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[chris gadsden]

Welcome to The Journal on Fishing With Rod your top fishing web site in the North West for fishing information, tall tails, instructional video's, fishing tips, discussion of environmental issues and much more.

With the jack chinook salmon season drawing to a close shortly on the Thompson I decided to make a two day trip there last week. It would be my third trip of the season to the land of the sage brush as well as clean air to breath. Of course it is always good to get away from the hustle and bustle that we are now faced with here in The Valley. Even the local rivers are busy and all the controversy of fishing methods and F/N issues are good to leave behind for a short time. As well there is no cell phone calls or internet in the desert country that makes a trip enjoyable as well.

As in training for the upcoming Senior games in Richmond mid month I have to stay in town until Wednesday each week to keep the badminton game as sharp as possible and play at least three times. Speaking of Richmond I better take my fishing rod to the games as I will not be far from Rodney's and others pink salmon haunts and maybe I can fit in some time in between the competition as well as visit sockeye City for a meal or two.

Back to the trip. I leave for Merritt at first light and take the Coquihalla route as I find it a more peaceful drive and a safer route away from the tunnels, twisting roads and falling rocks. When working for Highway Engineering for 35 years I observed all the bad traffic accidents in the Canyon route not that the Coq. does not have its share too caused by the many speeding drivers.

As I reach the summit I park the Leaf Mobile,to take a walk, boy the air is crisp and clean as one takes a deep breath, one can feel the different deep in the lungs, from an hour ago. One can sense Fall is in the air too, maybe my favorite season with hunting and some great fishing just around the corner.

I pick up a few tins and bottles in the 15 minute walk, many litter the ditches and pull out spots, a dumpster divers and binners dream land. I even found a $10 bill in a previous trip, enough for 10 liters of fuel.

My next stop, 30 minutes later is Merritt where a coffee is enjoyed as well as a read of the Vancouver Province. I am glad to see the Brooklyn Dodgers (LA) are still leading the pack, I can only hope the Leafs will do as well. That reminds me I better try to get tickets when the visit Canuck land in October I believe it is at

I fuel up the Leaf Mobile before heading the 55 odd minutes to Spence's Bridge, it has cost me $20 to travel from home to Merritt.
Just after leaving Merritt, by Johny on the Res I come upon a traffic mishap, a truck as run into the back of a RV vehicle. Even though the truck is badly banged up thankfully there appears to be no serious injuries, I continue my jounry only stopping to pick up some field tomatoes that are just the best eating, superior I believe to the hot house ones.

Another coffee along with some peach pie at The Packing House in Spence's Bridge where I am joined by a fellow fisher from Chilliwack, he is there to try fly fishing for some rainbows, a great fishery in the area too. If passing through Spence's' Bridge on Highway #1 stop by at the Packing House, great meals and decor to take in at the hundred year old structure.

I am then another 15 minutes from the fishing grounds it is late afternoon as I have just taken my time, whats the rush, sometimes we scurry too fast in our so called fast paced society.
I ready my gear and head down to the fishing grounds, I have see or have seen no fishers any where, except a lone osprey looking for supper.

The fishing as I thought was great with 4 jacks with many lost and missed in the hour it took to limit out. The salmon are not big as they range from 13 inches to 17 but nice bright fish maybe a couple of weeks from the ocean. I clean them, 3 reds and one white that are packed in a gunny sack and place on ice for the 2 day stay.

On the way back towards Spence's Bridge I stop at the Frog to film some kayakers and other sights. You can see the footage at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrj9rdSIjAc

I decide to find a camping spot and decide on the Gold Pan site, $15 dollars that will decrease for seniors to $7.50 after Labor Day. I make supper before retiring for the day and I fall asleep quickly with the sounds of the Mighty Thompson River just feet away from were I sleep. It serenades me to sleep quickly as day one of the trip ends.

[chris gadsden]

The night passes quickly especially when one sleeps well that is helped by climbing up and down the Canyon of the Thompson River. It has cooled down overnight and as get ready for the drive to the fishing area of rain begins to fall, a welcome sight to our fire fighters who have been battling so hard to save our forests and many people's homes. Forgotten hero's sometime, true warriors they are.

When I reach the fishing spot the rain is heavier and daylight is delayed some so I just sip on my coffee made on the recently purchased old coffee pot bought from a thrift shop, for only $3. boy I believe I have been missing something as it tastes better than what I have been been making in a coffee maker or even Tims double double. Even though I am using Tim's coffee it may the mountain air that makes it taste better and perked over a camp stove that helps.

I patiently wait for more daylight before I make the descent to the river, no hurry as I think the fishing will be good again but one never knows in the game of angling. The rain gets heavier so I put on the rain gear and head down the mountain side to the waiting pool below as daylight has finally broken.

On the first cast after putting on the pro cured chinook bait the Maple Leaf Thompson River float as disappeared from sight and after a brief fight the first fish of the day is on the beach, not big but a 14 inch fish that is bright as a silver dollar. It does not take long as two more have now joined the first. I decide to film the next cast after fish three. Sorry for the shaky filming but it is hard to cast and film at the same time but you can see the footage at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VA65mrdr_0 if you wish.


With the 4 fish limit (a generous possession limit of eight) I stop fishing as I take the first 4 and then stop, no use catch and release on this guys who are very voracious biters that can also swallow the bait more than the norm. It has taken maybe 20 minutes to limit out.

The 4 reds are cleaned and then the steep walk back to the Leaf Mobile begins a little harder than the way down and of course I am packing about 8 pounds of more cargo than I had on the way down.. Back to the campground where a breakfast of pancakes and deer sausage is prepared and devoured. I am glad that the rain has now ceased.

I break camp and head to Merritt and pull into Spius Creek fish hatchery, the door is locked but I see some staff emptying some tanks on the back of their trucks, most likely were out angling some brood stock. The Nicola I had noticed has risen some, maybe some chinooks had finally moved in after waiting in the Thompson because of the low water conditions. I have been told 50 percent of water flow of the Nicola River is drawn off for irrigation purposes during the summer. This certainly does not help the fish stocks in that watershed. I guess nothing can be dome with 100 year old water right leases. Sort of criminal one would think.

I then stop at Merritt for coffee and do some shopping. I buy a bear warning bell for bar fishing. It costs $10 but I believe I will hear it ring on the bar rod as I have trouble hearing the little brass ones.

I also stop at Ponderosa Sports for a visit and give them some roe as the owner wants to try for jacks that night and has no good roe on hand. Good roe does help your success rate of course.

I continue my way home with another stop for bottles that total $40 for the trip when I take them in, enough for some of the gas money. I arrive home early evening and get ready for the opening of geese on Saturday but it is hard to keep the memories of the trip to Sage Brush country from my mind but I did bring back a couple of branches that sit in the Leaf Mobile as I love the aroma it gives off. It is almost as good as the chinooks jacks that frequent its territory, at this time of year.

[chris gadsden]

I hope you could spot the Maple Leaf Thompson River Float going down before the strike.

[fishfinder]

That's a great footage, Chris! I haven't been to the Thompson in ages, but this video sure brings back memories.

[one more cast]

Great read Chris...you're the man!!!

[summersteel]

After my great trip there last year I was really looking forward to going this year but family obligations wouldn't allow it.  I am massivly jealous!! What a great place to fish.

[GoldHammeredCroc]

Nice video Chris.  Nice bright fish too for that far up the canyon.  Will have to try that fishery some time, perhaps next year.

[chris gadsden]

Nice video Chris.  Nice bright fish too for that far up the canyon.  Will have to try that fishery some time, perhaps next year.

Thanks, even though a long way to drive for some small jacks it is beautiful country, clean air and away from all the activity on our rivers down here. Just got back from another trip and I have a better video this tiime, may share it later.

[fishfinder]

Hi Chris,

Are jacks still running in the Thompson? I may take a drive up this week to give it a try. Typically how long is the season for them?

[Rodney]

Until September 20th. Make sure you check which sections of the river are opened, it's quite complicated:

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region3-eng.htm

[fishfinder]

Thanks for posting the regs, Rodney. I was looking at that several days ago and it is indeed complicated. When I head up I'll ask the locals to make sure I will be fishing in the right places.