Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => Fishing Reports => Members' Fishing Reports => Topic started by: rides bike to work on April 26, 2010, 09:16:56 PM

Title: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: rides bike to work on April 26, 2010, 09:16:56 PM
On Sunday fished the lower river near lickman for an hour and had a nice fish jump 15ft out from me, of course my next two casts were ridiculous and way off  target do to excitement,  heard of two caught at first light.Then headed up river,caught two little 12 inch trout then my dad hooked one and called to me "another small one " then it burst out of the water and put on a show ,four big jumps in a row, looked big.the fish took off down stream and I yelled back "good luck with that one "due to the high water and fast current ,a large fish going down stream ends up in a lost fish more often than not .But in true father fashion he hauled the fish back up river to a close enough pool we could have a close look at it .We saw it was wild so he quickly hauled it into me a,quick pic in the river and let go.To bad the camera was in some weird mode and you cant see nothing.Dang new fangled technology.Any way the fish was around 9-10 pnds just started to get some color.Went out today after work the water looked nice,talked to a guy he caught a wild that was spawned out.I never tried the fly fishing in may are there still fresh hatchery fish through may or are you mainly catching fish leaving the river.I might have to try it out this year.Cant get enough.
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: HOOK on April 26, 2010, 10:12:32 PM
there is still plenty of fish left in May. I dont think the fish typically start rolling back until late May into June and even then its not all of them. I figure they are all gone by the July 1st opening because i have never seen a steely caught in July  ???


I will be out to try my luck in May at least a couple times i hope  ;D
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: azafai on April 30, 2010, 10:52:49 AM

quick question
is the Vedder river closed during month May or June.
thanks
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: kingpin on April 30, 2010, 10:56:35 AM
its open may to fly only below the crossing bridge...june is completely closed. the river will re open in july..
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: Rodney on April 30, 2010, 10:59:08 AM
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/docs/0911/fish-synopsis_2009-11_region2.pdf
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: azafai on April 30, 2010, 11:55:42 AM
thanks.
fly means only fly-fishing with spy or using only flies and no other baits
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: Rodney on April 30, 2010, 12:12:17 PM
The definition of fly fishing can be found on this page:

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/docs/1011/ProvincialRegulations_page13.pdf
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: Every Day on April 30, 2010, 03:11:54 PM
there is still plenty of fish left in May. I dont think the fish typically start rolling back until late May into June and even then its not all of them. I figure they are all gone by the July 1st opening because i have never seen a steely caught in July  ???


I will be out to try my luck in May at least a couple times i hope  ;D

Got a bullet last year in August that looked more like a summer run to me (around 6 pounds) on a stimulator dry fly.
Have seen one other caught on a pink worm by a guy trout fishing.
Pretty sure these were both strays and not common a occurrence as they were in the lower river, and both were definitely not kelts.
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: river walker on April 30, 2010, 04:25:58 PM
I have caught three steelhead in july over the 15 years ive been fishing the vedder .   All bullets ..... all wild ....my thoughts are that they are either chehalis fish or silver hope fish ....perhaps coquihalla who knows !  the only way to tell is to take scale samples .
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: Dave on April 30, 2010, 06:32:27 PM
river walker, I'm envious ... never hooked a bright steelhead in July, and I used to fish the indigenous chinook population regularly (meaning a lot!) in July during the late 60's, early 70's!!  My guess is your'e right, those fish were strays.  Curious, were those fish from the lower river?  I'm asking because we never fished for chinooks in the lower river, always mid to upper.

Scale samples, from steelhead, will not accurately determine the river of origin.  DNA samples could/would determine origin but the Nanaimo lab that does this for the Pacific region prefers opercular punches;  if not done correctly that could be hard on a fish you will be releasing .... also, baseline data on steelhead DNA is sadly lacking so a firm ID may be difficult.

Probably best to accept these fish as gifts and release them as gently, and intact, as possible, IMO
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: doja on April 30, 2010, 06:53:25 PM
I saw a bright steelhead of about 6 pounds caught right beside me in october just above tamihi about 5 years ago.
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: rides bike to work on May 01, 2010, 10:30:49 AM
what makes a summer run a summer run and why doesnt the vedder have a summer run?
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: newsman on May 01, 2010, 11:06:11 AM
The reference of summer and winter comes from when the bulk of the run comes through.

May is a great time to target steelhead. All fish are most active when they frequent their optimum temperature zone. One has to understand that water temperature regulates everything in a fish's world.

Being cold blooded creatures water temperature effects their metabolism. Many people know this, but stop with understanding that it effects their energy level. There is more, because water temperature effect a fish's metabolism it also affect their digestion and breathing. To put is simply cold water = slow fish = slow feeding & breathing = slow action.  Warmer water = active fish = actively feeding & breathing = good action. Each species has it own temperature range where everything works best. I look at it like a bell curve, the further one goes on either side of the scale the tougher it gets.

This is just a fraction of the theory/ strategy we teaching in our fly fishing classes.
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: azafai on May 02, 2010, 11:07:16 AM
Ok
I will be interested in fly fishing learning
any link or any more information
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: river walker on May 02, 2010, 11:41:40 AM
The fish i have caught have been in the  mid section of the river . 
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: newsman on May 02, 2010, 06:58:15 PM
Ok
I will be interested in fly fishing learning
any link or any more information

The next set of classes are at Hatch Match'r Fly & Tackle. See the post on the announcements page for more details.
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: fly fisher on May 02, 2010, 07:22:14 PM
I saw a bright steelhead of about 6 pounds caught right beside me in october just above tamihi about 5 years ago.
i caught one last october which someone just told me after i told him about it and i thought it was a coho that fish was bright as heck.
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: liketofish on May 03, 2010, 04:07:25 PM
The fresh water reg. seems to say that May 1 to May 31 is for fly fishing only below Vedder Crossing and release trout 50cm & less. Does this mean you can retain hatchery steelhead > 51 cm? I always thought it is fly fishing only without steelhead retension.
Title: Re: Chilliwack River, April 25th & 26th 2010
Post by: Rodney on May 03, 2010, 04:11:21 PM
Retention of one hatchery steelhead is permitted year round on the Chilliwack River except during the fishing closure in June.