Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: dave c on October 21, 2024, 08:23:44 AM

Title: Jet Boats
Post by: dave c on October 21, 2024, 08:23:44 AM
Yesterday fishing Norrish Creek i heard a rumbling behind me.  Turned around and to my amazement saw 2 jet boats booking it upstream.  Looked like a scene from Apocalypse Now.  They went above bridge.  The one guy went over a gravel area about 6 inches deep where moments before a couple dozen chum were struggling to move up.  While there is no law against it, I was not impressed.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: Jk47 on October 21, 2024, 08:47:12 AM
Norrish?? Really? Wowwwww. That’s disgusting. Get a brain, losers
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: RalphH on October 21, 2024, 08:53:08 AM
by the bridge you mean the railway & vehicle bailey bridge?

The section of stream that flows by  Hwy 7 is Nicomen slough. The Slough has a 5mph speed limit.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: canoeboy on October 21, 2024, 10:01:25 AM
Really?! Norrish? That's kind of disgusting.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: clarki on October 21, 2024, 10:24:07 AM
Man, at high water there’s not much clearance between the the bailey bridge and the water.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: roeman on October 21, 2024, 03:44:34 PM
That is what they are built for, no fun running up the Fraser.  Agree there should be some common sense and respect.  But that is a joke these days.  There are rivers up in the Skeena area where power boats are banned and there is more than enough water to run them.  Kitimat River for one.  Rafts or drift boats only.  Someone up there was smart enough to put restrictions on the river.  Anyone know who to contact to have rivers down here get restrictions put on.  Municipal, Provincial, Federal???? Vedder, Chehalis, Norrish would be a good place to start. 
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: fisherforever on October 21, 2024, 05:35:47 PM
Any restrictions have to be done through Transport Canada
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: Jk47 on October 21, 2024, 05:53:09 PM
Any restrictions have to be done through Transport Canada
Ha! Good luck with that one! Maybe when the majority wakes up and elects a much needed conservative government the issues that actually effect the average Canadian will be be addressed and more money will become available to fund such endeavors instead of supporting never ending wars and lining corrupt politicians and corporations pockets.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: Wiseguy on October 21, 2024, 05:59:09 PM
Meatheads were probally looking for Rufus.  :o
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: RalphH on October 21, 2024, 09:02:25 PM
Any restrictions have to be done through Transport Canada

Best I know it has to be initiated by local government - so for Norrish it would be the FV Regional District.It takes awhile and it always has because they have to change the regulations of the specific act.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: RalphH on October 21, 2024, 09:02:41 PM
dp
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: dave c on October 22, 2024, 07:10:45 AM
by the bridge you mean the railway & vehicle bailey bridge?

The section of stream that flows by  Hwy 7 is Nicomen slough. The Slough has a 5mph speed limit.
Yes Ralph under the railway & vehicle bailey bridge.  The one boat went down the same way he came up.  He would have killed many chum as they were stacked up there trying to get upstream.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: RalphH on October 22, 2024, 08:26:53 AM
It would be up to DFO to determine if such action could result in a violation ticket.I think willfully or recklessly killing salmon is a ticketable act. Of course they'd need evidence. You witnessing it is evidence as would evidence of dead or injured salmon. Not a bad idea to give them a call or an email.

Problem with a lot of this stuff is there is never anyone around to enforce it. I have seen jet boat operators break regulations but when is the last time anyone saw an RCMP boat or DFO on the water to see it as well? Basically it's the wild west. Fortunately most boat operators are conscientious and responsible.   
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: GordJ on October 22, 2024, 10:56:57 AM
That is what they are built for, no fun running up the Fraser.  Agree there should be some common sense and respect.  But that is a joke these days.  There are rivers up in the Skeena area where power boats are banned and there is more than enough water to run them.  Kitimat River for one.  Rafts or drift boats only.  Someone up there was smart enough to put restrictions on the river.  Anyone know who to contact to have rivers down here get restrictions put on.  Municipal, Provincial, Federal???? Vedder, Chehalis, Norrish would be a good place to start.
I am not positive but I think that the no motor restriction on the Kitimat is a local myth. I seem to remember, years ago, trying to find the reg and ended up being told by the local cops that it is an unwritten law. I may be confusing it with the Bella Coola though. The Transport Canada regs are so convoluted that I couldn't confirm this.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: dave c on October 22, 2024, 12:47:46 PM
It would be up to DFO to determine if such action could result in a violation ticket.I think willfully or recklessly killing salmon is a ticketable act. Of course they'd need evidence. You witnessing it is evidence as would evidence of dead or injured salmon. Not a bad idea to give them a call or an email.

Problem with a lot of this stuff is there is never anyone around to enforce it. I have seen jet boat operators break regulations but when is the last time anyone saw an RCMP boat or DFO on the water to see it as well? Basically it's the wild west. Fortunately most boat operators are conscientious and responsible.
Ralph FWIW i just emailed DFO... Will advise of any follow up from them.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: dave c on October 22, 2024, 02:44:58 PM
Ralph FWIW i just emailed DFO... Will advise of any follow up from them.
Hello,

Thank you for your email. 
A report has been generated and sent out.

Thank you,

Ian Lampman
Radio Room Operator
Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada
Pacific Region | Région du Pacifique
5550 268 Street, Langley
Phone | Téléphone: (604)-607-4186
Email | Courriel: Ian.Lampman@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 
 Response from DFO
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: roeman on October 22, 2024, 03:43:37 PM
Regs show no power boats in the Kitimat.  Not a myth...
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: iblly on October 23, 2024, 04:57:47 AM
GordJ we used to fish the Bella Coola (and  Atnarko) river from the drift boat many moons ago and I always thought it was a gentleman’s agreement between the recreational fishermen and the local First Nations fishermen that there would be no fishing from power boats in the Bella Coola. Some days we’d go into town for lunch and we’d watch the First Nations guys set their gillnets from their rowboats. It was kinda cool to watch.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: redside1 on October 23, 2024, 11:45:18 AM
There are 2 different regulations for power boats in the Bella Coola/Atnarko system and it looks like you could jet around the Bella Coola but have to get out of the boat to fish.

1) No angling from powered boats on mainstems of Atnarko River and Bella Coola River
2) No powered boats on Atnarko River, from Goat Creek to the confluence with Talchako River
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: iblly on October 23, 2024, 04:34:58 PM
Ah ok we only ever brought the drift boat. When I asked why the local First Nations were using row boats while drifting their nets I was told it was because of an agreement they had with the rec sector. Only ever saw nets on the Bella Coola. Atnarko would be a tough river, if not impossible,  to drift a gill net down.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: GordJ on October 23, 2024, 09:40:37 PM
Regs show no power boats in the Kitimat.  Not a myth...
Can you show me where you found this? I couldn't find anything. Oops, I see that it is in the fishing regs. And that brings me to my "I'm not fishing " question.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: GordJ on October 23, 2024, 09:53:41 PM
There are 2 different regulations for power boats in the Bella Coola/Atnarko system and it looks like you could jet around the Bella Coola but have to get out of the boat to fish.

1) No angling from powered boats on mainstems of Atnarko River and Bella Coola River
2) No powered boats on Atnarko River, from Goat Creek to the confluence with Talchako River
I think that it was the Bella Coola where I phoned the RCMP to find out if this was a real rule or, like has been mentioned, a "gentlemen's agreement". This is another area of confusion for me, what if I don't fish? Am I supposed to follow these regs or are they for anglers only. There is a lot of boaters who don't angle and I can't imagine that they are expected to look up the fishing and hunting regs when they are not fishing or hunting? If I have never had a fishing rod in my hands and wanted to go up the Atnarko am I allowed to? I can't imagine that a ticket would hold up in court if there is no signage to indicate no boating? I am not trying to skirt around the regs, I am just trying to understand them.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: redside1 on October 24, 2024, 07:22:28 AM
I would take the "No Angling from power boats" to mean you can't fish out of either a drifting or anchored boat with a motor on it.
I would think one could jet around and stop, get out of boat and fish.
The other regulation is quite clear, no power boats on the Atnarko. reads pretty simple.
Title: Re: Jet Boats
Post by: stsfisher on October 24, 2024, 12:20:44 PM
I think that it was the Bella Coola where I phoned the RCMP to find out if this was a real rule or, like has been mentioned, a "gentlemen's agreement". This is another area of confusion for me, what if I don't fish? Am I supposed to follow these regs or are they for anglers only. There is a lot of boaters who don't angle and I can't imagine that they are expected to look up the fishing and hunting regs when they are not fishing or hunting? If I have never had a fishing rod in my hands and wanted to go up the Atnarko am I allowed to? I can't imagine that a ticket would hold up in court if there is no signage to indicate no boating? I am not trying to skirt around the regs, I am just trying to understand them.

Actually a pretty valid question GordJ. I suppose if one of the region offices should be able to assist with that answer.

https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/regions/pacific-region