As if a coho salmon in the Tidal Fraser in April wasn't odd enough.
After a week of fantastic and unpredictable fishing days, I was still very energetic because I knew this is not going to last much longer. This morning I got up for the early tide. Well, 7:00am, that is my definition of early. Mark and I went down to the river to fish the outgoing tide just after it peaked. Out of all the trips, I've found this type of tide seems to produce more than others. Not so today, we fished for a couple of hours and had enough of the cold wind.
Once home, I decided to visit Berry's Bait and Tackle to stock up on flytying supplies and pick up a herring jig, just in case. After tying up some more minnow patterns, I returned to the river at 5:00pm but only to find the wind slightly stronger and colder.
Frustrated by the breeze, I fished the area for awhile before deciding to make a move to another area where I had some luck earlier in the week. The water was definitely murkier and I was anxious to find out if my size 6 fly would actually be noticed by the fish. The anxiety disappeared in no time, as I hooked up in the shallow water at where I connected with a coho salmon earlier in the week. The silver body leaped out of the water. Could it be...? It could! It was another coho salmon! In disbelief and panic, I began walking into the shallow mud bank so I could guide it in. In the meantime, the rest of the fly line had tangled around my feet. A stripping basket would surely be very handy at that time. The fish came in after a few typical coho rolls and jumps. I continued untangling myself while the fish turned to its side in the shallow water. Before I was able to clear up the mess, the fish had decided to do another dash and popped the hook off by itself. Oh well, it couldn't be kept anyway but I would have liked to take a closer look at it.
So, visibility obviously was not an issue, confidence is regained again. A couple of swirls appeared around me as the tide peaked. Excitement filled in my head while evening walkers wandered nearby, not knowing what they were missing out of.
I worked the same spot over and over again, hoping its cousins would be just as hungry. There were no takers and it was getting dark. Finally I decided to make a cast out into the main channel, just to see what would happen. After allowing the fly to sink and the line to swing with the current for over ten seconds, I began retrieving slowly. A few strips later, I felt a light tug. A hook set was followed by a solid bend in the rod. Fish on! A silver body flashed and splashed on the surface. I could barely see it in the dim light. It rolled a couple of times and came in without much more struggle. What is it? A coho? A cutthroat? A pikeminnow? None of the above it was. I could only identified it when I picked it up. It was a herring! What a beautiful fish! Those shiny, large scales fluttered in the dark. I released it once I took a photo because I didn't think that I would encounter more.
Taking my time, I adjusted my fly and untangled the line before making another cast back into the main channel. Another light tug soon followed and another herring was splashing on the surface again! This time I had realized that there was a school of them in front of me. I decided to keep this fish and made another cast out immediately. Ten seconds later, I was bringing in another herring. This went on for five more minutes, with five or six fish being brought in and numerous tugs missed. I kept two fish for dinner as I also enjoy eating them beside salmon and trout. It was all over in no time. Perhaps it was too dark, perhaps the school had moved on. I was left standing on the rocks, with herring scales all over my jacket and I smelled like someone who had just taken a bath in a tub of tuna oil.
Once again the Tidal Fraser River has entertained me by being unpredictable. With four species dancing at the end of my line in one week, I am currently in fishing heaven.
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Topic: Tidal Fraser River, April 10th 2009: Mini tarpons on the fly (Read 2199 times)