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[Steelhawk]

It looks like DFO may not open the sockeye fishery, despite the fact that sockeyes seem abundant judging from various bar reports.  Spring fishing are quite hot too, so I decided to target them primarily.  Arrived at an upper Fraser bar late in the afternoon.  Saw quite a few friends there who reported that sockeyes were just everywhere.  Most were quickly brought in & released in the water properly. But what a pain that DFO decides to keep us out while letting the natives harvest them with potent drift nets.

To avoid the socs, I put on heavier betty & drifted way out, and retrieved much sooner than normal for sockeye fishing. With water level dropping and a hot summer, the big slabs are usually far out there. Within 20 minutes or so, I had a strong spring on.  Took me a long way down the bar. While fighting the spring, I saw a guy below hauled in a small fish on the beach & he was trying to bonk it.  Judging from the size, I know it had to be a sockeye.  So I paused there, still fighting the spring by sensory feeling,  & yelled at him to release the sockeye.  He replied that he didn't know it was a sockeye.  What a bummer!  Anglers, even newbies, should not have an excuse for not recognizing the species.  I told him to revive the sockeye the right way.  Then I proceeded to follow the spring down more, finally landing a nice size spring.   All in all, a good season so far for me.  3 springs (all red) in 4 trips.  No sockeye hook up today for me.    Just stay way out there with up to 4 oz lead & retrieve sooner to avoid drifting into the sockeye zone.  You may still hook up some big socs, but not that frequent hopefully.  Lets hope DFO be more reasonable with the sockeye fishermen when the socs are evidently there in large number. Tight line.

[miketheflyguy]

Good Report! I must say also I have sen 2 socks bonked in the last 3 trips......pathetic.

[Sterling C]

Can we stop calling it the upper fraser. The fraser goes up to the base of Mt. Robson. I would hardly consider between Chilliwack and Hope the upper river.

[allwaysfishin]

i think that for most lower mainlanders the upper and lower fraser is pretty much sandheads to mission bridge/lower and mission bridge to Hope bridge as upper. I know for fishing report purposes this has long been the norm for folks from the vancouver area.

[Steelhawk]

Sorry this is not a geography forum. 

With Rodney always posting 'Lower Fraser' report on Richmond area, this is just a way to inform fishers of the relative location we are talking about.  Perhaps we can start using mutually agreed designation here so every one will know which section of the river you are reporting without naming the bar.  How about 'upper Fraser' meaning above Rosedale Bridge to Hope, 'mid Fraser' from Mission to Rosedale, and 'lower Fraser' from Mission & down.  Just relative terms for Fraser fishermen, not for geographical exactness.