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[RalphH]

I really want to fish but this is the driest summer and early fall we have had in some time. I can't believe what has happened on the VC with the number of people fishing now. Maybe 10 years ago I recall a day I fished the canal, caught 2 springs, killed a bright 12lb and hooked 5 coho, landed 3 all wild. Tide was coming in and I saw a total of 1 angler on the other shore that day. Last fall quiet places I walked some distance to saw family groups of 8+ people show up. It  is really kind of a downer. I guess I have to get use to fishing in crowds again. I don't know why. Perhaps the publicized doubling of the white spring releases brought this on?

[wildmanyeah]

I really want to fish but this is the driest summer and early fall we have had in some time. I can't believe what has happened on the VC with the number of people fishing now. Maybe 10 years ago I recall a day I fished the canal, caught 2 springs, killed a bright 12lb and hooked 5 coho, landed 3 all wild. Tide was coming in and I saw a total of 1 angler on the other shore that day. Last fall quiet places I walked some distance to saw family groups of 8+ people show up. It  is really kind of a downer. I guess I have to get use to fishing in crowds again. I don't know why. Perhaps the publicized doubling of the white spring releases brought this on?

loss of opportunity elsewhere, Loss of a realistic chance to catch a fish elsewhere. Amazing weather

[redside1]

loss of opportunity elsewhere, Loss of a realistic chance to catch a fish elsewhere. Amazing weather

loss of opportunity is a driver for sure. Currently many streams closed to salmon fishing (even catch & release ) so the V/C is one of the few places to go where you can not only catch something, but also retain it.
Add in a growing population. I remember fishing when there was only 700,000 people on the lower mainland and now what is it ?
A crazy 2,632,000 people.

[VictorBai]

Do not go near the river this Saturday.
There's gonna be a snag fest with some kind of Chinese fishing tournament held by DNE.
Why they want to do this when water is so low is beyond me.
Apparently fish caught up in the arse is accepted.

As many others have suggested in the forum, if there are illegal activities, record them and report them.

It's the individuals that are fishing illegally, not an ethnic group. 

[wildmanyeah]

loss of opportunity is a driver for sure. Currently many streams closed to salmon fishing (even catch & release ) so the V/C is one of the few places to go where you can not only catch something, but also retain it.
Add in a growing population. I remember fishing when there was only 700,000 people on the lower mainland and now what is it ?
A crazy 2,632,000 people.

yeah but a much smaller proportion of the public fish every year, population is going up but the amount of people buying licenses has been pretty consistent for a long time.

For salt water license, in 1999, 223,985 salmon stamps were sold, in 2021, 221,529, in 2019 pre covid even, 233,866

For fresh water Conservation Surcharge Non-Tidal Salmon


LY10/11   LY11/12   LY12/13   LY13/14   LY14/15   LY15/16   LY16/17   LY17/18   LY18/19   LY19/20   LY20/21   LY21/22

72,198   62,892   53,821   60,845   83,692   60,443   55,945   51,143   62,029   45,840   55,187   53,221

[clarki]

loss of opportunity is a driver for sure. Currently many streams closed to salmon fishing (even catch & release ) so the V/C is one of the few places to go where you can not only catch something, but also retain it.
Add in a growing population. I remember fishing when there was only 700,000 people on the lower mainland and now what is it ?
A crazy 2,632,000 people.

I speak the wildman dialect.

I think he meant “lots”

[RalphH]

off the top of my head I can think of at least 9 rivers and streams currently open for salmon fishing in the LM/FV, not counting the Fraser. It's seems to me that it's more about where people choose to go and why. When it comes to what see on my youtube feed and on the local FB pages the focus is heavily on the VC and Stave. Salmon and conservation stamp purchases are for the entire Province and don't really tell us how many people are fishing locally. There are also some interesting bumps 14/15 and 18/19 stand out... pinks salmon returns? Both were also good coho years for me. Sport shops have also been 'directing' people to places that maybe many anglers never thought of fishing before the closures were put in place on the Fraser.

[wildmanyeah]

There are also some interesting bumps 14/15 and 18/19 stand out... pinks salmon returns?

i think those are the fraser sockeye years Licence Year (LY): April 1 - March 31 (e.g. LY10/11 is April 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011)

2010,2014,2018

[wildmanyeah]

When it comes to what see on my youtube feed and on the local FB pages the focus is heavily on the VC and Stave.

Most of the local pages now have rules about posting for smaller systems

Rules
Here’s what members can expect in the group.
1
No mentioning small rivers or streams

[RalphH]

License sales also doesn't provide info on how often people who buy a license fish and how often. Also seems to me more and more anglers fish frequently. it's not rare to meet anglers who claim to fish 100, 200, and even more days per year. Fishing almost exclusively on week days I know lots of anglers fish for an hour or 2 before work and then after work before going home.

There is only 1 FB page that I know of with that rule though mentioning small streams is frowned upon by some many recommend streams that I are small and have troubled salmon and trout populations

[wildmanyeah]

I remember going to the vedder 20 years ago, parked went over one bank and it was shoulder to shoulder, we got in the truck and went home.

Same with areas on the harrison river guys would be double stacked under the bridge.  (harrison closed now for chinook)

Then later in the season going to Chehalis was very busy as well.

Its also likely we will see another chum closure this year.

other areas are open sure, but vedder really is one of the last places a guy can show up and have a reasonable chance to bonk a fish and some even multiple fish days.

[Darko]

I think the main reason is just that almost everybody catches their first salmon on the vedder and they believe its the only place where they can catch fish. Also has one of the best retention opportunities and good returns so attracts lots of meat hunters which can explain the behavior of some individuals. Most people are not interested in driving out to maybe catch one hatchery coho. Just is not appealing to most. I personally find much more enjoyment fishing alone in a nice atmosphere away from others even just to get a bit or catch one fish. Although the appeal of having the chance to keep 4 salmon is a strong alure.

[Darko]

I remember going to the vedder 20 years ago, parked went over one bank and it was shoulder to shoulder, we got in the truck and went home.

Same with areas on the harrison river guys would be double stacked under the bridge.  (harrison closed now for chinook)

Then later in the season going to Chehalis was very busy as well.

Its also likely we will see another chum closure this year.

other areas are open sure, but vedder really is one of the last places a guy can show up and have a reasonable chance to bonk a fish and some even multiple fish days.

was there some sort of bad marine report for chum?

[wildmanyeah]

fraser chum is looking like it could be okay, JS chum test is not looking good

[Darko]

fraser chum is looking like it could be okay, JS chum test is not looking good

what is the JS?