September is far and away the best month for dry-fly fishing in British Columbia. While July and August can showcase some hot action in the mornings and evenings, September has that all-day action that you just can't beat. The caddisflies (AKA sedges or river moths) are out in full force and that means its time to dust off the Elk Hair, the Goddard, the Tent-wing and every other caddis pattern you can find, plus don't forget your Tom Thumbs and Stimulator patterns. They're great searching patterns.
River fishing is hot this time of year, as rivers are running low and clear and fish are feeding heavy to put on weight for the winter. Expect to catch some of your healthiest-looking fish of the season, as trout will be chunky and colourful this time of year.
If you're just getting set up, a five to seven weight fly rod is a great place to start with matching dry fly line. Attach an 8 foot leader with about 4 feet of tippet matching the leader weight to your main line. Grab a selection of the aforementioned flies, plus any local favourites and hit up your nearest river or popular fly fishing lake. The great thing about fishing in September, is that most bodies of water are still warm enough to wade barefoot.
Here's a list of some great rivers to check out in southern B.C. Kootenays: Bull River, Elk River, Goat River, Columbia River, Salmo River. Thompson-Okanagan: Kettle River, Okanagan River, Similkameen River, Granby River, Thompson River, Shuswap River. Lower Mainland: Skagit River, Pitt River, Cheakamus River, Capilano River, Vedder River. Vancouver Island: Stamp River, Gold River, Cowichan River.
Here are some popular fly shops for each region as well: Kootenays: Ol' Hookers (Grand Forks), Barren Fly and Tackle (Kaslo), plus anything around Fernie. Thompson-Okanagan: Trout Water Supplies (Kelowna), KenKraft (Lavington), Surplus Herby's (Vernon). Lower Mainland: Riverside Fly and Tackle (Coquitlam), Reaction Fly and Tackle (Abbotsford), Fred's Custom Tackle (Chilliwack). Vancouver Island: Island Outfitters (Victoria)
