After yesterday's success on the Chehalis I was anxious to see if I could continue it on the Vedder. I know the water would be in good shape after a day without rain as it clears faster than in previous years.
That is because of the good work David Lamson and others from the Chilliwack River Action Committee have done on several clay slides over the last number of years on the Chilliwack River. Lets hope we do not have any high water events that will open up some new slide areas.
I did not rush to the area I was going to fish as I wanted to check a few more log jams for floats . Finding 90 yesterday I wanted to raise that total to a hundred. I think someone beat me to the jams as I only found 4.
Its about 30 minutes past first light when I start to fish,I notice the river is devoid of anglers too. A strong out flow wind made getting a good drift tough, luckily I did not have to cast too far to find the zone where the fish were travelling. Nothing happens for a bit then I start getting bite after bit but keep missing them and my bait is being stripped off. Where they smolts as we seem to have more than usual in the system. I were hearing rumours when they were released from the hatchery it was because they were smaller than in the past and were not leaving the river as quickly as they usually do.
Finally I do not set the hook right away as I sort on hold back as the Maple Leaf Clear Drift disappears. When I do set the hook I feel good weight at the end but it immediately falls off, darn, was it a coho.
Finally I hook a fish and it turns out to be a wild coho jack, maybe these are jacks I am missing. I decide to tie up some roe bags and that seems to help some in keeping my bait on that was a bit too soggy this morning. I finally land a fish, a hatchery coho jack followed by a clean chum that falls of after I had played it for a few minutes. Looked quite clean too. Of course they are closed from retention now. The bites continue every so ofter, most likely because the fish are passing through the runs as they head to the hatchery and other parts of the upper river.
The next fish I make contact with is bigger than a jack and the way it is acting after it feels the pinch of the hook I know it is a coho as it begins the rolling action. I see a flash of silver especially when it twists itself up in the line. As I bring it with sight I see it is a hatchery, yippee, finally my first hatchery adult coho of the season, on the Vedder that is. The 6 pound hatchery coho hen gives me three for the season including the two from yesterday on the Chehalis.
After the fish is bled I give The Master a call as he is out at another part of the river fishing with Steve.
They are having some success as well with Nick landing some including two hatchery does and Steve was just finding wilds or losing hatcheries.
As Steve can only fish to noon we decide to meet for breakfast at 11.
We wonder where Rodney is, Nick thought he was coming up, too bad he is missing the action.
As I return to fishingThe bites die off some but before I leave to meet the boys I land another hatchery jack.
As I head back to the Leaf Mobile I wonder if once again we are having a run of November fish like we used to many years ago. I guess we will find out in a couple of hours, I think I better tie up some more roe bags before then, maybe the fishing action will be hot and heavy once again today but one never knows, don't sleep in Rodney.
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Topic: Chilliwack River, November 3rd, 2010 (Read 1225 times)