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Early Summer on the Fraser: Soft Water, Solid Bites cover art

Early Summer on the Fraser: Soft Water, Solid Bites

Early Summer on the Fraser: Soft Water, Solid Bites

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Fraser River fishing report. We’re sitting on a soft early‑summer pattern. Environment Canada has the lower Fraser sitting in the mid‑teens Celsius, light morning cloud giving way to broken sun, and just a whisper of wind out of the west. Air temps climbing into the low 20s later, so pack layers and sun protection. Sunrise is right around 5 a.m., sunset close to 9:20 p.m., giving a long window to work the tides and current seams. Down near the mouth, the Fraser River Port Authority tide tables show a decent morning flood pushing in from the Strait, then easing to a slower ebb mid‑day. That morning push has been key for anglers working the South Arm and around Steveston for feeders and bottom fish. On the freshet‑swollen mainstem, current is still heavy, water coloured but not chocolate, with decent two‑ to three‑foot visibility along the softer edges and back eddies. Fish activity has been solid for resident species. Local shop chatter out of Steveston and Richmond reports good numbers of **pikeminnow**, **peamouth**, and smaller **cutthroat trout** in the side channels, with the odd **bull trout** showing where cooler tributary water dumps in. Farther upstream near Mission and Chilliwack backwaters, anglers drifting bait have been into **sturgeon** consistently, with several fish in the 3–6 foot class this past week and the occasional bigger one that took two people to tail and release. For gear, the river is still running big, so think heavy and visible. Spin anglers have been doing well with 3/8 to 3/4 oz **spoons** in copper or fire‑tiger, and **Colorado or French blade spinners** in size 3–5 for cutts and bull trout. Fly anglers are swinging sink‑tip lines with olive or black **streamers** and intruders along the seams. For sturgeon, it’s classic Fraser: 10‑ to 16‑oz lead, big circle hooks, and fresh **salmon bellies**, **eel**, **dew worms**, or **lamprey** where you can get it. Guides along the river are saying lamprey and fresh salmon scraps have outfished everything else this week. Best bite windows have lined up with first light and again as the evening shadows hit the bank. The morning flood at the mouth and the softer flow an hour before dark upstream have both produced. Mid‑day has been slower unless you’re soaking bait for sturgeon in deeper slots. A couple of local hot spots to circle on the map: - **Steveston / South Arm jetties**: Work the edges of the main current with heavier spoons and spinners on the flood, or soak bait for bottom species when the tide slows. Lots of life, and a good bet if you only have a few hours. - **Mission Railway Bridge and adjacent bars**: Classic sturgeon water. Deep troughs, strong current, and recent reports of steady fish. Anchor up, give each anchor set some time, and be ready for that rod to bury. Closer to Chilliwack, some of the **side channels and slough mouths** have been sneaky good for cutthroat and bull trout, especially where cooler water seeps in. Small spoons, #2–3 spinners, and woolly bugger‑style flies have been the ticket there. That’s your Fraser River update from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
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