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[chris gadsden]

If the DFO thinks this will help the Early Stuart run, those fish are indeed in trouble. I don't know how signaling out the group that catches by far the least amount of fish is considered scientific.

One also must remember changes are coming on the snag fishery that has caused this and many other of the problems these days with our sports fishing. This notice is I believe is just the beginning of what may take place this season and others that follow.

More and more people are turning away each day from participating in a fishery that does not see the fish actually make that choice, to chase and take your presentation.

As I said many times, I lobbied with other FRVSS executive members to get this sockeye fishery open and I also participated in it for several years but once I found out my hook and line was just a snagging tool to take my quarry I could not give it up quick enough.

My wish, more people will see it for what it is, give it up and return fishing to the good old days.

They were very good times and I feel they can be good again, I still have the faith.

[firstlight]

You said it right Chris.
Those were indeed some of the best times i ever spent fishing.
We would set up camp at Bowmans for 5 days and that was the best vacation ive ever had to this day.
All the kidding around with the other barfishers and the general commoradery amongst those that you allways seen at the same bars.
Oh man i hope those days return.
Good times indeed.

[Gooey]

Has anyone considered that DFO's request not to floss is purely a positioning thing.  What I mean by that is that DFO has a very strenuous relationship with a variety of aboriginal tribes that access the fraser runs.  I imagine that having rec fishers out there flossing makes managing the these tribal fishers even more challenging.  The first nations fishers probably have a low level of appreciation for the impact we have on early stuarts...they just see "us" flossing and say that they are out there fishing...so we should  be too. 

I don't know, its just a theory I have and considering how simple it would be just to simply ban flossing outside of a sockeye opening can't really take their request whole heartedly.  While I haven't flossed the fraser outside of a sockeye opening more than a half dozen times over the past 5 years I do wish DFO would just take a definitive position on the issue and draw a line in the sand - make it clear to everyone and take away the temptation to floss.

[TrophyHunter]

I honestly just wish they would shut the entire river down for all fishing ( including Native netting ) until the early run has gone through
there should be NO fishing of any kind until then. There is plenty of time left after that for everybody to get their fill !!!
Maybe then we wouldn't have to listen and read about the same thing over and over again every year !!
TH

[firstlight]

Why shut the river down when its obvious that barfishing is not a threat to the Sockeye?

[Rodney]

[2:40]

It's a shame when legit fishing practices can be tossed aside without any thought just because non-legit ones are being shut down!!  

How's that for cutting off your nose to spite your face? Losing openings PERIOD is not that great. It's harder to get them back than to lose them!

This 'request' is going after the snagging. Dont drag the other poor methods (ultimately, sport angling itself) into it!

[TrophyHunter]

Why shut the river down when its obvious that barfishing is not a threat to the Sockeye?

If you really need to ask that question then you haven't been reading many posts lol

the way I see it there will always be arguments between supporters of both methods !!  last year I caught more Sockeye Barfishing than I did BB, so did a few others... shut the puppy down and there will be nothing left to argue about and the fish will win 

TH

[2:40]

Rick, if this is the case, then two things.

WHAT ARE YOU USING?  You could be rich!

And WHY do you snag them if you've figured out how to get them on a bar rod???

Im going to suggest that you and these few others are a very select few...I know someone who got two one day but that's RARE.

Scary post about other closures and concern about early Chinooks there Rod. If chinook runs are in trouble, then there's really no salmon to selectively target in the early summer!!! 

[TrophyHunter]

I am not kidding about the numbers !! I know it is rare but two of them were caught whilst fishing with you're dad so I have proof lol
I mostly Barfished last year and I have to admit we had a hoot !! understand that I am not a diehard BB and I enjoy Barfishing and floatfishing and Flyfishing etc .. I just believe that the people that really enjoy BB should not be bashed constantly   
if I was told I could never fish the Fraser again I would not even shed one tear
TH

[Big Steel]

So I guess I am going Barfing this weekend....  who wants to go?  At least it is supposed to be a bit cooler and not 32 degrees!!

[johnny]

Why shut the river down when its obvious that barfishing is not a threat to the Sockeye?

If you really need to ask that question then you haven't been reading many posts lol

the way I see it there will always be arguments between supporters of both methods !!  last year I caught more Sockeye Barfishing than I did BB, so did a few others... shut the puppy down and there will be nothing left to argue about and the fish will win 

TH

Last year wasn't the year to judge the "average" sockeye catch rate while barfishing. The water was low and EXCEPTIONALLY clear(the most visibility I've ever seen in the Fraser) and it seemed the sockeye "bite" rate went up as a result. We even got some while reeling in when bouncing for them last year.. hooked "properly"(not outside the mouth). The point is, you can't compare apples(low clear conditions) to oranges(high dirty conditions) with hitting sockeye on a bar rig. Bar fishing IS exceptionally inefficient at catching sockeye.

As far as just "shutting it down", I would suggest as someone making a living at fishing the Fraser, it's a terrible idea. Write a law, then enforce it and all this will go away. Shutting the river down isn't a solution, it's a bandaid.

[Gooey]

I agree johnny...as my first comment on this thread indicates, DFO needs to get off their asses and change the laws then enforce them.  While we put up with a sockeye fishery and some of us participate in a chinook flossery...no wants flossing on the vedder for steelies, springs, coho, etc...DFO needs to take a stance on this for the entire recreational industry, not just the summer season on the fraser.

[2:40]

While there is lots of support for DFO to do what Gooey suggests, there is also an element in the angling ranks who are fighting hard to keep this fishery open and to "keep DFO out of their tackle boxes".

I might think if there was more consistant support from anglers things might move more quickly to fix the root of the problem instead of DFO having no way to manage it aside from closures.

I know guys want a chance at a sockeye but that shouldnt cloud the bigger picture. Keep in mind, the next two years for sockeye are going to be limited to no openings if predictions are right. If this IS the case, then what are guys fighting for? Are they fighting for nothing AND as a result, losing more at the same time?

[All Tangled Up]

That's not really the point troutbreath, we need to be responsible and own what we are supposed to uphold with sports fishing...

Do you dump garbage just because someone else gets away with it?

No, you do what is right cause it's your conscience you have to deal with.

Cheers,
Nicole

I don't dump garbage because of my conscience. I don't do it because it's the LAW! Now if the wording of the law said 'we recommend that you don't dump garbage' then I would. But seeing how it's ILLEGAL I don't do it. This notice is just as ridiculous as the other. Until it states that I am not allowed to bottom bounce and there is some sort of legal recourse against it, I will bounce till my hearts content.