Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: SpringMaster on August 27, 2009, 08:34:34 AM

Title: Seymour River fishing spot?
Post by: SpringMaster on August 27, 2009, 08:34:34 AM
I've never been to the Seymour river before and I'm interested to explore it a bit.
Where are the good spots for fishing on Seymour River from the mouth of the river up to the hatchery?  Where is a good spot to park and start my exploration from there?
Thanks.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: jimmywits on August 27, 2009, 08:56:06 AM
I've never been to the Seymour river before and I'm interested to explore it a bit.
Where are the good spots for fishing on Seymour River from the mouth of the river up to the hatchery?  Where is a good spot to park and start my exploration from there?
Thanks.
I live quite close by and have been pondering doing that same thing. I know that you can park in the Seymour Demonstration forest parking lot and take a trail down to fisherman's trail which runs most of the length of the river. That about exhausts my knowledge on this underused resource, but I would like to learn more also. I am not interested in fishing the mouth as it becomes a gong show when the pink's show up!
regards  Jimmywits
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: SpringMaster on August 27, 2009, 09:43:32 AM
I live quite close by and have been pondering doing that same thing. I know that you can park in the Seymour Demonstration forest parking lot and take a trail down to fisherman's trail which runs most of the length of the river. That about exhausts my knowledge on this underused resource, but I would like to learn more also. I am not interested in fishing the mouth as it becomes a gong show when the pink's show up!
regards  Jimmywits

Thanks Jimmywits.
Have you done any fishing along the fisherman's trail before?  have you had any success?
I used to go for a bike ride on SD forest. :)  I like that area.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: jimmywits on August 27, 2009, 10:27:28 AM
Thanks Jimmywits.
Have you done any fishing along the fisherman's trail before?  have you had any success?
I used to go for a bike ride on SD forest. :)  I like that area.

No, I never have fished the river, I have hiked along the fisherman's trail scouting out places to fish, but that is as far as I've gone. I fish Rice Lake(which is in the vicinity) in the spring and fall when I only have a few hours to go fishing, but I have a curiosity for the river and I don't see any reason for there not being fair numbers of resident trout.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: SpringMaster on August 27, 2009, 11:12:04 AM
is the fisherman's trail easy to walk?  is it right beside the river? how long is the walk from the parking to get to ther river?
is there room for fly fishing?
Thx
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: jimmywits on August 27, 2009, 01:58:08 PM
is the fisherman's trail easy to walk?  is it right beside the river? how long is the walk from the parking to get to ther river?
is there room for fly fishing?
Thx
The portion of the fisherman's trail that I walked was vey easy. It is mostly right beside the river, but does swing away for some portions as I recall. The walk from the parking lot was approximatly 20 minutes or so to the best of my recollection. I think you could flyfish with waders. I also went down to it and along for a portion on my bike, so rigging up ones bike to pack your fishing gear may be the way to go.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: patagonia on August 27, 2009, 07:08:32 PM
I live a block from the river and have fished it a few times in the fall but choose not to in recent years as the runs are in the process of recovering and although retention is allowed for Coho and Chinook I dont think its ethical to do so... the trout in the river from my experience are steelhead smolts and best left alone.... it is a beautiful river and has an amazing canyon section that is only accessible in a few spots but very dangerous... I have kayaked it many times in the fall/winter and wouldnt try exploreing it unless you know what you are doing. the fishermans trail which starts at twin bridges is great and easy access... u wont see any fish up there now as the river is very low.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: jimmywits on August 27, 2009, 07:31:05 PM
I live a block from the river and have fished it a few times in the fall but choose not to in recent years as the runs are in the process of recovering and although retention is allowed for Coho and Chinook I dont think its ethical to do so... the trout in the river from my experience are steelhead smolts and best left alone.... it is a beautiful river and has an amazing canyon section that is only accessible in a few spots but very dangerous... I have kayaked it many times in the fall/winter and wouldnt try exploreing it unless you know what you are doing. the fishermans trail which starts at twin bridges is great and easy access... u wont see any fish up there now as the river is very low.
I would be surprised if there was not a healthy population of resident trout, and the regulations state trout/char release (including steelhead) so I think the word '' including'' demonstrates some credibility
to my hunch. I have absolutely no interest in fishing for half dead salmon in any waterbody! Why can't we just let them spawn!
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: ynot on August 27, 2009, 08:28:54 PM
saw some coho at the mouth,but they are being chased by seals and are spooked.pinks not there yet in any numbers.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: patagonia on August 27, 2009, 09:50:32 PM
trust me their isn't a healthy population of trout in the Seymour... there are a few but most "trout" that people catch there are smolts... the river floods out so much over the fall and winter that their are little nutrients in the river and therefore very few resident trout.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: SpringMaster on August 28, 2009, 04:34:44 PM
I agree with leaving the unhealthy fish population alone so that the numbers can recover over time.  I'm a very careful fisherman even though i'm a novice I try to handle fish so that if I have to release it, it's still got some life to swim away.
I'm just interested in finding other spots to fish (and explore) so that I'm not standing shoulder to shoulder with other fishermen. 
If the river gets pinks and other salmon, then I think it will have a healthy environment, wouldn't it?  I belive pinks support other fish to survive, right?
Thx
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: marmot on August 28, 2009, 06:09:34 PM
I agree with leaving the unhealthy fish population alone so that the numbers can recover over time.  I'm a very careful fisherman even though i'm a novice I try to handle fish so that if I have to release it, it's still got some life to swim away.
I'm just interested in finding other spots to fish (and explore) so that I'm not standing shoulder to shoulder with other fishermen. 
If the river gets pinks and other salmon, then I think it will have a healthy environment, wouldn't it?  I belive pinks support other fish to survive, right?
Thx

It's so close and easy to access that overfishing is a serious concern when numbers are down.  Like any urban stream in the lower mainland its facing an uphill battle :(
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: jimmywits on August 28, 2009, 08:42:47 PM
I agree with leaving the unhealthy fish population alone so that the numbers can recover over time.  I'm a very careful fisherman even though i'm a novice I try to handle fish so that if I have to release it, it's still got some life to swim away.
I'm just interested in finding other spots to fish (and explore) so that I'm not standing shoulder to shoulder with other fishermen. 
If the river gets pinks and other salmon, then I think it will have a healthy environment, wouldn't it?  I belive pinks support other fish to survive, right?
Thx
The Seymour Salmonid Society run the Seymour River Fish Hatchery and Education center and I have been on their website and obtained contact names and e-mails and cell numbers of managers and Board members, so I am going to ask educated people about the status of the fishery in this river to draw my own conclusions. I would be happy to share my findings!
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: patagonia on August 28, 2009, 10:19:35 PM
Good plan... I am a member and if you have interest in this fishery and a Seymour local its a great group to join.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: jimmywits on August 29, 2009, 08:16:32 AM
Good plan... I am a member and if you have interest in this fishery and a Seymour local its a great group to join.
Thanks, it seems like a good group, very impressive website. I could see myself doing some volunteer activities also.
     regards jimmywits
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: Hooks_of_Fury on August 29, 2009, 08:40:47 AM
Does anybody know if there is actual spawning gravel on the seymour river or has it all been washed out? Thats one thing i laugh about when i here people the talking about the Capilano river and leting the runs to recover because it has very little gravel and the run will never ever recover by leaving the fish to spawn. Its a hatchery fishery. But the seymour having no dam and an upper water shed containing clean golf ball sized gravel has a chance right? there is no dam right?  ???
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: Rodney on August 29, 2009, 08:42:29 AM
But the seymour having no dam and an upper water shed containing clean golf ball sized gravel has a chance right? there is no dam right?  ???

No.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: jimmywits on August 29, 2009, 05:54:06 PM
Does anybody know if there is actual spawning gravel on the seymour river or has it all been washed out? Thats one thing i laugh about when i here people the talking about the Capilano river and leting the runs to recover because it has very little gravel and the run will never ever recover by leaving the fish to spawn. Its a hatchery fishery. But the seymour having no dam and an upper water shed containing clean golf ball sized gravel has a chance right? there is no dam right?  ???
The Seymour river has a dam, that's why you need a hatchery on it!
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing sport?
Post by: Capilano Mano on August 29, 2009, 09:40:59 PM
Does anybody know if there is actual spawning gravel on the seymour river or has it all been washed out? Thats one thing i laugh about when i here people the talking about the Capilano river and leting the runs to recover because it has very little gravel and the run will never ever recover by leaving the fish to spawn. Its a hatchery fishery. But the seymour having no dam and an upper water shed containing clean golf ball sized gravel has a chance right? there is no dam right?  ???


The Capilano has lots of spawning gravel. It is just in the UPPER Capilano. That's why all of the wild fish are transported to the upper river. Prime Spawning gravel  up there :D
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing spot?
Post by: Piranha on August 30, 2009, 08:12:58 AM
There were talks of building a fish ladder at the capilano river. What happened to that project?
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing spot?
Post by: Piranha on August 30, 2009, 08:21:17 AM
Why can't the build a fish ladder that goes to the upper portion of the river where the fish want to go ??? you always see them trying to jump up the dam and hit the concrete wall head first.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing spot?
Post by: adamr on August 30, 2009, 08:37:42 AM
Is the Seymour river connected to the Indian river? I have heard that the Indian river (at the end of Indian arm) which can be accessed by  logging roads from Squamish is an excellent place to fish. Has anyone ever been there?
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing spot?
Post by: jimmywits on August 30, 2009, 10:03:45 AM
Is the Seymour river connected to the Indian river? I have heard that the Indian river (at the end of Indian arm) which can be accessed by  logging roads from Squamish is an excellent place to fish. Has anyone ever been there?
No they are not connected. Some years ago a buddy and I drove from just behind the stawamus chief right through to the salt water at the end of Indian arm. And yes there was and most likely still is excellent fishing all through there, however I heard the road had a washout, which I don't think has ever been fixed. I suspect an ATV or dirt bikes would get through.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing spot?
Post by: dereke on August 30, 2009, 11:08:10 AM
  Locked gate to get into the Indian river. And yes the road is washed out as well. Motorbike access from what i hear.
Title: seymour river
Post by: apollo on August 30, 2009, 12:33:40 PM
I was just wondering, you always here about fishing for pinks at the mouth of the seymour. My question is, do these pinks actually enter the river to spawn? And if so can you not target them (and how would you target them) once they are in the river system? Finally, if the pinks do spawn in the river would that mean that there would be a fair amount of trout moving in to feed on the eggs?
Title: Re: seymour river
Post by: chesapeakebay on August 30, 2009, 12:43:05 PM
Yes they do spawn in the Seymour , but this time of year the flow is low and they will sit at the mouth or just under the railway bridge . And when it comes to trout , someone else will have to answer that one . :)
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing spot?
Post by: jimmywits on August 30, 2009, 02:32:34 PM
  Locked gate to get into the Indian river. And yes the road is washed out as well. Motorbike access from what i hear.
Thanks Dereke, I suspected that would be the case, another case of disappearing access to our fishing locations. Norton Lake, in there, used to have huge trout in it and the river has always been good.
I could name off over half a dozen Lakes in the Garibaldi/Squamish region that have had access blocked off in the last ten years. I have tried to garner sportsman's concerns over this to no avail. I wrote what I thought was a good letter to B.C.Outdoors about this situation and got no response whatsoever. I brought the matter up with the Go fish B.C. Reps at the Abbottsford outdoor show this spring and they didn't seem to want to acknowledge a need for action either! It's funny that the same group of people who are desperately trying to entice people into the sport and retain the people they have already, don't see that allowing this reduction of accessible fishing spots to continue, is not in their best interest!
Title: Re: seymour river
Post by: jimmywits on August 30, 2009, 02:41:51 PM
I was just wondering, you always here about fishing for pinks at the mouth of the seymour. My question is, do these pinks actually enter the river to spawn? And if so can you not target them (and how would you target them) once they are in the river system? Finally, if the pinks do spawn in the river would that mean that there would be a fair amount of trout moving in to feed on the eggs?
That is certainly the case in many other streams and rivers, I am presently looking into that regarding the Seymour. Will get back.    tight lines.
Title: Re: seymour river
Post by: Fish Assassin on August 30, 2009, 03:59:17 PM
No pink retention in the Seymour.
Title: Re: seymour river
Post by: apollo on August 30, 2009, 04:04:22 PM
I only practice catch and release ( except for sockeye and springs ).
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing spot?
Post by: SpringMaster on August 30, 2009, 08:52:17 PM
thanks guys for the good feed back.

How can I get to the mouth of the Seymour river to have a look?
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing spot?
Post by: mr.p on August 30, 2009, 10:15:31 PM
thanks guys for the good feed back.

How can I get to the mouth of the Seymour river to have a look?

Google map it.  mouth of the seymour is just east of the 2nd narrows bridge.  Accessible from both sides.
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing spot?
Post by: SpringMaster on August 31, 2009, 12:16:52 PM
I went to the mouth to have a look for the first time.
It looks very industrial right around there!!!!  No wonder why the river is in danger!
No one else was around. 
I saw two seals but no fish.  I guess the seals were chasing the fish, but I didn't see any jumpers.

?The section that gets crowded is it from the mouth to the CN rail or elsewhere? 
Title: Re: Seymour River fishing spot?
Post by: mr.p on August 31, 2009, 12:57:06 PM
I went to the mouth to have a look for the first time.
It looks very industrial right around there!!!!  No wonder why the river is in danger!
No one else was around. 
I saw two seals but no fish.  I guess the seals were chasing the fish, but I didn't see any jumpers.

?The section that gets crowded is it from the mouth to the CN rail or elsewhere? 

The mouth is your best bet right now.  Just like all other local rivers, she is low right now.
There should be fish holding at the mouth and moving up with the high tide.

If you take a look from the trainbridge down along the west bank, you should see the fish moving/holding.