Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: canoeboy on June 26, 2024, 09:27:27 AM
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Hey all I've been racking the internet for some answer but they seem as elusive as the target. I'm not looking for places to target as I've found enough vague information on where to go. I'm looking for an answer or riddle even if it has to be such a delivery method of when to start my search. Most posts and such just say summer which is a fairly wide timeline.
Of course I'll take any and all advice on the subject of SR and if anyone can point me towards more informative sources that would be greatly appreciated.
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So when you say "SR", are you talking about sea run coastal cutthroat trout? Meaning you want to catch coastal cutthroat that are anadromous and you want to catch them in the saltwater?
I'm not being picky; the distinction matters! :) Many folks use the term sea run to refer to any coastal cutthroat, but coastal cutthroat populations can have varied life histories. The words fluvial, adfluvial, potamodromous and anadromous can all be used to describe specific cutthroat trout populations in BC.
But if I understand correctly, you are specifically wondering when to catch anadromous coastal cutthroat when they are in the saltwater?
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I was thinking summer run.
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I was thinking summer run.
I never even thought of that!
And here I was getting all excited about a cutthroat conversation😀
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Search and Rescue ?
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If you are talking about summer run steelhead, good luck with that around the lower-mainland. That is unless you have the whole summer off and do not mind fishing every day dawn to dusk! I would rather work and save for a nice weeklong trip to a remote northern BC river with a guide and have all the fun you want. It is a lot of money but I'm sure it is worth it.
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Speckled Rockfish?
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I know cap and seymour get about < 15 between the 2 streams. Figure chehalis/harrison has gotta have some. Thats about it.
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I know cap and seymour get about < 15 combined between the 2 streams. Figure chehalis/harrison has gotta have some. Thats about it.
Sorry meant to modify, but there you go ^
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Sorry meant to modify, but there you go ^
The Chehalis never had a native or natural population of Summer runs. There was a program run out of the Chehalis hatchery to provide some fish which were mostly caught in the canyon. That program was cancelled in 2019. If the Cap and Seymour each have less than 15 return per year, why would you even consider targeted summer runs in those systems?
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If the Cap and Seymour each have less than 15 return per year, why would you even consider targeted summer runs in those systems?
For the thrill of catching them before they go extinct ::)
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Yes by SR I was meaning summer run steel. I know they are not a common fish, but someone must have caught a few over the years and have a vague sense of a time frame. I know where I'd have the best chance numbers wise (still not numerous) but just not sure if I go out this weekend if I'm a month or two early or a month late. Don't get me wrong I'm going regardless lol I need something to do this weekend, I just want the information for the bank and to potentially plan more trips later down the road.
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The Seymour is closed below Seymour Lake. I have little knowledge of the Chehalis or the Cap. Basically it used to be June into August on the Chehalis. I doubt there is many people left alive who have any direct knowledge on run timing on the Cap.
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How far are you willing to travel? Late Brother and I used to fished Vancouver Island waterways a lot. Now days I would look at across the U.S border. More streams with SR steelies than lowermainland.
Silex user
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Please respect SR’s because they are becoming more few and far between in our region. Keep them in the water, fight them quick and don’t go lighter than 12lb leader. That being said I usually catch a half dozen every season on the Cap. They are very adaptable to the pressure of all the coho fisherman so they will either hide away from the pressure or keep their mouths shut until the perfect drift of their preferred bait comes by. I’ve caught summers mid day with dozens of coho fishermen disturbing the pool so don’t get discouraged by pressure. Wear polarized sunglasses, get up on the cliffs and bring lots of different colour presentations. Again I want to stress that you will regret using anything lighter than 12 lb as it doesn’t matter how good you think you are at fighting fish, summer steelhead have to be the most broken off fish on the Westcoast.
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I'll keep that in mind for sure, I use as much respect as I can with every fish and I always bring a non abrasive net. I would head down to the states but I'm waiting on my passport which should be here next week. I wasn't going to fish the cap as I feel there are just too many people most of the time. When would you say you start seeing them in the river? I was going to target smaller rivers/creeks as usually less pressure.
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I'll keep that in mind for sure, I use as much respect as I can with every fish and I always bring a non abrasive net. I would head down to the states but I'm waiting on my passport which should be here next week. I wasn't going to fish the cap as I feel there are just too many people most of the time. When would you say you start seeing them in the river? I was going to target smaller rivers/creeks as usually less pressure.
I have read July-September
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I was told the summer run steelhead almost exclusively hold up in the deep water canyon pools on the Chehalis.
I am not sure that’s an area I would suggest to go venturing in.
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Ya, I've heard lots about the chehalis as being a place people went to catch them, then ive also heard that the run no longer exists. I'll probably check it out at some point just to poke around but I'll probably head further east for this weekend. And thanks for the info dark, hopefully some more people have some input and then I can cross reference and narrow down my time frame.
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where ever you do check the regs as there are closures and tackle restrictions on most summer steelhead streams.
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Peak summer run season has passed locally, Chehalis has a few great fish if you’re willing to hike. If you have a passport I wouldn't even bother fishing for them locally, Washington is much better for Summers. My fish landed per days fished ratio is much higher in Washington than locally, great eating and they are some crazy fighters especially the Skamanias.
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I am totally willing to hike, if it has passed when would you say is peak?
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Peak summer run season has passed locally, Chehalis has a few great fish if you’re willing to hike. If you have a passport I wouldn't even bother fishing for them locally, Washington is much better for Summers. My fish landed per days fished ratio is much higher in Washington than locally, great eating and they are some crazy fighters especially the Skamanias.
depends on the stream. In a couple of Region 2 streams June was way too early. July or even late July early August was good. Warm and low water made success less likely after that but cool days and fall rain brought on good angling in latter part of September and into October when the fish got very "trouty".
Skamanias are a hatchery breed like Fraser Valley domestics. At one time Washington was considering discontinuing their use but I am not sure if that happened.
FWIW in recent years, Summer steelhead have generally done better number wise than winter runs in many locations.
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I am totally willing to hike, if it has passed when would you say is peak?
Last week of May to first week of June is your best chance at a fresh one but they enter from late April to July. With the high water on the Chehalis I doubt any have been caught so chances at some hot ones are still great.
depends on the stream. In a couple of Region 2 streams June was way too early. July or even late July early August was good. Warm and low water made success less likely after that but cool days and fall rain brought on good angling in latter part of September and into October when the fish got very "trouty".
Skamanias are a hatchery breed like Fraser Valley domestics. At one time Washington was considering discontinuing their use but I am not sure if that happened.
FWIW in recent years, Summer steelhead have generally done better number wise than winter runs in many locations.
I should have been more specific, on the Cap and Chehalis I’ve noticed peak movements to happen before the water drops in late June, by then many have been hooked already.
Skamanias are still stocked and despite being highly domesticated they are quite impressive for hatchery steelhead standards, I’ve had some scraps that rival most BC hatchery steelhead. They would be a real money maker and probably utilized as much as the Vedder red spring if stocked in BC but that will never happen.
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Well, Washington's steelhead enhancement program is unlike BC as they don't state where the stock comes from. Some years back they wanted to move to sourcing to native fish directly from the specific watershed. Most streams stocked are on the Columbia system. Those are mostly fall run fish. Only a half dozen streams in the Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula are stocked.
It's available here: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports/stocking/steelhead#2023