The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC released 7,920 steelhead fingerlings into Stave River on November 5th. Many of these juveniles will come back in several years from now as large silver adults that Lower Mainland steelhead anglers can enjoy catching. Unlike the juvenile steelhead release in the Chilliwack River, these fish are released at their fingerling stage, weighing around 20g in average. The hope is that they would rear, feed and survive in the river throughout the winter before undergoing smoltification next spring as they migrate into the ocean.

Stave River is mostly known for its productive chum and coho salmon fisheries in October and November, but its winter fishery is also worth trying. Beside winter steelhead between January and April, anglers also have the opportunities to catch cutthroat trout and whitefish.

The adipose fins of these steelhead fingerlings were clipped prior to the release. The clipping was funded by the Fraser Valley Salmon Society. Based in Chilliwack, the society supports many fishery projects such as this to create more angling opportunities in the Fraser Valley.

These juveniles were raised at the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery, which is one of several hatcheries operated by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. Beside breeding and releasing rainbow trout into thousands of lakes in this province, the society also raises steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout, as well as many conservation/species recovery initiatives.

The following video clips were filmed by Chris Gadsden, a director of the Fraser Valley Salmon Society. Steve Olson in the video, is a hatchery technician from the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, who is also featured in some of our past video clips.

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