After 4 fishless bar fishing trips this season with a 3 day skunk on the Thompson last week I got the chance to head out to the Fraser Thursday morning to try to beat the fishless streak. I decided to launch the Leaf Craft at Gill Road, a little higher up river than usual. I did this to try to escape the window of the recent 8 hour commercial opening. I was in the water around 9 and choose a bar I had never fished before and the good part no flossers were on it as they were working other areas.
I put on the good doctor, a #0 even though the visibility was good, 2 feet. I most likely could have gone to a #2. I decided to try a green top instead of the usual red top as I though a sockeye may take a fancy to green.
I enjoyed resting in the lawn chair for a while and then while looking for something in the Leaf Craft I heard the pleasant toll of the bell and well as I see the tip of the Fraser King waving wildly. I reach the rod in one stride and it certainly felt good to feel the pull of a salmon which I quickly determined was chinook, it had good weight.
A 10 to 12 minute struggle followed with some good runs, especially when the fish felt the gravel rubbing on its stomach. It would not mind this feel in a few months when the buck would be finding a mate to deposit their precious spawn of eggs and milt but as I beached it I cut its spawning run short. I felt a bit of sorry for the deed I did but the age old instinct we humans have in our makeup won over, food for the family at home.
The buck tipped the scales at 15 pounds and was quickly but in the ice box as the happy angler put the rod away, no need to fish with the chance of hooking another that would have to be let go and the chance of a sockeye biting would be slim. I walk around the bar, pick up some discared line and find some glows, corkies and other gear lost by the flossing crews
Buckeye and son were to come out which they did around noon and as we battle the wind storm. A one point while I am having a nap under the lean to the wind blows every thing down on me. It turned out Buckeye was trying to improve my shelter. In the next few hours they pick up a fresh run jack and miss another fish before they head for home leaving me to the peace of the mighty Fraser River for the night.
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Topic: Non-tidal Fraser River, August 26th 2010 (Read 1581 times)