitely, that's
another thing.
That's a bit of an
inhibitor, especially
to a new angler coming.
They're like, so
what do I read?
I'm like, well,
you actually have
to read both.
Yeah.
And they're like, what?
But I'm fishing in
the river and I'm
looking at a DFO?
I'm like, yeah but
you're fishing for
salmon, you know?
So that can be a bit
of a hurdle for new
anglers as well, is
that, we're fortunate
because we have all
these anadromous species
and we have these,
two regulatory bodies,
but then on the other
hand, it's like woah,
woah, woah, now I have
twice as many rules?
Right.
And you gotta make sure
you're following both
of them and you're not.
And be able to
identify the fish too.
Right.
At what stage in their
spawning sequence.
Yeah, yeah exactly.
Yeah, one thing I will
say, if you are confused
about regulations, just
call your local shop or
go into your local shop.
Don't just go fishing
thinking that you got it
all figured out based on
one of the regulations
that you read, or
somebody said something,
blah, blah, blah.
Your buddy said
that this is okay.
Just ask.
You know, the guys at
the shop will know.
And they're used to it.
You guys get it
all the time right?
They're used to it.
We get those questions
every day, all day.
I think that's actually
a really good point
because that kind of
segues into our, like
the whole premise of
our women's group is
just ask the question.
You know what I've
had phone calls at the
shop where it's like,
Hey uhm, uhm, uhm, and
you can hear the river
in the background.
And it's like, uhh, can
you keep this fish here?
And you're like,
uh no, it's closed.
It's like, okay, click.
And you're lik, uh ohh.
What did you kill?
Something is on the
beach that's not supposed
to be, but if you're
not sure, just like
Cat at said, just ask.
Phone a shop, a shop is
never gonna say anything
to you, and I'm sorry
if you've had a bad.
We don't bite.
Experience for that,
but the shops don't
bite, like we're here
to be that, literally
our job is to read
those regulations
and understand
those regulations.
Right.
So we sit there and when
a new notice comes out
or something, you have
to sit there and it's
terrible to sit there
and read through all
that, but that's our job.
And so phone your
shop and be like, Hey,
I'm a little confused
on this, what's the
perception here, and
then go from there.
That's why the
shops are there.
That's why we have small
businesses that are there
to read those rules.
Exactly.
And understand them.
So tell me about
the BC Women's
Fly Fishing group.
Just one day you woke up.
Sorry, I was waiting
until you took a drink.
Yeah.
How did it start really?
So maybe we'll start
with how, how Gill
and I started fishing
together, I guess.
Yeah.
Cause that's where the
conversation came up.
I remember the
conversation we had.
Me too.
And it was really,
it was fun.
Do you wanna?
Okay.
Yeah, let's hear it.
Okay.
I'll go.
Okay.
So essentially
what happened is
back in the day.
So my ex boyfriend
and her boyfriend
are best friends.
Okay.
Okay.
And so they would
guide up in Haida Gwaii
and they'd be gone
all summer because
that's what guides do.
Bless them.
Sure.
But they'd be
gone all summer.
So from mid to late
June, right in through
til early August, like.
Trout season.
Yeah.
You know like, okay
bye, I love you,
have a good time.
You know we respect,
they do what they love.
We respect that,
we understand it.
Sure.
You do you.
So then you're left
kind of all summer.
So that being said, they
started, they're still
best friends and you
know, they kind of had
that and they go away.
So I think actually when
it started, cause I've
known Dimitri longer,
her boyfriend longer
than I've known you.
Yeah.
Actually, and Dimitri
said like, Hey you
should get in touch
with Catherine.
Like she really
likes trout fishing.
I was like, Oh, okay,
that sounds cool.
So I have to say one
thing too, our boyfriends
don't like trout fishing.
They're a nuisance.
If it's not a steelhead,
chinook or a sturgeon.
Who cares.
So anyway, that
was what it.
That was never
appreciated.
How it started.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So then I said, I
think we went and
fished the Thompson
for trout I think for
the first time that
was kind of our thing.
And then your
car got stolen.
Yeah.
What?
But that's a different
story, but anyways.
Adventures.
Yeah.
So it kind of grew from
there and we kind of got
connected through them
and it came to be that we
had this shared passion
for trout fishing, which
we couldn't necessarily
have them have with
them because you know.
Cause they're
not into it.
No, and they're
are, they're both
very, extremely
good anglers, like.
Oh for sure.
Top tier.
They just don't
care about trout.
They just don't care.
It doesn't go.
Actually I got, Dimitri
likes lake fishing.
Yeah.
Disclaimer.
Only chironomid though.
As soon as the
chironomids go away and
damsel flies and may fly
nimphs come out, uh, no.
But yeah,
so we hung out and then
we started to develop
that we had this like
really great shared
passion for trout fishing
specifically, which has
obviously expanded into
more, but it kind of
started there and we're
like, Oh, this is great.
Like they're gone.
We both are in the
same situation.
You know, they're
gone, we have each
other, we can hang out.
It's perfect.
Totally, totally.
And then we go
trout fishing.
And the vibe with
another female angler.
So different than with,
I dunno, it's, I don't
wanna be, mean to be,
It's just different.
Sexist, but yes,
it's so much fun.
It's not competitive.
It's, you know,
you're yeah.
It's just.
Our conversations are
differnt in the car.
On the same level.
Conversations
are so much fun.
It's not like, I missed
that fish like four
hours ago and I'm like
really pissed about it.
Although it does happen.
But, you know,
it'll be still like
girl talk, it'll.
Yeah.
So it's still
fun that way.
So we kind of went
and it just like
instantly clicked.
Somebody gets a big
fish and there's like
crazy screams going on.
And we're like so
pumped for eachother.
It's not like I'm going
to be like pouting.
No.
Not to say that all
boys pout, but I've
been in situations
where I've fished with.
There's never.
Guys.
Been a pouty
session with us.
No.
No pouts.
But to be like,
disclaimer, I fish
with other the guys and
it's like 20 minutes of
pouting cause I got one.
Yeah.
That's hilarious.
I'm just going to
say it comes from
actual observations
that I've had.
Yeah.
Right.
And so we'd go and
it was just fun and
it was different and
we're like, Oh my God.
Like, I wish
that everybody
could, all like.
Experience that.
Our female anglers
could have this.
Like, we're so lucky
that we had the, kind of
that relationship built.
Right.
From them.
But we were just so
excited about that
and it was cool.
And then we've, that's
grown since then.
That was, that was
a while ago now.
How long ago was that?
Five years.
Almost.
At least almost.
Five years this
summer, I guess.
Cause Dimitri and I,
it was the first summer
Dimitri and I were
together, I think.
Yeah.
Something like that.
So right, right away.
You guys decided, Hey, we
click, this is awesome.
Let's get others
into this?
Or did it take a while?
It took a while.
Well, I think I brought
the idea up with you one
day when we were driving
back from the river.
It's like, Hey.
Yeah.
And then you said it and
I was like, hey I was
thinking the same thing
because it was weird.
And we just had this kind
of, we were kind of on
the same page of that.
And it's funny, cause
we always talk about
being on the same
page, but yeah, you
just you're like, Hey,
I was kinda thinking
that, you know, and.
With the two shops.
Yeah.
We both our shop's.
There's more and
more ladies coming
into the shops.
We just wanted to create
this little, like.
We kind of wanted
to recreate.
Community.
For other people
kind of what we felt.
And there's a lot of
women's groups, women's
fly fishing groups
in the States and I
feel like Canada's
really behind on that.
So yeah, we just
wanted to try it out
and start one here.
There's tons
in the states.
So how many people belong
to the fly fishing group?
So what, it's two and
a half years old now.
Okay.
And we've got
over 650 now.
650?
That's on our
facebook group.
Just BC.
Yeah.
Wow.
Well, yeah, I think
the Facebook groups
I checked the other
day, it was like 640.
Although a bunch of
people joined the
other night after
your zoom thing.
Yeah it's grown
quite a lot.
And I think too,
It's just kind of
having that access.
I mean, Facebook, I
think is a great forum
for you can participate
as much or as little
as you want, but it's
still, it's still
right there for you.
It's free and
it's easy to join.
Easy to find.
We have a base,
I'll explain it.
We have a closed group
page on Facebook.
BC Women's Fly Fishing
group, if you want to
look it up, feel free,
but it's closed right?
So you have to
ask to join.
So we kind of weed out
all the fake accounts
or guys, but there's
definitely been some
guys trying to join.
Seriously, you find that?
Yeah.
Oh yeah.
Wow.
But we just want to have
like a safe place for
women to ask questions
and you know, I'm going
fishing this weekend,
anybody want to come
along and we just
don't want to have any
creeps on there, if
you know what I mean.
There's no like
snarkiness or
meanness or anything.
I won't name the
names of the groups on
Facebook, but there's
a few different groups
on Facebook for hunting
and fishing and there,
there's just so much
attitude and you get.
Ego.
Yeah, totally.
If you don't know
what you're doing,
you get ego.
If you ask, like heaven
forbid, you're one of
these guys that's new
to hunting and says,
Hey, I'm going up
to region eight, you
know, where's a good
spot to get whatever.
You can't ask that.
Your group, it's a
given, if you have a
question, just ask it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I think that's
so important.
Everyone's so polite and
nice and encouraging.
I don't know.
I, yeah, I don't
know what it is.
I think that
comes from that.
We've kind of fostered
that because it be,
because we come from the
shop, we know that those
questions are out there.
Don't be scared to
ask that question,
but we also want the
space to be there.
Yeah.
Hmm.
Yeah.
People to feel
comfortable asking
those questions.
It's easy, it
should be easy.
And when you do ask
those questions, you
know what you're going
to get legit responses.
So you've got the
Facebook group, but you
guys also do zoom calls.
Gill started that
basically with COVID.
Yes.
Cause we used to do a
couple of years ago.
We used to do so much!
Yeah, I know,
it's so sad.
We used to do like fly
tying nights every.
Trips.
Month almost.
Casting lessons.
At the shop, in person.
We did some like big
seminars at Cabela's with
some special speakers.
Everything in person.
We had some like
introduction to fly
fishing courses in
person, but with COVID
we haven't been able
to meet up in groups.
Mind you, it's kind
of a good and bad
thing because doing
the stuff in person,
it is a BC women's
fly fishing groups.
So there's people from
all over the province,
the Kootenays, Prince
George, Smithers, blah,
blah, you name it.
So having those
in-person courses
only select people.
Pretty tough.
Yeah!
I mean, mind you, we have
a great group of ladies
in the lower mainland
that are super active in
the group and love coming
to our courses and that.
But the zoom courses
definitely opened up
to having those other
women able to join, which
was really cool I find.
So do they have
to pay to join?
Nope.
Free.
All free?
You know, I thought
about, and this is
actually interesting.
Cause on Saturday night
we did that zoom call
and I was talking to
Sarah Simpson who has
the Western Outdoors
Women Facebook group too.
And they're
in Salmon Arm.
Okay.
And she does it and
I was talking to her
and we were just kind
of conversing on a
couple of things too.
And she was under kind
of the same thought.
And we've talked about
it, cause people say,
Oh, you know, maybe you
should charge and stuff.
Membership fees, yeah.
You know, we will
charge, like if we do
a casting lesson or
something like that.
Yeah, not
everything is free.
Yeah.
Or a.
Sure.
Like our in-person
fly tying nights
where materials were
required and stuff,
there was a charge just
to cover the materials
essentially and.
But.
That makes sense.
It's super affordable.
For sure.
But the zoom calls and
stuff, I think we did,
we still want it to be
on a format where it
was, it was accessible
to everyone because
even if there's a charge
on a membership, it
still puts a bit of a
boarder to some people.
Sure.
The fundamental thing
is it's supposed to
be a safe space they
can ask questions and
there's no judgment.
You know, there should
not be judgment.
And this also
comes from us, both
working in shops.
I've been a girl,
you know, I.
How long have you
been a girl for?
A long time!
Most your life.
Since the beginning.
Pretty much my
entire life.
But anyways, I've
been a girl that
works in the shop for,
you know, 15 years.
I get it.
Like I've, you know, I.
Talk about judgment.
My dad owns the shop,
I've worked there
since I was 15, without
doing the math, that's
like 16 years for me.
But I've had people that
have walked in and have
refused to talk to me.
Same.
Really?
And you know
what, like, okay.
Still happens.
Sure, whatever, but you
know what, like this
is not a side job for
me, this is my job.
This is.
This is your life.
Catherine's
full time job.
This is not a
side hobby for us.
Totally.
I do this, I spend hours
out on the water, so
don't walk in and talk
to the 14 year old kid
that works at my shop.
That's the funniest ever.
Because he's a male,
that's been fishing
for a year and a half.
You know what, if they
want to, go ahead.
Yeah, no problem.
Yeah, and when he can't
answer your question
and turns to me I
will gladly help you.
And it's not about
being a female or not,
but it just it still
annoys me that we,
you still get that.
So I don't want anyone
to feel like that cause
I guess I felt like
that, on the daily.
She gets felt like
that on the daily.
So I don't want people, I
want you to come in and I
want you to come into our
group and ask a question
and feel confident
asking that question.
Nice.
Yeah.
I like it.
That's accessibility.
Yes.
Yeah.
And you said something
earlier that you
touched on, which is
really interesting.
I think it ties into
this, but you brought up
the word mentorship and
you said, you know, if
you go out there, you've
got a good mentor to show
you, show you the ropes.
So many people
don't have that.
Yeah.
So another thing I guess
we didn't really chat
about, but we do a lot
where we try to do a
lot of trips day trips
and we do our best to
have either Gill and
I, or both of us there.
So the cool thing about
that is like, we have
a lot of women in the
group that, they might
not fish unless they
come on one of our
trips and they come
on those trips because
they feel comfortable
going on a guided trip.
The guide, yes is a
male, but one of us,
they know either Gill
or I through the shop
or through the group.
And they feel
comfortable going with
a group of strangers
essentially because
they know one of us.
Whereas, it is
intimidating booking
a trip, not knowing
a single person
going on that trip.
I mean, you came on one
of our trips this fall.
You didn't know anybody,
mind you, Gill and I
weren't there on those
ones, unfortunately, but.
I did know the
guide though.
You didn't
know the guide.
Yeah.
Pat was one of your
guides at Skeena Spey.
So it was less
intimidating.
It is less intimidating
when, you know at least
one of the people right.
And I never, I never
would have thought, hey,
Trav, I'm gonna spend
Sunday up in Squamish.
I'm gonna go fishing.
Bunch of strangers.
I'm going to hire a
guide and go out fishing
for whatever right.
Like it just, I would
never have done it, but
you guys coordinatde
the whole thing
and it was amazing.
It was like one of the
best days of the year.
It was so much fun.
And I didn't like,
like you said, I
didn't know anyone.
Yeah.
It was just awesome.
Awesome.
Really enjoyed it.
We have just as much fun.
Like I love our women's
group trips, honestly.
It's, they're
so much fun.
I look forward to those
more than anything we do.
We try to do.
A decent amount.
I mean, we usually do a
few in the spring up the
Lillooet with Curtis and
those are my favorite.
Oh my God.
We booked two boats
and it's like 10 ladies
and jet boats going
up the, you know.
Ooo.
Across Harrison Lake
up the Lillooet.
Catching trout left,
right and center.
And it's so much fun.
We, it's just been like
the best two years.
It's so much fun.
And the cool thing is
like, we're making tons
of friends from it.
And I feel like a
fishing buddy matchmaker
a lot of the times.
Yes, 100%.
Friends that
come out of it.
Like there's people
in our group that are
like best friends now
because of this group
and it's so cool.
And they've found
fishing themselves.
It's amazing.
I love it.
I love it.
It, it makes me like,
that's probably like
the best part of it is
when you see people and
they're like, Oh, we went
fishing the other day
and you're like, so cool.
We've done our job.
But I think too, like I
sometimes, I feel like
both of our families grew
up fishing and stuff.
So that was always
available to us.
Not everybody
has that, right.
Not everybody has a dad
or a family, or a mom or
a boyfriend or a husband.
Absolutely.
Or you know, a grand
parent that got
them into fishing.
Some people just
generally want to
get into it, but I
couldn't imagine trying
to jump in nowadays.
Oh my god.
It'd be scary
as heck, right.
So I got to ask,
for the other 50%
of our listeners.
Do you guys have
a counterpart?
Oh, I mean, there's
certain clubs in the
lower mainland, guy,
you know, there's what
the Totems, the Ospreys.
Yeah, North Shore
Fish and Game Club.
There's different games,
clubs out there for sure.
A lot of them
are, they're not
as easy to join.
You gotta be whatever
certain level.
I don't know.
I find the guys aren't
as open to having
random strangers join.
I don't know it's
not the same.
I find they're not
as encouraging and I
don't want to bash.
Yeah, that's why you
started your group.
Yeah.
It's different when
you're a woman.
It's different.
That's such an odd.
I feel so mean
saying that.
That's such a
great question.
I'm trying to like, think
of an example and there's
not really something
that parallel's.
Cause there's a lot
of guys out there
that'll want to learn
in the exact same way.
Yeah.
It's a lot more
competitive.
Sure.
For the guys.
Not all.
Yeah, not all.
Not all.
And there's a ton out
there that just, they
want to learn in the
same fashion, but.
Absolutely.
So one thing we have like
kind of thought about is.
To do more like co-ed
trips or couples trips.
So that might be
something down the
road, but it would
be cool to have a
similar guys group.
I mean, there's
a few out there.
There's like Stillwaters
that Facebook page,
that thing's great.
No, I think.
But there is.
It might not be as
pronounced and it might
not be as defined as
an individual group,
but I think there is.
Yeah.
Is that, when you say
stillwaters, that's
not the store sports.
No not the shop.
Yeah.
There's like a
Facebook page.
It's super, they're
super friendly on there.
Any questions you have
about lake fishing.
There you go guys.
Brent Gill, I think is
the one that runs it.
Anyway great group,
but it's super open.
It's co-ed it's not
just guys obviously.
Sure.
But there's I think
like thousands of guys
on there now there's a
lot, it's a big group.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I think actually, just
to go into that, because
you kind of touched on
that a little bit is as
we talk about like new
anglers too, I think I
feel, a little bit as
a disclaimer, I have
to say this and we get
really, really caught
up nowadays in the
media and portraying
yourself as being good.
And I think something
that we've always
talked about in the
group as well is,
it's okay to be new.
It's okay.
It's okay.
It's so okay to be new.
It's so okay it's
not even funny.
It's okay to suck.
It's okay to suck.
Cause that's
how you learn.
I sucked so bad
today on the river,
it's not even funny.
Honestly though that
is so important because
everybody now, and
it's just the climate
that we live in.
Okay.
Social media,
it's it's in your
face all the time.
It's all.
Well everyone rocks
on social media.
Of course.
Everyone's a rockstar.
Live your best life.
But, but it it's
okay to be new.
And I think that's really
important to talk about
because you get a lot
of people and they get
so wound up about like,
Oh my gosh, I have to
be able to prove to
everybody that I'm good.
We have to remember
to learn the process
to love the process
of learning again.
I like that.
Because.
That's the cool thing
about fishing you're
constantly learning.
You never know
everything and
I'm sure it's the
same with hunting.
I mean, I don't dive
into the hunting world,
but I'm sure it's the
same with hunting right?
Always.
You don't know
everything.
And we have to remember
to learn to lov .That
process of learning.
Absolutely.
And it's fun
and it's okay.
You know what, if you
went out and you didn't
get anything today.
Oh my gosh.
That's fine.
That's fine.
It's so fine.
That's what I love
about fly fishing
is because I very
rarely catch anything.
SO it's really
taught me to be like,
chill out on the
expectations of success.
And I don't need to
bring, especially
catch and release.
It's like, I'm not
bringing home any fish
meat at all tonight.
Doesn't even matter.
It's like I'm going
to go, I'm going to
practice my cast and
it's going to be calm.
It's like it's the most
relaxing, meditative
experience I've
ever had in my life.
I am completely
addicted to it.
I just, I love
it so much.
And it's so against
everything that I've
ever been like super
excited about, because
I suck at it and I very
rarely catch anything.
But when I do, it's just
awesome, but it's not.
It's that much better.
Yeah, but it's not
like why I'm out
there doing it.
No, but you also know
that feeling when
you make a really
nice looking cast.
Oh it's the
best, I love it.
So, you have to learn
to love that process.
And that's what
it's about.
It's not about like,
you know, getting that
pictures that you can
post it so that you
can be like, look,
how many likes I got?
It's like, Hey, look,
I made this really
great cast and I feel
really good about
myself today because
I laid out a 70 foot
cast and I feel great.
Plus most of my friends
wouldn't care if they saw
an awesome cast I did.
No, but I think that's
where we have to shift.
That importance too.
And I, it doesn't
matter if it's angling
or fly fishing or
whatever, it's like,
we have to shift that.
And so talking just to,
you know, the new, the
100% group, not just
the 50% talking to the
100% group, like let's
talk about learning.
And I think that's
what it is group.
Especially we try and
like ask questions,
please ask questions.
We, or whoever else
here is expert, because
there's certainly lots
of other girls in our
group that are very
experienced as well.
Like let other
people help you.
And like, it's okay.
I've lots of questions.
I don't know anything
about hunting, but you
know, if I'm going to get
into it, I'm going to go
ask somebody that knows.
And I don't care.
It's hard to learn if
you think you already
know everything.
Absolutely.
I think that's like
the biggest thing about
this group, is that
there is no, like you
guys don't act like
you know everything.
I'm not not saying
that you act like you
don't know anything,
but not at all.
Like, I'm always amazed
at how much I'm like, Oh
my God, I can't believe
how much there is to
know how much you guys do
know, but you don't act
like you know everything.
Whereas I find sometimes
dealing with other shops
or people or, not to
say guys in general,
but just other people,
like you have to have
an answer and you guys
don't act like that.
And the group's not about
always having an answer.
I mean, you do but.
Yeah.
It's okay to
say I don't know.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I can look into it
and find out later.
Yeah, that's an
absolutely another
thing, if I don't
know, I'm going to be
like, I don't know.
Let me, let me,
let me figure out
the answer for you.
I might have to get
back to you, but I'll
figure it out an answer.
And the cool thing
about the group too,
is there are so many
amazing women on there.
If I don't know.
100%.
The answer, if it's
some crazy like
entomology thing or
fish ID thing, there's
amazing biologists
that work for DFO that
are part of the group.
And you're like, Oh,
well, Katie can answer
or so-and-so can answer.
Or, you know, maybe
she knows, I don't
know everything.
Actually.
I just asked Katie
today if she would do a
presentation again on,
she just got her master's
degree last year.
So we're going to get to.
There's a few, there's
quite a few biologists
actually in the group.
Yeah.
So this is going to be
an upcoming possible
zoom presentation?
She did one
in the spring.
Katie, you're committed.
Yeah.
Sorry, Katie you're in.
I did talk to her
today, so she knows
what's coming.
But yeah, so we try
and do that, but yeah
we know we certainly
don't know everything,
but we just want to
be able to facilitate.
Yeah.
Some answers,
whether it comes from
elsewhere, that's fine.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Well, is there anything
else that we should
be talking about?
Cause I'm looking at
the time here and I
think best practices
for a podcast and they
say we've gone over
it, but that's okay.
This is very interesting.
Is there anything else we
should be talking about?
Do we got to get some
plugs in for your shops?
Any specials coming up?
Oo.
Ahh, put you on the spot.
Boxing day's over.
So we don't really have
valentine's day sales.
No, no.
We could, we could.
You could say,
you could say.
Totally should!
You could say you got
your, your lady angler
in your life that really
wants to get into fly
fishing or gear fishing,
depending where you're
at, you know, go and
buy gold and buy them
a rod theyre really.
You know what your
lady really wants.
A fly rod.
Yeah, she says she
wants flowers, but
I guarantee you, she
really wants a new fly
rod so, better get it.
You heard it here.
No, I think.
Who needs jewelry on
their fingers when
they can have jewelry
on their rungs.
Absolutely.
I don't know, just, we
need to be more positive
and we just need to all
be more supportive of
you, whether you're a
guy, girl, however you
go, like just let's
keep it positive.
Yeah.
I like it.
Thank you very much
for taking the time to
come and speak on The
Silvercore Podcast.
I have a funny feeling.
There might be
follow up podcasts.
Well this is really fun.
Thanks for hanging out.
This has been
so mcuh fun.
You guys are awesome.
Yeah.
Tonight I'm joined by
Catherine Laflamme.
Did I say that right?
No, you didn't.
You said it
like laphlegm.
Ekk.
See.
You're saying it
like it's phlegm.
It's Laflamme.
Laflamme.
Sorry.
We'll try this one again.
And we met through
a mutual friend,
April Vokey of
Anchored Outdoors.
Welcome Cat.
Hi!
Sorry.
Hey, that's quite
alright, not a problem.
I'm still laughing
about the phlegm.
Okay, okay.
Serious.
No problem.
You know, and
uh, I, I'll, oh.
It's okay, you
don't need those.
Your heads too small.
I have a really
small head and I have
really small ears.