Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: A Frayed Knot on November 11, 2014, 09:29:21 PM
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So, they started reintroducing pink salmon or rather, last pink run I saw a ton of pinks coming through and its been a long time since I've seen anything in there, I pulled one jack Chinook out of there as CnR but thats about it.
Much to my disappoint I of course saw some shady fishing practices that year, which I reported at the time. I haven't actually been back there but I've seen the odd fishing happening there this year, and I wanted to find out if its open or not.
The reason I ask is because I was up in Chehalis and met a fantastic gentleman who shared a nice spot with me all afternoon and shared some Timmys but he said it was closed because it was turned into a sockeye habitat. I haven't found any such info but I do see a TON of signs now saying to pretty much "stay off the damn lawn or we'll shoot first and ask questions later" since its a salmon spawning area.
I wondered if anyone else has heard anything? Not that I don't believe the man, I can only hope the gov would go through something like this because that rivers seen better days...even with the hatchery its seems like its still a sterile river.
The area I fished as a kid back in the early 80s and late 90s. was around the train bridge just below Lions Park.
Regs say
No fishing above Mary Hill Bypass bridge, May 1-June 30
Hatchery trout daily quota = 2 (20-30 cm only), from Lougheed Highway bridge to Mary Hill Bypass bridge, July 1-Oct 15
Weird salmon doesn't show up at all unless I missed it in regs...
So if anyone can inform me with more :D would be fantastic.
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Regs say
No fishing above Mary Hill Bypass bridge, May 1-June 30
Hatchery trout daily quota = 2 (20-30 cm only), from Lougheed Highway bridge to Mary Hill Bypass bridge, July 1-Oct 15
Weird salmon doesn't show up at all unless I missed it in regs...
You're looking at the provincial freshwater synopsis instead of the DFO Freshwater Salmon Supplement.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/SFG-GPS/SFGfresh-GPSdouce-2013-eng.pdf
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Thanks DanL. I appreciate that alot.
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If there's salmon in a river then it'll be in the regs which will tell you whether that river's run can support a fishery. This river is listed in the Salmon supplement. Of course the basic non tidal regs for area 2 still apply.
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Yes. I am well aware of that but it wasn't what I was asking at the time.
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If there's salmon in a river then it'll be in the regs which will tell you whether that river's run can support a fishery. This river is listed in the Salmon supplement. Of course the basic non tidal regs for area 2 still apply.
A ton of smaller flows have salmon but are not listed in the salmon supplement. If they are not listed the fishery is closed to salmon fishing.
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The way it works for Region 2 is that if a stream is not listed you may fish salmon but may not retain them. If you are not allowed to target salmon or a particluar species of salmon then the stream is listed in the supplment stating, for example, "no fishing for salmon" or "no fishing for coho".
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he said it was closed because it was turned into a sockeye habitat.
Whatever he may have meant by that, the facts are a formerly large run of sockeye was destroyed when the dam was built in 1914. Those fish would run up the Coquitlam River to the lake in April and May then stay in the lake until fall and spawn in the streams that ran into the lake. The Alouette River had a similar run which was likewise destroyed by dam construction. Several years ago it's thought some water spilled from both dams released some kokanee from the lakes and both rivers experienced subsequently small returns of sockeye. BC Hydro has been funding projects to use the kokanee as a genetic source of the extirpated sockeye stock to try and re-establish some sort of return of sockeye to both systems. The Coquitlam dam has been modified to allow fish passage while I believe Alouette fish are captured and moved by truck to the lake. I don't know how successful this has been to date. If you google Coquitlam River sockeye recovery you can get more information.
As far as the May and June closure of the Coquitlam River it has been in place for over 30 years and has nothing to do with the sockeye project. The closure applies to many river in the valley, most with no historic return of sockeye in the spring and the intention is to protect downstream migrant steelhead and cutthroat smolts that are very susceptible to angling pressure.
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Whatever he may have meant by that, the facts are a formerly large run of sockeye was destroyed when the dam was built in 1914. Those fish would run up the Coquitlam River to the lake in April and May then stay in the lake until fall and spawn in the streams that ran into the lake. The Alouette River had a similar run which was likewise destroyed by dam construction. Several years ago it's thought some water spilled from both dams released some kokanee from the lakes and both rivers experienced subsequently small returns of sockeye. BC Hydro has been funding projects to use the kokanee as a genetic source of the extirpated sockeye stock to try and re-establish some sort of return of sockeye to both systems. The Coquitlam dam has been modified to allow fish passage while I believe Alouette fish are captured and moved by truck to the lake. I don't know how successful this has been to date. If you google Coquitlam River sockeye recovery you can get more information.
As far as the May and June closure of the Coquitlam River it has been in place for over 30 years and has nothing to do with the sockeye project. The closure applies to many river in the valley, most with no historic return of sockeye in the spring and the intention is to protect downstream migrant steelhead and cutthroat smolts that are very susceptible to angling pressure.
So I am to understand there is a infact some kinda project there and the river is closed? If so I am glad to hear that some things finally happening there.
Other than the one time I went by there on my home and saw the pink salmon back during the second to last run, I haven't fished there since I was a kid but back then it was still mostly dykes and development.
Back then too it was all about the frogs and snakes we tried to catch!
But back on subject I've seen a few odd fishermen this year and wanted to get my facts straight, I would have just called but its been pretty busy here.
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So I am to understand there is a infact some kinda project there and the river is closed?
No. You've read the regulations for the river in the Provincial synopsis and the salmon supplement? People have repeated them here for you and provided the links. What's the problem? You've been fed a line of BS by a stranger on the river, why are you so insistent on believing him?
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He told you that info so you wouldn't fish there. Small system, too much pressure. It's open if you actually read the Regs. I wouldn't rely on info given on the river, or on the forum when it comes to regulations or law.
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No. You've read the regulations for the river in the Provincial synopsis and the salmon supplement? People have repeated them here for you and provided the links. What's the problem? You've been fed a line of BS by a stranger on the river, why are you so insistent on believing him?
I have read the regs, why do you insist on getting all hostile about it?
I don't think I actually said I believed him or not. I wanted to confirm if there was some kind of project happening, regs usually only say that its going to be closed correct? And not have a lengthy discussion about why its closed. So I wanted to find out what was happening on the river itself, because of signs I saw encouraging people and pets to stay out of the river. I suspected there may be more going on than just a beware.
He told you that info so you wouldn't fish there. Small system, too much pressure. It's open if you actually read the Regs. I wouldn't rely on info given on the river, or on the forum when it comes to regulations or law.
I am aware of this. But people seem to completely missing what it is I was trying to ask as such I re-explained yet again. But seems to be seriously bad energy.
However I finally I got what I needed.
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What ive learned is a couple people would be good politicians.
Deflecting the question into a regs thing and not answering about whether a project exists or not.
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What ive learned is a couple people would be good politicians.
Deflecting the question into a regs thing and not answering about whether a project exists or not.
Thank you!
What I found was like that was said earlier.
" The North Fraser Salmon Assistance Program and Watershed Watch Salmon Society will be improving and monitoring habitat in the Lower Coquitlam River Watershed this summer. "
They got funding from Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP). I don't know for sure. But I suppose that is where BC Hydro comes into play or maybe they are doing a separate project all together. That I haven't found out yet.
But its good to see something is happening.
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I wanted to confirm if there was some kind of project happening,
However I finally I got what I needed.
I believe I said this:
BC Hydro has been funding projects to use the kokanee as a genetic source of the extirpated sockeye stock to try and re-establish some sort of return of sockeye to both systems. The Coquitlam dam has been modified to allow fish passage while I believe Alouette fish are captured and moved by truck to the lake. I don't know how successful this has been to date. If you google Coquitlam River sockeye recovery you can get more information.
Glad you finally got what you needed. Invariably one gets far better information by looking for yourself but you seem to have other ideas... sheesh ::)
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Good on ya community!
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Not to thread jack but... This bugs me when people give out bad info.
The way it works for Region 2 is that if a stream is not listed you may fish salmon but may not retain them. If you are not allowed to target salmon or a particluar species of salmon then the stream is listed in the supplment stating, for example, "no fishing for salmon" or "no fishing for coho".
I'd like you to explain where it states this in the regulations. Because it clearly states...
"There is no fishing for salmon in Region 2 except for the opportunities listed in the table below."
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region2-eng.htm (http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region2-eng.htm)
That means NO FISHING, not NO RETENTION. :)
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Apologies for hijacking the hijack
but on a side note the Coquitlam is listed.
Coquitlam River Coho Oct 01-Dec 31 1 hatchery marked fish per day.
Chinook Apr 01-Jun 30 No fishing for chinook.
Jul 01-Mar 31 1 per day.
Not that it matters at all in the scope of this thread.
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Still all valid points I think with the direction the thread took.
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just for your info: the sockeye run has died...they get a total of 2-3 sockeye that came up a few years ago. haven't heard much lately and basically they truck the sockeye up over the dam. theres a vid of a sockeye from the coquitlam on youtube. the river has problems because of the gravel pits and ALOT has been done to reduce the silt in the water. the runs are still small but we gotta remember, its a small river, it wont fit the amount of fish the vedder sees. From what natives say, the sockeye run was so big the river was just red. when the first dam went up it was only like 10ft high and had a fish ladder so the run didn't get effected to much. When the big dam went up it destroyed it completely.
There is a lot of effort to restore the river but will never be the same because of the reduced water level due to the dam. its a neat little river that I have ties to (lived in coquitlam for most of my life) The coho run is still small only in the 3000's from last I heard but nothing I know for sure.
Heres the vide of the sockeye: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgNXhJnRQQ4
Im sorry for my terrible writing, im all over the place lol
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next season if anyone gets a chance go fish it for steelhead after a rain fall its great
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next season if anyone gets a chance go fish it for steelhead after a rain fall its great
... ::) ..... :-\
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Fishing the coquitlam for steelheads is productive 1 out of 100times. I personally wouldn't recommend it.
1. the only chance at cathing one is fishing near the hatchery.
2. you have a chnace of being eaten by a bear
3. the fish are usually spawning when there up there.
If you really want to catch steelhead a 60 min drive to the vedder may be more effective and respectful to the endagered river
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This is true. But hearing from locals the run this year was actually better most years. Never had any success and to be honest I have never seen a steelhead to be pulled out of that river not even a picture lol just 'stories' it's nice to hear though that it is recovering and fish are increasing in numbers. I'd love to see the sockeye run to make a comeback. Obviously not in the numbers it was but to be a decent run closed to fishing. Love when they turn red. Gives the river a nice color.
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I wish that one day the coquitlam river would be closed to fishing and just be a river to amuse the fish like weaver creek channel.
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I wish one day the dam comes down and the river can be returned to normal...
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where will you get your water from? if the dam is removed?
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water from Coquitlam Lake is diverted to Buntzen and piped over the mountain to a generating station on Indian Arm. Long term we wil have water supply issues in the GVRD
https://www.bchydro.com/energy-in-bc/our_system/generation/our_facilities/lower_mainland.html
if it was ever possible to get that water back there would be enough water both for the Coquitlam and for drinking water
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I once saw a proposal to use Harrison Lake as a Metro Vancouver water supply. I think it was not feasible at this time due to the massive costs of the infrastructure to deliver it. Maybe there is faint hope that one day the Capilano and Seymour dams can come down - possibly the Coquitlam too but it's BC Hydro's dam, not Metro Vancouver's.
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RalphH: I have read with interest your historical perspective contribution to this and other threads. I find your histories really great and although that information is out there to be found, it would be tremendous if you were to put your extensive knowledge in the record by writing a fish history of the LM streams. Apart from being of interest to sports fishers there is always a need for an historical perspective for new professional researchers.
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OK the solution is, everyone buy a few of these:
http://www.teslamotors.com/powerwall
Put some panels on your roof and tell Hydro to take down some of the dams and stop selling their hydro to the USA at a loss. Yeah I know BC is not a great solar generating state based on our weather, but even if you reduced your mainline consumption by 10-40% may be we would not need so many damn dams.