I never get enough of visiting the Fraser Canyon and beyond. I got a good start as while going up the highway on Friday night stopped to pick up a tarp that had blown off some vehicle. Parked the Leaf Mobile and while walking back to get it saw a crisp $20 bill in the grass. If anyone lost one please give me the serial number.
I continued on and arrived in Spences Bridge at dark, too late to fish. Stayed at the Cal Woods campground. Glad to see they had cleaned it all up after I brought it to the Steelhead Society of BC and Steve Rice at Spences Bridge.
Morning came early and I went to the Nickel Run at first light, fishing was slow to say the least but did get the first jack of the year on the Thompson, landed that is. The Minister from our church came later with her brother but we had no success and the temperature did not help as it got close to 35 Celsius.
After they left I tried another run but no luck.
I spent the night at another campsite closer to the fishing grounds, a number of rafters there for a weekend of rafting the T. They kept arriving all night so got little sleep but maybe I was anxious to get fishing which I did arriving before daylight and lowered my fishing gear by rope to the pool.
Nick from this forum and his dad arrived later and we had some action but most were adults but I lost a jack or two.
Will post a video later of one of the adults I landed before it was released as you cannot retain any over 50cm.
I called it a day once the sun hit the water as I left Slick Vic from this forum was arriving.
I went back to the campsite and taped a safety talk by one of the rafters, some good tips there.
I rested for the afternoon before heading to Lillooet for the Salmon in the Canyon Festival. We from Salmon are Sacred
had a booth there and I met up with Eddie and his wife and set up our booth. We were treated to a nice sockeye BBQ and some entertainment. The only way I get to taste sockeye.lol
I interview Fin Donnelly and Eddie who both are a defender of Wild Salmon. Will also post a video of this along with a clip of the entertainment for those that like this type of music.
I spent the night there and then headed back to the Thompson going the Cache Creek route that I had never driven before. Some nice scenery and Pavilion Lake looked fishy.
Stopped at Cache Creek for an ice cream treat and Ashcroft for some ice for the one jack in the cooler.
Then stopped at Spences Bridge for a coffee at the Packing House a great place for a coffee and more. The second annual Desert Daze festival was on, talked to the organizer of the event, Steve Rice who I met last year when we did a video on saving their bridge from closure. It was Steve who helped get the Cal Woods campground cleaned up after I reported to him the mess it was in when I stopped there a year ago.
Also video tapped a group willie Blizard who were closing out the show. Will post later a video of that later too.
Arrived back at the T with about 2 hours to fish and was into a couple of adults but no jacks.
Stayed at Lytton overnight after a good meal at Jade Springs, great Chinese food there.
Arrived at the T at first light and while getting ready heard on the radio a person drowned on Saturday at Gold Pan campground while trying to swim out to a rock. The Thompson is no place to swim in most places, one cannot be careful enough as it is a very slippery area when the rock are wet. As well it is very swift moving in a lot of places.I started fishing at first light and finally landed another jack just before I left at 9. Tangled with a couple more adults as well that broke off as I only use 8 pound test leader as I donot want them on any longer than possible. Played one out in the video as wanted to show you the action and it stayed away from the fast water of the run.
On the way home ran in rain which one does not see much of in Gold Country. Talked to FOC officers near Yale but they did not want to talk much as were writing out a report on some illegal fishing. I also saw 2 Chinooks gutted and left behind when I took a walk to the Fraser, someone took them for the roe I guess, a shame.
Finally home in the afternoon, enjoyed the 2 jacks for supper with family and the grandchildren.
With the fish now eaten it will be time to shortly return to the land of the mighty Thompson and once again leave the hustle and bustle of the Valley behind.
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Topic: Thompson River, August 19th - 22nd 2011: A Trip to Gold Country (Read 1121 times)