Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => Fishing Reports => Members' Fishing Reports => Topic started by: 2:40 on September 25, 2004, 05:27:32 PM
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Fished the mid part of the Vedder this morning before work. Nice weather, beautiful water but slow fishing among the 4-5 guys on the run.
The guy I was fishing with above me hooked what looked like a large coho jack. Upon beaching it we discovered it was a very small chromeish sockeye and furthermore it was adipose clipped as well. Cultus fish?? Why so small unless it was clipped last year and came back a year early.
Wished we got a pic but it slipped away as we were handing it very carefully.
Saw a guy trying to wade the tailout right before we left. Scary stuff, happily he saved the tumble for the shallower bit so we could have a chuckle with no one getting hurt for our merriment. Geeze be careful!!! I gotta say that was a dumb move. :o
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as fulcrum said, "keep your tea-bag dry", or wear a pfd.
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2:40 Gordie thats the typical size of the cultus sockeye they are not big like the fraser or the upper chilliwack sockeye. Ive caught lots over the years around the vedder crossing area. Because they eagerly hit roe or even wool they are often mistaken for jacks especially with the adipose fin clipped.
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Ive never seen or caught one this small. Ive caught cutthroat bigger (but not many)! Sockeye Ive caught in the Vedder, although few, were in the 3 - 4.5 lb range. Picky biters...they like it small and discrete.
Anyway, I hope the concern over the sockeye does not hurt early fall fishing opportunites in the Vedder. If too many clipped sockeye get mistaken for coho (I question that method to mark these fish) it might not be good.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fraserriver/recreational/Adiposeclipsockeye.htm
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Why are clipping sockeyes ? Are they trying to identify the endangered Cultus Lake run ?
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Its something to do with telling the difference between the wild ones and the ones from the hatchery when they arrive back at the fence at Cultus Lab.
I think it was an unfortunate thing to adipose clip these fish as the chances of these fish being mistaken for a hatchery coho is very real. I guess the marking method that carries the least mortality rate was the way to go and I can understand why a ventral or max clip was not performed.
Check your fish carefully and keep it in the water until you are sure it is a legal fish before hauling it up on the beach.