Events

Last Saturday we hosted the 8th annual Fish for the Future in Steveston. This is an yearly event that we host to give something back to the community by encouraging families to take up fishing and bringing more awareness to the precious Fraser River ecosystem.

The weather co-operated. Out of all the events that we’ve attended this year, it was finally sunny for once! We estimated the attendance to be around 400 to 500 people. 150 juvenile saltwater fishing licences were issued. Almost every kid caught at least one fish. The most abundant species caught was sculpin, while some peamouth chub and northern pikeminnow were also caught. One very large northern pikeminnow was caught by a little girl near the start of the event while a cutthroat trout was caught near the end.

Many thanks to our volunteers for working so hard to make this possible. We also appreciate the BC Family Fishing Weekend Society, City of Richmond, Seymour Salmonid Society, OWL, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC and Fisheries & Oceans Canada for their support once again.

Next year’s event will be on July 9th, we hope to see you there! This year’s photographs can be seen on this page.

Today we dragged ourselves out of bed for one of our favorite events because it is only ten minutes drive from our house. It was the annual Steveston Bullhead Derby at Garry Point Park. This grassroot event is organized by the Richmond Golden Rods and Reels Society, a group of seniors who enjoy the outdoors. Beside sharing their passion in outdoors with each other, they have passed it along to the new generations through this event for many years.

For some reason, the weather has never worked out at this derby. The chilly easterly wind kept everyone bundling under the tents. It began drizzling just during registration. Who can believe that Goretex jackets are still needed in the end of June? This certainly was not going to stop anxious contestants from fishing, 109 kids signed up by ten o’clock.

Once the derby start horn sounded, it did not take long for catches to show up at the measuring table. Each fish was measured, recorded and the largest bullhead would win the trophy.

Bullhead, or pacific staghorn sculpin, are not the only fish that were brought in. Peamouth chub, northern pikeminnow and starry flounder were also recoreded in the “non-bullhead” category. The Fraser River estuary has the best of two worlds. Because its water is a mixture of salt and fresh water, one can find a large variety of fish species simply by bottom fishing with some bait.

By Noon, it was all over. The winning bullhead in 2010 was 12.5 inches long. Its head was almost as wide as its body length. Prize and trophies were then given out to the lucky few. Although the entire event only lasted three hours, these special moments have surely hooked some kids for life. We have one more event to take care of before more summer fishing actions. Although the most labour intensive, Fish for the Future is the most rewarding to us. Be sure to join us on July 10th!

More photographs from today’s derby can be seen on this page.

Last weekend was the BC’s Family Fishing Weekend and the Seymour Salmonid Society had its Family Fishing Day at Rice Lake as usual. We were happy to be invited to the event once again, because this is always a great opportunity to meet and chat with website visitors.

The day was rather cool, the weather that is! The clouds never left the mountains and we were left shivering at times. That did not cool off the enthusiasm among visitors. With so many rainbow trout released into the lake, there was not a shortage of anglers. The society did a great job as a host once again. Thanks to all who dropped by to pick up all the fish identification cards and chat.

Photographs from the event can now be seen in this album. Next Sunday, we will be at the annual Bullhead Derby at Garry Point Park in Steveston.

June 18th to 20th is BC’s Family Fishing Weekend. During these three days, if you do not have a freshwater fishing licence, you can obtain a free licence and fish at lakes and rivers across British Columbia! Please note that freshwater regulations still apply while you fish with a free licence. There will be many community events happening as well. You can find a listing of all the events on this page.

On Saturday June 19th, we’ll be visiting the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery for its family fishing day and hatchery open house, starting at 8:00am. We’ll also be dropping by the Greg Clark Memorial Fishing Derby at Cultus Lake. On Sunday June 20th, we’ll be setting up a booth at the Rice Lake fishing day in North Vancouver, organized by the Seymour Salmonid Society.

Plenty of excitement in one weekend, we hope to see you at these events!

Last Saturday the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC and City of Surrey co-organized a family fishing day at Green Timbers Lake. The weather co-operated for once and many family showed up to try out fishing for the first time. The fishing was good for some as the hatchery just released 500 or so fish last Wednesday into the lake. Here are some photographs from the event.

When the invitation to be part of this year’s Great Salmon Send Off arrived in my inbox last month, I accepted it without much hesitation. Like the Fingerling Festival, this is another community based event that has generated plenty of interest among residents of Burnaby.

When this tradition started twenty years ago by local resident Jennifer Atchison, Stoney Creek, a tiny tributary of the Brunette River, was void of salmon. Today, spawning salmon can be seen returning each fall, thanks to countless hours of hard work by volunteers of the Stoney Creek Environment Committee.

Stoney Creek is just one of many streams in the Lower Mainland that are overshadowed by both residential and industrial developments. Each day, it faces threats from dewatering to accidental dumping. Unnoticed, its survival depends on programs such as the Great Salmon Send Off. The goal is not just to revive the salmon runs that once exist, but to make sure visitors become part of the solution at the end of the event.

At 11:00am, the release began when Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s community advisor Maurice Coulter-Boisvert opened up the holding tank. Several thousand juvenile coho salmon circled as they emerged from the dark, eager to start their long journey. Hundreds of parents and kids lined up patiently to receive their bag of fish. Once given, they were carried down to the edge of Stoney Creek where they were set free.

Our participation today included setting up a flytying workshop where each kid had a chance to tie a fly with the assistance of my friends Shane and Carlo. We were pretty overwhelmed by the amount of enthusiasm and interest! If you did not have a chance to tie a fly or pick up our fish identification cards, don’t worry because we will be at several more events in June and July.

More photographs from today’s event can be viewed on this page.

Excitement built as we approached Noons Creek this morning, which one would always expect if we were going fishing. This was just as good, we were spending the day to enrich new stewards of our salmon. It was the annual Fingerling Festival, one of many community salmonid related events that take place every May.

Several months ago, organizer Dave Bennie phoned me up as usual, asking if I would like to be part of this year’s festival. Without hesitation, I said yes. Fishing trips lead to my absent in the last several years, the last time I participated was back in 2006, so I was quite eager to see what changes have taken place.

Among all community events in the Lower Mainland, the Fingerling Festival by far has the largest line-up of exhibitors. Over 50 nature groups, community hatcheries, streamkeepers and government agencies gathered under one roof today. It was as grand as a trade show, except the sales were awareness of ecosystems that are becoming increasingly vulnerable due to our everyday activities.

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC and my website teamed up again at this event. Mike Gass, who is responsible for community outreach at the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery, brought an aquarium that was filled with rainbow trout, kokanee and brook char. I brought along a flatscreen TV that broadcasted video of work done to improve recreational fisheries in British Columbia. Throwing in a dozen different fish species identification cards and a table full of colouring papers, we were open for business.

At 11:00am, hundreds of parents with kids and strollers in hand began streaming into the arena. For four hours, we were surrounded by kids who were mesmerized by the aquarium and parents who were surprised by the vast availability of freshwater fishing in the Lower Mainland.

Outside the arena, there was a long line-up outside Noons Creek Hatchery where little white buckets were handed out. Each bucket, where anxious chum fry circled, was carried down to the edge of the creek by both little hands. With one tilt, these fingerlings were pour into the creek, marking the start of a long journey. This process repeated thousands of times throughout the day. Everytime a bucket was poured, a new steward was born. The Fingerling Festival is not just a fish playing game. Under all the fun, there is an important message that every participant takes home - Small creeks among residential areas are not storm drains, but important habitat for salmon and other aquatic living beings.

At the end of the festival, I asked Dave how the turnout was. He estimated it to be around 4,000. This event has grown incredibly since I last participated. What impressed me was this community’s volunteerism. Individuals at different ages, from all cultural backgrounds, came together for the day so this tiny creek will live on.

You can see more photographs from today’s Fingerling Festival on this page. If you missed today’s event, you have another chance! Next Saturday is the Great Salmon Send-off in Burnaby where you have the opportunity to release salmon fry into Stoney Creek, where salmon were absent until twenty years ago.

Randy Morgan of Hatch Match’r Fly and Tackle in Maple Ridge has a passion in introducing flyfishing to high school students. Each year, he hosts an year-end competition for several high school flyfishing clubs in Southern British Columbia. On April 25th 2010, we followed eighteen students, their parents and teachers as they took part in this year’s event. The competition includes catching the most and largest rainbow trout, flycasting contest and a team relay. In the team relay, each participant has a specific task in his or her team, such as assembling the fly gear, tying knots, catching a fish with the assembled outfit or netting a fish. The team that catches and nets the first fish with the assembled flyfishing outfit wins the race. We produced this video to inspire other parents and teachers around the world. You also can set up a local youth flyfishing club so your flyfishing skills and fish knowledge could be passed onto the next generation.

Photographs from the event can now be seen on this page.

Once again attendance did not disappoint us at the 7th annual Fish for the Future. One couldn’t have asked for better weather. The sun was shining, the light southerly breeze kept everyone cool, it was a very enjoyable day.

123 juvenile saltwater fishing licences were issued during this year’s event. Some kids also came with a fishing licence already, so we probably had around 150 kids. Last year we wrote up exactly 200 licences. Attendance was down slightly, but traffic was still very steady at a relaxing pace, except the first two hours, which was almost a controlled chaos.

102 fish were caught and released.

• 62 coastrange sculpins
• 21 pacific staghorn sculpins
• 10 northern pikeminnows
• 5 peamouth chubs
• 4 starry flounders

Every kid who caught a fish was given a prize. The prizes available included T shirts, hats, fishing rods, lures, etc.

Photographs from the event can be found on this page.

Thanks go out to all the volunteers and exhibitors as well as parents who brought their kids out to the event. Next year’s event will be on July 10th. See you then!

For many years now, I have been writing about different, unexplored fishing opportunities in the Tidal Fraser River. From float fishing for coarse fish to flyfishing for trout, char and salmon, this area is ideal for Vancouverites who want to go fishing for a couple of hours without travelling far. I regularly receive questions in emails about them. Here is a great you to find out more, by coming to this year’s Fish for the Future on Saturday July 11th!

 

Fish for the Future is an annual festival that I have organized since 2003. The purpose of the event is to promote sportfishing, create public awareness of the biodiversity of the Fraser River ecosystem and conservation. It is fun and educational for all ages. The event is hosted at the No. 2 Road Pier of London’s Landing from 10:00am to 3:00pm.

During this year’s festival, families have the opportunities to try out fishing. Fishing gear will be available for kids who do not have them. Fish species that you might see include peamouth chub, northern pikeminnow, sculpin, largescaled sucker, redside shiner, shiner perch, starry flounder, American shad, bull trout, cutthroat trout and white sturgeon. When a fish is caught, it will be put in an aquarium for the kids to observe and learn before released back into the water.

Beside fishing, there will also be many other activities for participants to get involved in:

• Flycasting and flytying lessons will be available throughout the event for those who wish to learn the art of flyfishing.
• OWL, Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society, will be showing some of BC’s iconic birds of prey.
• Presented by the Seymour Salmonid Society, the aquatic insect station showcases microspecies that make up the important base of a stream ecosystem. There will also be a live tank of coho salmon smolts for visitors to watch.
• DFO Steveston will be on site to answer your questions about fishing in the tidal waters of British Columbia.The
• The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC will be hosting learn to fish lessons throughout the event.

 

Bring a packed lunch! There are picnic tables in the shaded area of the pier where you can enjoy your lunch break between activities. Ride a bike down to the event! Richmond has an excellent network of cycle routes. Park your bikes on the pier while enjoying all the activities.

You can be both a participant and volunteer. Help is always needed. If you wish to volunteer, please email me at info@fishingwithrod.com. I hope to see you on July 11th! This is also an opportunity for me to meet readers and learn more about what others would like to see on the website.

Here are some video clips from last year’s Fish for the Future.

Today I tagged along with Mike and Kelsey of the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC for a Learn to Fish session at Green Timbers Lake. The Learn to Fish program was first established two years ago and is available to anyone who’s above the age of five. Beside sessions hosted at the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery and Visitor Centre, ongoing sessions are scheduled at Green Timbers (Wednesday), Lafarge (Thursday) and Rice Lake (Sunday) between April and August. For more information, please visit this page.

The weather was perfect for this evening’s session. Trout were swirling and hopping on the surface. Unfortunately no fish were caught, but it was enjoyable for both parents and kids who participated.

Fishing rods and reels are provided for participants.

No shortage of bobbers.

Mike explains the proper technique for catch and release.

Kelsey demonstrates fish identification.

Mike demonstrates casting with a spinning reel.

Kelsey helps a young participant on casting.

Fishing time!

Both parents and kids actively take part in the class.

A catch and release prop.

A bobber awaits to be used.

Green Timbers Lake has plenty of open shoreline for anglers.

A couple of local residents.

For a long time now I have been writing about different, unexplored fishing opportunities in the Tidal Fraser River. I get many questions in emails about them. Here is a great opportunity for those who are interested to find out more, by coming to this year’s Fish for the Future on Saturday July 11th!

Fish for the Future is an annual fishing festival in Steveston that we have started on the website since 2003. The purpose of the event is to promote sportfishing, biodiversity of the Fraser River ecosystem and conservation. The event is supported by both the BC Family Fishing Weekend and the National Fishing Week. At this event, kids have the opportunity to try out fishing with all the free fishing gear provided. When fish are caught, they are placed in an aquarium for the kids to observe and learn before they are released back into the water. Flycasting and flytying workshops are available for anyone who wishes to learn. Various stewardship groups will be onsite to let the public know what projects are currently happening to enhance urban streams and re-establish their inhabitants. DFO is also present at the event to answer questions that you may have.

Please visit the event website for more information: http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fftf

You can be both a participant and a volunteer. The event is only possible with dedicated individuals who help out on the day. We need people to…

• help kids with fishing on the floating dock.,
• set up tents, signs, tables and chairs before the event,
• take down after the event,
• teach people how to tie flies,
• organize the fishing gear for loaning,

To make things a bit more interesting, I’ve decided to be out of town until July 8th. This means I need someone to put up posters at the rec centres, Save on Foods, Safeway and other public places two weeks prior to the event.

If you are interested in voluteering, please send me an email at info@fishingwithrod.com.

Even though we had anticipated a large turnout at this year’s World Rivers Day celebration in Chilliwack, it was still overwhelming to see over 200 participants voluntarily spending several hours picking up garbage along the Vedder River on September 28th.

The Vedder, or also known as the Chilliwack River, is the most heavily used by recreational anglers in British Columbia. Due to its popularity, garbage has become a serious problem in this watershed. The Chilliwack Vedder River Cleanup Coalition and its volunteers recognize this, so we are determined to make a positive difference.

This is our 7th Rivers Day celebration. Beside cleaning up the river, participants were treated with a BBQ, snacks and cold drinks. This year, we finished the event with a large cake to mark CVRCC’s 7th year anniversary.

More photos from the event can be seen on this page. 

Although the celebration is now over, everyday on the river should be treated as a Rivers Day. Your ongoing effort to keep the rivers clean is needed. Without this movement, it would result in losses of river access for anglers and worst of all, fish habitat degradation. Carry a small bag while you are out fishing and collect garbage after you are done is a good start. If everyone picks up more than what he or she carries in, then we will always have a magnificant river and fishery to enjoy.

For more information about the Chilliwack Vedder River Cleanup Coalition, please visit their website.

Sunny with a light westerly breeze, one couldn’t have asked for better weather to host Fish for the Future 2008. This was our sixth annual event. When this project was first initiated in 2003, the idea is to promote sportfishing, but to also make sure required knowledge is made readily available to those who are new to this recreation. When educated anglers are created, resource stewards are created, which lead to a better future for the fish. This event is only possible each year with the support of BC Family Fishing Weekend, National Fishing Week and many local generous sponsors.

Maybe it was enthusiasm, the entire event only took 40 minutes to set up. We were ready to go by 9:30am! Once 10am passed, parents and kids began arriving steadily at registration for their licenses.

The pier was filled with eager new anglers in no time. It was time to catch a fish!

Perhaps it was the tide, or the extended freshet that the Fraser River has experienced this year, the fishing was somewhat slow at the beginning. The main target species are peamouth chub, northern pikeminnow and several sculpin species. There was also the possibility to catch a variety of other species such as bull trout, cutthroat trout, white sturgeon, starry flounder, shiner perch and american shad, making fishing rather unpredictable and exciting in the estuary portion of the Fraser River. Once the kids found the way to entice these picky feeders, fish began to show up on the floating dock.

Once caught, the fish was brought to the aquarium stations by the catcher so it could be observed and identified in the water by everyone. All fish were released after a viewing period. This system creates a relaxing atmosphere so there would be a willingness to learn about the fish that are being caught. Although it is not a derby, we tried to ensure that those who caught a fish would receive a small prize. Fish ID cards were also given out for future references.

Beside fishing, we usually invite several related groups to be with us because the event provides a good opportunity to advertise their projects or programs that they offer.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada has been a strong supporter of this event since the first year. The communication branch has provided reading material for anglers to take home. Since last year, the enforcement unit in Steveston has also been involved. By having an outreach program, it creates a better understanding of the agency and encourages people to work with the enforcement unit when reporting violators. The patrol boat cruise during the event is always an eye opener for everyone.

Based in North Vancouver, the Seymour Salmonid Society has also been with Fish for the Future for many years. Beside raising salmonids, the hatchery offers an educational program called “Gently down the Seymour”, which offers a better understanding of the Seymour River and its inhabitants. The hatchery staff once again brought along a few juvenile coho salmon and aquatic insects for visitors who have never had the opportunity to see them.

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has been offering Learn to Fish program since 2006. This successful initiative has increased freshwater angling interest among youth across the province. Although the society’s work is not entirely related to the type of fishery being offered in Steveston, it always sends out a group to our event to cover the educational component. Fish anatomy, species ID and fishing lessons were given throughout the day.

Based in Delta, Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society rescues and raises injured birds of prey back to their health. Thanks to the feathery stars, its exhibition always generates a big crowd at this event. We feel that it is important to be involved with O.W.L. because injured birds are often the result of improper disposal of fishing line and plastic bags in their habitat. The society is always looking for volunteers and donations. Donations can either be money or food (ie. fish and rodents).

New to this year’s event were the Fraser River Estuarium Project and the Greater Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. We hope to have them back next year. The Fraser River Estarium Project is a proposed permanent educational centre in Steveston, which aims to inform the public about the importance of the Fraser River estuary and delta ecosystem. The Greater Canadian Shoreline Cleanup happens each September. Organized by the Vancouver Aquarium, there are over 1,500 cleanups happening in communities across Canada.

As usual, we had a flycasting area setup for those who are interested in learning or improving their casts. Many thanks to Jeff for providing private lessons under the hot sun throughout the event. Many new flyfishermen were born today.

The flytying booth was also quite popular. Kids were able to create their own flies with the help from Floon, Carlo, Wayne and Tony.

Thanks to Daniel at DNE Fishing for running the river fishing information booth. The display of drift fishing rigs must be helpful for those who want to get into river fishing in the Lower Mainland.

Thanks to Randy and Bill at Ultimate Sportfishing for exhibiting the Fraser River white sturgeon tagging program. It is a less-known species that always needs more awareness from the public.

Thanks to George, Rene, Tim, Brian, Luke, Sean and Mary for running the fishing portion of the event. With several hundred people who were eager to try out fishing, somehow they managed to keep everything under control.

Thanks to Sandy, Natalie, Jennifer and Cathy for writing up juvenile angling licenses. It was a non-stop task. 197 licenses were written during the event.

Thanks to Mark for running the aquarium station. The bucket run was a good exercise for him.

Thanks to those who had taken our advice and chosen to ride their bikes down to the event! It was good to see dozens of bikes parked on the pier while they fished.

Based on the number of juvenile angling licenses issued etc, we estimated between 500 and 600 people participated in this year’s festival. We look forward to see you all once again next year! Next year’s event will most likely be on July 4th. We hope to continue expanding by inviting more groups to be with us in the future so this will become one gathering where people can collect all the information they need regarding fishing, conservation and better living.

The rest of the photos can be seen on this page. If you have a comment or feedback regarding this event, please go to this page.

The Richmond Golden Rods and Reels Society once again ran a well organized bullhead derby for kids and seniors at Garry Point Park today. This year’s attendance is the highest in many years, just over 100 kids took part. Largest bullhead was measured at 9 inches long, while the largest non-bullhead species was a 14.5 inches long northern pikeminnow. All fish were carried to the measuring station by the kids, measured and returned to the river. Beside bullhead and a few other coarse fish species, some starry flounders were also caught.

More photos can be seen on this page. The next kids fishing event is Fish for the Future on July 12th, I look forward to see everyone there.

In conjunction with the BC’s Family Fishing Weekend, the Seymour Salmonid Society hosts “Go Fish Rice Lake” every year on Fathers Day. This is one event that I usually do not miss as it always draws a huge crowd. Due to the nice weather that we experienced, this year’s event was especially well attended.

Just minutes after the event started, all fishing rods, around 80, were loaned out to new angling enthusiasts. Each angler was allowed to try fishing on the pier for 20 minutes before returning the fishing rod. Other activities included flytying lessons, bug discovery, bear awareness activities, etc. Thanks to those who came by to say hi. I hope questions regarding different fisheries were fully answered, otherwise emails are always welcome. Despite of high angling pressure, only a few fish were caught, probably due to the warm sunny condition.

More photos can be seen on this page.

Staff at the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery were not busy raising trout today, instead they introduced fishing to over 1,000 visitors who attended the annual family fishing day.

An inflatable pool filled with several hundred rainbow trout was set up for kids under the age of 7. Although catches were almost guaranteed, some had to work harder than others to keep the fish on the barbless hook.

Hundreds of new eager anglers converged at both learn-to-fish ponds, which were stocked with over 1,000 rainbow trout. Most are now hooked on fishing.

The Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery and Visitor Centre is opened to the public. The visitor centre houses most BC fish species in its aquariums. Pre-arranged hatchery tours are available, just phone ahead to book a time. Learn-to-fish sessions will also be happening for all age groups. For more information, please visit their website.

These two photos are my favorites from today. They capture two memorable moments when we fish - Anticipation and excitement.

Hatchery manager Dale nets a trout for two young anglers. It is hard to tell who is most excited in this photo.

Barry does not seem so pleased after bonking and cleaning fish number 426.

There was not a shortage of anglers at the trout ponds.

Other photos can be found on this page.

 

Over twenty five years ago, my father regularly brought me along to his fishing trips. Although I was not heavily involved in the actual fishing at these trips, new adventures could always be had. Gobies and shrimps could be netted and observed in creeks, mussels and weeds were collected on rocks by the ocean. This constant connection with nature eventually grew to a strong fascination with fish. I was often looking for new species to catch, cutting out fish photos for my own record. This fascination has also become a life-long career, a treasured hobby and a strong willingness to protect the precious resource that we often take for granted.

A child’s life can be significantly altered when fishing is introduced into it. It isn’t so much about just catching fish, but lessons that cannot be taught elsewhere are found through this hobby. Fish can only be cared if they are seen or touched. This connection is difficult to bridge by a textbook.

The BC Family Fishing Weekend, which takes place annually on the Fathers Day Weekend, was initially designed to introduce more participants into this community. Some may disagree with the approach by reasoning that less anglers is in fact better for the resource, but the reality is that this resource, community and industry cannot survive unless there is a steady recruitment of participants. More users in a fishery does not only translate into more money, but it also creates more stewards who would guard what is enjoyable to them.

On June 14th and 15th, take a child fishing. The freshwater fishing licenses are free on those two days, for those who wish to give fishing a go. Community events will take place across the province, where newcomers can receive guidance on how to get started in this hobby.

On June 14th, I will be at the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery for its family fishing day. Ongoing hatchery tours and trout fishing will be available from 8am to noon. On June 15th, I will be at Rice Lake in North Vancouver, where trout fishing will also be available as well as various educational activities. I look forward to see everyone!

Rodney Hsu
Webmaster, Fishing with Rod Production

“Fishing in the City” program was launched today by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC at Rice Lake (see press release). 40 girl guides and scouts joined Natalie and Mike for a Learn to Fish session, followed by the release of 350 rainbow trout and a brief fishing session.

Please click here to watch the 8 minute long video of today’s launch!

Here are some photographs.

Fishing rods rigged and ready to go

Fishing in the City, ready to be launched

Learn to Fish instructors Mike Gass and Natalie West explains fish ID techniques to curious onlookers

FFSBC hatchery truck, filled with rainbow trout that are ready to be released

Learn to Fish props for proper catch and release instruction

Newly released Learn to Fish guide book

GVRD’S new floating dock at Rice Lake

Casting instruction prior to the fishing session

From left: Brian Chan and Stacy Webb of FFSBC, and Ralph Sultan, M.L.A. (West Vancouver-Capilano)

Releasing rainbow trout

Time to fish at last!

 

The 21st Chilliwack River Cleanup will be happening on this Saturday, April 5th! What started out as a very localized effort by a small group of individuals in 2002 has grown to a rather large and successful program six years later.

The cleanups, which are hosted three times per year, are now attended by over 200 enthusiastic volunteers who are determined to keep our watershed clean. These volunteers come from all backgrounds, including anglers, hikers, kayakers, and local residents. Scouts, girl guides and school groups also have a big presence at these cleanups.

These cleanups are especially beneficial to anglers for several reasons. They obviously keep the Chilliwack River cleaner, making it a more enjoyable environment for fishing. Reduction of garbage problems also ensure that public access to the river is not restricted, something that British Columbian anglers tend to take for granted. It is crucial that anglers do our part, by taking more garbage out more than what we bring in. By demonstrating that we can be stewards of our rivers rather than just consumers, you and I can make sure our enjoyable fishing days on the Chilliwack River will not be lost.

If you are interested in coming to this Saturday’s cleanup, please dress wisely as some rain is expected. Waders are not necessary since all cleanups are done on dry banks but a pair of boots would come in handy. Garbage bags, plastic gloves are provided, but you may want to bring a pair of working/gardening gloves as well. There will be donuts, hot coffee and cold juice for all volunteers, courtesy of Tim Hortons.

Registration is at 8:30am - 9:30am at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve. During this time, directors will assign you into groups that will focus on a particular section of the river. The cleanup will wrap up by noon.

The river condition is perfect for this event as it is currently at its lowest. This allows volunteers to access more dry banks than usual to make sure they are litter-free. In a few weeks from now, freshet will begin so it is crucial that we remove all garbage otherwise they will be washed away into the ocean during that time. Don’t forget to bring your fishing rod either, because the winter steelhead season is not over yet!

For more information, please go to this page. For more information on the Chilliwack Vedder River Cleanup Coalition, please visit their website.