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[chris gadsden]

A warm welcome once again to The Journal on FWR, your top fishing web site on the net. Once again its a very rainy night in Chilliwack, it seems like only yesterday most of us were praying to the rain gods to shed a few tears on a parched British Columbia. Well your prayers were answered and now the tap is locked into the on mode. It is a good thing the freezing levels are low or we would be in big trouble along all our rivers.

Lets hope we do not get a warm spell or things will be a lot worse than the preceding week, which was an interesting one from this scribes view. I will recount some of my activities along the swollen Chilliwack Vedder River and elsewhere. Hope you enjoy the ride, if not, one does not have to read it of course. Even thought there was some fishing involved including using a net I have decided to but it into general discussion. I will take a day or two to write The Journal so if interested check back when the spirit moves you.

Monday, November 6.

The day started off innocently enough even though all the rain that had fell and was falling when I got up and headed for a large single single coffee at Tims.

My boy needed his vehicle taken to Doctors Ernie and Chad so I was on my way to do that for the 8:30 opening. On the way I phone Buckeye and see if he could pick me up and bring me home.

Arriving at the Garage ahead of Buckeye I see The Master there also, he invites us to join him and the gang at Cookies, an offer always to good to decline. Good food, good stories from The Master and good fellowship, what better way to start the week.

While enjoying the food and the get together The Master's wife says there has been a slide around Old Orchard Road. I phone the photo journalist Jenna at The Chilliwack Progress, giving her the tip, she says she will check it out for a possible photo.

After breakfast Buckeye and I jump into his Black Monster and head for KWB. On arrival the Vedder is in full flood mode with her flow full of whole trees. KWB is shutterting as the large trees slam into her supporting pilings. Its landscape has changed so much since a few days ago, the two legged sweepers are gone, now replaced by sweepers of another kind, every possible type of tree that has been torn some where from the headwaters of the Chilliwack watershed. They seem to groan in pain as they head towards the Fraser and then out into Georgia Strait.
I phone Jenna again and tell her she may want a shot of scene from KWB, we arrange a meeting time.

In the meantime Buckeye shoots some picture, I shoot video footage. I also phone the FVRD area "E" director for a update what is happening above. I get his wife and she says " very serious, very serious indeed, with houses threatened" she adds, some people are being moved to the Vedder Legion. I phone Jenna again and tell her the story is now in the Wilson Road area not at KWB. I also phone the Global TV news room to see if they are onto the story. The girl that answer says they have a crew on the way, problems every where in the Lower Mainland.


Buckeye and I, both sort of news hounds, you may have guessed that, head to see what is happening at the Vedder Legion. As I work the phone Buckeye checks inside the Legion. On his return to the Black Monster he says a couple evacuated people are there already.

We then head to Wilson Road and we see a real mess developing, water coming down the road, through people's yards. Jenna is there shooting pictures along with all sorts of emergency personell there. While Buckeye shoots more pictures I go on air with CKWX radio 1130 and file an on the scene report. I told you we were news type of guys, might as well cover TV, the print media and radio all at the same time.

We head up river and check out Tamahi Bridge and the water is sure moving there. I tell Buckeye "if you want to drive across it I am getting out, the bridge could go at anytime".

We head back, shooting more pictures, still and video and then stop in at Vedder Bridge, a large crowd is gathered, watching first hand all the debris coming down. 3 TV station's satellite trucks are there preparing to broadcast live, the event of the day. Talk to reporter Chris from Global, not knowing we would meet him tomorrow too but that is a story for day 2.

We check some other area's and see the water has dropped a bit. Once the river gets up to a certain point it needs more snow melt and heavy rain to keep it there..
We reverse fields once again and head up river. We run into the Environment Minister Barry Penner who is checking the situation out as well. After that we resume our way up river, crossing Tamahi Bridge this time and head for the washout above the Allison Poll area. Water covers the road, I get out for some video shoots wading until the current is too strong, turning me back. As I wade towards my ride I see a TV cameraman filming us, I film him too. When I approach him he tells me he is from Global and though he could get some footage if Buckeye was going to drive through the water. We say we are not that crazy.

We hear that help is needed filling sand bags at the Chilliwack River Valley Fire hall so we spent a couple of hours there joining other residents helping with that chore. My sister Fran who recently moved to the Valley comes to help also. It is a first for us doing that. Was fun in a way knowing you were helping others while enjoying the company of some people you had not met before. A hot supper was also provided so that was great as well. Wonderful seeing so many pulling together in a common cause, helping your neighbor.

That ends day 1, day 2 will find us helping some other friends of another type. Back tomorrow morning as have to watch the Leaf game on tape from Saturday night, really behind, a flood will do that to you I guess.

[Boozi]

Great read. And Chris you do a great job to help out the river. Congrats to you

[chris gadsden]

Tuesday, November 7

The downpour that had reached around 112 mm in the last 24 hours had seen 25to 30 mm an hour falling at times. I read over coffee, in the Vancouver Sun that a new rainfall record has been set, a 25 year high as the Chillwack River was massively swollen and a evacuation order had been given to 200 Chilliwack River Valley residents. It was reported the river had reached close to 1,100 cubic metres per second at the Vedder Bridge.

I decide to check things out in the Vedder Canal area and I see the river has dropped some so I decide to check for some floats that may have been washed down from above. They are scattered in among the newly created log jams, also a few bottles and tins along with other debris that finds its way into the 5 gallon bucket that fills quickly, joining the floats. A few Drennans, Stealths, and DNE's join the run of the mill foam floats, it is like a treasure hunt or more properly beachcombing I guess. I think each float could tell a story, that is if it could talk as it washed it way downstream, past the destruction above. Many have felt the squeeze of the debris, torn and tattered from the trip.

I spot the odd dead chum as well, spawned out fish. Not really thing about it I see a lone live chum, a doe, it fin and tail visible in a small muddy pool. Of course they would have been washed out of the main stem and then have become trapped in the receding waters. I leave my salvage work and are able to tail her but as she is well rested the 6 to 7 pound fish does not take kindly to my actions even though I want to save her from a premature death.

I think I should get permission to do this but pass it off for now, caught up in the moment of saving her. I gently slip her into the silt ladden Vedder, she disappears quickly, visibility is nil. What a change from a few days ago when you could walk across this area. Its banks and gravel bars were lined with people sweeping the fish laying in the pools. They have either now made it upstream or washed back down in the rushing waters.

I move on an quickly findanother pod of chum in a bigger pool. They circle like sharks, their fins cutting the murky water, looking for an escape route, one that is not there.

I move in on a fish, video camera rolling, I try to grab a good sized buck, he has no part of it and the group of fish scatters spraying the camera lens. I know this method will not work. Just then Pete a avid fisher of the Vedder comes by, he has seen the fish in other pools as well. He says he will go and get a net from home. "Okay I say, I will wait for you". I decide to scout for more fish and work the jams for more floats and tins. I also phone Buckeye and see if he would like to join the rtesue,"be right down" is his reply. I then think maybe a good story for Global so I phone the news desk. The girl answering, "can you hold please". I hold for close to 10 minutes, o my phone bill be high this week I thing. Finally she transfers me to someone, I get a recording, disgusted I hang up. I try again, I am greeted once again" can you hold please". This time the wait is only a couple of minutes. Talking about holding, can you hold also as I have to head to a early dentist appointment follwed by a trip and try to locate some cutthroat for the brood capture program. Another adventure starting before I start finish this one.

Glad I have no press dead lines in this business of writing The Journal.

[Xgolfman]

Damn retired guys have such easy lives...can't wait for the day...

[Big Steel]

Great read Chris.  I was at work through all of this and while there, I was wishing I could be out in the area to help out where it was needed.  I was in Manitoba for the FLOOD OF THE CENTURY, and can tell you the power of mother nature is incredible.  There I was ablle to help out, even though most of the help was futile as pretty much every wall and dyke we put up was breached by the power and force of the water.  I am glad to see that the damage was minimal this time, and that there was ample amount of people there to help out.  Great job again on doing whatever is needed.  You guys deserve a big pat on the back.

[Fish Assassin]

Chris, when I win the bet I want a brand new Stealth, not a recycled one.

[Xgolfman]

Chris, when I win the bet I want a brand new Stealth, not a recycled one.

 

[chris gadsden]

Back to wrap up Tuesday's journal after a half a day of chasing cutthroat for the brood stock program today. Had lots of bites using single eggs and landed several feeders and only one spawner that turned out to be a hatchery fish so it was released as they only want wild stock. Buckeye had more success getting 3 nice fish for the program. The highlight of the day for me was meeting up with Floon and Deb and getting a hug from Deb that was heart warming. It was one of the most miserable days one could ask for, windy, cold and very wet. Floon took some nice fish on the fly before I arrived, well done Flooner.

Sorry I ended up giving todays report, a mini journal.

Tuesday, Nov. 7.

I am finally transfered to Oliver Lum the assignment editor at Global, he is interested in what we are doing so give me reporter Aaron's cell number as he is cover the flood today. I try the number but a recording. As I figure he may be out of cell range I phone Oliver again. He says he will track him down. Finally I get a call from Chris who says they have been given the assignment to film us. They say this is the story they are looking for today good news of people helping others and rescuing the Chum fits their script. I give them directions to where we are and they say they will be down in about 20 minutes.

While we wait Buckeye and I chase down a few more floats, I spot lots of trapped chum, some in shallow pools other deeper ones. Peter has also arrived armed with a large net.

Finally Chris and his camera man arrive, we review what we are doing with them and begin the rescue while the camera's rolling. The chum are full of vinegar and most are too strong to try and tail. The net does the job and we move them from the net into my brood capture tube and then pack them to the main flow. The camera man moves into several different positions to get his footage. We are careful not to trip and fall so as not to make a TV blooper. We empty the pool and then we all do the interview thing to wrap up the shoot, it takes about 30 minutes to film.

With the shoot in the can Chris wants to help a bit at the next pool where we move a few more. Chris is a real good guy who made us feel comfortable in front of the camera. They have to move to another assignment, they say the story will be on the evening news. We move more chum and by the time we are tired out we have moved close to 40 fish. We feel good that we have done, our part in saving thousands of eggs and hope most of the fish we rescued have been given another chance to spawn and create another generation of chum that will return in 4 years or so.

As an after thought I phone FOC and get their blessing for what we have been doing. I also phone the Abbotsford Hatchery and a BC Conservation officier out of courtesy so if they get a complaint from someone they have been informed as well. No problems but glad I did notify them as in away it could case problem if too many were doing this as some people could net them and keep them.

We decide to meet Wednesday morning at 9 as the receding water is exposing more fish.

I head home to watch the evening news and are pleased with the results and how it was covered.

Wednesday's journal tomorrow, sometime.

[chris gadsden]

Wednesday and Thursday.

Did not get back to The Journal yesterday, Nov.15th as tied up in the morning covering the traffic mishap on the Vedder Bridge for the Chilliwack Progress, getting a few pictures. It was then on to the first meeting at Cultus Lake to deal with fishing ethics on the Chilliwack Vedder River and elsewhere. I put together a short, 5 minute video presentation of some of what went on this year around KWB As I reported on another thread some good ideas of what changes need to be made to bring sports angling into line what it should be. Another meeting will follow to flesh out the recommendations that will be made. I believe this group of concerned anglers and the SFAC sub committee that meets in a couple of weeks will be forwarding on ideas that can not be ignored by FOC and MOE. Changes should be a comming. I also met up with Environment Minister Barry Penner and during a walk along the Vedder River we discussed these issues. He too is concerned about what we see on our rivers and even commented on them in the local press this week. I also suggested to him that a separate court that some governments have to just deal with wildlife issues should be looked into. This was an idea that was presented at the morning fishing ethics meeting by one of the attendees. I will try to discuss this further with the Minister and the ethics thing in a future meeting.

Here I am doing a Journal about this week instead of last. I better get at it before I head out this morning for some more cutty fishing.

Wednesday and Thursday saw most of these two days taken up moving more chum out of the pools created by the receding flood waters. During these two days we were joined by FVSS president Frank Kwak, Terry, Hank, Gwyn, Rick, Mark and Peter. Peter gave up 3 days to help, what a trooper, not easy work for us old guys sloshing about in the mud and silt that bogged us down a few times. By the end of the 3 days we had moved 140 chum and one chinook. We felt good about what we had done, our part in helping our precious fish stocks that continue to struggle to perpetuate their race.

I got lots of video footage of the rescue work, we should try to put a clip together for Rodney to post one of these days something I do not know how to do, heck I can not even know how to post pictures yet.

We had a scary moment on Thursday that proves you can never be too careful during the high water flows we are having. We thought we were finished on Thursay when two walkers said there was some trapped fish up by the Salween Creek Gravel pile. 4 of us head up there but they are in too deep of a pool to get at them. Mark and I walk around the gravel pile and we spot a couple in a shallower area. We move in on them and net one. Mark takes it to the river in the brood capture tube. We get the last one just as he returns. It is popped in the tube and I tell Mark I will take one end as it becomes fairly heavy when filled with water.

We get to the edge of the river to slip the fish out of its temporay home and all of a sudden Mark is gone, it happened that quick. somehow the bank gave way or he slipped into the 5 to 6 feet of water. Luckily it was not a fast current but the cold water has knocked the breath out of him. He is submerged up to his neck. I quickly reach out for him and am able to pull him up on the bank as he gasps for air, he is soaked of course, we laugh about it.

However when we get back to the others and relate what happened I begin to tremble, I am scared,  what could have happened to him if I had not gone with him to release that last fish. Maybe with his waders filled with water he may not have been able to pull himself back up to dry land, who knows. The good part now he was safe I tell him as he changes into some dry cloths that I had in the Leaf Mobile. Another stupid thing, he and me too DIDNOT have a safety floating vest on or even a wading belt, we both should have known better. What was a good thing  we were doing for the chum could have turned into an event I would have never lived down if things turned out bad for Mark.


I will leave the Journal for know leaving you with this sobering tale. Please, please donot be as dumb as us when out fishing next time or in the future. Thanks, as all of you are treasured friends here, on The Journal.

[Youngin]

be careful chris! always a nice read

[THE_ROE_SLINGER]

Great read chris once again!

[chris gadsden]

With the power outage yesterday I did not get back to The Journal. As well I was tired from an early morning duck hunt, unsuccessful. Also headed out in the afternoon after cutthroat for the brood capture program. Needless to say conditions were not that great but the wind did not pick up until it was time for me to go however the rain made it miserable to some degree. I picked up one nice fish for the program, a wild fish of course, in the 16 inch range. Also landed 3 feeders. Lots of bites which always makes it interesting seeing the Maple Leaf drennan going down. I have switched from the Maple Leaf Stealth to the drennan as I like to use a smaller float. Hope Steve will come up with a smaller one in the near future.

A rap now on The Journal as I want to have another go at the cutty sharks today as looks like a good day. The stars were shinning on my way to get an extra large double double, a little while ago.

After rescuing the 140 chum and one chinook the first 3 days of the week I found time to do a little duck hunting, bagging a brace of mallards, hunting under a small set of 12 decoys. I had one good flock pay them a visit and was able to pick up a double from it. They have also visited the oven now, succulent eating to say the least, that is to those o us that like eating what nature offers us.

With the local rivers blown out it was time to do some cutthroat fishing and I was able to land close to two dozen, All were released except the one spawner that went to the brood capture program mentioned above. Sure makes up for the lack of the float going down for me during the coho season, that is if one can call it a season. Things may be grim for steelhead this year due to turbid water conditions caused by the clay slide situation, I hope not, as last year was so good and enjoyable.

 I also had an enjoyable trip out with Buckeye one day and he was able to get 3 nice spawner's for the hatchery on Saturday.

Speaking of Saturday, had an interesting event.

While heading out to the river I saw a duffel like bag in the middle of Evans Road, I stop and pick it up. It is a spotlight, one you plug into your cigarette lighter, a good one too. It has Pango, Chilliwack # 3 written on it. Looked like it had never been used. How did it get there I think, fall out of a truck or what, the bag was not even wet which means it was not there very long, besides someone else would have picked it up before me if it had been there much before I arrived on the scene. I continue down the road and then I see a metal object on the side of the road, maybe 300 yards from where I found the light. I stop, pick it up, it is part of a till, no cash. Now I know I have found the remnants of a robbery or break in. I phone the RCMP and give them the details, "do not touch it too much, we may want to check it for finger prints" are my instructions. It is a little late for that I think, mine are on it already, no CSI agent here as I was not thinking about putting gloves on first. Anyway they will find mine and I wonder if they still have my paw prints somewhere on file. We had to be fingerprinted when we had race horses at Hasting Park in the 1960's.

They tell me to drop it off at the RCMP office. I tell them I am going fishing and could I do it later or better still is there a patrol car close at hand." No" they say. Maybe should check at the closest Tim Horton's I nearly say but think better of it.

As I turn down Keith Wilson Road I see a car coming out of the old army base. It is now used as a RCMP training facility. I flash my lights at him, he stops. I explain what I have, he wants no part of it as he is from Victoria here on training I guess and is heading home.

No luck here so I continue heading down Vedder Road North, to the freeway. As I near Cottonwood Mall I see another white car with lights on top. I do a quick left turn, on a left turn arrow, red at the time no less. I wave to the officier, flash my lights, the driver, a lady officier then quickly turns on her flashing red and blue lights and pulls a U turn, slipping in behind me. Right then another car appears, red lights flashing, the Leaf Mobile is starting to feel a little uncomfortable with all the attention she is getting. It reminds both of us when we got on that trip to the Island a few months ago when we were pulled over because her shocks needed replacing, you may remember that story.

Anyway the officier gets out and I explain what I have, the other car leaves. She puts on some gloves and takes the till and light, I spend as little time as possible as we did not what to think anyone going by that may know the Leaf Mobile think she has committed some sort of crime when she was just doing the opposite.

Got in a little fishing only due to the delays as well had to get back for the Remembrance Day service, never miss it as it is a time to remember all that served during the world conflicts. We have the freedoms we have today because of their sacrifice. also my dad and my wife's dad both served during World War 2.

I had made up a picture of my late dad the night before, put in on a backing, wrote some words on it and placed it at the foot of the cenotaph among the many wreaths, right after the service, I had to wipe a tear or two from my eyes as I did so. I know he would be pleased we remembered him in that way. It was him as I have mentioned many times that got me into fishing and I remember him for that as well. It was good to have 2:40 and my wife there at this time as well.

I see daylight is not far away, time to start another adventure, another journal in the great outdoors, thanks dad for making that happen, in more ways than one, theres those tears again.

[Rodney]

[chris gadsden]

Picture of the 15 inch or so cutthroat going into the tank for transport to the hatchery.

[Griz]

Chris that was another good Journal to read. By the way how is your supply of Kodiak Rolling swivels do you have enough for the Steelhead season. And maybe I can give you one of my Grizzly Creek Center Pin covers to go with the swivels. I haven't see the Master in a while so can you ask him for me if he is need of any Kodiak Rolling swivels   for the Steelhead season. Thanks Griz.