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[FreshyPT]

Hello folks,
Trying to leverage some people power here in hopes someone has been the to Squamish River system recently. How is the water clarity and can pink salmon still be located? I live in Richmond and have no problem fishing for pinks here but I have a friend who has just tomorrow to fish - I would like to get him into fish often to tire out his arm and for him to go home with a grin. We are not keeping the fish so chromers or not it does not matter.

I appreciate your time, thank you.

[milo]

I just came from the Squamish/Mamquam after fishing it for a few hours this afternoon. An incident near Porteau Cove kept me on the road more than two hours on the way back. 

Now to your question: there is still some fresh fish coming in, but they are fewer and fewer by the day. Lots of dead rotting fish can be found on the shore and in the water, so the stench is considerable. There are still lots of dark fish, with large humps (the males) and heavy coloration (the females).
Surprisingly, there are still a lot of people fishing for them and keeping some less than palatable fish. Oh, well, each to their own.

Water clarity is pathetic. Visibility today was hardly half a foot, so I didn't do very well fishing my floating line and small flies. I managed only 4 fish. I also foul hooked a few, but I long distance released them. Some "hot rods" around me fishing sinking tips were landing them by the dozen.  I don't need to tell you how many were properly hooked.

What irritated me the most was a couple fishing with bouncing betties and 10 foot leaders. They were snagging lots of fish and keeping them. They already had 8 dead fish on shore and told me that they could keep 10 because the kids that were with them were "allowed" two fish each.

I recorded them with my smart phone landing the fish themselves (the adults) without even passing the rod to the kids. I told them I was going to report them to the COs, so they quickly stopped fishing and left. I explained through their teenage daughter that the fishing technique they were using was frowned upon among real fishermen and that the fish were not biting their presentation. To prove my point I took the yarn off the hook and cast once out there and sure enough, fish on, hooked in the corner of the mouth facing the opposite shore.  They didn't seem the least bit surprised - they were obviously well aware of the flossing factor.

Can you still catch lots of fish in the Squamish? Sure, but with the low visibility, it will be a less than stellar experience if you are an ethical fisherman.

Cheers,

Milo

[FreshyPT]

Hi Milo,
I appreciate the full report including the information on the fly fishermen strippers.
It is unfortunate DFOs cannot be out in more numbers because these people you have describe will not stop to consider a shared future yet alone reflect on their own actions; Thank you for the taking the time to educate them, listening ears or not they heard it.

The smell will probably decide if we go or not. Hopefully he will not be "dying" to hook into many fish and just settle for a possible catch in Richmond while chatting up a storm - old friend visiting, can't beat that in my books and was just hoping to give him a bit more.

Maybe I will bump into you during the winter. I pray it gets really cold and wet to keep this river pristine and "ours" - know what I mean? =)