A Day on the Rivers

[Inlet Hunter]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/Steelhead_1.JPGhttp://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/Steelhead_2.JPGSundayFeb10http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/Steelhead_3.JPG

[BCJunior]

Nice fish ya got there!

[steelheadSABO]

what rivers you fishing

[Browningmirage]

you suck...i wasnt lucky during christmas break, and that is the only time i am able to get out...im jealous

[Tinney]

what rivers you fishing

:lol: Like asking exactly what tree you shot that booner next to, only worse, for a steelhead fisherman.

Nice dang fish! Some good fish coming off the island this year for sure!

[Iron-Head]

:lol: Like asking exactly what tree you shot that booner next to, only worse, for a steelhead fisherman.

Nice dang fish! Some good fish coming off the island this year for sure!

Good fish come from the island every year.

Anyone noticing a lack of water for allot of the coastal streams? The local flow here is a good example.

[BlacktailStalker]

Nice day on the water, congrats.


Minimal rain fall and colder temperatures that prevent snow melt will do that.

[steelheadSABO]

tinny I do steelhead fish alot at the chehalis river. i use a center pin because bait casters or no good:)
and if you fish there you know my dad.

[lip_ripper00]

[quote=Iron-Head;256819]Good fish come from the island every year.

The Stamp/Somass system is one of my favorits. Some of the boys I work with,where in a steelhead derby on Saturday, 130 tickets sold ONE hatchery fish weight in!!!:shock:

[BlacktailStalker]

Lip ripper: Just one hey? Damn thats a shame. I wonder what the counts been at the hatchery... With this low water, whatever was in the system would have shot up and held at the top.
It sure is sounding meek for that system this year. I never even bothered with it after the first week of January, the best fishing was the 2nd week of November-December 15.
Fortunately its the opposite for many other rivers, so lets just hope its an off year.

[Inlet Hunter]

Well you got to like this day light saving time.I'll think there is some fishing time after supper.To night bite:wink:http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/tonight.JPG

[Browningmirage]

just wondering if any trends are being noticeable this year...i was working on a river, and we have got very few returns (they are all counted). I have heard other systems are seeing similar trends with lower than normal returns...is anyone else noticing this?

[Inlet Hunter]

just wondering if any trends are being noticeable this year...i was working on a river, and we have got very few returns (they are all counted). I have heard other systems are seeing similar trends with lower than normal returns...is anyone else noticing this?

Browningmirage,
We are also seeing lower numbers of fish . That is one of reasons why I was out tonight trying to get some broodstock for this little river. Small hatchery male tonight was all I could find.

[115 or bust]

Stamps tanked this year can give you guys more updates as the year progresses.

[c.r.hunter]

just wondering if any trends are being noticeable this year...i was working on a river, and we have got very few returns (they are all counted). I have heard other systems are seeing similar trends with lower than normal returns...is anyone else noticing this?

Steelhead numbers seem to be down province wide. Strange how it can go from such a good year last year to near dissaster the next. Ocean survival is so inconsistent, who knows what we will get next year?

[Browningmirage]

the problem that we are facing, with ocean survival being unpredictable, and currently low, is that some of the rivers that were recovering (and there are many on the coast) are in danger of losing their steelhead runs altogether. Working on the river that i do, i have seen a continuous increase in numbers until this year. I tell you it is an extremely depressing situation, but what can we do about it? Steelhead fishermen rarely keep their fish, but the numbers still decline. Its a puzzle for sure

[115 or bust]

The sad thing is there is nothing we can do about ocean survival. I've been taking a great course on climate effects on fisheries and it really doesn't look like things are looking brighter in the future. For those who don't study fisheries there is a divide in central BC where the productivity regime shifts from the upwelling system running from california to about Cape Scott, then north of that the ocean is dominated by a massive downwelling in the gulf of alaska, which brings up deep nutrient rich waters in the central north pacific. Lately it seems like when the northern systems doing really well the southern systems been doing poor. Apparently the numbers arn't in yet but 2007 may have been the largest commercial harvest of salmon in history (mostly pinks and chums) but from BC south are seeing some of their lowest returns ever. Sad reality but like you said what can we do. Guess its time to move to anchorage.