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[bigblockfox]

oh sorry...the downside is that would load more anglers downstream of Tamihi. Another possibility is just can the Boxing Day Derby & move it to Family Day in Feb when half of BC residents are in Mexico.

can always change the boundaries. not a bad idea for family day.

[Chum Slayer]

fly fishing only regs with a beat rotation lottery system on the upper..... also a limit on which type of lines you may use with a catch and release limit of 2 per day might be a solution. 

[RalphH]

fly fishing only regs with a beat rotation lottery system on the upper..... also a limit on which type of lines you may use with a catch and release limit of 2 per day might be a solution.

You ever done much fly fishing for steelhead? Not too much good water for that above Tamihi. A rotational system, fly or artificial only may work but who is going to enforce it... particularly the rotation? Most people here don't understand it.

[Chum Slayer]

I have fly-fished for steelhead and have been very successful at it Ralph. We could use this form of management by using an app that tracks anglers' movement while on the river and assigns beats for that day. It has been done in the UK, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, France and in Quebec for salmon rivers so why wouldn't it work in BC? Also on tracking anglers on the river, most phones have a live tracking feature that could be utilized with the app's software so CO's could know how many anglers are legally fishing. Finally, a fly fishing-only reg on the upper is perfect as it would have the least amount of impact on the fish. Another thing to mention around enforcement is extreme punishments and fines, we don't need more COs what we need is harsh punishment of poachers and rule breakers like they do in the UK, Norway and Sweden.

[jim]

I saw one caught Dec. 4th last year.
Myself, think it was Jan. 9th.
From the scuttlebutt that I hear, the boxing day derby will not have a sponsor this year or the future.

[BNF861]

My earliest winter run was December 18th back in 2010.

I remember that year hearing a few reports of steelhead being caught over the previous week or so leading up. First day back on the river after taking a pause after salmon season had tailed off. I had put in a full day and many km from top to bottom fishing and scouting. Last run of the day, just before dark and making my last couple casts before calling it, a nice 9lb bullet chrome hatch doe decided to grab on and kick off the season right.

I usually don't start searching too much until close to christmas or so but i remember that year had a decent push of fish early with many positive December reports. That being said, it seems lately a december steelhead has become increasingly rarer with reports of anglers first of the season not coming until later on.

From the scuttlebutt that I hear, the boxing day derby will not have a sponsor this year or the future.

Looks like Fred's Tackle will be continuing on the tradition for at least 2023

https://shopfreds.ca/boxing-day-derby.html

I used to enjoy running into a bunch of familiar faces from the river and talking about the start of the season at the derby weigh in and wrap up festivities at the Fish & Game clubhouse. It often felt like the official kick off to the season but credit goes to keeping it going and raising more funds than ever that go directly back to the river

[RalphH]

I have fly-fished for steelhead and have been very successful at it Ralph. We could use this form of management by using an app that tracks anglers' movement while on the river and assigns beats for that day. It has been done in the UK, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, France and in Quebec for salmon rivers so why wouldn't it work in BC? Also on tracking anglers on the river, most phones have a live tracking feature that could be utilized with the app's software so CO's could know how many anglers are legally fishing. Finally, a fly fishing-only reg on the upper is perfect as it would have the least amount of impact on the fish. Another thing to mention around enforcement is extreme punishments and fines, we don't need more COs what we need is harsh punishment of poachers and rule breakers like they do in the UK, Norway and Sweden.

The beat/rotation system is nothing new and limited access pay per trip fishing on selected waters has been suggested a couple of times most publicly in a study and report by Dr Peter Pearse at UBC. There was also a PHD Thesis submitted at SFU that looked at the same questions and suggested pay for access & limits on # of anglers per day. It has been generally as welcome in BC as the proverbial turd in the hot tub. Few anglers want it.  In Europe almost all the Salmon and Sea trout streams are either privately held or are managed by local fishery councils and clubs. It's a pay for access system that has it's roots in medieval times and it ain't cheap.  Nova Scotia has public access though not a lot of salmon fishing left. Rotational fishing is a custom and it's policed by anglers. The rest of the Provinces have other controls such as pay for access (Quebec) and non-residents must hire a guide. Otherwise some easy access streams in NFLD for example are almost as busy with residents than here. Ditto with Scotland and Ireland. Easy access or public waters are crowded.

If you don't like the crowds and the behavior on the V/C go somewhere else or drive to Merritt and fish the lakes. They are often empty of anglers in the fall and the fishing can be better in the spring.

As for apps, I was not aware of this. What are the names of some of the apps that do this? The tech is easy as all smartphones have a GPS locator. However it's easy to defeat - just turn off the GPS or the phone. Poaching is still a problem with Atlantic fisheries as well. 

[Wiseguy]

I started fishing steelhead on the Chilliwack river in 1982.  Long before the internet, fishing forums, social media. A friend of mine took me out to show me the ropes. It was December 15 th 1982. Never forget that day as my buddy landed a beautiful hatchery doe around 12 pounds. I landed my first steelhead later that winter, a wild 10 pound buck which I released. I have only caught a few December fish in the forty years I have been steelheading on the Chilliwack river. Have caught many December fish on the Stamp river back in the day. I don’t start fishing the Vedder these days until mid January as the early run seems to have disappeared. Cheers.

[SuperBobby]

Any sort of rotation or draw system is a stupid idea.
Fly-fishing only...even if limited to one area is a stupid idea.
Closing of certain parts of the river at certain times of the year is a stupid idea. I'm already choked they closed the upper during April. That was my peace and quiet time with a lot of success.
It's a hatchery enhanced river that has been able to handle the pressure for years.
We live in an area where there is almost no where else to fish for steelhead.
Don't give those in charge any stupid ideas. If they think the sporties are on board with ANY closure....I promise they will oblige.

[Dave]

So Bob, lets hear your ideas.

[SuperBobby]

So Bob, lets hear your ideas.

If it was NEEDED, I would totally be on board with complete catch and release above Tamihi Bridge for steelhead.
The beaks can have their bonking hatchery fish on the majority of the river and I can have the upper river for success and peace and quiet....especially from Feb to April. I don't need to bonk a steelhead to be a happy. I'd rather catch and release a half dozen fish a trip away from the crowds.
There is no doubt that a catch and release stipulation would keep the majority of the beaks out of the upper river.

[Dave]

The closure above Tamihi was put in place to protect spawning steelhead from people like you.
Catching and releasing “half a dozen fish a trip” that are staging or spawning is nothing to be proud of and shows much of what you are about.

[SuperBobby]

The closure above Tamihi was put in place to protect spawning steelhead from people like you.
Catching and releasing “half a dozen fish a trip” that are staging or spawning is nothing to be proud of and shows much of what you are about.

Some of us know how to be gentle with our fish. Hundreds upon hundreds of wild coho were dragged up the banks and onto the rocks and sand this year.
My fish never leave the water.

And besides....most fish I catch in April are still in very nice shape....many of them are chromers.

[Chum Slayer]

Catch and release mortality is still a factor, it is the same as targeting brown trout on their redds. Sure it may be enjoyable to some but it only damages the resources for future generations. Also what enjoyment is there in catching wild spawning/kelt steelhead? how is that sport it is equivalent to shooting a mule deer with its fawn during the spring or a bear with its cubs.

[RalphH]

one month out of the Feb-Apr period is lost, big deal. No one has any kind of personal right to the river beak or self appointed expert or otherwise.