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[DanL]

Why does it seem to be acceptable to C&R Pinks but not Sockeye?

Mortality of C&R in the Fraser aside, if sockeye actively bit as readily as pinks and had good abundance, I dont think too many people would have much of an issue with sockeye C&R. Wouldn't be any different than targeting coho or steelhead in systems which are basically 100% wild, or any other C&R fishery like sturgeon, bull, cutts etc (though some don't do it on ethical grounds).

However, snagging non-biting sockeye (or any species) just to release them anyways won't sit well for most people, unsurprisingly

[clarki]

Well both those reasons are completely wrong.  Seen Pinks in the Thompson River this past weekend so saying shorter migration in wrong.  More people fishing well above the area where there would be even a hint of salt water so that statement is wrong as well.

You asked a good initial question, but @Dragonspeed's reasons are not completely wrong. He's got a good point.

With the exception of a small pink run to the Quesnel River, the furthest the pinks migrate is into the Thompson. One map shows they only migrate as far as Shuswap Lake https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/189621.pdf (page 5)

Sockeye, on the other hand, migrate vastly greater distances https://www.psc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/PSC-Spawning-Grounds-Map.pdf

[RalphH]

That paper from 1995 is relatively old and doesn't include any data after 1991. I have 'heard' (or read) of increased numbers of coho steelhead and now pinks in Fraser above the Thompson and Seaton watersheds. Certainly not huge number but considering the period subsequent to the paper has seen some very large returns makes me wonder if they are colonizing more watersheds above the T. Given the initial expectation of a huge return, and the marketing hype, surprising requests came from upper parts of watershed for pink openings as far north as Prince george and the Nechako. Another feature of the paper is the remarkable swings in abundance.

[Aurora]

One of my most frustrating fishing situations.

I was fishing mid river and was hoping to get some pinks to can.  It was early evening and fish were seen passing so i quickly caught 1 and was hopeful for more because I need at least 5 or six to make it worth heating up the pressure cooker.  There are three at home in the freezer and what I wanted was at least one more.  After a couple hours I finally landed another.  Bonked it, cut it's gills and put it down next to a log.  I then went to get my stringer, turned around and could no longer see the fish.  I'm getting old and my short term memory is terrible, but I swear I put the fish down next to a the log.  Unfortunately I forgot the it is possible for things to slide under the log and due to tidal action there is a cavity there.  I reached in under the log as far as I could to feel around for the fish but no luck.

Arrgh!

Fishing was pretty good though.  There was a couple families fishing a little up river of me.  They were consistently hooking into fish.  Kids were having a blast.  Wish I was eight years old again.

[Rodney]

Had an ok afternoon a couple days ago in Richmond.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9Bjmedtnqc

[fic]

Fished yesterday in the Lower. No luck for me and the rest of the bar.  1 Fish landed among 20 people. The test catches are showing lots of fish but they decided not to bite while I was there.

[RalphH]

 Yes the Mission HA numbers have gone up the last 2 days (over 900k yesterday) so there should be good fishing available. Current escapement is over 9.5 million so there should be no complaints that not enough fish were put on the spawning beds this fall.

[yoh]

Next week is looking very agreeable weather-wise too.



Learning to use the airbrush with the downtime and hoping to cast these out soon. Have a few other lures I whipped up in the 3D-printer that will hopefully be productive too.

[fic]

10.5 Million Pinks Accounted for.  The 12.5 Million Estimate could be reached by Monday.  It's looking more likely the final number will be a lot more than that.