Bamboo in BC

Dave Westburg

Fish the classics
Forum Supporter
IMG_4288.JPG


Just returned from a 4 night stay at Meadow Lakes Fishing Camp. I fished an 8'6 inch Winston bamboo 6 weight and an 8'6" Tom Fulk bamboo 6 weight. My rodmaking friend Doug Moore made a delightful 8' "Meadow Lake" 6 weight bamboo fly rod using a Payne Taper for the trip.

IMG_1040.jpeg

The lodge was full which meant you couldn't always get the lake you wanted because there are only 1-2 boats on some of the big fish lakes.

IMG_3489.jpeg

If we couldn't get on a big fish lake we hiked to some of the outlying lakes which produced fast fishing for 10-12" fish. This picture says it all. Flowers in the foreground, a pack against a tree down by the boats and a rising trout out in the lake..

IMG_4287.JPG

There was a shoal on Lost Horse Lake where I had spent a couple productive evenings casting a floating line, 15' 4 pound leader and size 12 pheasant tail to rising fish...

IMG_3494.jpeg

We found big fish on the last day at a couple small lakes. This fish took a size 12 Black Penell on an intermediate line...

IMG_3524.jpeg

And this fish took a size 12 Olive Marabou damsel fly on an intermediate line...

IMG_1072.jpeg

Lots of chironomids hatching. The fish rose to a small callibaetis hatch at Friendly and a few sedges hatching although the fish weren't targeting them. On windy days we did well fishing #8-12 Doc Spratleys, #8-10 Olive Carey Specials and a size 12 Black Pennel on intermediate lines. When the wind died I did well casting a size 12 pheasant tail nymph or size 16 Black and Blae wet fly to rising fish.

The trip ended too soon but there's always next year to think about...

IMG_4303.JPG
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1049.jpeg
    IMG_1049.jpeg
    857.9 KB · Views: 14
Last edited:
View attachment 187139


Just returned from a 4 night stay at Meadow Lakes Fishing Camp. I fished an 8'6 inch Winston bamboo 6 weight and an 8'6" Tom Fulk bamboo 6 weight. My rodmaking friend Doug Moore made a delightful 8' "Meadow Lake" 6 weight bamboo fly rod using a Payne Taper for the trip.

View attachment 187131

The lodge was full which meant you couldn't always get the lake you wanted because there are only 1-2 boats on some of the big fish lakes.

View attachment 187132

If we couldn't get on a big fish lake we hiked to some of the outlying lakes which produced fast fishing for 10-12" fish. This picture says it all. Flowers in the foreground, a pack against a tree down by the boats and a rising trout out in the lake..

View attachment 187133

There was a shoal on Lost Horse Lake where I had spent a couple productive evenings casting a floating line, 15' 4 pound leader and size 12 pheasant tail to rising fish...

View attachment 187134

We found big fish on the last day at a couple small lakes. This fish took a size 12 Black Penell on an intermediate line...

View attachment 187137

And this fish took a size 12 Olive Marabou damsel fly on an intermediate line...

View attachment 187138

Lots of chironomids hatching. The fish rose to a small callibaetis hatch at Friendly and a few sedges hatching although the fish weren't targeting them. On windy days we did well fishing #8-12 Doc Spratleys, #8-10 Olive Carey Specials and a size 12 Black Pennel on intermediate lines. When the wind died I did well casting a size 12 pheasant tail nymph or size 16 Black and Blae wet fly to rising fish.

The trip ended too soon but there's always next year to think about...

View attachment 187141
great trip, thanks for taking us along.
 
The black and blae is a winged black pennell. Golden pheasant tippet tail, black dubbed or floss body ribbed with silver tinsel, black hackle and sparse jay or starling wings. I tuck a small box of size 16-18 flies, including black and blae wet flies in my fishing jacket for calm days and evenings when fish are swirling at the surface taking small chironomids. The small flies include (clockwise from top left) mallard and claret, black and blae, butcher, silver march brown and greenwells glory, malloch's favorite and a few midge dries...

IMG_2854.JPG
 
Last edited:
Black and blae is a super pattern, I used the pennel more just cause easier to tie with the materials I had to hand as a kid. Takes me back…thank you for a great report.

Dave
 
Back
Top