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[lunker]

first off, I've enjoyed lurking for most of this season, this is by far my favorite board for info and general discussion.  So here goes my first post, after witnessing the events below I figured I had to try and do something.

I hit squamish on sunday with my fishing buddy, fished most of the day on the upper chek looking for coho but seeing only old chum.  Around 2pm we figured we would head to the mamquam mouth and try to get a couple of fresh chum.  Drove down the dyke, parked the car and walked onto the bar at the mamquam confluence and fished till dark.

Now, I've always been a bit annoyed at guys that drive their trucks right down to the water's edge.  There are a lot of reasons I get annoyed at this, some ecologically motivated and some socially motivated, I won't get into them here.  It was the usual scene, some trucks parked in the "parking area", which is not as bad because it is higher up and away from the river, and some trucks right by the shore.  Anyway, we fish till dark, and I have just beached my last fish, when a great big f350 crew cab comes rumbling by.

This took me by surprise, as me and my buddy were well away from where the road access from the bar is located.  In fact, we were in between the two southernmost channels of the mamquam.  This truck had already driven through one channel, went by me(at this point I figure the guys have come to look at the fish or something and are now trying to turn around), then got to the second channel.  This one was much deeper, and the far bank was steep.  Well, the truck pauses for a second, then sloshes right into the channel!  I had a hard time believing what I was seeing.  The truck manages to cross the channel, but as soon as it starts to try and climb out onto the other bank the back wheels dig in to the river bottom and it bogs down.  The truck is now stuck smack in the middle of the channel with water coming up to the doors.

Well, 5 or six guys come pile out, there is a good deal of swearing and general mayhem, and me and my buddy are just shaking our heads in amazement.  Finally two guys come walking over to us and ask us if we have a truck.  We don't, so then they ask us if we know where the road is.  "yeah, back where you drove in at the start of the day...", anyhow they go off and try to find some help.  They find someone with another great big truck, so now he comes rumbling down.  At this point me and my buddy have our stuff together and we have walked back to my car.  We are putting our stuff away when the rescuing truck comes roaring out onto the dyke road and proceeds to gun it down the dyke road, almost losing control as he tears off into the night.  Keep in mind it is raining like crazy and it is foggy.  Then the truck that was stuck emerges and slowly drives off.

For me, that whole series of events was so brutal that I have to try and do something.  Rod, I know that you have posted info about someone is squamish who was trying to get access blocked off, if you could let me know what options we have to put some pressure on whoever controls access to the shoreline along the lower squamish I would appreciate it.  It would also be great if anyone who was concerned pitched in, that whole area is far too sensitive and beautiful to become a big 4x4 pit. 

Thanks, and keep up the good work!

[Rodney]

Welcome. A lurker who becomes a lunker... Don't forget about the personal profile thread.

Absolutely disgusting isn't it? It's really unfortunate people take what's given to them for granted. Those who have fished there for many years would notice the river channels change each year. The dry portions will most likely become side channels next year again.

BKK has emailed me the person who is trying hard to press the City of Squamish to get those blockades up once again. I think with some public pressure, we can make his mission easier. I have fired him an email and once I retrieved a specific contact from the city, I will voice that concern.

My suggestion is to have people who have fished there this year posting their observations and concerns under this thread. I will then combine all of them into one file (no names attached if wished) when I send in my concern. How does that sound?

Even though the season is almost over, we really have to make sure those blocks go up next year before the pink season. Some may hate me for it, but it's for the best. A short walk wouldn't hurt your angling time. Fishersak took his father fishing last weekend. His father has difficulties in walking but both chose to park their cars up top and walk down anyways. Please, keep the trucks away from the banks, it would only make both anglers and fish happy.

[lunker]

yeah, lurker to lunker, thought about that one as I was writing the post...

seriously though, I think your suggestion about compiling posts is great, it would at least be a start.  I don't even want to think what it would be like for next year's pink season.  ouch.

In general, I find most guys on the squamish are good guys, even the ones with the trucks.  I think more often it is a case of "well, those guys are doing it so it must be ok...".  But like you said, the mamquam side channels are always shifting and are an important route for salmon, both chum and coho.  I remember last year it was raining and the water was on the rise, and coho were flooding up the same channel that the truck had been stuck in yesterday.  Imagine the outcry if some guy tried to cross the vedder at peach, lickman, kwb, ect... and gotten stuck in the middle during the coho run...

[Athezone]

Hey lunker welcome to the club and thanks for the very informative report, a good read. I've only been to the Squamish area to fish a few times but it really is amazing when you see these huge trucks barrelling around and destroying habitat. Put up the concrete. Like Rod said, a short walk isn't going to kill anyone.

[Fish Assassin]

Stupidity and ignorance knows no boundaries.

[river]

saw something much along the same lines up the paradise valley road. on friday there was a jeep comanche (contents indicated it belonged to a kayaker/fisher) bogged in about a metre of water, abandoned, currently being pilfered, and leaking fuel into the pool it was in... it could possibly be stolen, in that case;

FOUND - 1 Grey Jeep Comanche currently being used for parts

[Rodney]

Yep, ALMOST everyone we've fished next to have been good people... with a couple of exceptions... (ask Nina ).

Keep the observations coming, and cut down the name calling please. The more recorded observations from you, the faster we can get this moving.

[TtotheE]

Having the concrete blocks put up during the pink season last year was a great idea.  The easy fishing attracted hoards of people.  There were far too many vehicles running amuck,  and many much too fast.  This season I've seen trucks parked right up against the edge of the river,  fish being dragged from the water litterally to the tail gate(not that they were over their limit yet).  Raised 4x4s flying along the bank,  back and forth,  just to go check out where the action is.

My concern with parking at the edge of the water are that chum salmon are very shallow spawners,  and you'll see them digging their redds a few feet from shore or less.  You can see schools of fish swimming a foot away from shore in places,  pretty much as long as their backs are still in the water.  Also,  availability of such close parking could easily lead to poaching.

There are many more concerns,  and concerned people out there.  Lets keep adding to the list people.