By Rodney Hsu

Salmon fishing in BC is world famous. Anglers who come to this beautiful province will often experience the thrill of fighting one of these amazing fish. This experience does not come cheap however, because you will either need to hire an experience guiding company, rent a boat, or drive really far away from civilization to fulfill your dream. Many anglers tend to avoid the search of salmon because they believe that to be successful they will need to be mooching, trolling, jigging off a boat or flyfishing in the mountainous streams. This is not necessary true. During certain months of the year, you will be able to catch salmon without investing in all of the expenses mentioned above. The place where you need to be is the estuary system, the junction of the ocean and rivers. The Lower Fraser River (below Mission Bridge), Lower Squamish, Capilano and Seymour River mouths are just some of the hot spots that you may want to try during this salmon season. In the remaining sections of this article, I will let you know where you need to go, when you should be fishing and how to catch the salmon of your lifetime.

Fishing techniques in the estuaries

There are three main techniques that you can try out when fishing in the estuary system. These techniques are similar to what you would use in the freshwater streams, except some minor adjustments to suit the conditions of the estuary. They are spinning, barfishing and bottom bouncing.

Spinning, a popular technique that is widely used around the world, is a simple repetitive action of casting and retrieving a metallic lure. The fish will chase and bite the lure when it is sighted. You can try spinning in river mouths and backwaters where the salmon would hold before moving further up the river. This method is popular among anglers who target cohos at the Capilano river mouth and pinks, cohos and chums in the Lower Fraser. Some of the more commonly used spinning lures include the Colorado spinners, Blue Fox, Gibbs' Croc, Coho and Gypsy spoon, and Apex. So, are there any tricks to increase the number of hookups when spinning? Not really, except just watch out for the speed and depth of your lure. When I first moved here from Australia, I started out spinning near the surface of the water column since most fish that we catch in Australia are surface feeding fish. After being skunked for several times, I had finally realized the factor lies within the depth of the lure, and that salmon are not necessary on the surface, but at all depth. You also don't want to be fishing too deep, since it'll increase the chance of snagging on the bottom. Before making that first cast when you head out next time, make sure you watch what the other anglers are doing, local knowledge is always the best.

Barfish is simply bottom fishing from the river bank. The areas where you want to be fishing are mud/sand bars where the water is quite calm. This is where the salmon and other fish species take refuge before moving upstream. Examples of "bars" in the Lower Fraser River include the North Arm along river road in north Richmond, Under the Alex Fraser Bridge, Port Mann Bridge, Coquitlam River mouth. Barfishing is relaxing, all you need is a rod holder, some hot coffee and patience! A 10 foot rod is ideal, fitted with either a bait caster or spinning reel. 15lb main line is all you need really, which is attached to a weight. The leader can either be tied on below the weight or above the weight. You will need fresh cured roe (chum roe is ideal) or dew worms for bait. One belief that most anglers have is that the further you cast, the better the fishing would be. This is not really the case. The fish tend to stay close to shore to avoid the strong current. Try out different distances to look for action.

Bottom bouncing is similar to barfishing. In fact it is a technique used for fishing on Fraser River bars. The only real difference is that a stronger current is required for bottom bouncing. The bottom rig is cast out and allowed to bounce along the bottom until the fish hits it. The rig is similar, except you are using spin n glow, wool or corky as your lure.

Colour makes a huge difference!

When fishing for salmon, colour plays a major role. If you re using the wrong colour, most likely you would not get a single fish and your day would be wasted. On the other hand, when the correct colour is chosen, the action can sometimes be non-stop. When fishing for sockeyes, green, pink are the main colours to stick for. When you are going for pinks, the colours that you may choose from are green, pink, orange and red. Pinks are not as picky, and they are often extremely aggressive. Observe the water colour, ask yourself whether your lure will stand out in the water. A silver lure in the Lower Fraser does not give a good contrast because the water is usually extremely silty. However when used at the mouth of Capilano River, it can be extremely effective because the clear water condition.

Timing is key

Tidal difference is often huge in the estuary system, and whether the fish are around or not depends on this natural phenomenon. In general, high tide is the best time. The fish are moving up as the water moves up. In some area, fishing is best when the water begins to drop after it reaches the highest mark. At the mouth of Capilano, low tide seems to be the best time to try out your luck. The best way to keep track on the effects of tide in a specific area is by keeping a fishing diary. Experiences from previous years can save you time and money by spending less to look for the fish.

Before heading out...

So you are excited and ready to tackle the estuary system, are there anything else that you need to know? Yes! Be sure to check the fishing regulation everytime before you head out. The migration of salmon is unpredictable, therefore regulations are often changed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Things to watch out for include daily quota, minimum size, close areas, bait ban and hook restrictions. Don't forget a hat, sunscreen and extra clothing as well. Have fun!