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[Trout_Bum]

Does anyone know the projected numbers of returning Steelhead for Lower Mainland rivers?
I am sure this info exists but i can't find it anywhere. What i am looking for is a breakdown of returns for the Vedder, Chehalis, Squamish, etc, of both wild and hatchery. It would be even better if hisorical info can be obtained to see the health of our runs year over year.

Trout Bum

[chris gadsden]

From a chart I was sent today that runs from 1947 to 1978.  Steelhead in 1947 9,000. 62 to 64 returns of 15,000 each year. 1978 500. Numbers changed each year in between these years.

[firebird]

The info at the following link may be helpful. Click on a stream name below the map, read the information and then back click to the map to check out another stream. It's not up to date but about as good as you'll find online.

http://www.bccf.com/steelhead/watersheds.htm#map-r2-focus

[Trout_Bum]

Thanks Firebird. This is excellent info and gives me close what i was looking for. Pretty depressing how the numbers have declined, but at least there seems to be detailed analysis going on.

TB

[Dave]

but at least there seems to be detailed analysis going on.

TB

Wow!  that statement will make the Province smile   No offense firebird...

[firebird]

Thanks Firebird. This is excellent info and gives me close what i was looking for. Pretty depressing how the numbers have declined, but at least there seems to be detailed analysis going on.

TB

Actually, the numbers seem to have picked up again since that information was published. This is speaking in general terms as no real detailed analyses are presently carried out because the funding for the steelhead recovery program was curtailed a few years ago. Let's hope the upswing continues for many years 

[rln]

Thanks Firebird. This is excellent info and gives me close what i was looking for. Pretty depressing how the numbers have declined, but at least there seems to be detailed analysis going on.

TB

check out the date of the info, last update seems to be 2006. Get involved with some one like the Steelhead Society of BC and you will sse that the province has very little going on with steelhead overall.

[Johnny Canuck]

check out the date of the info, last update seems to be 2006. Get involved with some one like the Steelhead Society of BC and you will sse that the province has very little going on with steelhead overall.

Don't forget that the SSBC only focuses on flows with wild only fish.

[Dave]

Don't forget that the SSBC only focuses on flows with wild only fish.

I believe the SSBC has committed $1000 to the costs of the 2013 Chilliwack River nutrient enrichment program.

[jetboatjim]

98% of the southcoast rivers have or at one time had hatchery fish.......SSBC has helped many rivers.

[Dave]

Back on topic here ... I have fished a total of 3 hours this season but know a few anglers that have fished the C-V daily since late November.  These guys are as good as you can get regarding catching C-V steelhead, local legends really with a combined several hundred years experience and thousands of fish to their credit.
What they tell me is this is, to date, a very poor year.   Rain is falling big time in Chilliwack now and water will rise ... sure hope things pick up after this high water event because if not, I would suggest reconsidering starting broodstock capture of wild fish Jan 15, meaning let the few wild fish in the system now find some sanctuary in the closed area and spawn naturally. Call it a future source of broodstock or better yet, wild fish for the the next generation.
When and if numbers arrive, and angling reports will indicate if it happens, then start collecting wild fish for broodstock.   My $ .02

Hope I'm wrong and plenty of wild steelhead show up in our spring counts.

[chris gadsden]

Back on topic here ... I have fished a total of 3 hours this season but know a few anglers that have fished the C-V daily since late November.  These guys are as good as you can get regarding catching C-V steelhead, local legends really with a combined several hundred years experience and thousands of fish to their credit.
What they tell me is this is, to date, a very poor year.   Rain is falling big time in Chilliwack now and water will rise ... sure hope things pick up after this high water event because if not, I would suggest reconsidering starting broodstock capture of wild fish Jan 15, meaning let the few wild fish in the system now find some sanctuary in the closed area and spawn naturally. Call it a future source of broodstock or better yet, wild fish for the the next generation.
When and if numbers arrive, and angling reports will indicate if it happens, then start collecting wild fish for broodstock.   My $ .02

Hope I'm wrong and plenty of wild steelhead show up in our spring counts.

I think if we do that Dave you will see what has happened on so many Island rivers. Have the stocks rebounded after cutting down on the hatchery program, for example the Cowichan?

[nickredway]

I don't think Dave is suggesting cutting back on hatchery program, just delaying the start of wild broodstock capture until you know the numbers are there to support it on what could be a bad year. Am pretty sure the Cowichan isn't hurting because they cut the hatchery Stealhead program, it's hurting because of a myriad of environmental factors and policy decisions. I would also be very surprised if the wild fish suffered as a result of the end of the hatchery program, after all I presume there is a few more pairs spawning in the wild every year now? It would be good if the wild fish in the Vedder had a bit more protection, it seems disgusting to me that staging wild fish in the upper river are fair game to get repeatedly hooked over and over in the later part of the season.

[Johnny Canuck]

It would be good if the wild fish in the Vedder had a bit more protection, it seems disgusting to me that staging wild fish in the upper river are fair game to get repeatedly hooked over and over in the later part of the season.

More than half of the river is closed to fishing...

The river is 80 km's to the lake and 36 km's of that is open to fishing. Most of the wild fish will spawn in the canyon section in the closed area just up from the hatchery.

[nickredway]

So wild fish don't stage between Allison and the fishing boundary prior to spawning? Just think that everyone has probably had a fair crack at these fish by mid April at the latest and they might be better left in peace. I don't see the satisfaction in hooking coloured up wilds that have a been hooked multiple times to be quite honest, I have done it myself and it feels pretty greasy.