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[ziggypal]

I'm gonna start fishing the Lower Fraser in the Richmond area for springs. I'm just looking for some advice.

I understand it would be a bar rig setup. What is the appropriate tackle I should be using for this fishery (line weight, hook size, leader length)? How big should I make my roe sacs compared to the hook since the hooks are pretty big?

This may be a dumb question, but is the roe used in the Fraser for springs the same as the stuff used in the capilano for coho?

Thanks

[Bandit420]

Dont bother trying for Chinook until the freshet clears up. All youre guna gey on the end of your hooks are going to be bull heads.

[Rodney]

Go heavy on the line weight, even for the leader, not for the size of the fish you are targeting but to withstand the turbid all the silt, debris and snags in the Fraser River. I usually use between 10 and 15lb test of Maxima Ultragreen.

The terminal tackle setup varies and depends on the angler's preference. I like to use a three-way swivel with one leader to the hook and the other to the weight. I use #1 or 1/0 hooks. Just use the roe that you have been using for Capilano coho salmon.

Targeting chinook salmon by bar fishing in the tidal portion of the Fraser River can be very frustrating during this time of the year for a couple of reasons. Success rate is generally not too high due to the small number of fish in a large waterbody. You also have to deal with all the small coarse fish, which will actively feed on your bait. Fishing generally improves later on in the season, around late August, when chinook jacks become much more abundant.

[alan701]

I'm really interested in fishing as well for springs (first time) but the fraser is too high for my area (mission bridge).. no fishing spots.
The roe is the same. for line strength.. choose something your rod can handle and don't go too strong in case you hook a big sturgeon or a bad snag. I have a 20 lb leader. In tidal fraser the water is slow so for weight 4 oz pyramid or flat should be enough to sit at the bottom (I want to use pencil weights.. slowly drags across the bottom and snags much less)

[Bandit420]

I live in richmond too and the lower fraser can be frustrating this time of the year. Sturgeon fishing has been fair but all this taim and snow melt is making the river prettu much unfishable. if youre lookimg for salmon, do what I do, fish the capilano. After this weekend of rain there should be lots of fishing wanting to move up. Always something to do for fishing in the lower mainland until the freshet buggers off

[pwn50m3 f15h3r]

   I want to try barfishing when I get back to canada. Just need a bar spreader and a big spin'n'glo

[RainbowMan]

I if youre lookimg for salmon, do what I do, fish the capilano.

The cap level is so low that you can even cross the river on foot! I'm not sure what fishing the cap would yield at this time of the year, except a tone of snags...
Let's just give our fellow fishermen some advice that can make their lives easier and if we can't, we can just not post anything...

[Rodney]

Let's just give our fellow fishermen some advice that can make their lives easier and if we can't, we can just not post anything...

The information that has been provided is pretty spot on. If you choose to target chinook salmon in the tidal portion of the Fraser River, expect to put in lots of hours without very little success.

You left out the second half of Bandit420's post regarding the Capilano fishery:

if youre lookimg for salmon, do what I do, fish the capilano. After this weekend of rain there should be lots of fishing wanting to move up.

It may rise, it may not. If it does, new fish are likely to move into the system and fishing just might be good for a few days before it drops again.

[ziggypal]

Thanks for the tips and advice guys. I heeded your advice, decided to hold off the fraser river and keep working the cap today. The river was still very low even with the rain. All the fish in the pool I was fishing in were just jumping, not biting. It was very slow for everyone there.

I still gotta get gear and setup for the fraser anyways. My other question was; how much roe would you use for springs? Is it the same finger nail size amount you use for cohos at the cap, or is it more for springs?

[alan701]

More than a fingernail. I think a good chunck is good and most common. Use the egg loop to hold it in. The smallest amount you can use is a single egg. Fingernail size is for wool. Im new to it as well

[Bandit420]

Thanks for the tips and advice guys. I heeded your advice, decided to hold off the fraser river and keep working the cap today. The river was still very low even with the rain. All the fish in the pool I was fishing in were just jumping, not biting. It was very slow for everyone there.   

Seeing fish jump and rise is always a good sign. Try experimenting with your float to hook length next time or if you are spincasting try slower or faster retreives and depth. When I see fish rise or jump it usually means the fish are active so good to hear on your adventure at the cap.

I still gotta get gear and setup for the fraser anyways. My other question was; how much roe would you use for springs? Is it the same finger nail size amount you use for cohos at the cap, or is it more for springs?

Use a big gob of roe, those chinook love there roe. Even at the cap I use a quarter size chunk of roe. U get that big gob infront of there face, its hard for them to resist

[RalphH]

people have been fishing for and catching springs off the lower Fraser bars for several decades. yes it is slow fishing. No you are not liklely to connect with a mature salmon (the ones that weigh 10 to 30lbs). The usual catch are the smaller 2 to 4lb jacks. If fish are moving by you might see a few fish taken among a dozen rods. Still it's a relaxing way to spend a few hours. Use large hunks of chum roe and 4 ounce weights an fish close to shore say within 30 feet. As the water drops and clears up chances go up and you can use less weight and cast a bit farther. In typical years the river is lower and has a bit more visibility than it does now. Fishing can be quite decent towards the end of August before they close the river.