Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: Fish Assassin on June 17, 2025, 04:11:06 PM
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Somebody has to start a thread, might as well be me
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Hopefully they don't show up. People and garbage everywhere..
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Haven't seen any so far. Having said that... what are the dead giveaways its a pink?
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what are the dead giveaways its a pink?
I think the singular defining characteristic of a pink is the oval, elongated spots all over the tail. They get much easier to ID w.r.t colour and body shape as they get closer to spawning condition, but the tail is always a dead giveaway
I think pinks are most likely to be confused with jack springs; compare pics of the tail spots of the two and the difference in spot shape will become quite obvious
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With the numbers they are projecting to return in the Lower Mainland, the Fraser River should be awesome this year. Lots of areas in the tidal portion of the Fraser that should fish well. Had great results 2 years ago and the return was nothing near what they are expecting to return this year. Can't wait.
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With the numbers they are projecting to return in the Lower Mainland, the Fraser River should be awesome this year. Lots of areas in the tidal portion of the Fraser that should fish well. Had great results 2 years ago and the return was nothing near what they are expecting to return this year. Can't wait.
If they do what they usually do and don't let us in the river until Sept 10th, there can be 200 million pinks for all I care. The fish are pretty much inedible by then. Even with the roe by that date, a lot of the skeins are turning into loose eggs by then.
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I caught like 5 just off jericho beach in a kayak 2 yrs ago. So if there are more this year I'm in for a treat ;D
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starting to show on the east coast of the Island. Know a guy with his first earlier this week. Soon fury creek will be happening like 10-14 days.
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Any predictions on when the pinks will arrive around the cap or steveston?
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If they do what they usually do and don't let us in the river until Sept 10th, there can be 200 million pinks for all I care. The fish are pretty much inedible by then. Even with the roe by that date, a lot of the skeins are turning into loose eggs by then.
I think your disdain of DFO has affected your memory of events...
In 2023, tidal and non-tidal waters of the Fraser opened on Sept 1
In 2021, tidal Fraser opened Sept 3, and to your point non-tidal opened on Sept 11
The Fraser was closed in 2017 and 2019
In 2015, the tidal and non tidal Fraser both opened on Sept 5.
In 2013, the tidal and non tidal opened Aug 30 and Aug 31 respectively.
So as far as I can tell, going back to 2013, the non-tidal Fraser has opened well before Sept 10 (except 2021) and mostly concurrent with the lower Fraser.
If the non-tidal Fraser is opened later this year, but all means take the comparatively short drive to the lower Fraser and catch some nice fish with the rest of us Metro Van denizens.
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Any predictions on when the pinks will arrive around the cap or steveston?
first if you haven't,look over the previous discussion here:
https://www.fishingwithrod.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=45428.0
this record return isn't money in the bank and DFO forecasts are often well off the mark for reasons discussed in that link.
There are 3 major runs locally; in addition to the Fraser, there is the Squamish & Indian River up Indian Arm via Burrard Inlet. These 2 time a month or more earlier than the Fraser. Neither is included in the DFO pre-season Forecast. The Indian River fish will often be caught off the North Shore beaches in late July and early August though. Fraser runs will usually be in numbers by late August though timings can vary up to plus or minus 10 days.
Watch for DFO in season forecasts and for the prognostications of the armchair fisheries scientists who will post here once the 1st test fishery results become available in July.
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I think your disdain of DFO has affected your memory of events...
In 2023, tidal and non-tidal waters of the Fraser opened on Sept 1
In 2021, tidal Fraser opened Sept 3, and to your point non-tidal opened on Sept 11
The Fraser was closed in 2017 and 2019
In 2015, the tidal and non tidal Fraser both opened on Sept 5.
In 2013, the tidal and non tidal opened Aug 30 and Aug 31 respectively.
So as far as I can tell, going back to 2013, the non-tidal Fraser has opened well before Sept 10 (except 2021) and mostly concurrent with the lower Fraser.
If the non-tidal Fraser is opened later this year, but all means take the comparatively short drive to the lower Fraser and catch some nice fish with the rest of us Metro Van denizens.
So what you are actually saying is that we have been open for Pinks 1 time in the last 12 years on Sept 1st? Not too much different than what I said.
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but all means take the comparatively short drive to the lower Fraser and catch some nice fish with the rest of us Metro Van denizens.
I won't even look at the exit west on highway 1 from Chilliwack unless I'm going to Costco or some absolute unavoidable neccessity that I have to go west.
The drive to the lower Fraser and back would cancel out any stress relief I got from a days fishing.
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So what you are actually saying is that we have been open for Pinks 1 time in the last 12 years on Sept 1st? Not too much different than what I said.
My bad, I mis-read your post. I thought you wrote Sept 10
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My bad, I mis-read your post. I thought you wrote Sept 10
You did not misread my post. You misunderstood it.
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5 Dollar pinks at the supermarket again. Cheaper than some fishing spoons ;D
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Have you seen the shape they're in ? No wonder it's five bucks.
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Test fisheries should start late June with Whonnock starting earliest (2024 was on June 28).
Whonnock is one of the best test fisheries for Fraser pinks as it is located north of Glen Valley between Maple Ridge and Mission.
It should show when the river is loaded with fish.
Earlier test fisheries (as in the fish arrive earlier) are Area 12 is the north end of VI and is a good early indicator of Fraser spawning fish.
Area 20 which is the south end of VI - a certain (fairly small) percentage travel down the outside of the Island.
Purse/Seine tend to be more accurate than the gillnet counts - wrong size mesh, etc.
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looking at my notes from 2023 august 12 I caught some nice brights ones off bowen island, west van trolling the usual pink hootiches.
Fraser the numbers don't matter only the politics do. So save yourself a brain aneurysm and don't look at the test fisheries.
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Changed my mind.
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FWIW if you look at previous years test fisheries and hydroacoustic data it's pretty consistent that the first ones will show up in the Fraser sometime mid-august but not many. I dont have it in front of me, but I ran some numbers in previous years based on test fishery data and I recall that something like 10-15% of the run returns in Aug and the vast majority won't be until the first three weeks of september
Unless I'm mis-remembering, the largest 7-day rolling return period in the Fraser test fisheries is usually in the second week of September (ie Sep 7-14 +/- a few days). It's not unusual to see 40%+ of the total test fishery sampled during that peak week. By the last week of Sep, the run is basically done in the lower Fraser.
In 2023, tidal and non-tidal waters of the Fraser opened on Sept 1
In 2021, tidal Fraser opened Sept 3, and to your point non-tidal opened on Sept 11
The Fraser was closed in 2017 and 2019
In 2015, the tidal and non tidal Fraser both opened on Sept 5.
In 2013, the tidal and non tidal opened Aug 30 and Aug 31 respectively.
Based on this, if there is an opening it seems that it's typically early enough in Sep that there will still be plenty of time for you all to hit the bulk of the run. Plenty of fresh ones to be had, especially if you are able to hit the lower Fraser or the salt.
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The earlier opening is about the opportunity not the success. Some like to get out early before the crowds of people show up even if chance to catch one is low.
Opening Pinks early in the lower Fraser, where bycatch is minimal, is a sensible approach in a year when the forecasts predict high numbers.
However, as I mentioned, it has become excessively political. Therefore, spare yourself the mental strain and check in after the long weekend in September.
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Absolutely on the mark. These are points I have tried to make for years. In river it is a September fishery with a major peak mid month.
FWIW if you look at previous years test fisheries and hydroacoustic data it's pretty consistent that the first ones will show up in the Fraser sometime mid-august but not many. I dont have it in front of me, but I ran some numbers in previous years based on test fishery data and I recall that something like 10-15% of the run returns in Aug and the vast majority won't be until the first three weeks of september
Unless I'm mis-remembering, the largest 7-day rolling return period in the Fraser test fisheries is usually in the second week of September (ie Sep 7-14 +/- a few days). It's not unusual to see 40%+ of the total test fishery sampled during that peak week. By the last week of Sep, the run is basically done in the lower Fraser.
Based on this, if there is an opening it seems that it's typically early enough in Sep that there will still be plenty of time for you all to hit the bulk of the run. Plenty of fresh ones to be had, especially if you are able to hit the lower Fraser or the salt.
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Some Pinks were caught yesterday in the Area 12 Gillnet. Lots of sockeye being caught so far compared to 2023.
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Some Pinks were caught yesterday in the Area 12 Gillnet. Lots of sockeye being caught so far compared to 2023.
Not a great comparison. 2019 was the Big Bar slide, so 2023 was expected to be a terrible year.
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I am not sure what 2023 sockeye test catches have to do with it since as I understand most sockeye in Southern BC are 4 year stock with some 3 and 5 years. The PSC hasn't issued a weekly report as yet though it usually does around the middle of July.
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Furry Creek pinks could be starting in a week or so.
No fisheries notice yet - area 28-4, the boundary between -4 & -5 is the mouth of Furry Creek.
https://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm
https://www.travel-british-columbia.com/stories/fishing-furry-creek-for-pink-salmon/
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The First Seine Test Fishery started in Area 12 yesterday. 2492 Pinks caught
Compared to 2023 from July 20 to 24 yielded this many:
302
931
549
1782
69
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Not a bad start, but hope the pattern increases more.
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hmm ... I've said this many times before:
There are significant runs of pinks on the North Coast that move through area 12 much earlier than the Fraser returns. These include the Campbell and the Broughton Archipelago streams as well as returns to some of the north coast Inlets like Bute and Knight. To my knowledge the Fraser returns are about the latest on the coast (also among the farthest south of the major returns) coming into the river in late summer and early fall, as they do. I doubt the Fraser runs are reflected to any significant degree in test catches to this point.
The Squamish returns are not included in DFOs pre-season forecast. The 27 million number in no way reflects what may happen there. The last 3 cycles on the Squamish have been very low relative to returns prior to 2017. Another feature of the last 3 cycles has been later returns with what reasonably good fishing at Furry Creek and in the river taking place later in August . A decade or two ago I saw modest schools of pinks off Furry Creek in the 1st week of July and good fishing by mid-month. I haven't heard a word of anything as yet. Stay tuned but I wouldn't bet money on a major rebound in pink returns to the Squamish. In river conditions just have not been good to pink salmon.
Just wanted to add that the Area 20 Seine catch July 15th to date is a whopping 6 pinks. Gillnet is 284 since July 10.
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hmm ... I've said this many times before:
There are significant runs of pinks on the North Coast that move through area 12 much earlier than the Fraser returns. These include the Campbell and the Broughton Archipelago streams as well as returns to some of the north coast Inlets like Bute and Knight. To my knowledge the Fraser returns are about the latest on the coast (also among the farthest south of the major returns) coming into the river in late summer and early fall, as they do. I doubt the Fraser runs are reflected to any significant degree in test catches to this point.
The Squamish returns are not included in DFOs pre-season forecast. The 27 million number in no way reflects what may happen there. The last 3 cycles on the Squamish have been very low relative to returns prior to 2017. Another feature of the last 3 cycles has been later returns with what reasonably good fishing at Furry Creek and in the river taking place later in August . A decade or two ago I saw modest schools of pinks off Furry Creek in the 1st week of July and good fishing by mid-month. I haven't heard a word of anything as yet. Stay tuned but I wouldn't bet money on a major rebound in pink returns to the Squamish. In river conditions just have not been good to pink salmon.
Just wanted to add that the Area 20 Seine catch July 15th to date is a whopping 6 pinks. Gillnet is 284 since July 10.
Mr Ralph your just full of good news!
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Just wanted to add that the Area 20 Seine catch July 15th to date is a whopping 6 pinks. Gillnet is 284 since July 10.
Area 20 Purse Seine starts July 25th according to.
https://www.psc.org/publications/fraser-panel-in-season-information/test-fishing-results/
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my apologies. PSC report page for this years links to last year
https://www.psc.org/TestFish/Area20_1PSsummary.PDF
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First Area 20 Seine Net of the season yesterday resulted in 257 pinks caught. It's looking good the Fraser and Puget Sound Area so far compared to 2 years ago.
In 2023, from 22nd to the 25th this is was the result.
28
62
70
50
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so that's 257 in one day vs 210 in 4 days in 2023.
On the basis of that I think it is more than justified to quadruple the forecast to 108 million pinks to the Fraser this year! YEE HAW! ;D
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Worth noting that Washington State is forecasting 7.75 million pinks for Puget Sound (mostly the Green and Nisqually Rivers), 7.78 million for the Skagit and over 300k for the Nooksack, all also based on fry counts in the spring of '24.
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https://wdfw.wa.gov/newsroom/news-release/washington-salmon-fishing-seasons-tentatively-set-2025-2026
The 2025 Puget Sound pink salmon forecast is 7.76 million — up 70% from the 10-year cycle average — and predicted to be the third largest total return on record (up from a 2023 forecast of 3.95 million and an actual return of 7.22 million). The Green and Nisqually rivers are expected to have strong pink returns. In southern British Columbia, the Fraser River pink forecast is 27 million.
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https://wdfw.wa.gov/newsroom/news-release/washington-salmon-fishing-seasons-tentatively-set-2025-2026
The 2025 Puget Sound pink salmon forecast is 7.76 million — up 70% from the 10-year cycle average — and predicted to be the third largest total return on record (up from a 2023 forecast of 3.95 million and an actual return of 7.22 million). The Green and Nisqually rivers are expected to have strong pink returns. In southern British Columbia, the Fraser River pink forecast is 27 million.
a little more info there including the Puget Sound forecast for this year is very close to what the actual return was in 2023. It's also an example how inaccurate the pre-season forecasts can be.
2015 through 2023 saw comparatively lower returns than the previous 10 or 20 years so hopefully things are moving to a higher cycle period that saw more large returns ie 10 to 20 million to the Fraser.
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Dr Marvin Rosenau, BCWF Inland Fisheries Chair, presents a BCWF Conservation Webinar on the sustainability of a pink salmon fishery on the Fraser River this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZVcY_WLHt4&t=1706s&ab_channel=BCWildlifeFederation
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pink fishing in front of bowen and west van has been slow this year compared to two years ago, does not look like the indian arm is going to have a huge return like it did in 2023 that made up a good portion of the late July pink fishing that was really good in 2023. 2023 was already done canning pinks by this time.
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Squamish was opened for Pinks Jul 1 - catch and release only. As of today no change. I don't know the Indian Arm well but they should be showing well by now. They could still come however it doesn't speak well for the Squamish run.
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There are reliable reports that pinks are now in the lower Squamish in modest numbers. That's pretty much average timing.
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PSC report for the week ending Aug. 1, 2025 on Fraser pink salmon abundance:
Test fishing and stock identification information
Thus far, pink salmon have mainly been caught in Johnstone Strait while catches in Juan de Fuca Strait have been low for the time of the year. These catches are expected to be dominated by non-Fraser pinks and reports on the proportions of Fraser pink salmon will be provided later this month...
In Season Assessment Information:
Fraser River Pink Salmon
It is still very early in terms of pink salmon assessments and in-season assessment results are expected to be available in the latter half of August.
https://www.psc.org/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?juwpfisadmin=false&action=wpfd&task=file.download&wpfd_category_id=723&wpfd_file_id=19337&token=&preview=1
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We are tacking about 20,000 below this time last run but lots of time for the numbers to pick up in area 20 test fishery.
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There are reliable reports that pinks are now in the lower Squamish in modest numbers. That's pretty much average timing.
I fished Furry Creek last Sunday, and didn't get a single bite, or see any signs of the pinks! Did I miss them swimming through already?
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I fished Furry Creek last Sunday, and didn't get a single bite, or see any signs of the pinks! Did I miss them swimming through already?
It's been like that the last 3 Pink Cycles. 2015 and earlier, you can't keep them off your hook there. Probably flooding and gravel moving events has eroded a lot of the eggs.
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In 2021 and 2023 in particular reports were pink salmon numbers were higher both at Furry Creek and in the river quite late in the season; like late August for Furry Creek. Others said some days at Furry were good and others were basically dead as you experienced.
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I fished Furry Creek last Sunday, and didn't get a single bite, or see any signs of the pinks! Did I miss them swimming through already?
the fish could also just be swimming up the other side of the inlet. last cycle was good at McNabb creek for pinks if you had a boat to get across to there.
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FLC, RalphH and redside1, thank you all for your replies and your in-depth knowledge! Much appreciated.