@ ribolovac02, clarki, and standalone: thanks for the response!
Not new to fishing, grew up fishing the okanagan and interior lakes and streams for trout. Mainly fly fishing. This is my first real attempt at salmon fishing though. My son is nearly 12 and got the bug for fishing this summer and it got me back into it as well.
Most everyone I've met at the river have been really helpful and a tackle shop near work (First Light in Burnaby) have been really great with info also. One older guy was showing me this last weekend how he was catching fish and even gave me a chunk of the yarn he's been using and helped me set up my gear like his. I realized after that I've probably not been fishing deep enough in the water, which is probably part of my problem. Nearly every time I've been out, I've been the only one in the area I'm fishing to have NOT caught a fish, which only adds to the frustration. So I guess if you want to catch fish, come fishing with me?
What kind of water are you fishing? Fast flow or slow? Deep or shallow?
What species of salmon are people catching around you? How long is their leader? What species are you targeting, if any (yes, this is important)? What is your set-up? Baitcaster or spinning reel? Braid or mono mainline. Leader (size/length)? Hooks (type/size)?
blaydRnr may have a point. If you are fishing water where the fish are not biting and people are flossing/snagging, then it's a good thing you are not hooking any. Don't get me wrong. There are times when wool ties work. But if you are fishing pocket water like (AHEMM) "Tamihi", then it's likely the fish are being flossed/snagged. That's a pretty obvious example. But fish can be flossed almost anywhere. Hopefully you are not observing people lifting their rod tip at the end of every drift. However, I won't assume anything - just giving you a tip about what people may be doing around you and how to recognize it.
One thing I would suggest is consider using (wait for it...) roe. There! I said it! The FFM recommended bait! The best roe is cured by the fisherman (not the store bought stuff). But roe can make a huge difference - especially at first light. Roe bags are another good option if you find you re-baiting to often.
I have also had great success flyfishing for salmon. However, you need to find the right water for flies which can be challenging to find on the Vedder. This is a whole other topic so I'll let you ask the question before continuing on here.
Good to hear you got out with your son. Enjoy it! It's only your first year, and there is a steep learning curve - especially if you don't have someone to mentor you. Good luck and have fun!
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Topic: 2018 Chilliwack River fall salmon fishery information & water condition updates (Read 156288 times)