Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: Rodney on August 20, 2007, 02:52:49 AM
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(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/image/index73.jpg)
Despite of the salmon fishing closure in the Non-tidal Fraser River starting on August 20th, one should not be disappointed as the Tidal Fraser River is still open for salmon fishing and the arrival of pink salmon is almost here. In fact, some are already here. Scattered schools have moved with the incoming tides already, based on personal encounters last week.
Below is a graph provided by Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the runtime of each pink run in the last 20 years. If you neglect the different in run sizes, it is apparent that their arrival time is almost identical to each other. The run usually starts to pick up around September 1st, peaks between September 15th and 25th, and tails off into early October.
(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/album34/pinkrun.gif)
If the same trend continues, we should see some excellent pink salmon fishing in the Tidal Fraser next weekend, especially with the expected strong incoming tide in the evenings.
In the spirit of this fantastic fishing opportunity, I've put together an article for those who maybe interested. The article is based on my own personal pink salmon fishing experience so your technique may differ to mine.
Read the article: Spincasting for Tidal Fraser Pink Salmon (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/articles/2007/0807_01.html)
It's important to know that during this time, there is a slim possibility that you will encounter a wild coho salmon. When this occurs, please make sure you release it carefully. In the next little while, I will have another article that outlines the differences between pink and coho salmon for better identification. In the meantime, the following articles maybe be useful.
- Differences between Chinook Salmon and Coho Salmon (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/articles/2006/0906_01.html)
- Fish Profile: Pink Salmon (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fish_profile/pink_salmon.html)
- Fish Profile: Coho Salmon (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fish_profile/coho_salmon.html)
Other species that are required to be released include bull trout (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fish_profile/bull_trout.html), cutthroat trout (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fish_profile/cutthroat_trout1.html), steelhead (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fish_profile/steelhead.html), and of course, sockeye salmon. The daily quota for pink salmon is four fish. You need a tidal sportfishing license (http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish/Licensing/default_e.htm) to fish in the Tidal Fraser River, as well as a salmon stamp if you intend to keep fish. Only a single barbless hook can be used on your lure. Violations can be phoned in at 604-607-4186 or 1-800-465-4336. The Steveston officers patrol regularly by boats and cars. I saw them five times in the last four days, and was checked once.
(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/album34/050912_2.jpg)
Enjoy.
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excellent timing for this info Rod. There is also a great map of the Fraser available at most tackle shops for about $10.00 that shows places to access the lower river on both the north and south arms. It should heat up any time in the lower river. Last cycle I saw large schools of fish appearing by the Alex Fraser Bridge on August 23 so maybe later this week there will be decent chances at fish.
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Great article, I'm still confused about the single hook thing, in the 2007-2009 Tidal waters guide on page 10 it reads that "Both single and treble barbless hooks are acceptable" the Fraser river supplement says that single hooks are required but only when using a bar rig in the Fraser. I couldn't find anything else that states single hooks must be used or treble hooks can not be used in the tidal portion of the Fraser river. Can anyone clarify this and where I can find this info out.
Thanks
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I love the fraser river pink salmon fishery! IN 05 I went out 21 times ;D
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Great article, I'm still confused about the single hook thing, in the 2007-2009 Tidal waters guide on page 10 it reads that "Both single and treble barbless hooks are acceptable" the Fraser river supplement says that single hooks are required but only when using a bar rig in the Fraser. I couldn't find anything else that states single hooks must be used or treble hooks can not be used in the tidal portion of the Fraser river. Can anyone clarify this and where I can find this info out.
Thanks
Hi Moe (sounds like I'm in an episode of The Simpsons), you're correct. I just went through the guide as well as the online material, the information given can be perceived that you should use two single point hooks on a bar rig but treble hook is allowed when you only have one hook on your line (ie. fishing with a lure). Let me fire an email out to my contacts and clarify that, I will return with information when given. In the meantime, it is best to use a single point hook on your lure because if you get checked by a DFO officer with a treble hook, you will be fined. It maybe disputed successfully based on the information given, but it's not worth the hassle.
Personally, I find that landing a fish on a single point hook is also much easier than on a treble hook because the hook gap is much larger on a single point.
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Yes, don't need the hassel over a single vs treble and will continue to use singles as last pink season had great success at Sapperton Landing in New Westminster with single hooks on a red and white spoon.
When Changing the hooks does the pointy end go up or down on the concave of the lure.
Thanks again
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Thanks for the info Rodney. I've been out a few times this past week on the lower Fraser fishing with some spoons (saw a few others out as well), but didn't get much other than a pikeminnow. On Saturday night my girlfriend asked me to teach her how to cast, so we went out half an hour before sunset. Within 5 minutes, I hear her scream that she's got something. At first I thought it was a snag, but then I saw her rod tip shake and knew that she had a fish on. I helped her try to get the fish in and got a pretty good look at it when it was 10' from the shore -- a good sized Pink. Unfortunately, the fish then started to thrash around more violently and managed to free itself of the hook. We didn't manage anything else the rest of the night, but needless to say that she now wants to go back out when the Pinks are coming in bigger numbers ;D.
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When Changing the hooks does the pointy end go up or down on the concave of the lure.
Thanks again
Concave side
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Hey Rodney nice fishes! did you catch them at Garry's Point Park? the pictures you have almost look like the ones on your old fishing trip pictures.
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Those fish were caught on September 12th, 2005, when the season was peaking. They were not caught at Garry Point Park.
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Caught 1 this morning, however it's SMALL!!! Only 17". For a moment I thought it was a pikeminnow.
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Ahhh..the old Rodney has returned to us....yea!!! ;D
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Thanks a lot Rod, for all the valuable information. :) kudos !
btw, remember the tasmania devil that we talked about last time? ;)
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btw, remember the tasmania devil that we talked about last time? ;)
I will try to remember that, have to dig them out.
Water clarity is improving fast, much better compared to last week.
Test fisheries in Areas 12 and 13 (Johnstone Strait) both recorded large catches (5000+) fish today so in a couple of days from now, we should see a bump of schools showing up during the incoming tide.
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I have already seen more today then the previous days. Tried my luck with the fly :'(
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Tried spincasting spoons in the north arm at richmond...all I had was a big Sculpin ::). Saw few fish jumping here and there...no luck for me though..
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To all Fraser River pink salmon anglers, please be aware of a seasonal regulation that will become effective starting next week as a conservation measure on interior coho salmon.
FN0635-Recreational: Salmon - Region 2 - Management Measures to Protect Interior Fraser River Coho (http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/fns/index.cfm?pg=view_notice&lang=en&DOC_ID=103974&ID=recreational)
The following measures will be implemented to protect Interior Fraser River coho.
Tidal portion of the Fraser River (downstream of the CPR Bridge at Mission, BC)
Effective 00:01 hours September 4, 2007 to 23:59 hours October 5, 2007 in the tidal portion of the Fraser River (downstream from the CPR Bridge at Mission, BC:
- the use of bait is prohibited while fishing for salmon.
- fishing for coho is prohibited.
Fraser River - Mission to Hope
Effective 00:01 hours September 6, 2007 to 23:59 hours October 8, 2007 on the non-tidal portion of the Fraser River from the CPR Bridge at Mission, BC upstream to the Highway No. 1 Bridge at Hope, BC:
- the use of bait is prohibited while fishing for salmon.
- fishing for coho is prohibited.
Fraser River - Hope to Sawmill Creek
Effective 00:01 hours September 8, 2007 to 23:59 hours October 11, 2007, on the non-tidal portion of the Fraser River from the Highway No. 1 Bridge at Hope, BC upstream to the confluence with Sawmill Creek:
- the use of bait is prohibited while fishing for salmon.
- fishing for coho is prohibited.
Fraser River - Sawmill Creek to Alexandra Bridge
Effective 00:01 hours September 19, 2007 to 23:59 hours December 31, 2007, on the non-tidal portion of the Fraser River from the confluence with Sawmill Creek upstream to the Alexandra Bridge:
- the use of bait is prohibited while fishing for salmon.
- fishing for coho is prohibited.
Variation Orders 2007-316; 2007-218 in effect.
Notes:
The aggregate daily limit for all species of Pacific Salmon (other than kokanee) from tidal and non-tidal waters combined is four (4).
Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal and non-tidal waters of British Columbia. This includes all species of fish in the Fraser River.
Sport anglers are encouraged to participate in the voluntary Salmon Sport Head Recovery program by labelling and submitting heads from adipose fin-clipped chinook and coho salmon. Recovery of coded-wire tags provides critical information for coast-wide stock assessment. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program at (866) 483-9994 for further information.
Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line at (800) 465-4336.
For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at (866) 431-FISH.
If you encounter a coho salmon while fishing for pink salmon, please release it with care by keeping the fish in the water at all time. Both wild and hatchery coho salmon are to be released during the period of this period.
An update on the pink salmon fishing in the Tidal Fraser River
The water clarity remains poor. Visibility is still sitting at around 1 foot. Scattered small schools of fish have been creeping into the river during the strong incoming tides, but with the visibility so poor, chances of connecting with a fish has been very slim.
Make sure the rods and reels are wiped down after each trip because the amount of silt building up on the gear can be rather damaging.
From my personal outings, I was able to connect with one fish on August 16th, 2 on August 18th, 1 on August 26th, but all were lost. Today (August 30th), three were connected, one was landed, one did not count as it was foul hooked, the other one popped off fairly far out not long after it bit. The last several days we have been seeing more surface activities during the time we expected, but they produced no bites most likely due to the poor visibility. A large bump on the return should happen this weekend, hopefully.
Some interesting sightings out there. On Sunday the 26th, I saw two people with no life jackets making their way out to the middle of the river just downstream from Alex Fraser Bridge in an inflatable and an electric motor. They proceeded to anchor and fish while tug boats and barges cruised right beside them.
Two days ago I saw a prop boat going airborne when attempting to get over a big wave from a cargo ship. Even though they were quite far out, I could see the passengers bouncing on the seats as the boat landed.
Play safe and good luck on this long weekend!
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congratulations on the first pink landed. :)
hopefully i would connect with one the next time i go spooning for them.
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I just realized that we don't have any close-up photos of a pink salmon (or its parts) for identification purpose.
Here's a small female pink salmon from today.
(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/album34/070830_1.jpg)
The easiest way to identify a pink salmon is by looking at its tail. Large oval spots can be found all over the tail. It's quite different to the tail of other salmon species (chinook salmon has tiny spots all over its tail, coho salmon has tiny spots on the top portion of its tail, sockeye and chum salmon have no spots on their tails).
(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/album34/070830_2.sized.jpg)
Large oval spots can also be found along a pink salmon's back. These spots (almost the size of thumb prints) are much larger than the spots on other salmon species' backs. Both coho and chinook salmon have small spots along their backs, while sockeye and chum salmon have no spots.
(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/album34/070830_3.jpg)
We were checked by DFO officers again tonight, fourth time for me in two weeks. ;) The officers from the Steveston office continue to do a good job on patrolling. No violations found tonight out of 6 anglers. Make sure you have your license, your single hook's barb pinched and know your salmon species.
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Please note that there has been a change of daily quota of pink salmon in the non-tidal Fraser River, Chilliwack Stave River, Harrison River.
http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/fns/index.cfm?pg=view_notice&lang=en&DOC_ID=104094&ID=recreational
Effective immediately until December 31, 2007 the daily limit for pink salmon in the following areas is increased to four (4) per day:
- Chilliwack/Vedder Rivers: downstream from Slesse Creek, including that portion of the Sumas River from the Barrow Town Pump Station downstream to boundary signs near the confluence with the Fraser River,
- Fraser River: downstream side of the CPR Bridge at Mission upstream to the Alexandra Bridge (except the Landstrom Bar area closures listed below),
- Harrison River: from the Highway 7 Bridge downstream to the confluence with the Fraser River, and
- Stave River: downstream of B.C. Hydro Dam to the CPR railway Bridge.
While fishing for Pink salmon in this area, the Department requests that the recreational community take every measure possible to ensure that their fishing activities are not impacting sockeye salmon.
Variation order 2007-327.
Notes:
The aggregate daily limit for all species of Pacific Salmon (other than kokanee) from tidal and non-tidal waters combined is four (4).
Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal and non-tidal waters of British Columbia. This includes all species of fish in the Fraser River.
Sport anglers are encouraged to participate in the voluntary Salmon Sport Head Recovery program by labelling and submitting heads from adipose fin-clipped Chinook and coho salmon. Recovery of coded-wire tags provides critical information for coast-wide stock assessment. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program at (866) 483-9994 for further information.
Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line at (800) 465-4336.
For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at (866) 431-FISH.
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Thanks for the update Rod! I can't wait till I get to go out there over the next few weeks! Perhaps we'll bump into each other.
I've made 2 outings last month with nothing to show for but did see a few jumpers out in the middle of the river....perhaps sockeye?
Regardless.... haven't connected with one yet this year but I'm still eager to get out! Good luck all!
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Please note that there has been a change of daily quota of pink salmon in the non-tidal Fraser River, Chilliwack Stave River, Harrison River.
http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/fns/index.cfm?pg=view_notice&lang=en&DOC_ID=104094&ID=recreational
Effective immediately until December 31, 2007 the daily limit for pink salmon in the following areas is increased to four (4) per day:
- Chilliwack/Vedder Rivers: downstream from Slesse Creek, including that portion of the Sumas River from the Barrow Town Pump Station downstream to boundary signs near the confluence with the Fraser River,
- Fraser River: downstream side of the CPR Bridge at Mission upstream to the Alexandra Bridge (except the Landstrom Bar area closures listed below),
- Harrison River: from the Highway 7 Bridge downstream to the confluence with the Fraser River, and
- Stave River: downstream of B.C. Hydro Dam to the CPR railway Bridge.
While fishing for Pink salmon in this area, the Department requests that the recreational community take every measure possible to ensure that their fishing activities are not impacting sockeye salmon.
Variation order 2007-327.
Notes:
The aggregate daily limit for all species of Pacific Salmon (other than kokanee) from tidal and non-tidal waters combined is four (4).
Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal and non-tidal waters of British Columbia. This includes all species of fish in the Fraser River.
Sport anglers are encouraged to participate in the voluntary Salmon Sport Head Recovery program by labelling and submitting heads from adipose fin-clipped Chinook and coho salmon. Recovery of coded-wire tags provides critical information for coast-wide stock assessment. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program at (866) 483-9994 for further information.
Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line at (800) 465-4336.
For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at (866) 431-FISH.
I don't understand why DFO is increasing the limit for anglers upstream and not on the lower as well. Seeing as that is the area they closed down to protect the sockeye as they say and also the best place to BB. Instead of giving anglers an incentive to go out of town to stock up on pinks I would think they would want to encourage anglers to fish the wider parts of the river on the lower to avoid catching socks. It seems as though they are trying to set us up for another closure or just trying to please the guides.
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Think about it, 10 million.
Do you really think that sports anglers will have an effect?
This is not sockeye in the prime of the summer.
Even the F/N are throwing them back.( After they are dead of course).
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I don't understand why DFO is increasing the limit for anglers upstream and not on the lower as well.
Isn't the limit in the tidal portion 4 per day ?
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I don't understand why DFO is increasing the limit for anglers upstream and not on the lower as well.
Isn't the limit in the tidal portion 4 per day ?
Yes.
The pink salmon daily quota increase or decrease in the non-tidal portion of the Fraser River is always done in-season once the managers determine whether the in-season estimate can accommodate that.
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While everyone's enjoying the pink salmon fishing, I'm not sure if you have been looking at the catch reports from test fisheries lately.
This graph (by Fisheries and Oceans Canada) maybe interesting to some of you.
(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/album34/pink_graph.gif)
It indicates that daily migration numbers through Juan de Fuca Strait have been sharply declining in the last two weeks instead of peaking right now as originally forecasted.
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Yeah, pink season is slowing down quite a bit and some guys are saying that it might not be any better. :(
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We definitely will not see another big bump of pink salmon this season unfortunately, but there should be enough fish to provide some steady fishing result in the next several weeks. Current daily passage of pink salmon through Mission is estimated at around 400,000 fish. The 10 million returning fish will be revised and most likely downgraded further after the US fisheries' effort is taken into account.