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After seeing last night how the water had come around fairly quickly after the deluge of rain on Monday I was excited at the prospect of some good fishing this morning. Also last night there were waves of fish moving through, I knew many, if not most would be fresh run chum salmon but I had a feeling there should be some coho salmon in with the mix.
The coho to many of us has been a disappointment to say the least with the only encouraging aspect to the season was there had been a nice run of feisty and good sized coho jack salmon to enjoy catching. They offered up lots of bites and tests one skill level in trying to hook them.
I got a little of a late start this morning and did not even take time to make or buy a coffee. It was a beautiful morning, a full moon starting to give way to the coming daylight. The moon’s dying rays were reflecting off the light frost on our lawn as I backed the Leaf Mobile out of the driveway. O how I love the Fall season, the sounds of geese from their Summer breeding grounds from far away are now seen high in the sky, their V shaped formations given away only by their conversations between each other, the old experienced bird out in front, showing the way to the young birds following. They are putting their faith and trust in their leader who has made this migration many times before I am sure; leading them to places these youngsters have never been before. These are what geese should be, not the kind that stay here all year round, that pollute our parks and beaches. This is what man spoiled once again, starting them up here in the Lower Mainland and beyond many years ago.
As the Leaf Mobile transports me to the river a few minutes away I start to wonder where should I start, will I be able to make my usually river crossing or not?
As I reach the river it is shortly after 7, I see only 2 anglers in my view. I take no chances and cross at a safe spot a bit out of the way of where I want to fish. The first seagulls of the day swoop and dive in from their night roost of Cultus Lake, looking for a tasty morsel of some fish eyes. They know like me the first of the dying salmon, now spawned having completed their life cycle will be exposed by the receding water waters exposing some of the low level gravel bars.
I reach a spot that looks fishy, moving fresh run chum salmon show their presents by breaking water at the tail out of the run but is too big an area for me and I move on to where a chap I know is working the run. Its smaller and should produce fish but I am itchy to get to where I know there will be fish but first I visit a bit as I know he likes to talk so I make a few casts and miss a fish of some sorts while not paying attention. The angler shows me a coho jack he had picked up on the beach, its fresh too, maybe left by some angler or died a natural death and washed down in the higher water of the last couple of days.
I move on again. I have a little difficult crossing to make but aided by a wading staff it causes me no problem, the next run also now large because of the rain yields one bite before I am on the move again. It is certainly cool on the hands so moving around helps keep the blood moving in my body, it feels a little like steelhead season.
I reach a run The Master had fished and I get a couple of bites and am just about ready to move again when the Maple leaf DNE dips slightly, I strike instantly and are rewarded with a strong running fish. After 5 minutes I have it at my feet, it’s a fresh run chum, a hen that disappears into the burlap sack. I smoked one recently and it may not be the best of the salmon species but certainly pleasant to eat especially out on a fishing trip when hunger strikes. Nothing like eating fish when out fishing, in my books anyway.
I stay a little longer at The Master run and I am into another fish, its stronger and takes longer to land, I know why as on seeing it, it’s a 15 pound buck chum salmon, its also bright and one could be fooled on its gender except for the developing sabre teeth in the top of its mouth one of the giveaway signs.
The itch of the run I want to fish is too much and I make my way to it, disturbing some mallards just waiting to dine on some salmon, when they decay. I hope they are not one of the webfoot I will soon be hunting.
I reach the run and one fellow is working it, it takes me a while to recognize him, its whitedevil who I met here last week, a nice chap to be fishing beside. Three fellows are long lining the other side, almost comical to watch as they keep hanging up on the bottom and yarding on the bottom of the river, like trying to haul out a stuck vehicle with a tow line.
The sun has now risen and I am not sure when the bite had started but I start missing some fish I figure they will be chum. I just had said to whitedevil the coho run, what there was of it is now over and wouldn’t you know it on the next cast the Maple Leaf DNE is gone, I make up for the numerous missed fish this morning and I have contact. Right away I know it is a coho salmon as it is breaking water and doing the coho twist. Also the silver sided salmon leaves no doubt in ones mind.
I take my time as I had not changed my leader after fighting the two chum salmon including the toothed one. The long liners watch and I often wonder when they see success they do not see how one is fishing and change to it. I guess they were not as luckily as I was years ago when one had The Master showing the ways of an angler and the tricks of river fishing. Of course in those days long lining and the other methods were non existent or we did not recognize the little that may have gone on. When they snagged they did it with triple hooks under the cover of darkness or in some out of the way places.
I now have the coho salmon in sight what a beauty it is, not big around 7 to 8 pounds but ocean fresh and as bright as one would take in the big pond. I also see it is clipped and a hen coho salmon. If I beach it, it will be going into the burlap sack too.
I guide it carefully ashore and the rest is history. The bite is still on for the next while and many more misses occur before another bright chum hen salmon around 10 to 12 pounds puts up a terrific fight before it comes ashore for a brief time before she returns to the depths of the pool, another fresh one it is.
The bite seems over and whitedevil and I leave at the same time, its around 10 :30, how time flies by when fishing, cares left behind in one's home, at work or in some office that you are in as you read The Journal. Life seems to past too quickly at times that is why I try to fish most days too. It was the end another enjoyable and successful trip but hopefully tomorrow is another day and I also hope the bites are as numerous as today. I think they will be and maybe one will be a coho salmon as maybe the run is not over after all.
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Topic: Chilliwack River, October 15th 2008 (Read 2655 times)