Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: hungry6 on March 27, 2013, 12:13:00 AM
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Hi, as the title state, I'm doing a bit of research for up coming trips to Canada.
I have read pages and page on here in regards to species I'm targeting, but what I also want to do is target multiple species in per trip, as Canada is along way from home for me, home is Australia to be exact.
What I asking is what time of the year can you successfully target both sockeye and know chinook salmon. I now know the pinks are on odd year, so they will have to wait till 2015.
Also due to travel and packing fishing gear. I normal pack 2 spin reels shimano sustain 2000 and 4000 match with 2 multi piece rod of 4 and 8kgs.
I have use this combo and successfully stop 10kgs Giant trevally and 13kgs spanish mackeral.
However I have read here that alot of Canadian anglers view people with spinning reels as snaggers,
My dilema here is that I have never use a centrepin my life and a fly rod is a pain in unknown territory as they require room to be effective.
I need honest input as to do I bring my regular gears or acquire CP which I have no problem acquiring and learning prior to depart.
Also the issues of licensing and wading gears
Terminal gears are also an unknown. In NZ everyone use a spoon type lure with treble, is this acceptable? Or something else I need to know.
Finally can someone please post up clear picture of different type of salmon and steelhead and the distinction from wild and hatchery fish.
Thank you.
Wayne
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Depending on the returns, there may or may not be a sockeye opening. If there is one, it will probably occur in August. As to pinks, you don't have to wait til 2015. There is a return this year. (2013 is an odd year) There is absolutely wrong with using a spinning rod. If you are comfortable with a spinning rod by all means bring and use it.
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You can definitely use spinning gear here as well as drift gear. Usually people using spinning gear would be targeting slower moving water and pools and is quite popular in the lower canal area of the vedder river and along the harrison. You cannot however use treble hooks in any of our rivers and would need to switch them over to single barbless.
Here's the current regulations for B.C. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/
and there is a supplement for salmon season that needs to be checked when you actually plan on heading out as well http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region2-eng.htm
Rod posts some really good salmon identification pictures at the start of every salmon season, here is the one from last year
http://www.fishingwithrod.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=31056.0
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Thank you for the replies guys. FA 2013 is out for me, as I already have pre commitment with other trips.
However I have note the terminal tackle used.
The fishing guidelines and photo is a great help, the same cannot be said about fishing boundaries. We have to resort to local knowledge when this happens in 2014.
Ok as for the sockeye in 2014 I read that they have cycles of 4 years 2014 should be the year, however what time or dates are opening for this fishery.
I know you can just roll up and and do C&R Im not comfortable with that. Rather have official open season.
As for the fishing techniques, I see that some people uses roes for bait, what are they targeting? Also I'm a predominantly lure person as it save carting around bait and having it spoils.
To be honest Im just happy to dangle a line and if I get a fish its a bonus.
Thanks
Wayne
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Sockeye openings aren't set, they are determined during the run , based on numbers and survival rate. Do a forum search on sockeye fishing, it's a heated topic that I'm not about to open up here. Roe works for just about any salmon or trout, it's very commonly used for springs, coho and steel head. Don't rule out the lures though, I use them a lot, and enjoy fishing them with lots of success.
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Well, that is certainly eye opening, as to how you would plan a trip. But its understandable in term of future sustainability of the fishery. If you have to or definitely going to plan the trip, around what time of the year would be best to target both sockeye and king and hoping that the sockeye season will be open.
It would be good for some of the old timer to throw in there 2cent here.
Thanks
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Honestly every seasons different :o.. It"s Pink season(Every odd year) so it should be okay but from what I've heard it's gonna be another poor year for sockeye as far as numbers go last year was pretty bad. All I can say is be prepared and read the regulations before attempting to fish cause it changes pretty frequently.
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Check Skeena river. End of July and early August you can catch all salmon species and steelhead on a fly....... if you are lucky. :)
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I would also agree with the Skeena system it will be a much better experience.
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Sorry to drag this thread up again, I didn't want to start a new thread on it.
Ok, the time is coming closer to start looking at planning for flights and accom. My GF is pushing me to set a month of 2014 so she can book it all in and move other trips around to fit this Canada trip.
I'm hoping to spend around 14 days in BC and a few over the US east coast.
I'm after local knowledge as to which month normally would be the most productive for salmon fishing.
Currently I'm planning Between August or Sept,
So shoot and let me know what you think is the best month to be there.
Thanks
Wayne
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Sorry to drag this thread up again, I didn't want to start a new thread on it.
Ok, the time is coming closer to start looking at planning for flights and accom. My GF is pushing me to set a month of 2014 so she can book it all in and move other trips around to fit this Canada trip.
I'm hoping to spend around 14 days in BC and a few over the US east coast.
I'm after local knowledge as to which month normally would be the most productive for salmon fishing.
Currently I'm planning Between August or Sept,
So shoot and let me know what you think is the best month to be there.
Thanks
Wayne
This 2013 as it turned out was a complete disaster for sockeye and huge for pink (estimated 24 million returned). 2014 suppose to very good for sockeye since 3 years ago we had a very good returns. This however depends on survival rate which is unpredictable. If you have funds and enjoy guided fishing you can fish our shores for salmon and halibut as well. In Fraser river you can target huge sturgeon (catch and release only). However it's costly.
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This 2013 as it turned out was a complete disaster for sockeye and huge for pink (estimated 24 million returned). 2014 suppose to very good for sockeye since 3 years ago we had a very good returns. This however depends on survival rate which is unpredictable. If you have funds and enjoy guided fishing you can fish our shores for salmon and halibut as well. In Fraser river you can target huge sturgeon (catch and release only). However it's costly.
I've seen guys fishing for sturgeon from shore in Derby Reach Park - they had two to beach in a little over 3 hours. There is also a very popular spot in Mission (I think its called the sturgeon hole even?) so it doesn't HAVE to be expensive. Although a 8kg rod is way too small for one.
I wouldn't plan my trip based on Sockeye strictly because of how their opening (if it even opens) works, as others have already explained.
I would recommend August to come here. September can get really wet (rains a lot here...) but August is frequently the driest month of the year. September can be really dry, a few years ago(2011 I think?) September was hands-down the nicest month of the year, so all hope is not lost if you decide to come then, you just have a better chance of rain-free weather in August.
If Im not mistaken, August/September is Chinook season. Can't go wrong with them!
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2014 is the big return year for sockeye. If they don't open I would be amazed :o
Honestly if you want to catch lots of species in the same trip then Northern BC is where you'll want to be. Fish the ocean and/or rivers and have yourself a good time. If I could afford it I would do the same
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Book a trip for October and go to Vancouver island.
Forget sockeye fishing, as it is almost a complete snag show (very few exceptions in clear water where they will bite bait).
Sport fishing... I'd say October. A huge number of coho start showing up all over the island at this point. The first 2 weeks of October would be prime because you can still get clean coho in rivers on the west side of the island, and peak run on the east side will just be starting. There will also be a huge number of coho off a number of beaches, along with the odd chinook. Steelhead fishing is also amazing at this point. Pinks wont be around as they are done in the beginning of September. Lots of cutthroat around as well feeding on salmon eggs, etc.
If you want to go for a huge meat harvest, then come to the island in September. Coho will be flooding rivers on the west coast of the island, and the limit on the stamp is 2/day per person. Chinook will also be running very strong on the island in a number of west coast rivers and off some beaches which allow retention. Add on to that some spectacular summer run steelhead fishing in a number of rivers (all catch and release). If you want to enjoy some amazing scenery, remote locations (probably won't see another person), and the potential for some amazing fishing, that would be my option.
As for gear. If you're going to the fraser for sockeye... a spinning rod will be all you need, and lets be honest, it is snagging and people only do it for meat... If you're sport fishing, my advice is stay away.
On the island, you can spin fish off the beaches and in most of the rivers. Coho love spinners and spoons. Off the beaches trebles are allowed (have to be barbless), in rivers, only single barbless is allowed. Actually, most times of year on the island all I do is spin fish now with spoons and spinners, it's highly effective for everything.
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No need for a center pin when a bait caster/level wind is WAY more versatile.
The scenery of the west side of Vancouver Island is faaaaaaar better than anything on the LML as well. Like ED said the island would be in full swing, the Fraser Valley would be in a slump with it picking up more so in late September to mid October.
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Thanks for the much appreciated advice guys. From the advice above and working with our calendar it sound like a mid August early Sept. trip, heading to Vancouver and surround area.
We will be hiring a car or 4x4 to do road trip to a few locations around Vancouver or the Island and further north.
I have done the guided fishing thing in the past and a lot of it is just plain greedy when they find out you're from half way around the world and you burn up precious time to catch the local pet fish. So that won't be happening, I have found local fishing knowledge is hands down unrival in many way, It's never about anything else but the a common interest of fishing.
I would love to do a October trip , but that won't be happening anytime soon. I pretty much have the middle 2 weeks of Oct booked out for the rest of my life fishing Fraser Island (Australia) for Gt and Spanish mackerel.
Ok, I better go away and do more reading and look at availability of area and accom for the area.
Thanks
wayne
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Well, if you're out here in September I would focus my efforts on the West Side of Vancouver Island.
You may also want to target some areas in the mainland for char/trout and summer steelhead.
My main question is what do you plan to target - what are you goals for fish?
What are you here for? Are you here to kill fish (sockeye), or are you here to catch and release a bunch of fish and enjoy the amazing scenery AND fishing that B.C. has to offer?
Once you answer these questions, feel free to shoot me an email. I have a whole bunch of island places dialled in and have no problems helping people out if they are ethical and not only looking to kill things, and willing to put some work in (I may give you a river to try out - maybe a section, but after that it's your turn). I can also help with some mainland spots as well.
Good luck on your search,
Cheers,
Dan
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Well, if you're out here in September I would focus my efforts on the West Side of Vancouver Island.
You may also want to target some areas in the mainland for char/trout and summer steelhead.
My main question is what do you plan to target - what are you goals for fish?
What are you here for? Are you here to kill fish (sockeye), or are you here to catch and release a bunch of fish and enjoy the amazing scenery AND fishing that B.C. has to offer?
Once you answer these questions, feel free to shoot me an email. I have a whole bunch of island places dialled in and have no problems helping people out if they are ethical and not only looking to kill things, and willing to put some work in (I may give you a river to try out - maybe a section, but after that it's your turn). I can also help with some mainland spots as well.
Good luck on your search,
Cheers,
Dan
I'm actually there to find out and put together a feasibility study on the viability of a Coho and Steelhead cannery industry. LOL
On a serious note, I don't think spending around U$20 000 on a trip is about killing and storage. Also I don't think QANTAS would be very happy if I carried on 25kgs of salmon fillets as carry on and check in baggage is currently $25/kg, the maths doesn't simply add up if that was the agenda.
And the very reason why intercontinental anglers travel light.
I'm still organising a time slot of around 20-25 days for BC and surround, currently just getting a feel of which month to lock in, as your fishery is return dependant, which makes it hard.
Rodney and a few members have pointed out a few important facts for me to keep an eye out for and all inputs are welcome of course.
I'm not chasing any particular salmon species at all just wetting a line, if I happen to run into them, well that's good. Also and more importantly creating a network of friend from all part of the world and learning about the way the fish and do things.
My GF want to nail a halibut and hopefully that will happen with the help of members from here, putting us into contact with a reliable local charter, and the same would be done if anyone from here want to visit this part of Australia, I would do the same, I even take you out on my boat for a couple of days chasing Yellow tail king, cobia and wahoo.
Anyway, we will cross that bridge when it comes.
Thanks
Wayne
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If youre looking more into the ocean fishing, august/september is your best bet, Either west coast of Vancouver Island or near the Fraser River. Depending on whether you want to go to a lodge, or just get guided, would determine where you would want to go. (just guided- around fraser river or Port alberni area of the island.... Lodge- Maybe somewhere like Kyuquot Sound(here you can find salmon, halibut and tuna)
If you are hoping to fish the rivers, then you would likely want to come in September/October... Once again cost and how you want to fish (out of a boat or from shore) would determine where you would be focusing your time.
There are Hundreds if not thousands of options that you could go with. Chances are, if you are here for a few weeks, you will have a good time regardless of what you decide.
Basically narrow down your search a little and it will become easier to nail down a plan.
BC just has such a wide variety of options that it is hard to tell you to go to a certain place!
Cheers
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Given the timeframe you are looking to come, I would suggest maybe the last two weeks in August and first week in September. Next year should be a great year for sockeye so all of August should be good but the first week or two could still be kinda slow.
Hope you have a great time and catch lots of fish.
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Skeena area and tribs is the only place i would tell you to go for salmon. August is a good month usually up there. Get a guide however it is an intimidating system for the first time, especially if you have no salmon experience. You will have more success as well.
Skeena country to me is true western canada fishing.
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Skeena area and tribs is the only place i would tell you to go for salmon. August is a good month usually up there. Get a guide however it is an intimidating system for the first time, especially if you have no salmon experience. You will have more success as well.
Skeena country to me is true western canada fishing.
X2 and also on the recommendation on hiring a guide. Plan ahead because they book up. You want to fly into Terrace, BC. You may even see a grizzly bear. I did, and it gave us the stare down. If you want giant chinook, that's the place to go.
I've never caught a sockeye and only landed one chinook, so take this with a grain of salt, but personally I find coho, chum and steelhead to be the most fun to catch...well ok any fish is good.. and don't give us that bit about "just being out ..is just super".
If you want to make a vacation of it and on a budget, I'd say the island or Lower Mainland is good, but aim for late September and cross your fingers. For great river fishing gear and advice I'd go to SeaRun Fly and Tackle.
..but Skeena would be ideal for "fishing".
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Ok, thanks for all the tips guys.
Currently I'm swayed toward the last 2 weeks of August and first week of Sept. as TNangler suggested.
Hopefully we can organise to hit Vancouver Island first, the work our way up stream from there.
When it get closer and any members available, I will see, anyone want to show us around the area, maybe even joining up for a fish.
Thanks again
Wayne
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Ok, thanks for all the tips guys.
Currently I'm swayed toward the last 2 weeks of August and first week of Sept. as TNangler suggested.
Hopefully we can organise to hit Vancouver Island first, the work our way up stream from there.
When it get closer and any members available, I will see, anyone want to show us around the area, maybe even joining up for a fish.
Thanks again
Wayne
The last two weeks of August are my prime fishing time - exams have ended at school, and I dont have anything to do until the first Tuesday of September.
I usually go camping into the Interior with my family for a few days during this time, but that is the perfect time to catch some trout in the lakes in the interior. Last summer my step-mom caught a beautiful Rainbow trout out of Nicola Lake. Certainly not a big fish - only about a pound - but if you like to eat what you catch its delicious!
Shuswap Lake is another lake you must consider, Especially if you want to rent a house-boat.
Long story short, keep researching, there is a million things to do here in B.C.
When you know what you wanna do, ask around here and we will direct you in the right places.
As for your comment about accommodations, there are lots and lots of hotels around, so that isn't an issue. There are tonnes of hotels all over the place. If you prefer to rent a condo for a few weeks, that would involve some heads-up planning, which in the long run might be worth your while. Long story short, plan out what you want to do ahead of time, and book accommodations to fit that.
If you are here August-to-Sept next year, definitely drop me a line and we will go fishing. If you meet the right people and are willing to embrace the public transit systems and greyhound, you can cover half the province in two weeks, from Vancouver Island to the Okanagan to the Kootnays.
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Ok guys, I have now booked flights and looking around for accom, charters local fishos to hook up and go for fish anywhere around BC.
We will be there from 23-08-14 till 16-09-14 in between we will have to visit my GF relos over in Boston, but it's mainly fishing in all between.
We will be driving a rental from Seattle up, may get a 4wd for the ease of accessing tracks and so on.
If anyone think what I'm trying to organise shouldn't be done, please say so, I don't want to be looking at the end of a gun barrel or coming back to a burnt out vehicle.
As for charter, I will probably book a local boat there for a couple of days and have a look around the waterway.
I'm actually abit excite over this trip.
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You are going to love it.
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Ok guys, sorry to bring up an old thread, but the time is oh so close to be there. to be exact, I will be in BC from 26 august to 6 Sept. If anyone who is free to have a foreign fisho tag along for a trip or 2 please let me know. Also I will be booking a couple of charter from Van. Is. if you want to join p-lease feel free to contact me.
But most importantly I would need someone who is kind enough to give guidance to purchase tackles. I always have a believe in supporting the locals where I visit. So the only thing I will bring will be rod and reels and everything else will be purchased locally.
I'm looking at a couple of charter that Rod has recommended and see how we go weather wise.
It would be good to catch up with a local to learn and see the way you guys do it over there.
We may decide to stay longer than the 6th, but currently have Quebec/NY/Boston pencilled in.