Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => Fly Fishing Cafe => Topic started by: Happy Clam on August 01, 2011, 12:51:10 AM

Title: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: Happy Clam on August 01, 2011, 12:51:10 AM
I'll be visiting Canada again soon on end of Sept and booked a guide
to the Harrison river. I've never been before. Is it a remote
area like the upper Pitt river (I was there in Feb 2010)?
I'll have a #6 & #9 rod with me, is it ok for salmon fishing.
Cheers.
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: JAwrey on August 01, 2011, 06:15:21 AM
The #6 is too light for most Salmon, except pinks.  The #9 should be good, though - I chase most salmon with a #8 rod.

J
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: HOOK on August 01, 2011, 08:08:56 AM
bring both !! should be primarily pinks and sockeye up there that time of year. 6wt for pinks and the heavier rod for the sockeye even though you could take sockeye on the 6wt its not in the best interest of the fish because they are larger and fight harder then pinks.

have fun  ;D
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: bbronswyk2000 on August 01, 2011, 04:56:41 PM
When in September will you be arriving? Its its the beginning of September it will be pinks and the 6wt is fine. If its a couple weeks into September white chinook will be in the system and your #9 will b perfect. Harrison chinook get BIG!!!!
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: Sandman on August 01, 2011, 06:06:32 PM
With the exception of the monster springs in the Harrison, the 6wt is fine for all salmon as long as you are not planning on releasing it (ie: sockeye), in which case you might take too long bringing it in to give it much chance of survival post release.  I have brought in large silver  chum on a 6 wt, but it is by no means an easy fight.  The 9 wt is fine for all species but if you are primarily hooking pinks, they will not be able to give you much of a fight against such a rod, although the one I hooked in the salt this weekend gave my 8 wt a good battle, so I would prefer the 6wt, unless you are intending to try to hook Sockeye (I have never had much luck in doing so in many years fishing the Harrison).
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: Happy Clam on August 02, 2011, 08:46:27 PM
When in September will you be arriving? Its its the beginning of September it will be pinks and the 6wt is fine. If its a couple weeks into September white chinook will be in the system and your #9 will b perfect. Harrison chinook get BIG!!!!

Thanks for your comment. I'll be arriving on 30th Sept and fish on 1st Oct.
Hopefully I mgiht get some strikes. ;D
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: Happy Clam on August 02, 2011, 08:55:43 PM
With the exception of the monster springs in the Harrison, the 6wt is fine for all salmon as long as you are not planning on releasing it (ie: sockeye), in which case you might take too long bringing it in to give it much chance of survival post release.  I have brought in large silver  chum on a 6 wt, but it is by no means an easy fight.  The 9 wt is fine for all species but if you are primarily hooking pinks, they will not be able to give you much of a fight against such a rod, although the one I hooked in the salt this weekend gave my 8 wt a good battle, so I would prefer the 6wt, unless you are intending to try to hook Sockeye (I have never had much luck in doing so in many years fishing the Harrison).

I'm a catch & release fly fisher. I guess the #6 rod would be a back up in case
anythings happen. I saw a video for catch & release. Never let the fish
almost exhausted, he may not recover after released.
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: Happy Clam on August 02, 2011, 09:17:07 PM
I've got a Rio Mainstream and type 3 sinking tip. Is it ok for Harrison river?
Or I need higher sinking rate tips? Thanks.
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: bbronswyk2000 on August 02, 2011, 10:56:07 PM
Coho and Chinook will be your target with some chum thrown in for good measure. Stick with the 9wt if you only have a 6 and 9. A type 3 should be ok. Your going to have a blast!!
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: Happy Clam on August 03, 2011, 02:02:52 AM
Coho and Chinook will be your target with some chum thrown in for good measure. Stick with the 9wt if you only have a 6 and 9. A type 3 should be ok. Your going to have a blast!!

I'd love to ;D Thanks.
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: Sandman on August 03, 2011, 08:04:23 AM
As I said, if you are planning on releasing then go with the 9 wt, but if you want to target springs (instead of the pinks) bring along a type 6 or heavier to get down into the deep pockets, otherwise the type 3 will be fine to get into pinks, coho or even early chum.  Oh, and btw, the Harrison is not a "remote" river like the Pitt, being in the heart of the upper Fraser Valley just minutes from Aggasiz, however, the limited road access means boating in is the way to go.  It is a short but deep river draining Harrison Lake into the Fraser River.  It has a variety of water from faster flowing riffles to deep pools and pockets to expansive shallow flats (great holding water for coho).  You will have a blast.
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: awurban@msn.com on August 04, 2011, 04:04:55 PM
have any of you guys ever fished some of the tribs of harrison? like silver creek and lilooet river? just wondering if people ever fish them for salmon or steelehad
Title: Re: Fly fishing tour September to Harrison river
Post by: RalphH on August 05, 2011, 08:14:21 AM
Pinks will be the most likely salmon on Oct 1st. Chinook can be hard to 'hook' with a fly on that large river. That's a bit too early for decent coho fishing but you might luck into some. There is also some decent trout fishing available and the #6 will do for tose as well as pinks and any coho you encounter. Have fun.