If you ever fish small creeks or very light tippets, check out the Loop Opti Creek Reel. With a large diameter for good pickup on reeling in and keeping light lines from coiling up and retaining memory. The super smooth enclosed carbon disk drag works perfectly without ever needing maintenance, even if you hook a really good one you have the advantage. At 120 grams, you could put this reel on rods from 0-4wt and have a field day on the local pan-fry population or fish Spring fed creeks with big spooky Browns, Check it out.

Shop guide Pat Beahen with a huge local BC winter Steelhead

Its getting to be that time again, BC Winter Steelhead are making their way into their natal streams all over the province. Rivers like the Stamp, Gold and Vedder that have earlier runs of winter fish are all doing exceptionally well. Because of good ocean survival, that trend should continue for most BC Steelhead bearing streams that will be getting fish in the next few months.
Our local rivers like the Squamish and Cheakamus had better runs last year then many previous years in the past and should be very good this year as well. The Skeena system had a phenomenal run of steelhead this fall and there is no reason why it shouldn’t continue for the winter and spring months.
Whistler flyfishing has hosted trips on alot of these winter Steelhead waters for the spring including the Kalum, Yakoun and the Nass river. Local Steelhead trips out of Whistler start in late February and run, weather permitting, until the end of May. For any info on these winter run rivers or information on guided and hosted trips, give the shop a call at 604-932-7221

Mike with a sweet local Steelie from May long weekend

March Fish around here are generally really Chrome

We are about half way through winter now. Through it, one of the best selling articles of clothing in the shop here has been the Patagonia Merino wool Rabble beanie. As soon as we got them in I knew I had to have one and I can say with confidence its the best fishing/outdoor toque I’ve ever worn (I worn alot of different toques, seriously). After not removing it from my head for a matter of a few years now I have found it to repel water, especially away from face and neck. It never gets waterlogged, its super durable and most importantly (Maybe not to you) it doesn’t ever smell. Marino Wool with a fleece inside make it really comfy and it works pretty well for Steelheading or any winter sport (skiing or boarding, it fits under helmets quite nicely too).

The view outside the Whistler Fly Shop, lots of snow everywhere

With all the new snow that we have here falling in our area, it’s looking a little different then recent years with lower snowpacks. Thank La Nina. The snow is not only good for the skiing among many other things, but great for the glacial runoff rivers we have here as well, as long as it doesn’t all melt at once.
The milder and wetter weather create favorable fishing conditions in our rivers during the mid winter. With cloudy overcast days the norm, the valley temperatures stay on the milder side and fishing is generally good. Sunny, dry artic outflows make for less then desirable days on the water, but a few fish will continue to bite until the rivers or your line guides freeze over. Globugs and fleshflies work really well right now, find the spawning salmon and you will find the Char and Trout.

When you start finding Bulltrout Popsicles, It might be a little cold to fish

A Black Bird taking a good long look at our logo ware before flying into the window. Apparently we don’t have the correct sizing for birds. That or it saw the fly tying wall