Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: ynot on October 13, 2011, 03:49:53 PM

Title: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: ynot on October 13, 2011, 03:49:53 PM
 looking at the albion test fishery i can see why i havent seen any chums in the vedder. 2009 sept 14 -oct 12  2000 chums  2010 -1500 chums. 2011 -127 chums.
and still open for retention. yikes
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: Rodney on October 13, 2011, 03:54:19 PM
Chum salmon in-season closure will be discussed at the SFAC meeting next Tuesday so an immediate closure might be expected.
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: typhoon on October 13, 2011, 04:10:11 PM
I noticed the same thing. With chum numbers down for several years there was really no reason to open it.
The guides will have to get roe elsewhere.
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: Dave on October 13, 2011, 06:09:50 PM
Chum salmon in-season closure will be discussed at the SFAC meeting next Tuesday so an immediate closure might be expected.
Sure hope so Rod.   For this time of the season the C-V is showing very poor numbers.  Talked to couple of hatchery guys this morning who were walking prime chum country - they saw 2.  I saw 3 holding below the Sweltzer Creek fence at the outlet of Cultus Lake.
Perhaps, and hopefully, they're late.  The good news is DFO has found money to feed chum fry this season (remember last year, when increasing chum production on the C-V was not considered viable, even when the Fraser Valley Salmon Society offered to pay the food bill, a grand total of $2000.00 ??), assuming broodstock arrives.

I suggest the SFAC request a non-retention of chums on the C-V until further notice.  Might save a few early chums next year.
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: ynot on October 13, 2011, 07:32:31 PM
the white spring numbers dont look great compared to other years from what i have seen.
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: Fish Assassin on October 13, 2011, 07:33:53 PM
How this fishery has deteriorated. A few years ago you can't drift a run without hooking or snagging them. They were that thick.
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: milo on October 13, 2011, 07:57:51 PM
the white spring numbers dont look great compared to other years from what i have seen.

Hmmm...my experience last weekend points to the contrary.
They were going through quite thick both Saturday and Sunday.
Maybe it was just one good push?
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: quill on October 13, 2011, 08:28:19 PM
So far there's been five commercial chum openings in Johnstone Strait, with a 10-hour seine opening coming up--likely has something to do with this.
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: BCLAX on October 13, 2011, 10:03:27 PM
Prayin' there just late ;)
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: chris gadsden on October 13, 2011, 10:14:58 PM
They close on the 15th I belive, but still open on the Fraser.
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: kosanin kosher salt on October 14, 2011, 01:53:44 AM
Surprised to see the lack of concern  from anglers and organizations on about these run numbers . Very seldom a angler on the river talks about this topic , but I've thought on it for a while  and when I do bring it up with someone I get the impression from the other " who cares , it's only chum "  I guess when there's plenty of coverage on sockeye there's not much room for others .
I only started fishing some 6 years ago and remember walking by chehalis hatchery run to see the chum were already coming strong by the third week of September . I might have found them to be a pest before but I already miss them .
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: BentRodsGuiding on October 14, 2011, 05:38:03 AM
The massive commercial openings on the salt and the roe rape fest on the Fraser in FN beach seines could only result in what we are now witnessing.
Guys who spend time on the Fraser new this was coming, hopefully when these runs rebound DFO will think harder about the impact of taking a huge % of the females to sell roe to Japan.

Only bright light in all this is the rebound in Coho Salmon numbers the last few years.

Also of note is the late running Chum are not as commercially raped, so look for a good bump of Chum in late October.
Title: Re: chum salmon low numbers
Post by: tumbleweed on October 14, 2011, 09:02:05 PM
They close on the 15th I belive, but still open on the Fraser.
Is this closure only for the vedder or is is it for all local rivers except the fraser?