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[mykisscrazy]

Hi Dave,
The flows were not low. The issue at the time was it was quite rapid at the that side of the river and the path the fish take is generally the easiest. So, what most seem to do was go up the river right side (sweltzer is on river left) and then would ferry their way across. It was really quite something to watch...and generally it seemed to happen oh around midnight to like 2 in the morning. Some did go up the river left side and I remember one trying so hard that seeing it almost get past all the fast water and enter Sweltzer and then it got into the current and it was just swept way back downstream and came to rest in the "cable car pool". Then another was swimming from boulder to boulder and did make it to Sweltzer.

During the day the fish generally did not move at all. In areas of heavy fishing pressure, one could tell the fish were deep and if there was some sort of cover they used it to their advantage. I never witnessed any of our fish being caught. However, had a phone call from someone who caught and killed one of the fish. Drove to Langley to collect the radiotag. He caught it in the Sweltzer /Chilliwack Confluence above the rapid...At least he returned the tag.

In time it may be a good idea to close portions of the Vedder/Chilliwack - 200 metres either side of the Vedder Bridge. But I'm guessing not one person in the angling community would think that would be a good idea.

The study took place from Mid to late Sept to well into Nov. I remember being snowed in at the lab and not being able to get to the river and track the remaining fish

[living_blind]

Thx Dave.

60,000 fish is more than I would have guessed. May I ask where you found the information?

[Rodney]

Thx Dave.

60,000 fish is more than I would have guessed. May I ask where you found the information?

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fraserriver/Escapement/2008EARLYSUMMERPRELIMINARIES.htm

"The largest Early Summer Run escapements in 2008 were observed in Dolly Varden Creek (62,482), Nadina Channel (33,251) and Nadina River (32,503)."

Fraser River sockeye estimatement estimate summaries can always be found on:

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fraserriver/escapeupdate.htm

To view past year's summaries, you can simply edit the year in the URL.

[Dave]

Thanks Rod.  Living blind, I agree, 60,000 fish does seem like a lot of fish for such a small, cold, unproductive lake.  It is only fairly recently that the upper Chilliwack River (Dolly Varden) has been enumerated by overflights and stream walks.  In the 70's and 80's only the beaches were checked and sporadically at that - I know this as it was myself and Buck, (until he went to dark side and started working at the hatchery) that did these counts.  Back then we might have recovered a few hundred a season.  Was the river population strong back then as well?  we will never know but I doubt it.  Chilliwack Lake sockeye migrate in the Fraser the same time as Early Stuarts, and that stock has been protected from commercial fishing for decades. Other than minor FN fisheries, Chilliwack fish are fully protected from interceptions.   It has also been suggested Chilliwack sockeye smolts have increased at the expense of kokanee, as that population is a fraction of what is was in the 70's.   The good news is this lake now has a much higher profile with DFO Science and it is being monitored on a regular basis so some answers should be forthcoming. 

[living_blind]

Great stuff Rodney and Dave. Appreciate the information. Interesting about the kokanee, funny how those things can change.

[buck]

Dave

No hatchery steelhead have your name on them so you might as well stay home. ( Bull trout only )

[Dave]

Buck, (you much older than I fart) - how were your legs after climbing that hill this AM??  But your'e right - no hatchery steelhead for me, or for you if I recall ......   If Bull Trout were steelhead I'd have a freezer full.