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Author Topic: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder  (Read 7545 times)

bigblue

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Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« on: April 04, 2012, 09:12:59 PM »
During my trips to Vedder in the past week, I have been hooking into pesky hatchery rainbow trouts about size of jack cohos. Looks silver with no colouration of resident rainbows, but looks too big to be steelhead smolts. Are they releasing hatchery rainbows into the river already?
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chris gadsden

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2012, 05:25:36 AM »
I would say they are residual steelhead smolts that have not left the watershed after being released from the Chilliwack River Hatchery during previous May releases.
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bigblue

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2012, 10:41:00 AM »
Quote from: chris gadsden on April 05, 2012, 05:25:36 AM
I would say they are residual steelhead smolts that have not left the watershed after being released from the Chilliwack River Hatchery during previous May releases.

I don't know if it is a good thing or bad, but all the ones I caught were very healthy and fat.
They definitely were feeding well on something in the river.
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typhoon

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2012, 11:09:52 AM »
Eat em'. If they are under 18" they don't count as steelhead so you can keep fishing.
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Dave

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2012, 01:10:32 PM »
Let's hope these fish eventually smolt and leave this system.  The fact they are 'fat and healthy' is another sign the nutrient enrichment program on the CV is so important to continue.
I'm also told Rocky Mountain whitefish populations are improving as large catches have been reported by those specifically targeting them.
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James

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2012, 03:04:28 PM »
this may or may not be on topic related .. but when can you target trout in the chilliwack/vedder system with out a steelhead stamp ?
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Rodney

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2012, 03:15:10 PM »
If you are targeting trout and whitefish with light tackle and it's clear that there's no way you'd be able to fight a by-caught steelhead with it, then you do not need to purchase the steelhead conservation surcharge.
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James

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #7 on: April 05, 2012, 03:16:28 PM »
thanks for clearing that up for me . the regs are tricky sometimes .

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StillAqua

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #8 on: April 05, 2012, 03:48:20 PM »
Quote from: Dave on April 05, 2012, 01:10:32 PM
Let's hope these fish eventually smolt and leave this system.  The fact they are 'fat and healthy' is another sign the nutrient enrichment program on the CV is so important to continue.
They are just like our kids Dave....if we keep feeding them, they'll never leave home..... ;D
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Dave

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #9 on: April 05, 2012, 04:00:29 PM »
 :D
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chris gadsden

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #10 on: April 05, 2012, 04:09:33 PM »
Quote from: StillAqua on April 05, 2012, 03:48:20 PM
They are just like our kids Dave....if we keep feeding them, they'll never leave home..... ;D
Feed them F. F. fish and they will. ;D ;D ;D
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norton

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #11 on: April 08, 2012, 08:42:47 PM »
July 1styou can  fish for hatchery steelhead smolts, rivers closed may and june except for fly boys. There is resident rainbow trout above the hatchery , but of course it's closed up there.
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HOOK

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #12 on: April 08, 2012, 08:57:41 PM »
I have noticed a large improvement of the amount of bug life in the river in the last few years. I even had a large stone fly peirced on my hook the other day and im always noticing more and more caddis shucks on the rocks, i would never see any years ago but see alot more every year. Im hoping this is a good sign for the river and it shows it getting healthier which should help with every fish species in the system. Im hoping it gives us better steelhead and possibly more aggressive ones if they stay to feed in the river for a year or two before heading for salt to bulk up and head back to spawn.


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Every Day

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #13 on: April 09, 2012, 11:19:25 AM »
Quote from: HOOK on April 08, 2012, 08:57:41 PM
I have noticed a large improvement of the amount of bug life in the river in the last few years. I even had a large stone fly peirced on my hook the other day and im always noticing more and more caddis shucks on the rocks, i would never see any years ago but see alot more every year. Im hoping this is a good sign for the river and it shows it getting healthier which should help with every fish species in the system. Im hoping it gives us better steelhead and possibly more aggressive ones if they stay to feed in the river for a year or two before heading for salt to bulk up and head back to spawn.




Massive mayfly hatch came off on Saturday at one of the runs I was in... hundreds of bugs.
Even watched a steely come up and take one off the top  ;)
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Dave

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Re: Hatchery rainbows in the Vedder
« Reply #14 on: April 09, 2012, 04:13:11 PM »
Quote from: Every Day on April 09, 2012, 11:19:25 AM
Massive mayfly hatch came off on Saturday at one of the runs I was in... hundreds of bugs.
Even watched a steely come up and take one off the top  ;)
Reports like this are good news to those of us who want see the nutrient program continued.
I only know of one winter steelhead caught on a dry fly on this system - seems like you had a great opportunity there ;)
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