Fly fishing for the wily Kamloops Trout of British Columbia is a thrill for anyone who tangles with one of those powerful, leaping giant, silvery fish. They're known for smashing hard strikes and their aerial acrobatics. Ray Gould brings his 50 years of experience chasing these trout all over the province of British Columbia. Known for his expertise in building bamboo fly rods and in fly tying, Gould shares his knowledge here with those who want to know the best places to go, how to improve their skills and what fly patterns are the most successful. "Fly Fishing for Kamloops" reveals a vast amount of information for the angler. Details about the 26 best lakes in B.C., photos and tying instructions for some sixty (60) of the best fly patterns, explanations and data about "Triploid" trout, lake planting, and how to get an edge (on the other anglers) are all provided here. Anglers will find this book an amazing resource. Gould has for many years owned a cabin on Glimpse lake, B.C. and spends much of his time with friends prowling the shoals and drop offs for the mighty Kamloops trout. He has personally fished a great many of the lakes and sends data to the Fresh Water Fishing Society of British Columbia each year to help them determine fish planting rates. Ray Gould, a retired mechanical engineer and manager for Scott paper Company now resides in Bothell, Washington with his wife Susan. He has hand crafted some one hundred eighty (180) cane rods and has taught fly tying at two fly fishing clubs in the Seattle area. Fly fishers may also be familiar with two (2) other books he has published "Constructing Cane Rods" and "Cane Rods - Tips and Tapers". Fly Fishing For Kamloops Trout By Ray Gould AuthorHouse Copyright © 2010 Ray Gould All right reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4520-5456-8 Contents Introduction............................................................xiChapter 1 The Mysterious Kamloops Trout.................................1Chapter 2 Special Information Can Give You an Edge......................7Chapter 3 26 of the Best Lakes in British Columbia......................18Chapter 4 Must-Have Flies...............................................76Chapter 5 Fly Hook Comparison Chart.....................................136Chapter 6 Boat Choices..................................................138Chapter 7 Cooking Trout.................................................146Chapter 8 Discovering Nature............................................148Chapter 9 Recommendations: Choosing the Right Place.....................158Chapter 10 When All Else Fails..........................................161Map Resources...........................................................163Bibliography............................................................164 Chapter One The Mysterious Kamloops Trout It all began some twelve thousand years ago. Huge glaciers covered most of the interior of British Columbia and what is now known as Washington State. When the glaciers melted, a vast lake covered the region, and it formed many lakes as it drained through the Columbia River system. It was during this time that rainbow trout developed and came to British Columbia. Efforts to scientifically identify these trout have been undertaken several times especially since the early 1900s, when tales of these mighty fish began to spread among anglers. Fishing in the lakes of British Columbia produced trout of magnificent size, strength, and power. Many trout of ten to twenty pounds were taken, and really big fish, such as the fifty-three-pound fish from Jewel Lake, caused awe amongst anglers. Even today Kamloops trout of ten to fifteen pounds are occasionally taken. But what were these fish? Were they really rainbows or were they another species? When Fort Kamloops was established in 1812, most of the small lakes were barren and only the larger lakes had resident fish. Yet tales of monster fish began to emerge over the next eighty years. Because of this, in 1892, a Dr. Jordan of Stanford University received samples for identification. He believed that these fish were different from rainbow trout and were named Salmo Kamloops , or Kamloops trout, as opposed to Salmo gairdneri for rainbow trout. Thus the name of the fish began. But the story does not end there. Further tests showed that the Kamloops strain was only different because of its environment and was genetically the same as the rainbow. So the classification of Salmo Kamloops was removed, and it is now known as Oncorhychus mykiss . Therefore, there is indeed a Kamloops trout that is different in its fighting ability and characteristics because of its environment but is in fact genetically the same as the rainbow trout, the Gerrard trout of the Kootenays, the Blackwater trout of the Caribou, and the mighty steelhead trout. Kamloops trout are basically insect eaters. Because of this fact, the trout readily take the fly-to the delight of fly fishers. Yet