At the 2024 Sport Fishing Institute of BC (SFI) Gala, our founder, Jack Foster, received the Bob Wright Legacy Award. This incredible honor recognizes Jack’s outstanding contributions to the conservation, restoration, and enhancement of BC’s recreational fishing industry—a legacy we at Islander Reels have been privileged to witness firsthand. Reflecting, Jack shared, “I was totally […]
When other anglers ask me what my favorite insect imitations are when fishing interior lakes, I always reply with leeches and dragon nymphs as these are excellent searcher imitations due to their size and availability. I know many anglers would beg to differ as chironomids are also extremely productive in our interior lakes but sometimes […]
With fall upon us it’s time to think of using fly imitations outside of the ever-popular lineup of chironomids, leeches and dragons. These insect imitations are all very productive but there are other options to use when fishing our interior lakes at the end of the season.. It’s hard to believe that one of the […]
When most anglers think of pursuing coho in the ocean with a fly they think of beach fishing along some of our many miles of coastal beaches in BC. This feature will cover coho fishing in the open ocean where coho are still aggressively feeding on natural food sources like herring, needlefish and squid. Pursuing […]
Winter tests even the most patient stillwater angler Winter is tough on most avid Stillwater anglers as they patiently wait for the ice to leave our numerous interior lakes. The first big decision to make when planning a trip in the new year is which lake to visit first when the lakes start becoming ice-free. […]
May Have Been Wrong All Along… When my fifth good sized Sea-run cutthroat came to hand in just one over an hour, my fishing buddy finally put his ego aside for just long enough to ask me what the heck I was using. As my productive little fly pattern didn’t have a name, I simply […]
If ever there was a fishery to test an angler’s patience, it would definitely be pursuing Coho in the ocean with a fly. Search for Shelter When Coho stage outside creeks and rivers they are often located around some form of structure where they can hide from seals and other predators. This protection comes in […]
After fishing BC’s interior lakes for nearly forty years, its not often that a fly pattern or technique takes me by surprise but in early June of this year, I had a real eye opener that I will not soon forget. Mission Impossible Continues… Throughout the first few days we throat pumped several fish and […]
Whiskey Cove Saturday Night Shakedown With a big old deck party, barbecue and Whiskey Cove Saturday night shakedown, summer has arrived in the Great Bear. A flavourful collective of Denny Island characters and some solid Heiltsuk Nation representation ushered in summer and enjoyed a casual local night not seen for years. The sunset was fine, […]
Buzzer Beater Tyee My father, like his father before him, introduced me to the great outdoors and the sport of fishing. One of my favourite trips together was a Friday after work, it was the last day of week 2 in the Great Ontario Salmon derby. The weekly leader was sub 30lbs (rare at the […]