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Author Topic: Tidal Fraser River, August 11th 2011: Beginner's Luck  (Read 1480 times)

leaping steely

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Tidal Fraser River, August 11th 2011: Beginner's Luck
« on: August 11, 2011, 06:24:49 PM »

Had a few hours to kill today, and seeing as I had just picked up my salmon tag for the salt, I figured I'd give the tidal Fraser around Richmond a shot.

I won't lie. This is my first year targeting salmon in the Tidal Fraser. I hadn't checked the tide charts in the last few days, so when I got to the river I saw that the water wasn't quite as high as I would have liked. I rigged up a spoon and started casting away. The first hour and a half was very quiet. I saw a couple of risers, but didn't get any hits and ended up losing 3 spoons to a huge snag that was in front of me. After moving downstream a bit, I noticed a few more risers with the incoming tide. I guess those ones were teasing me, as the next half an hour proved uneventful too. Then suddenly, midway through my retrieve I felt a sharp tug. I set the hook, and the battle was ON! A few flips on the surface, and I could see that it wasn't a huge fish, maybe in the 3-4lb range. As it neared the shore, I ID'ed it as a male Pink, with an ever so slight hump beginning to develop. Now here's the real kicker: I normally have a partner that is standing by to either take pictures or to help tail larger fish. Since I was alone this time, I had to reach into my vest to grab the camera. Bad move on my part. As I pulled the camera out, I lost a bit of tension on the line as the fish thrashed on the surface, and the hook came flying out of its mouth.  :'( :'( :'( :'( I was completely gutted, and still am. I think next time I will just strap the camera to my body.

I fished for another 20 minutes after that, but came up empty handed. Saw one more hooked as I was leaving, though I didn't stick around to see what it was.  There were definitely some fish moving through, but I guess my limited experience with fishing salmon in the tidal Fraser wasn't enough. Here's to next time.

Tight lines.
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BIG T

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Re: Tidal Fraser River, August 11th 2011: Beginner's Luck
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2011, 06:43:12 PM »

Hey, tough luck and tough love.  There is always TOMORROW ;) ;)  I was around today, you should have called me to hold your camera for you all day.  This is part of the fun of fishing and the stress of it all.  That's why there is the language of SWEARINGl ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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leaping steely

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Re: Tidal Fraser River, August 11th 2011: Beginner's Luck
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2011, 06:59:41 PM »

I was around today, you should have called me to hold your camera for you all day.  This is part of the fun of fishing and the stress of it all.  That's why there is the language of SWEARINGl ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I thought you told me that you had other plans for today? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MY CAMERAMAN. >:( >:(

Definitely was some choice words after it spat the hook. Looks like I'll just have to try again in the near future.
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BIG T

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Re: Tidal Fraser River, August 11th 2011: Beginner's Luck
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2011, 07:06:24 PM »

Yeah, my plans changed.  Let's met up tomorrow at the same place.  If you bring me to where you were today I will buy you lunch AND dinner.  Is that a deal?  Then you can get your quota with pictures to cherish.
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fishyfish

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Re: Tidal Fraser River, August 11th 2011: Beginner's Luck
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2011, 07:54:42 PM »

Consider yourself lucky I wrote ahead in my mind and when you said you reached for the camera in my mind I said to myself the camera fell in the water. I would rather lose a fish than a camera!
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noobfisher

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Re: Tidal Fraser River, August 11th 2011: Beginner's Luck
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2011, 09:03:14 AM »

Had a few hours to kill today, and seeing as I had just picked up my salmon tag for the salt, I figured I'd give the tidal Fraser around Richmond a shot.

I won't lie. This is my first year targeting salmon in the Tidal Fraser. I hadn't checked the tide charts in the last few days, so when I got to the river I saw that the water wasn't quite as high as I would have liked. I rigged up a spoon and started casting away. The first hour and a half was very quiet. I saw a couple of risers, but didn't get any hits and ended up losing 3 spoons to a huge snag that was in front of me. After moving downstream a bit, I noticed a few more risers with the incoming tide. I guess those ones were teasing me, as the next half an hour proved uneventful too. Then suddenly, midway through my retrieve I felt a sharp tug. I set the hook, and the battle was ON! A few flips on the surface, and I could see that it wasn't a huge fish, maybe in the 3-4lb range. As it neared the shore, I ID'ed it as a male Pink, with an ever so slight hump beginning to develop. Now here's the real kicker: I normally have a partner that is standing by to either take pictures or to help tail larger fish. Since I was alone this time, I had to reach into my vest to grab the camera. Bad move on my part. As I pulled the camera out, I lost a bit of tension on the line as the fish thrashed on the surface, and the hook came flying out of its mouth.  :'( :'( :'( :'( I was completely gutted, and still am. I think next time I will just strap the camera to my body.

I fished for another 20 minutes after that, but came up empty handed. Saw one more hooked as I was leaving, though I didn't stick around to see what it was.  There were definitely some fish moving through, but I guess my limited experience with fishing salmon in the tidal Fraser wasn't enough. Here's to next time.

Tight lines.

Thanks for sharing your story, gonna go after my first pink this year as well :)  Where in Richmond did you head out to? Dump bar, middle arm, north arm, dyke road, 2 or 3 road?
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Tex

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Re: Tidal Fraser River, August 11th 2011: Beginner's Luck
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2011, 10:31:01 AM »

Congrats on having hooked up!  You're one of the early ones so far, and look at it this way - your landing percentage can only go UP from here!  lol
:D
Tex

Rodney

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Re: Tidal Fraser River, August 11th 2011: Beginner's Luck
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2011, 09:39:49 AM »

The earliest/first catches are always the hardest to land. ;D Four years ago I was alone and "patrolling" the spots in mid August and came across a school of fins. Quickly jumped out of the car with the rod, made a few casts and the fish was on, but then I realized I left the net in the car. :P Tried to land the fish by hand, it of course popped off the hook and I slipped on the rocks at the same time. :P

What time were you fishing?

leaping steely

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Re: Tidal Fraser River, August 11th 2011: Beginner's Luck
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2011, 07:58:31 PM »


What time were you fishing?

Hey Rodney. I was there in the afternoon. I never get to fish that area in the evenings, though I'd like to.
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