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Welcome to SportfishingBC.com, your source for all things sport fishing in BC. From booking trips of a lifetime to information about tackle and equipment to use in our waters, the information you need to enjoy your time fishing in British Columbia is here. Watch for information updates in our newsfeed section and visit our forum where people share their experiences on a wide range of topics.
SportfishingBC.com Annual Crew Member’s Benefits
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Nick Yanchuk, longtime guide and lodge owner in the Ucluelet and Bamfield areas, tells us why he chose the Westcoast Lifestyle in this vi ... Read Full Article
A fantastic summer day off Secretary Island catching Salmon. Beautiful sunshine and the perfect way to end the day!
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This was a great day of fishing in the sunshine near Sooke in late August. Can't beat summer on the West Coast!
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Canada has a long way to go in protecting its oceans. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity wants Read Full Article
All sport fishing regulations in effect in freshwater in British Columbia (except for salmon fishing and fishing in National Parks) are p ... Read Full Article
I filmed this from my kayak near Hornby Island, B.C. in Febuary 2015, just after sunset. It was the beginning of Herring season so there ... Read Full Article
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release 2015FLNR0026-000296 March 9, 2015 Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Reso ... Read Full Article
Here are a couple photos that were posted by Paul Douglas on his Facebook Page of the Herring Spawn occuring in the Bowser/Qualicum area ... Read Full Article
A fight between a harbour seal and giant pacific octopus in the waters off Victoria's Ogden Point on Monday drew a crowd of onlookers.
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A beautiful Salmon caught on a perfect day on the Pacific! http://www.y ... Read Full Article
Crazy for Bass? Can't seem to get enough of that high-flying, top water action? Are your co-workers and family wondering if you are a reincarnation of a Smallmouth Bass? Rest assured, you are not alone. In fact, it is quite normal for anglers who experience some of the ... Read Full Article
Depending on geography, the severity of "delirium piscatoria" - as my friend Fred Wooding calls the strange malaise -- varies at this time of year.
Fred is a naturalist who gave us "Lake, River and Sea-Run fishes of Canada," and therefore can, very competently, spew Latin. The rest of us see this disease ... Read Full Article
Close to the big city but far from the crowds, the Sunshine Coast is a fisherman's paradise. If you'd describe yourself as an avid fisherman you really should check out this area during sport fishing season!
Bordered by snow covered coastal mountains, this protected coastline stretches 175 kilometers (105 miles) along the northeast shores of the Strait of Georgia, from Howe Sound to Deso ... Read Full Article
Five A.M. on a mid-June morning, and we arrive on the dock in Victoria, British Columbia's Inner Harbour. Already, there's activity on the water, with the sounds of outboard engines driving charter boats out into the brightening dawn.
We're met by Steve Hepburn, the affable owner o ... Read Full Article
We arrived at our Fishing Lodge after a spectacular 2-hour flight from Vancouver. The last leg of the flight was flown in a mint condition Grumman Goose. Our convoy of 3 Gooses had cruised through some of the most beautiful scenery in the World, at an altitude of 500 feet, and ... Read Full Article
As I write this, I glance occasionally at the palm of my left hand where two long narrow blisters provide evidence of the phenomenal fishing I just experienced at Naden Lodge. The blister nearest my thumb is perhaps an inch in length and not too bad. That was from a 30-pound ... Read Full Article
Sooke, the name is synonymous with trophy salmon fishing at its finest. Anglers from far and wide travel annually to sample its riches. Situated on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island just a thirty minute drive from scenic Victoria, Sooke offers a myriad of ... Read Full Article
Bass fishing with crankbaits is one of the most successful ways to get down where the trophy lunkers are. It's an addictive kind of angling and the lures available are nearly as numerous as the fish you're after. This report will help you select and effectively ... Read Full Article
Bass fishing with topwater wood plugs is a fascinating experience every angler should try. It's an addictive kind of angling. The excitement and explosiveness of the surface strike can unnerve even the most experienced angler and turns every trip into a memorabl ... Read Full Article
"Fly-fishing for Smallmouth Bass?", you say. Yes you heard it correctly. The fact is, despite the notion that Bass fishing incorporates an arsenal of plugs, spinners, divers, jigs and tails, fly-fishing for Smallmouth Bass has been proven to be equally as effect ... Read Full Article
As my top water lure hits the surface, I anxiously wait for the ripples to disappear. Then with confidence, I twitch it once and then again. Watching intently, I witness a fish boiling at the lure. Caught by surprise, I instinctively reared back on the rod, which then caused the lure to fire back at me in mid air.
I realize my mistake, and quickly reel ... Read Full Article
How many secrets are there?
Every angler alike has several things in common. The joy of the outdoors, the ambiance of the scenery, the therapeutic sound of rushing water.......WHATEVER!!.
Personally the above things add to the experience, but the reality is...the heart pounding, knee weakening ... Read Full Article
For many years now I have been visiting and fishing the waters of Glimpse Lake on the Douglas Lake Ranch south of Kamloops. I was first introduced to this fine lake by my brother, who had fished it in the spring of 1982 and related the tale of a lake he had discovered where the fish kept ... Read Full Article
Dawn brightened the canyon as we parked near the last pool reached by road. The Copper River flowed like silver ink through black timber, broad gravel bars highlighting its path. Snow frosted the distant peaks, and we pulled our coats snug against the chill breeze. We picked our way along a slippery path to the pool, noticing bear tracks at the shore. At our ... Read Full Article
Awhile back I attended the Vancouver Fishing Outdoors show and had the chance to cast a wide array of fly rods. From Lamiglas to St. Croix, I cast them all and I gained some useful insight into the differences between rods from various manufacturers and even some of the nuances between rods of different series made by the same company.
I started out with Sage. I have always liked Sage ro ... Read Full Article
For a few magic moments, perhaps as few as ten, the black silhouette of a pine-bristled ridge reflected in the glass smooth surface of Stoney Lake . A full moon crept over the ridge before the tangerine sun could sink into the invisible. These are the moments th ... Read Full Article
Despite all the various fly patterns designed to imitate insects and other creatures trout feed on, there are times when the fish just don't seem interested in anything you offer. This usually occurs on days with a depressed or quickly falling barometer, or on t ... Read Full Article
There are many other things that live in or fall on the water that trout eat as food besides the "big four" hatches (midges, mayflies, caddisflies, ... Read Full Article
Light danced in sparkles across the rippled currents of Babine River. Anchored in Rainbow Alley, we puzzled at the school of huge rainbow trout jumping around our boat. There were no obvious hatches this afternoon, save the occasional mosquito. Yet surfacing tro ... Read Full Article
See-food diet. That´s the term that is used most often by anglers in British Columbia to describe the feeding habits of the coastal cutthroat trout. If they see food, they eat it. Yet this isn´t as true as it claims to be.
Many years ago when the cutthroats were profuse from ... Read Full Article
Remote and wild, yet comfortable and urban, aptly describes the unique fishing adventure, deep in the Cariboo-Chilcotin Forest Region near the southeast corner of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park.
Accessed by float plane only via AvNorth Aviation from Nimpo Lake, Crazy Bear Lake and a ch ... Read Full Article
Planning the annual fishing trip is a simple task for me. I start asking friends and editors a few months in advance about where I could go that isn't too far away and has good fishing.
1992 was no exception except that we were to meet my brother Ted half way between Victoria and P ... Read Full Article
The weather had been extra warm over the past few weeks and the word around the lakes of Kamloops was "You should have been here two weeks ago."
Fishing was poor, to say the least. Ice off had been early and the end of June might as well have been mid-August. Some of the lakes were ... Read Full Article
When most of the province is buried under ice and snow many of us put away our fly-fishing gear and unless you have access to a good steelhead stream and can withstand the extreme cold, which I can not, you are stuck repairing or maintaining gear and waiting for ... Read Full Article
HOOK: 0x long (standard wet), size 8 to 16
THREAD: Olive.
TAIL: Olive hackle fibers.
SHELLBACK: Clear Plastic.
RIB: Olive thread
BODY: Olive dubbing, or seal fur, and/or rabbit fur.
LEGS: Olive dubbing, or seal fur, and/or rabbit fur. Dubbing is picked out with a bodkin
ANTENNAE: Wood ...
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For many years the "Floating, Countdown, and Jointed Rapala lures", have been a popular choice for trout, walleye and bass fisherman throughout North America. In British Columbia, they have been considered as a consistent producer for both trout and bass.
These versatile lines of l ... Read Full Article
The heat of August and early September cause the low elevation lakes and streams to become too warm for trout, and the fish go to the bottom and sulk. Even if you manage to hook into a fish, often the fight is so lethargic that it leaves you wondering why you even bothered going fishing in the first ... Read Full Article
Drift fishing is easy, fun and effective. The technique has gained popularity over the years as more and more streams across the country are supporting trout, steelhead and salmon runs. Whether a beginner or a more experienced angler, this Luhr Jensen Tech Report can help you become even more successful using this method of fishing. Typical drift fishing wate ... Read Full Article
October brings the cooling effects of autumn and the fish in most waters should again be active. Unfortunately, fall does not bring with it many insect hatches and most of us have to chuck and chance it with patterns that imitate year round food sources, or attractors.
Fish, contrary to what some fishers ... Read Full Article
HOOK: 1x or 2x long, size 10 to 18
BODY: Deer Hair.
THREAD: Grey. Strong thread is recommended
TAIL and HACKLE: Deer Hair
TYING TIPS:
Perhaps the simplest of dry flies to tie, the Tom Thumb is a great fly for beginners to tie. The use of a soft loop, to initially hold the deer hair to ...
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HOOK: 3x or 4x long, size 4 to 10
BODY: Black yarn, chenille or dubbing, with maraboo tied down in clumps.
BEARD: Optional. Crystal flash or Flashaboo.
TAIL: Marabou, the same color as the body.
TYING TIPS:
Some tie the Marabou Leech without a lead wire underbody. ...
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LAND-LOCKED SOCKEYE SALMON
Kokanee salmon were experimentally introduced into several lakes and reservoirs in western North America in the mid-1940s. The success of these introductions has since blossomed into a growing sport fishery in the west and has spread to many eastern waters as wel ...
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HOOK: 1x or 2x long, size 8 to 14.
BODY: Peacock herl.
WINGCASE: Pheasant rump.
TAIL: Pheasant rump feather tips, tied down frome the wing case.
TYING TIPS:
Some variations include adding gold or silver wire as a rib. Brown Partridge can be substituted ...
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HOOK: 3x long, size 6 to 10
BODY: Yarn, chenille or dubbing.
HACKLE: Two or three pheasant rump feathers
TAIL: Pheasant rump
TYING TIPS:
Perhaps the most common color combination is a black body with brown hackle (as above). Some other popular color combinations include black, green, ...
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HOOK:1x, 2x, or 3x long. Sizes 6 to 12.
THREAD: Black. BODY: Black wool or dubbing or floss.
RIB: Flat silver or gold tinsel.
TAIL: Grizzly hackle fibers or guinea fowl.
LEGS: Grizzly neck or guinea fowl tied back along sides and bottom of fly.
WING: Ringneck pheasant tail.
...
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HOOK: 2x long, sizes 10 to 18
TAIL: Ringneck Pheasant Tail Fibers
RIB: Gold Wire
BODY: Ringneck Pheasant Tail Fibers
WINGCASE AND LEGS: Ringneck Pheasant Tail Fibers. Leftover wingcase tips are tied down divided style.
THORAX: Peacock
TYING TIPS:
...
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Few fishing styles offer as much action and success as ice fishing. Angling on "hard water" is a fast-growing sport and the techniques are simple to master for any angler. Outings on ice almost always produce, plus a fishing trip is great medication for advanced ... Read Full Article
HOOK: 2x or3x long, size 2 to 14; with 6 through 10 being most common.
BODY: Yarn, chenille or dubbing.
HACKLE: Palmered, usually natural or died grizzly saddle tied in by tip.
TAIL: Marabou, often same color as the body. Added strands of Crystal Flash or Flashabou o ... Read Full Article
Trolling is a technique tailor-made for anglers with all degrees of expertise because it's easy, fun and it works! It's a great way to start a youngster out as line tangles and snarls are few and far between and there's always something happening.
But, trolling's not just for kids. ... Read Full Article
On hook and line, fighting these sometimes monsters of the flounder family can be referred to as "Weight times Energy times wonder of unlimited proportions!" Well that may be the feeling you get once you hook one, but finding their habitat and then enticing them ... Read Full Article
At times, there are many advantages to using jigs over bait when it comes to fishing for pacific halibut. In fact, some West Coast anglers swear by using only jigs for targeting these mighty fish. The Gibbs "Mudraker" halibut jig is a time tested design that has ... Read Full Article
A huge 7' halibut was landed by two lucky anglers from Sacramento CA. while fishing at Langara Island, located at the north western tip of the famous Queen Charlotte Islands.
Doug Lavallee and Frank Prigley had heard endless stories of the trophy salmon and halibut fishing to be ha ... Read Full Article
Looking for a tough and reliable halibut rod? Then don't overlook the new line of Penn "Mariner rods" when making your considerations. These rods conform to Penn's standard for long-lasting durable construction.
Made from solid glass to withstand abuse, not to mention ... Read Full Article
Having guided on the coast of British Columbia for nearly 10 years, I have had many memorable fishing days which come to mind often when I reflect on my experiences. Perhaps one of the most memorable is that day when I was able to master a new technique for catc ... Read Full Article
The recently published book entitled "West Coast Fly Fisher" will surely become recognized in most fishing circles as one of the premier "how to's" of fly fishing in the Pacific Northwest. Mark Pendlington does a masterful job at producing a compilation of writi ... Read Full Article
There will never come a time I fish water I haven´t first investigated. Fishermen that know me know that when I´m fishing there´s bound to be fish close by and they´ll drop everything to fish the same area. It´s a good bet they´ll hook into fish on the basis I have done the necessary homework to ascertain the arrival of salmon no matter where the fish are in the salt; and the tides a ... Read Full Article
When does good fishing pick up for the fall run? In many places fishing really picks up during the months of late August to the beginning of September and literally lasts until the end of December, so the fall run really encompasses a big portion of the year, and most of those months begin with fishing tributaries of rivers and lakes where they meet at the mouth. The best way to hook into ... Read Full Article
Lots and lots of fishermen love to fish in buckets and to do that means combat fishing. Anglers that have been around carry a negative association with the term combat fishing but I don´t. I love it, especially when there´s a lot of fish in the area. Look, there´s nothing you can do to stop fish from feeling the pressure of fishermen but you can use the other fishermen to your advantage ... Read Full Article
Spey flies can be labeled as some of the most beautiful and rewarding fly patterns for both salmon and steelhead. While the conventions for tying these flies are somewhat many, their sleek design is often characterized by long-flowing, soft hackle that provides ... Read Full Article
Imagine a cool crisp fall morning, with mist gently floating over the river while you cast and cast and cast to jumping and rolling coho without a strike. The fish seem to be taunting and smiling at you as they leap from the water, some only feet from where you ... Read Full Article
When you mention using spinners, the first thing that comes to mind is standing on the edge of your favorite lake, pond or river casting and retrieving spinners. There are serveral alternative methods that work well too. Traditional float fishing rigs consist of ... Read Full Article
Sure, I admit it, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the river that bears the family name. But the hard facts support my contention that the Vedder is among the elite of North America´s rivers. I know of no other river that combines the admirable att ... Read Full Article
While some fly-fishing purists may disagree, the truth is that a majority of anglers continue to prefer casting or spin fishing while fishing a majority of BC's river systems for either salmon or steelhead. The reason stems primarily from a clear, commonsense ap ... Read Full Article
Casting weighted spinners and spoons for trout, bass, salmon, pike and other gamefish is an art practiced by hundreds of thousands of anglers throughout the country. It is a challenging, exciting and productive fishing technique that can easily be learned. Wheth ... Read Full Article
Drift jigging in open water is a fishing technique being used by an ever increasing number of anglers as they discover its effectiveness and ease of application.
It's a technique tailor-made for open water, fresh or salt, where fish are oriented either to bottom structure or temperature layers. With the a ... Read Full Article
With all the different factors to consider when purchasing a fly line it is easy to see how the novice fly fisher can become overwhelmed by the choices. Let´s shed a little light on the subject in the hopes of clearing up some of the confusion.
The vast majority of fly lines are 2 ... Read Full Article
August brings the fishing doldrums to most freshwater areas of British Columbia, including Vancouver Island, save for the bass and pike waters. It is a time for most fly-fishers to put away the rods, pack up the family, and hit the beach. On the coast though, the fly-fishers ... Read Full Article
Waist deep in salt water, I gazed over the wide expanse of the bay, patiently false-casting my dry line, ever watchful for a rise or a roll close enough to cast to. With 35 feet of line aerialized, I readied for a delivery just as a fish rolled fifteen feet to my left.
"Darn!" I exclaimed. I severely under-powered my cast and awkwardly piled the line up near where the salmon had ri ...
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"Here is the fly that did. I designed it for coho. It is a cross between the Mickey Finn and the Yellow Bomber. I decided to design it because both flies were sort of working, but not really well. I tried it out and hooked 7 coho (landed 4) in less than 1.5 hour ... Read Full Article
Amazing! Even though we were fishing close to the bottom, in nearly 200 feet of water, I could still feel the action of the jig. The custom seven-ounce Striker lure at the end of the low-stretch Berkley Gorilla Braid superline fluttered enticingly on each downstroke. ... Read Full Article
I just finished teaching another fly-fishing course to 19 enthusiastic novices and I always enjoy fielding the vast array of questions that they ask. More than that, however, I like helping them learn to cast. I find it quite amazing that, with just 2.5 hours of theory and three hours of practical training, nearly the ... Read Full Article
"POOR MAN'S NEEDLEFISH"
Hook: Eagle Claw L67 or L1197N size #6
Thread: Green monocord.
Body: 6 strands of silver crystal flash 1/3rd longer than the hook shank, then 6 strands pink crystal flash, then 6 strands of green crystal flash, then 4 to 6 strands of peacock he ...
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Over the past decade, saltwater fly-fishing has become increasingly popular. Along with this popularity has come some additional problems to plague the uninitiated. Larger fish, stronger winds, sand, surf, swells, and salt all add to the arsenal that Murphy utilises to ... Read Full Article
Every time the term "downrigger" comes to mind, I think of Scott Plastics. An innovator of the sports fishing industry and manufacturer of quality products, Scotty has helped fishermen all over the world make fishing easier and more enjoyable.
1. Personal comfort and accessibi ... Read Full Article
Technique: Fish as many rods as you can, as close together as possible, but without getting tangled up. And troll is long straight tacks. Use a sounder to locate the depth and locations of the main schools. Then position your gear ABOVE the fish, as much as 20 feet or more. The ... Read Full Article
Our guide, Mike Hicks, had promised us that in Johnstone Strait, we would catch four of the five species of Pacific salmon during our visit. Mike described the strait — between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia mainland — as a fish funnel. ... Read Full Article
The big bang heard in Victoria on August 10th 1935, was the mold breaking shortly after Tom Moss was born. Since then, nobody from the same cast has ever walked the face of the earth. He´s one of a kind and probably the last of his kind. (A dinosaur, as he says ... Read Full Article
Spoons can be fished in many different ways and are a great way to catch fish. There are times when all a person needs to do is tie a spoon on the line, throw it in the water and wait for the inevitable bite. This of coarse is the case when the fish are plentiful and the bite is on. But what do we do, or should I say how do we deal with this, when the bite is off?
It was our last morning. The skies had clouded over, and a light rain was falling. It felt warmer than the past three days, which had been bright and sunny, but alternately racked with gale-force nor'westers or socked in with bone-chilling fog. After long days on the water, my wife Suzanne asked to sl ... Read Full Article
Daybreak and high tide arrived simultaneously at Langara Island's No Name Point. Tiny, almost indiscernible, glass-smooth swells distorted underwater images as if seen through an ancient windowpane. We cut the motor and drifted silently toward the point. No other boats sp ... Read Full Article
The tip of the tightly-arched Shimano mooching rod dragged deep into the water. Violent shakes then pounded the port downrigger. Our guide, Mat Regier, grabbed the bucking rod from its holder, wound quickly, and popped the line free of the Scotty Power Grip downrigger ... Read Full Article
Over thirty years ago, when he was guiding in Sannich Inlet and working as a commercial salmon fisherman, Tom Moss invented the "Tomic" plug. Tomic plugs became an immediate sensation for the commercial salmon troller and, soon thereafter, the plug of choice for ... Read Full Article
Langara, the northernmost of the 150 plus islands comprising the Queen Charlotte Islands, is the first land mass encountered by migratory chinook, coho, and chum salmon as they begin the marathon journey from the Arctic feeding grounds to their natal rivers. This journey ... Read Full Article
Next to bait, the Hootchie is one of the most popular lures on the market today. It is a relatively cheap, clean and easy method of attracting and landing salmon in almost any environment. Radiant Lures Ltd. has spent a lot of time and effort in bringing out new ... Read Full Article
Perhaps the greatest attraction I have to these waters is the opportunity it holds for catching some of the largest chinook salmon anywhere. When I say large, I am not referring to 20 or 30 lb. salmon. What I am talking about here are really big salmon, 40+ lbs. ... Read Full Article
Coupled with the effectiveness of trolling technique, flashers and dodgers are deadly fish attractors in both fresh and salt water. They are rigged in the line between the lure and downrigger release, diver or lead to provide attraction and impart erratic action ... Read Full Article
Trolling with spoons is a technique practiced and enjoyed everyday by thousands of fresh water anglers across the country. It's an easy-to-learn and use method which is particularly effective in lakes and reservoirs for large fish such as coho and Chinook salmon, brown, ... Read Full Article
Keep it simple." "Simple is better." I can't say how often I have heard these words, but one thing I can say is that it often holds true for almost everything. A great example is the new "Power Grip" release clip by Scotty.
When I first had a look at the new design of release clip by Scotty, I was amazed at its simplicity and lack of moving parts in comparison to other clips on the marke ... Read Full Article
Saltwater salmon sport fishing takes place in an ever-changing environment. Conditions vary hourly, due to tide and current fluctuations, and the angler must be prepared to make instant revisions in tackle and/or fishing methods to be successful. One proven day-in and day-out saltwater fishing technique is trolling and one class of lures naturally geared for baitfish-eating salmon is spoons. Th ... Read Full Article
Forty years ago a derby-winning salmon or lake trout was almost certainly a plug-caught fish. More and more anglers today are switching to J-Plugs® because, as in the past, plugs are known to produce more and larger fish on a regular basis.
Today's J-Plug® is even better-built and more effective than its predecessors as it's made of super-strong materials and designed for maximum actio ... Read Full Article
Last fishing report of the season from Fish On John of Westview Marina.
... Read Full Article
We all know that fishermen are superstitious folks. And I´m no slouch in that department. I believe myself to be the most superstitious ... Read Full Article
Living at Nelson, B.C., on the west arm of Kootenay Lake, enabled our family to enjoy one of the best Rainbow trout fisheries in the worl ... Read Full Article
Fishing trips with my good buddy Terry have often come on somewhat short notice and have always been some of the best times of my life. S ... Read Full Article
When you mention using spinners, the first thing t
Keep it simple." "Simple is better." I can't say how often I have heard these
I filmed this from my kayak near Hornby Island, B.C. in Febuary 2015, just af
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