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Author Topic: Heads up Capilano  (Read 28190 times)

bobby b

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #30 on: June 04, 2018, 08:28:24 AM »

Well some Coho are making it past the weirs. There are fish at the hatchery... not lots though.

I did spot at least 8 Steelhead in the river above the footbridge in the no fishing zone
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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #31 on: June 06, 2018, 04:38:33 PM »

I dident think any of the salmonids naturally spawn in the cap. Expect for some chum/chinook that spawn in hadden/ brothers creeks.
I've seen Chum spawning in the main river near the old skateboard bowl in October.
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"Perhaps fishing is, for me, only an excuse to be near rivers"
Roderick Haig-Brown

avid angler

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #32 on: June 06, 2018, 04:56:19 PM »

I've seen Chum spawning in the main river near the old skateboard bowl in October.
that doesn’t mean it was successful...
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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #33 on: June 06, 2018, 05:46:19 PM »

that doesn’t mean it was successful...
The fact that there were quite a few Chum there spawning tells me successful spawning takes place.
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"Perhaps fishing is, for me, only an excuse to be near rivers"
Roderick Haig-Brown

MetalAndFeathers

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #34 on: June 06, 2018, 06:17:28 PM »

Well some Coho are making it past the weirs. There are fish at the hatchery... not lots though.

I did spot at least 8 Steelhead in the river above the footbridge in the no fishing zone
Those Coho pushed up in April-May. The river has been barren since the water dropped and the weirs were put up a few weeks ago. I checked out the weirs at last light the other day and the metal gate the FN "leave open during the night" was still in place and definitely blocking any fish movement.

The fact that there were quite a few Chum there spawning tells me successful spawning takes place.
I can also back up this fact. There are a lot of chum that congregate in certain spots mid river that does make me think successful spawning does happen.
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avid angler

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #35 on: June 07, 2018, 04:50:29 AM »

Does the hatchery raise chum fry? I’ve heard the only successful chum spawning in brothers creek but maybe someone with a bit more knowledge of the system can enlighten me... I just don’t see the eggs surviving in the mainstem with the dam controlled flows going from extreme drought to flood in such unnatural spikes
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MetalAndFeathers

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #36 on: June 07, 2018, 09:40:32 AM »

Does the hatchery raise chum fry? I’ve heard the only successful chum spawning in brothers creek but maybe someone with a bit more knowledge of the system can enlighten me... I just don’t see the eggs surviving in the mainstem with the dam controlled flows going from extreme drought to flood in such unnatural spikes
I believe they only stock Coho, Chinook and steelhead. The water does fluctuate but usually when the chum spawn in late October-November the water usually stays at a steady level until summer unless there is a dry and cold spike in December which kills the flow. Some of these gravel patches mid river will remain underwater even when its in drought stage but the majority will be dried.  In March or April this year I noticed a bunch of fry milling about in the shallows so it basically confirms natural spawning happens. I think the actual problem is the lack of food in the river for the fry/smolts, I have never seen any insect except for flies in the summer. Perhaps stream fertilization is needed?
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Old Blue

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #37 on: June 07, 2018, 07:47:44 PM »

The hatchery receives about 100000 chum salmon eggs (varies from year to year), usually hatching in mid january and released mid april between a number of streams by the West Van Streamkeepers.

The Flow varies significantly in October and November just like every other system in the LML and with the massive swings in water volume no fertile soil is left in the main stem to support bug life.  It is only the small creek tributaries that provide suitable spawning habitat off the Capilano river.
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bkk

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #38 on: June 08, 2018, 09:24:39 AM »

Actually Cap Hatchery do's between 20 and 25 000 chum eggs per season from fish that swim into the hatchery. The West Van streams are serviced by the Community Advisor for DFO who uses Squamish system chum for those streams if they are available for Tenderfoot Hatchery. The last few years that has not happened due to poor Squamish chum returns and now they are only moving Squamish chum eggs to Bowen Island.
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Dave

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #39 on: June 08, 2018, 10:49:47 AM »

Happy retirement Brian!
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bkk

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #40 on: June 08, 2018, 03:10:09 PM »

Looking forward to it Dave after 39 years of work. I can now do what I want just like you and Buck
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yoda

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #41 on: June 08, 2018, 04:18:03 PM »

Was up checking out the cap 2wks ago and there were 2 fish in the windows to see and some steelys in top areas.
Went there again for a few hours beginning of the week and there were about 12 fish in the viewing glass but they have all been in the system for awhile. Not bullet chrome. Have to check the Kayak web camera for water levels before I venture up again.
Fn are blocking right now.
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Kever

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #42 on: June 13, 2018, 03:58:49 PM »

I fished a pool that usually has a few fish on the evening of June 9th right after the water bumped up to 2.5m and was on its way down and had no bites. Don't waste your time, go somewhere else.
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MetalAndFeathers

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #43 on: June 13, 2018, 04:07:47 PM »

I fished a pool that usually has a few fish on the evening of June 9th right after the water bumped up to 2.5m and was on its way down and had no bites. Don't waste your time, go somewhere else.

Lots of seals patrolling the mouth, not many made it up on the last water bumped
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firebird

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Re: Heads up Capilano
« Reply #44 on: June 13, 2018, 05:46:14 PM »

Looking forward to it Dave after 39 years of work. I can now do what I want just like you and Buck
Congrats! I think I might've been with you on your first job - Upper Pitt, 1979? We got a little fishing in (link to photo below). I have a couple of photos with you in them if you're interested.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuXiKvW-aydm8Hi3-QKHanhUTxr5

I'd appreciate any assistance about why the "insert image" function doesn't work for me - I tried the above url in it and nothing happened.
« Last Edit: June 13, 2018, 05:56:24 PM by firebird »
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