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[Spawn Sack]

I gave up fishing first light yrs ago. Getting early to a crowded spot on the Vedder during salmon season means nothing. Consider yourself very lucky catching 3 cohos before you got swarmed. It’s happening all over the river at the popular meat holes. I fish a spot where nobody can fish beside me and I go in the late afternoons when most of the crowds are gone. I catch plenty of cohos in this spot. If someone is in the spot that like to stand then I go home. Has only happened once this fall season so far. Im at an age where like to relax and enjoy my fishing more then packing my freezer full.

Ya, like I said I've given up on this spot this fall for 1st light. Just too easily accessible and the word has gotten out to the centerbeaks that this run is typically stacked with coho each morning. I have a few other spots up my sleeve that I don't anticipate being a problem. Way longer walk in, only room for 5-7 guys. The coho fishing is not nearly as productive as some of the mid river runs, but I have never had a single issue with poor manners. Most ppl who fish these are trying to escape the crowds and lack of etiquette, so everyone seems to go out of their way to ensure they don't piss anyone off.

 

[tworivers]

My question is...
Where can I find some of this imported silk used for roe sacks?

[psd1179]

I only fish in Vedder where nobody around. if some one squeeze close to me, I move and leave the spot to the idiot.

[Fish Assassin]

Unfortunately this type of behaviour is not restricted to only the Vedder. It's pretty well the norm in alot of rivers these days.

[Silex-user]

Thank god steelheaders has better fishing etiquette. I remember back in 1986 when first batches of hatchery cohoes came back I spend most my fishing the boulder run. Fisherman and gals were friendly and everybody got along then again there was 10 x less fisherman or gals. Now a day I don't fished  as much for coho or spring during Sept. and Oct. on the Vedder river There are other rivers in Lowermainland which has small runs of hatchery coho and spring. I really enjoy fishing these rivers less crowd and lots of time nobody fished at my  honey hole. Life is too short. Don't need the stress.


Silex-user

[milo]

Way longer walk in, only room for 5-7 guys. The coho fishing is not nearly as productive as some of the mid river runs, but I have never had a single issue with poor manners. Most ppl who fish these are trying to escape the crowds and lack of etiquette, so everyone seems to go out of their way to ensure they don't piss anyone off.

The long walk-in/out is key. I can't recall meeting any centerbeaks off the beaten path.
As for the first light stampede to the most productive spots, I'm done with that. Did it once this season for naught, for there were 10 other guys there before I arrived even though it was still pitch dark.
I'd much rather get my beauty sleep and fish the second shift and stay until dark.

[Rodney]

I think the reality is, there are always just jerks in life... Rich jerks, poor jerks, educated jerks, hick jerks, jerks in all ethnicities, old jerks, young jerks, big jerks, small jerks, you get the point. We run into them while driving, run into them at restaurants, and of course we are going to run into them occasionally at the Vedder River.

I like to believe this is just an isolated, unfortunate incident. I've seen groups like this sometimes. I'm not sure how this gets tied to social media, which has its pros and cons. I see more pros than cons. The delivery of important information such as regulation changes has been sped up by social media. Because of Facebook, I've been able to reunite at least a dozen lost items with anglers who lost them this past year. Platforms like Instagram have brought anglers together more, creating a sense of community which is lacking in this province.

I'm with Dan's observations here. I mostly see anglers getting along even when it gets crowded out there. I've seen ethics improving in the past twenty years. I am seeing way less long lining out there and coho fishing has become really competitive because there are way more anglers who target them properly now than before.

There are two rules I go by when I head down to the river. One is to have a good attitude, two is to treat others like the way I want to be treated. So far the two approaches have lead to great experiences everytime I'm out there. I also do my best to avoid the situation which SS described. I don't fish spots at first light where I am likely to be crowded out. If I do, I always tell myself to just leave before it gets to that point.

I still enjoy the first light race. As busy and competitive as this river gets, I love getting out there and trying to outfish others lol. I also find myself improving when fishing among others, always picking up new tips. I've also learned to lower the expectations and getting fish is not always my priority. Two mornings ago I fished a run with at least 50 other people. There are tons of fish caught, but for some reason my float never dipped in six hours. A little frustrating, but it was a great morning. The atmosphere was very positive. A little kid across from us caught a coho by himself and everyone cheered on. I caught up with Fish Assassin who I hadn't seen in almost ten years!

Anyway, not saying SS should lighten up, but just remember that the nice ones outnumber the bad ones. Enjoy the rest of the salmon season everyone.

[GordJ]

My question is...
Where can I find some of this imported silk used for roe sacks?

Isn’t all silk imported? Why don’t we have a domestic silk industry?

[Spawn Sack]

Rodney makes some good points. Attitude is everything in life. When I'm sitting in the dark, most times the 1st one to arrive at one of these busy coho spots, I know/expect the run to be packed by the time you can see your float. I know I'm going to have someone a rod length or whatever below me, and the same above by the time fishing starts. I've always been cool with that. Most days had a great time, some laughs, could go for a break and not worry that I would get pushed out of my spot, and so on. Usually leave with some coho, but if I don't it's all good as I still enjoyed myself. As I've said ad nauseum, that morning was a real eye opener for me. Stuff I've never seen before. A large group deliberately making anglers feel uncomfortable so they'll pack up and leave early, so they can scoop their spot.
Anyway, I'm well over being butt-hurt, and appreciate ya'll listening to my rant and responding. I have fished this spot every evening since the morning in question, and have caught coho each time except last night. The run was just not happening, oh well.
I plan to do some first light fishing in the coming week, I'll just hit some more of my out of the way spots and burn a few more calories on the way in/out.

Oh, and GordJ, the silk comment was meant to be tongue in cheek. I don't remember was they were using. I guess my point was I usually assume if someone has invested big bucks in top of the line gear, they have probably been at this for a while, and probably have an understanding of the unwritten ethical expectations/etiquette for this fishery. Oh well, this has motivated me to drive around more and walk more, find some new clandestine spots. Maybe I should thank this centerbeak crew? Nah, you guys still suck. If you are reading this I hope you blow up your $1200 Sage on a chum. 

[Wiseguy]

The long walk-in/out is key. I can't recall meeting any centerbeaks off the beaten path.
As for the first light stampede to the most productive spots, I'm done with that. Did it once this season for naught, for there were 10 other guys there before I arrived even though it was still pitch dark.
I'd much rather get my beauty sleep and fish the second shift and stay until dark.

You have hit the nail on the head. I gave up on the first light fishery yrs ago when there was 3 dudes sleeping on the bank when I arrived in the dark. Lol. As it got light more people arrived and bullied there way onto the run. That was a defining moment for myself after having fished the Vedder for many yrs before that incident without issue.  I now fish the late afternoon shift and have peace of mind. 40 yrs fishing the Vedder and still out there doing it. Tight lines.

[DanL]

Rodney makes some good points. Attitude is everything in life. When I'm sitting in the dark, most times the 1st one to arrive at one of these busy coho spots, I know/expect the run to be packed by the time you can see your float. I know I'm going to have someone a rod length or whatever below me, and the same above by the time fishing starts. I've always been cool with that. Most days had a great time, some laughs, could go for a break and not worry that I would get pushed out of my spot, and so on. Usually leave with some coho, but if I don't it's all good as I still enjoyed myself. As I've said ad nauseum, that morning was a real eye opener for me. Stuff I've never seen before. A large group deliberately making anglers feel uncomfortable so they'll pack up and leave early, so they can scoop their spot.

There's also a survivorship bias aspect here. Those who dislike that sort of combat fishing would not be inclined go to those popular spots, and certainly not behave like that. While those who don't mind will fill the gaps, as you've discovered. I suspect it may not have been deliberate, probably just what they see or experienced at other popular runs.

Which is kind of an interesting phenomenon. Each run has it's own etiquette, and offense can be easily given or taken when everyone has a different expectation. What's OK under KWB may not be kosher at a quieter up river spot. If one takes the expectation of conduct from one run into the other, someone's going to have a bad time...

I guess my point was I usually assume if someone has invested big bucks in top of the line gear, they have probably been at this for a while, and probably have an understanding of the unwritten ethical expectations/etiquette for this fishery.

I think this is not really all that true nowadays. There's a lot of people with plenty of disposable income and a couple K is not that much to drop on a serious hobby. There are definitely those with top end gear that have gotten into it within the last few yrs or so, introduced by friends, and quickly want the same stuff. If all they've known is combat fishing, because that's what their friends introduced them to, then that's what they learn and got used to. Those who hate it will likely abandon it early.

[alindsey]

Maybe fishing etiquette in crowded spots is a good video idea, Rodney?

My self for example - I have pretty nice gear and have fished lots, but just started "combat fishing" over the last two years since I moved here. I don't know anyone who enjoys fishing, and so I don't really know whats ok when your fishing 15-25 feet next to people? How far can I let my float drift in front of you? What if they are fly fishing - does that change anything?

A couple of times I think I might have pissed someone off from doing the wrong thing accidentally - but its tough to know if you haven't grown up doing it and no one has shown you the ropes. Lots of steelhead etiquette videos out there, but not for crowded salmon fishing.

[bigsnag]

 A lot of good points... and a lot of BS.
What happened to Spawn Sack was plain wrong,  and I do not blame him for ranting.
Wishing you tight lines always SS and screw the centerbeaks.

[wildmanyeah]

what others have said on here is bang on you have to approach it with the right attitude for what your gonna be walking into.

[fic]

There are certain locations on the river where people will squeeze in no matter how many people are already fishing there. It's not just the Vedder but other places too.  I don't know if there is anything you can do about it other, than move on and fish somewhere else. Getting there 3 hours before first light and putting up a big fence around yourself might help