We have four weeks left to shop for the anglers on our Christmas list. This week’s book suggestions are more contemporary, but could still require the help of a book finder.

Fly Fishing the Trout Lakes, by Jack Shaw, is one of the best books I have found for the novice lake angler. Two other very good introductory books are Flyfishing Strategies For Stillwaters, by Brian Chan, and The Freshman Fly Fisher, by Rick Passek.

For intermediate anglers I suggest The Gilly.

If your angler is interested in the analytical side of fishing, What Fish See, by Colin Kageyama, or The Master Angler, by Phil Rabideaw, are sure to please.

Advanced anglers would prize, Steelhead Fly Fishing, by Trey Combs, or An Angler’s Study of the Kamloops Trout, by Steve Raymond.

For the fly tier on your list I suggest, Fly Tying For Trophy Trout, by Jack Shaw, or Fly Fishing Canada’s A Compendium of Canadian Fly Patterns. Fly Patterns of Roderick Haig-Brown, or Fly Patterns of Randall and Mary Kaufmann are sure to please as well.

If your angler enjoyed the year and a half long series we did on the history of fly fishing in this province, one of the many masterful works of Art Lingren are top drawer items.

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Fishing on our Lower Mainland lakes is fair to good. The good weather this week will have fish on the bite. It is December, so remember the water is cold, making fish sluggish and slow on the take. Make sure you give your fish ample time to grab on to your presentation before setting the hook. Try Chironomid, Professor, Nations Black, Baggy Shrimp, Souboo, Zulu, Halfback, Big Black, Wooly Bugger, Doc Spratley, or Dragonfly Nymph.

Although most of our salmon runs have come through there are some stragglers moving through. It is also time to keep and eye out for the winter chum and coho. These late comers are unpredictable and color up fast so you need to be after them within days of there arrival.

The Fraser River is fair for spring, coho, and cutthroat. For coho try: Coho Blue, Christmas Tree, green or black Wooly Bugger, Bite Me, Blue Christmas, or Rolled Muddler. For spring try: Big Black, Popsicle, Squamish Poacher, GP, Flat Black or Eggo. For cutthroat try: Flesh Fly, Eggo, Rolled Muddler, Mickey Finn, Tied Down Minnow, Professor, Lioness, Winter Stone, Coachman, Zulu, or Souboo. For chum try: Eggo, Holliman, Squamish Poacher, Mat green, Dec. 25, Red Bull, Flat Black, or dark Popsicle.

The Stave River is fair for cutthroat, chum, rainbow, and coho. For rainbow try: Eggo, red Spratley, red Carey, Mickey Finn, Kaufmann Stone, Chez Nymph, Royal Coachman, Zulu, or Black Gnat.

The Harrison River is fair to good for chum, coho, spring, and cutthroat.

The Chehalis River is fair for cutthroat and rainbow.

The Squamish River is fair for chum, cutthroat, and dolly varden. For dolly varden try: large No. 4 to No. 2, Zonker, Eggo, Bucktail, Big Black, or Clouser’s Deep Minnow.

The Thompson River is good for rainbow and steelhead: Try: Steelhead Nightmare, Thor, Squamish Poacher, GP, Popsicle, Big Black, Flat Black, Polar Shrimp, Purple Peril, Eggo, Kaufmann Stone, or Steelhead Spratley.