South thompson chinook

[fourbyfourtoy]

I'm heading out tomorrow for opening day. It's my first time fishing this river. Took a drive out to chase to scope it out. I think I'm going to start below the chase bridge looks like a good run to drift a soft bead. Any body got any pointers or tips I would sure appreciate it. I might bring my 12ft aluminum with a 55lb thrust electric and try trolling on the little shu. I'm under the impression the fishing picks up in September.

Thanks

[RyoTHC]

I'm heading out tomorrow for opening day. It's my first time fishing this river. Took a drive out to chase to scope it out. I think I'm going to start below the chase bridge looks like a good run to drift a soft bead. Any body got any pointers or tips I would sure appreciate it. I might bring my 12ft aluminum with a 55lb thrust electric and try trolling on the little shu. I'm under the impression the fishing picks up in September.

Thanks

best of luck out there, I am stoked to get out.. I think Friday will be my first day, too much going on this week with the honey do list..

how’s the water level up that way? Seemed really high a bit ago when I was in the area.


tight lines !

[walks with deer]

First week of september there will be lots of fish..

Typically onto other sports buy then.

[bighornbob]

There’s no opening according to the fishery notices???

[RyoTHC]

There’s no opening according to the fishery notices???

he’s talking chinook, not sockeye.. I believe they are open tomorrow, no?

[fourbyfourtoy]

https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region3-eng.html

I don't know why this is here and not in a notice but I really think they could do a better job simplifying the fishing and hunting regs.

On another note does anyone fish the river? Doesn't seem like there is alot of access points.

[fourbyfourtoy]

Spent the morning fishing the outlet of little shuswap.
Caught two squawfish/pike minnow type fish and one suckerfish. Had a good bite on a 10mm orange soft bead that's about it. Floated soft beads at varying depths. Perhaps it's a bit early yet? I did see a few rise.
Might try the trolling on the lake on wednesday

[lovemywinchester]

Here is a heads up for anyone hoping to camp and fish on the South Thompson over the next few weeks. The old farm between Hoffmans bluff and the Pritchard bridge is closed off at the highway now with no access to camp at the beach area. The Pritchard bridge campground is already packed so you would have to be lucky to get a spot there. There is a campground on the reserve above banana island but I’m not sure about what space they have. Any way, just a heads up to save someone dragging a trailer here with no where to put it. Cheers

[RyoTHC]

So who’s caught some chinook already!? Anyone?

[lovemywinchester]

Heard of a couple but not many up here yet.

[CranePete]

Just wondering…how “ripe” are the fish by the time they hit Kamloops? Still good table fare?

[RyoTHC]

Just wondering…how “ripe” are the fish by the time they hit Kamloops? Still good table fare?

most of mine last year were still red.
delicious imo

[walks with deer]

My son had 3 on lost them all yesterday he hit some big rainbows though all on roe.

[RyoTHC]

My son had 3 on lost them all yesterday he hit some big rainbows though all on roe.

thats a good start by the sounds of it, tried from 5am-9am and didn’t even get a nibble so packed it in.
maybe another week and there will be bigger numbers moving through or they will like my roe lol

[B-rad]

just got home from checking out river water level,,,,was down there for 25 min just watching,,,,,,water is finally startin to come down,,,,,only seen 1 roll,,,,but they in there,,,just not large numbers yet,,,,think ill hit er up on Tuesday,,,,bring my gear with me next time

[fourbyfourtoy]

Spent the morning floating soft beads and pro cure shrimp just below the chase bridge. Four pike minnow/squaw fish. Switched it up, setup a bar rig with spin n glow still nothing hahaha. Is there any place a guy can get fresh roe? I got some frozen from last season but it's out in langley. Nothing works quite as good. Switching to spinners haha I got to catch a doe to get some roe

[B-rad]

Spent the morning floating soft beads and pro cure shrimp just below the chase bridge. Four pike minnow/squaw fish. Switched it up, setup a bar rig with spin n glow still nothing hahaha. Is there any place a guy can get fresh roe? I got some frozen from last season but it's out in langley. Nothing works quite as good. Switching to spinners haha I got to catch a doe to get some roe also keep an eye out around boat launches and places like that,,,sooo many people just clean their fish and not keep the roe

[RyoTHC]

also keep an eye out around boat launches and places like that,,,sooo many people just clean their fish and not keep the roe

must be those old fellows that swear by dodgers and orange FSTs ;) lol

[walks with deer]

Spent the morning floating soft beads and pro cure shrimp just below the chase bridge. Four pike minnow/squaw fish. Switched it up, setup a bar rig with spin n glow still nothing hahaha. Is there any place a guy can get fresh roe? I got some frozen from last season but it's out in langley. Nothing works quite as good. Switching to spinners haha I got to catch a doe to get some roe

I can give you some.. enough for a trip out we will take the boat out later next week... shes already in the water.

[fourbyfourtoy]

Hey I may take you up on that pm sent.

[RyoTHC]

I’m heading out in the morning for first light, will report back if there’s any success

have cut plugs and roe.

[walks with deer]

Shes slow today boy and buddy fished 11 hours no salmon.

[BCbillies]

My son and friend tied into a couple yesterday but nothing today. They left the house at 4 am and back at 8 pm so putting in time.

[RyoTHC]

Maybe I won’t bother tomorrow at that rate, save the money on diesel.

Friday it is then.. fingers crossed.

[high horse Hal]

High water has been good, fish showing in Mable Lk

[walks with deer]

Most are stuck in nets down river weird they cant get out.

[B-rad]

just wondering how everyone making out on the south thompson,,,,was checking water levels around 1 of my spots,,,,,and starting to see a few rolling now,,,,,time for me to start gettin dirty on the river now

[RyoTHC]

just wondering how everyone making out on the south thompson,,,,was checking water levels around 1 of my spots,,,,,and starting to see a few rolling now,,,,,time for me to start gettin dirty on the river now

standing on the shore now..

4 attempts thus far no fish and no one else around got any fish.

will update in a few hours.

830 AM; two fish caught, not by me but nice to see something.. anything..

rumour is numerous nets and the commercial boats out on the lake..

[jlirot]

Most are stuck in nets down river weird they cant get out.

If this isn't the sad frikkin truth.

[lovemywinchester]

Heard of two fish yesterday. It's been very slow. Fished the Lil Shu yesterday eve and no one got any. Not many on the fish finder. Very few fish so far around.

[RyoTHC]

Still painfully slow.

roe, cut plugs and dodgers don’t seem to be producing

[REMINGTON JIM]

Maybe head out into the lake tomorrow :wink: RJ

[srupp]

Maybe head out into the lake tomorrow :wink: RJ
Good luck RJ..TIGHT LINES.

Jealous
steven

[RyoTHC]

Good luck RJ..TIGHT LINES.

Jealous
steven

I believe he was tongue in cheek telling me to fish the lake and not the river lol

[B-rad]

well,,,i hit the river again this morning,,6--10:30,,,,seen alittle bit more movement,,,seen 3 springs surface and had 6 sockeye swim by in front of me,,,,so they slowly filtering in,,,,gonna hit it up again friday morning

[REMINGTON JIM]

I believe he was tongue in cheek telling me to fish the lake and not the river lol

No I am going to fish the Lake :smile: RJ

[srupp]

hmmm I was thinking RJ was going fishing..and not tongue in cheek..as everyone knows RJ doesnt have a sense of humour...OOOOOOPS..get ready for incoming..lol

seriously.....good luck RJ..
Steven

[Jagermeister]

I didn’t go out yesterday. Did the day before and the answer is zilch. There are not many fish showing on the finder and I can hardly expect it to be different. The indigenous have the nets across both travel routes, so be careful entering the lake from Memorial Park. The nets are east of the triangle marker.
Back in mid July there was a large run going through, along the lines of what I would expect to be now. Also, the indigenous probably have a copious number of nets on Kamloops Lake as well. Should be pretty haywire week or two.
BTW. Need worms for bait? Big ass ��a. 12 for $10 or 2 doz for 15$. Contact me. Bring your own container. River fishing only, taboo on the lake.

[RyoTHC]

Almost double digit chinook pulled out of the river this morning between 6 guys in the first 3 hours of legal fishing.. it’s just heating up I guess.

[REMINGTON JIM]

hmmm I was thinking RJ was going fishing..and not tongue in cheek..as everyone knows RJ doesnt have a sense of humour...OOOOOOPS..get ready for incoming..lol

seriously.....good luck RJ..
Steven

lol we were out fishing in the Lake - lots of fish showing on the GARMIN I HAD 2 strikes BUT Never hooked one ! So it was just fish in and NO catchin ! :cry: RJ

[RyoTHC]

3 person limit today + a jack, and my personal best salmon.

all caught on bright orange roe or cut plug with roe.

Couple nice 15+ Pounders today.

[B-rad]

3 person limit today + a jack, and my personal best salmon.

all caught on bright orange roe or cut plug with roe.

Couple nice 15+ Pounders today. congrats buddy,,,im headed to river now myself

[RyoTHC]

congrats buddy,,,im headed to river now myself

Currently at the river, got one nice one so far. Lost one.
freeze dried roe, rehydrated with tuna juice is slaying then.

[high horse Hal]

are you guys boating or shore casting?

[RyoTHC]

Shore only for me.

[REMINGTON JIM]

3 person limit today + a jack, and my personal best salmon.

all caught on bright orange roe or cut plug with roe.

Couple nice 15+ Pounders today.

Excellent ! Good on You . ;-) RJ

[RyoTHC]

congrats buddy,,,im headed to river now myself
How did you do? Only the one for me this morning and it was slow around me as well.

[B-rad]

How did you do? Only the one for me this morning and it was slow around me as well. just got home from river,,,,,,yesterday i got 1 jack,,this morning had 3 on,,,,but landed only 2 of em,,,,but doesnt matter,,,2/day limit anyways,,,,,started off good 6:30--8,,,,

[B-rad]

are you guys boating or shore casting? i always fish from shore during salmon season

[RyoTHC]

Headed back out now..
let’s hope for another 2 fish day..
supposed to be a HOT one today again.

[RyoTHC]

Just one doe today, just over 12lbs, had two other hookups but they slipped the hook before I could get them in.

5 other people, only one other fish caught.

freeze dried roe rehydrated in tuna juice was todays ticket.

[smeegle]

where do you procure tuna juice from?

[B-rad]

where do you procure tuna juice from?you can use the tuna juice out of a can of tuna,,,,,just squeeze juice into a cup or container

[RyoTHC]

where do you procure tuna juice from?


bought tuna in oil, strained out the oil ate a tuna sandwich and soaked the freeze dried roe balls into it for 48 hours to rehydrate them, then they milked a tuna scent I’m assuming since they rehydrated perfectly… will be my go to tomorrow morning as well.. hoping for the best.. releasing the smaller fish hoping for some bigger does, wife loves roe.

[Dirty]

Where do you get freeze dried roe? I’ve never heard of it before.

[srupp]

is this fishing from shore...Bella Coola river chinooks we used large spin n glows..heavy weight rod in holder...used roe when bottom bouncing...Terrace..
just curious..
steven

[RyoTHC]

Where do you get freeze dried roe? I’ve never heard of it before.


make it myself in my freeze dryer.
tied up fresh roe from the first fish caught this season and dried it.

so far it’s proved to be a deadly combo.

skipped yesterday, but headed out right now to see how the fish are moving today.

[walks with deer]

Give her good luck

[RyoTHC]

5 fish between 5:30 and 10:30 today.

freeze dried tuna scented roe on the end of a spinner was todays ticket.
kept a 13 and 15lb doe and gave away 3 smaller bucks to a couple older fellows that have been out often without any success.

[B-rad]

5 fish between 5:30 and 10:30 today.

freeze dried tuna scented roe on the end of a spinner was todays ticket.
kept a 13 and 15lb doe and gave away 3 smaller bucks to a couple older fellows that have been out often without any success.how where the crowds where you fishin today??,,,only me and 2 other guys today,,thought more peeps woulda been out today

[RyoTHC]

how where the crowds where you fishin today??,,,only me and 2 other guys today,,thought more peeps woulda been out today

6 guys on land, 4 boats and 9 people anchored in front of us.. boats caught 1 fish and lost 1 fish.
I was the only one to catch fish of the 6, they really are being finicky this year and they wanted what I had.
Working on doing some more up now so I can share some the next couple times I’m there if it’s still working..
there’s one guy in a boat that’s been out there every single day since season opened for 8 hours from legal fishing onward and he’s only managed to hook a singular fish and lost it at the boat.. not a great year for a lot of people.


im not sure what was caught later ofc and the guys not catching were using dodgers 6” and FSTs

[RyoTHC]

Zero fish today in 5 hours, not even a bite for anyone on shore… but the boats out in front of us caught 3 between 4 boats and 6 people..

so, still hit or miss it seems and only 2 weeks to go.

[jimzuk]

Are you bottom bouncing or bar fishing.

[B-rad]

https://i.imgur.com/t9IaPVol.png

[B-rad]

we got the sockeye opening,,,awesome

[fourbyfourtoy]

Just as I took a dispatch to kitimat starting wednesday for a few months. Damn! Thats just the way she goes bud.... At least coho should be in full swing up there I think or maybe a bit late? I got out to lilloeet for a few days last week and got a few socks. Fishing was not as banging as I was hoping it would be. Again that's just the way she goes bud...I went out this morning to the banana island hole. Buddy Steve I met caught a pretty dark 8lb doe. Guys at the end of the bar got a few real nice ones though. I had one on early like 7:30 got off before I got a look but it felt like like a jack. four squawfish and no springs. I'm going to head back tomorrow evening if I can make some time. I will try to convince the ol lady to come and fish a bar rig.

[B-rad]

https://i.imgur.com/YGfPh6zl.png

[B-rad]

DFO extended salmon season

[Jagermeister]

Back in mid July I spent several days cruising the big and little holes in Little Shuswap lake and I saw a lot of fish that I presumed to be early run chinook. This is repeatable year after year. My new outboard engine developed a fuel/vapourizer leak and was out of commission nearly a month getting the part so I was unable to track the peak or decline of this run.
When I got back to the water, it was opening day for chinook in the South Thompson river up to the green can buoy in LSL. Needless to say, the fish on the sonar screen were sparse. Far and few between. My neighbour and I went out several times, pulled plug and spoon, with and without flasher. Of course, fishing in LSL is a synchronized event with as many as two dozen boats cruising the big hole which really is not all that big. The nice thing is that you get to see when someone catches a fish. That nice thing was once in the few times I went out.
The local indigenous group employ a commercial netter and they lay a few sets out covering the two narrow channels the fish use exiting the river. I cannot remember when this fishing method started but it was within the last 5 or 6 years. Before that, locals, if inclined would spread their own. This system is also deployed on Kamloops lake and probably to a greater extent than here on LSL.
I watched the group pull their nets here a few times and they were not hauling fish in, one or two here or there. (Apparently they are doing better with the sockeye now.)
The real testament to how crappy the fishing was would be my neighbour that resides behind me. He and his wife went out 25 of the 38 days that were open. Their hours were usually 5-6 hours at a time, much like mine and everyone else. Anyhow, my neighbour and wife only managed 6 fish in that entire time. For the rest of us, it was an exercise in futility and a waste of the licence cost.
Before the commercials became involved, the fishing was much better.
Oh, DFO’s presence was none to be seen. Usually they would zoom up river in their jet boat or fly overhead, but I didn’t see them then or now.
This is the Adam’s river peak year. The last great run was in 2010, 2014 and 2018 were greatly diminished by comparison.

[RyoTHC]

Back in mid July I spent several days cruising the big and little holes in Little Shuswap lake and I saw a lot of fish that I presumed to be early run chinook. This is repeatable year after year. My new outboard engine developed a fuel/vapourizer leak and was out of commission nearly a month getting the part so I was unable to track the peak or decline of this run.
When I got back to the water, it was opening day for chinook in the South Thompson river up to the green can buoy in LSL. Needless to say, the fish on the sonar screen were sparse. Far and few between. My neighbour and I went out several times, pulled plug and spoon, with and without flasher. Of course, fishing in LSL is a synchronized event with as many as two dozen boats cruising the big hole which really is not all that big. The nice thing is that you get to see when someone catches a fish. That nice thing was once in the few times I went out.
The local indigenous group employ a commercial netter and they lay a few sets out covering the two narrow channels the fish use exiting the river. I cannot remember when this fishing method started but it was within the last 5 or 6 years. Before that, locals, if inclined would spread their own. This system is also deployed on Kamloops lake and probably to a greater extent than here on LSL.
I watched the group pull their nets here a few times and they were not hauling fish in, one or two here or there. (Apparently they are doing better with the sockeye now.)
The real testament to how crappy the fishing was would be my neighbour that resides behind me. He and his wife went out 25 of the 38 days that were open. Their hours were usually 5-6 hours at a time, much like mine and everyone else. Anyhow, my neighbour and wife only managed 6 fish in that entire time. For the rest of us, it was an exercise in futility and a waste of the licence cost.
Before the commercials became involved, the fishing was much better.
Oh, DFO’s presence was none to be seen. Usually they would zoom up river in their jet boat or fly overhead, but I didn’t see them then or now.
This is the Adam’s river peak year. The last great run was in 2010, 2014 and 2018 were greatly diminished by comparison.


not sure what you’re talking about tbh
maybe try something besides the same 3 baits everyone uses
myself and the guys I fish with all limited out, it was definitely a slower start to the year with fish only trickling in throughout august but each and every one of us limited out, hell I probably caught at least 15 I hooked and let other people fight and keep… the fishing was good for those willing to try something different… not cut plugs and dodgers like every other soul on the system.

Your neighbours must have just napped most of their time fishing and didn’t really fish, that’s the only way I can see them not doing well.


every single of the 10+ fisherman I had the pleasure to fish with throughout this season hit their limit by the time they quit.

lots of 20lb fish, a couple 30lb fish… but most surprisingly lots of jacks! Myself I had 4 between 40-50cm. Twice we were able to go home with our limit of adults and jacks.
longest we ever fished was until 9am starting at legal fishing time.

[B-rad]

all i use year after year,,,,,,is a simple,,J hook,,,Pink wool,,,1 oz of lead,,,so far been lucky enough to limit out every year,,,,,BUT with that being said,,,,i do still have to work hard to get into the slabs,,,,this year was a great year for sockeye also,,,,caught lots,,(same setup),,,,only difference is for chinook,,,ill put a roe sack on from previous year that i cured,,,,,,,,next year,,,Pinks will be running up here,,,,am stoked already for that,,,,,,,anyways,,,have kickazz day everyone,,,on way out door for some Mulie/whitetail chasing this morning