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[DJ]

Hi all,
My 6 year old daughter is in a wheelchair or can use a walker if it is really flat. 
She really loves fishing and wants to come and catch a salmon.  I am figuring a sockeye being fairly small is her best bet to land one with minimal help.  (Dear god I hope she does not tie into a Chinook)

I have seen some you tube videos of some beaches that look really flat.  Does anyone one know where along the Vedder or Fraser you can get a wheel chair on to set her up with a chance to land one of these mighty fish.  I don't mind a bit of a hike as long as there is a reasonable trail.  I have pushed over over some pretty bad terrain. 
She would be so proud of herself and would take about it for years if she could bring in her own salmon.  She still talks about the 3 1/2 pound rainbow she landed a couple years ago. 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

[salmonlander]

Not on the Vedder, but Derby Reach has just installed a wheelchair accessible fishing ramp on the west end. Might work out for you.

[Rayne]

If you can ever get over to Vancouver island campbell river has a wheelchair fishing platform on quinsam river I believe for pink salmon fishing they should be starting to show up now and usually get strong runs every year.

[mikeyman]

To fish sockeye on the Fraser you must go up to chilliwack and above. It is dangerous for anyone...I would sudjest if you want to catch salmon wait for the coho opening when the bait ban lifts and fish with a bar rig and roe around derby reach area. This should be happening around the end of September.

[mikeyman]

Or you could contact a guide outfit and they might be able to accommodate on a jet boat.

[DJ]

Thanks for all the replies so far. 
Have been in the lower mainland for a year and have only been out to the valley a few times so far. 

I will look into those suggestions. 

[Archer]

The Vedder will work fine for you guys.  There is a nice pool right now at the end of Peach Rd. Large parking lot then your right there, just cross the trail at the parking lot and there is a perfect pool right now while its still a little high. A small hill about 8' down and sit on one of the rocks or bring a small chair.   You don't have to cast far, the pool right RIGHT there. Hit up Fred's Custom Tackle 2 min away for roe (they also sell roe bags pre made) and float roe down the current over that pool infront of you  Spinner lures work too (such as a silver or gold colorodo blade). Sockeye is making their way up, along with Springs, and just as good a change of hitting a Dolly Vardon (Bull Trout) in there like I did last weekend.  A PFD is advised as its deep and can be fast moving if she slips in.

Derby Reach / Edgewater park just installed a wheelchair access gravel ramp at water side No chance of hitting a Spring or Sockeye in there, but setting up a bar rig with Roe in the fall for Coho is a great time and they have fire pits by the picnic tables to keep you toasty while waiting for the rod to bounce 

[Rodney]

IMO, the Fraser River sockeye salmon fishery is not suitable for a 6 year old to participate in, regardless how mobile he or she is. The swift current of the river, the shore accessibility and the amount of fishing pressure can all make this excursion not very enjoyable.

If salmon is the target, and you are not too selective on the species, then my suggestion is to wait a couple of months until early October when many better opportunities open up for this. Here are my suggestions.

The Vedder Canal, once chinook, coho and chum salmon start making their way in around the end of September, can be very good for this. Beside the slight climb up and down the dyke, the beach is sandy, smooth and flat where she can either stand or sit on to fish from. The depth change is gradual so she will not be in any danger. Find a tailout of a run where coho salmon love to hold and she can do very well by casting and retrieving a spoon.

Here is a video Chris shot of me fishing there a few years ago and you can see the sandy beach where she should be able to fish from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNCQJaO-gUg

The second option, which I like the most, is to fish for coho salmon on the bars at Glen Valley Regional Park once it is open on October 4th. The bar is primarily made of small gravel rocks and the bank is fairly flat so there's no immediate danger. You can either bottom fish with roe, or again, cast and retrieve a lure.

Here is a video we did there last year and you can see the access:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6FbfDjUehk

BTW, the shoreline in front of Peach Road on the Vedder is not suitable for her. It's too steep and the water is quite deep directly in front of it.

Good luck!

[liketofish]

For the Vedder, wheelchair access (assuming you just unload from the car & push her) is possible at the Train Bridge Run where you literally drive and park at the flat gravel. That run is great for both roe & spoon besides being a mecca for the fly guys. Tamahi Bridge at the  launching area of the Kayakers is also very easy access from the parking with minimum slope and short distance to the river.

For sockeye, anything below Chilliwack is not productive. I believe the small bar underneath the Rosedale Bridge (on the south end of the bridge ) is easy access for car at Rosedale Ferry Rd. and flat enough to put a wheelchair there. The old Island 22 camp ground area bar used to be great for sockeye many years ago. Not sure what it is like now. That one is easy access too from parking.

[Archer]

I missed the part where you said she was 6...skip the Vedder River at that age. Try bar rigs with worm at Derby Reach now for peamouth chub, bull mouth, and white fish.  In the fall, same place for Coho. Also, what Rod said 

[MetalAndFeathers]

. Try bar rigs with worm at Derby Reach now for peamouth chub, bull mouth, and white fish. 

Whats a bull mouth?

[DJ]

Wow great info guys thanks. 

I am not one of those people that would put his kid in jeopardy just to catch a fish, so I very much appreciate the advice.  It bothers me to no end when I see a kid standing next to dad on the wet rocks over the Capilano.  PFD or not when the water is high it is flying and cold, that kid stands no chance. 

I have yet to explore the Fraser and don't know too much of the Vedder yet, it just looked like a big wide beach on the video I saw.   

I am not too specific as to what type she catches I just figured using size alone Sockeye might be the best bet but I will certainly heed your suggestions. 

As long as I can get her reasonably close to the water relatively easily, I can put her in a PFD, she is strapped to the chair with an automotive seat belt, and I can even tie the chair off to something sold.  Worst case she drops my old rod and reel and someone downstream gets a gift. 

Once thanks again to everyone that replied.   

[norton]

I would suggest to find someone who has a boat, and would be willing to take her fishing on the fraser. I know I would take her if I had a boat for the fraser

[Archer]

Whats a bull mouth?
[/quote

Lol, BULL HEAD/sculpin. Oops, I need to put the pipe down when its hot