By Rodney Hsu

While fishing in streams such as the Vedder River or Stave River can be hot as fire crackers, it can be incredibly stressful to fight the crowd while playing your fish. Popular rivers are often crowded with anglers, which takes away the joy of fishing. Personally, I always stay away from these rivers on weekends, because my ideal fishing day would be spending some quiet time at a spacious spot, where hooking the fish is simply icing on the cake. One style of fishing that often allows me to find such joy is barfishing in the Fraser River. The techniques are simple and often the atmosphere of your fishing spot is social, yet not stressful. It is perfect for older anglers and kids, who often have difficulties with operating a fishing rod in a crowd of anglers and a fast flowing stream. Barfishing is relaxing, it allows you to lay back and chat about fishing stories with your friends while you fish. Do not get too relaxed during barfishing however, as fishing can be extremely productive if the timing is right plus a bit of luck on your side.

What is barfishing?

The term barfishing simply implies fishing on a bar. What exactly is a bar then? Along the Fraser River, many bars can be found. Do not be confused, there are no alcohol served at these bars. These bars are simply shallow sand/mud bars or flats that are formed over the years from sedimentation due to the large freshwater discharge. The shallow flats usually stretch between 30 to 80 feet from shore, followed by a steep drop-off. Fish such as salmon, trout and steelhead will often travel along these bars to avoid the strong current in deeper water so they can conserve energy to complete their journey. As one can imagine, barfishing must be pretty darn easy. However, that is not really the case, each bar angler usually has a trick or two up his or her sleeves. Smalls changes in hook size, weight size, bait, rod set up can all affect your fishing results.

Timing is everything

If the fish ain't there, the fishing will be slow, that's always the key rule in fishing. Individuals of the salmonid species travel in large schools, therefore the fish are either at your fishing spot, or not at your fishing spot. Fishing in the tidal portion of the Fraser River is largely affected by the tide. The best time is obviously the incoming or high tide since water movement from the ocean will push fish up the river. This is clearly shown in pink and chum salmon, as I have witnessed hundreds of surfacing during incoming tides. It's not always the case of course, I have also seen anglers doing very well when the tide is low. The element of luck is also needed. Barfishing in the Lower Fraser can be done between April and December, but the best period in my knowledge is between September and November. Majority of the salmon runs take place during this time, and fishing before September can be frustrating since there are thousands of coarse fish that will nibble on your roe until it completely disappears. Below is a small summary of what is available between September and December in the Lower Fraser River.

The setup

In the past few years, I have tried out many different types of rod because I was unhappy with most of the rods that I was using. There were always problems with the stiffness, the sensitivity or the length of the rod. I've concluded that there simply isn't an ideal set up for all conditions. Typically, you would want to start out with a rod between 8 and 10 feet long. A longer rod is used to minimize the length of the line that is submerged in the water, increasing the sensitivity when the fish bites. However, a shorter rod is more suitable for windier condition to avoid any false bite from the wind. In all cases, your fishing rod should not be too thick, a 8 to 15lb class is ideal for chum and coho salmon and a 6 to 12lb class is ideal for bull trout and pink salmon. I have seen people showing up with halibut rods, in the hope of catching the next world record spring, and ended up wasting all of the bait because he or she would miss all of the bites. A thin rod allows you to detect the bites quickly and also appreciate the strength of the fish even more. You can either use a baitcasting reel or an egg beater, again this is personal preference. Your fishing line should once again be light to accommodate the rod. Strong flowing current is not an major element when you are playing your fish in tidal Fraser, therefore it is unlikely you will push your line to the limit. Personally, I usually use fishing line that is between 8 and 12lb.

Your terminal tackle should be simple to avoid any tangles. In the tidal Fraser River, two hooks are allowed to be used (also known as a bar rig). Logically, having two hooks can increase your chances of getting bites. Personally, I prefer to stick with one hook. It is not often, in fact very unusual, to hook two salmon on a rod at the same time. Having two hooks simply means more bait is needed each time, and you are still hooking the same number of fish. To me that's a waste of valuable roe. I prefer to use one hook so when I get a bite, I can concentrate on one bait. Knowing how much roe I have on the hook, I know exactly when to strike for hook up. The hook size should be between No. 1 to 2/0. I usually go with a 2/0 because the fish are usually big anyway, and this can also prevent smaller fish such as bull trout from swallowing the hook. It is important that you have a very sharp hook, either buy the chemical sharpened hooks or check the point of your hook constantly. A standard bottom rig is all you need. There are two common rigs that you can try out. You can have a running weight that slides down to a swivel that is tied with a 1 - 2 foot leader. You can also tie a three-way swivel onto the main line and have a 1 foot leader tied to one end and a 1.5 foot line tied to the other followed by the weight.

Other necessities

When you go barfishing, your rod, reel, tackle and bait are not the only things that you will need. It is also a good idea to bring a chair to relax on and a rod holder to lie your rod on so you can spot the bites more easily. Autumn weather can be rainy and cold, so it is also important to wear the correct clothing. Always bring your rain gear and boots. You will be staying in open area for several hours so dressing warmly is a must. It might also be a good idea to bring some snacks and coffee.

Now you are all set to go. Barfishing requires a lot of patience, but usually the wait will always be worth it. The key is to fish often, so you can gain enough experience to recognize the pattern and season at your favorite spot on the Fraser River. In my part two of this series, I will discuss several tricks in barfishing that may lead you to hooking the fish of the lifetime.