..Nile Creek Fly Shop  open regular hours :Tuesday to Saturday 9-5…..Fly Tying this Friday Morning (10-12),May 9nd…...  we will be useing the new product “Tuffleye” on a Minnow patterns and Stone Flies. During this time of year the fry are leaveing the streams ,entering the estuaries…this brings on the food sources for Cutthroat Trout and somewhat unfortunately the Birds. Spider Lake flies,Beach flies and Minnow Patterns for fresh water streams are a must for successful fly fishing. Spider Lake has an abundance of “Haphnea”,many caddis and leeches,combine that with Damsel Flies and you have the making for a great fishers . Note here;flies with a tinge of red or orange do well on Spider Lake. Horne Lake on the other hand has an abundance of Leeches and small Stickle Backs;this gets the resident Cutthroat and Rainbows into aggressive modes at about 15′ depths and near the shoals at the outlet.

Beginning in March,and every second Wednesday evening  of the month, the Castaways fishing club will have fly tying 101. Located at Malasapina College’s campus in Parksville..thats near the Library and tech centre….7-9:30

Over the past week or so there has been an increase in the number of Cutthroat Trout close in and some are worthy opponents. Last Night Val and I were out for a couple of hours and saw a good size school of Big fish terrorizing the fry…and yes the fry were leaping out of the water for safety…..

   Beginning in early Spring 2008, Val will be looking for the ladies to form a ladies fly fishing group. Nothing political just out and out fun.  In the meantime  Val will be conducting a casting presentation to a Ladies Fly Fishing Group (ReelHookers)in Calgary during the frist week of April.

For information and participation call Val at home :  250-752-5887 or at the store 757-2095

Nile Creek fly shop is not only ideally situated near the Beach areas of Central Vancouver Island but central to more than 80 Rivers and Streams that have fishable runs of either Winter Run Steelhead or Summer Run Steelhead. Swinging Large Flies with Two Handed rods is natural for such an explosive fishery!

Nile Creek Fly Shop has worked effortlessly to bring patrons the very finest Spey fishing and casting equipment in the world of Two Handers. In 2008 , Nile Creek Fly Shop has introduced Snowbee, Beulah, RST, CND, Clan rods  and Ari T Hart Exquisite Fly Reels, Snowbee’s XS series, RST German engineered reels and Collectable reels  as the only retail location on Vancouver Island. Our comittment to you is to provide  quality, practical  and sensible  alternatives. making your fly fishing experience memorable.

Join us  on One of Vancouver Islands remote rivers for a truely sensational Fishing Trip of a lifetime. Touching time as it glides by represents the theme of all guided trips..understanding the pureness of Wild Steelhead or Coastal Cutthroat Trout in their ancient realm leaves you with an experience you will never forget and often yearn for. Listen as the Rains of Winter fall gently onto the centuries old carpet of moss , wonder as a fleeing Cougar shows only it’s tail and wild Elk scramble for the depths of the thickets. During the Spring feel the vibrations in the air as Partridge beat their chests in age old parades of mateing rights and gestureing. These remote journeys free of Jet boats, other fishers and modern nuisances allow you to truely be part of the experience…it is only you and the ancient world about you.

Contact Courtney at.250-752-5887 ..cell: 250-228-1508 ;email: fly-fisher@telus.net

     Many years ago I was listening to several , shall we call them “mature Steelhead fisherman” claim that it was all but impossible to hook into Winter Run Steelhead on a fly and that is why they chose to use gear and “Roe” . I simply looked at them and scowled my displeasure with such silly comments. Understanding the creature and it’s nature is by far the most important aspect of Fly Fishing for Winter Run Steelhead . The greatest difficulties are encountered when fishing big waters with high flows. Your best chances are destined when fishing remote smaller Rivers or fishing the big waters in their lower sections,when the fish are “Green” or “Hot” as they say!

The day was truely one of wonder and expectations as we neared the rageing river. Listening to waterfalls from the distance while gently traveling over the moss covered trail created much excitement at the possibilities of ancient strains of Wild Steelhead grabbing at our flies especially tied for this trip. What started as a dream became a reality because of these magnificant personal water craft. This remote Vancouver Island stream is only accessable by air or by a carry-in watercraft that needs to be portable, reliable and maneuverable. The walk-in, if that can be a description, is about 2 miles long. There is a definite need to climb over or crawl under giant old growth Cedar trees one only has seen the size of in magazines or protected groves, sudden drops in the terrain are frequent and the occasional Black Bear scrutinizes this activity with wonder. Aside from that stage of the trip the trail is well marked and little used. Evidence of past travelers shows on fallen trees or branches as “Pink” or “Blue”marker ribbon strips, long since useful. Finally, we reach the last stage of this trek that is surprisingly easy. A gentle decline to a large pool laden with mist from the roaring water tumbleing over the 40′ drop. This pool is the upper most reach for migrateing fish of any kind, a natural barrier since time began to unfold after the last Ice Age. It is even said that this part of Vancouver Island escaped the impact of that period. Perhaps that explains the giant ferns and the depth of the moss underfoot.

Carrying the deflated Watermaster is easy and light weight in it’s waterproof pack , equipped with padded shoulder straps . Inside the pack are all the essentials, oars, foot pump, padded seat, Travel Spey Rod, Lunch, and any other gear we needed. The entire pack weighed no more that 45 lbs. , taking little toll on my body. Inflating the boats takes about 10 minutes of easy time,allowing me to refresh from the trek down. Letting my eyes wonder out over the pool and up into the large Cedar trees I can’t help but wonder who had been here last and how they had made out. Were they fishermen, hunters, hikers or loggers. Suddenly a movement caught my attention as several Bald Eagles took off from their perch high above the floor of this wonderful valley. Several Bull Elk were wondering a short distance from where we stood that turned out to be a small herd of about 20 animals. They scampered off into the bushes some 100 yards from me and I did manage to get some wonderful photos of their large White rumps.

It was now time to test the waters and the “fish tales” past to me from some very old West Coast Steelheaders. The forward section of the kickboat has no floor or fabric ,this allows you to sit in the seat with your legs either dangleing down or positioned on a strap above the water line. The real benefit of this is in medium fast and shallow water you can work the shoreline easily simply by moving from rock to rock or gently touching the bottom as you work the water with your fly or gear. Many times I find rocks in the middle of Rivers that I can stand on, a great vantage point. The oars mounted on Oar pins and secure with well designed round knobs. Interestingly, the oars are able to be pivoted in all directions and even lay back and out of the way for casting. In slower water, pools, lakes and even the Ocean you can wear flippers to manipulate yourself as needed.