Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[chris gadsden]

Welcome to The Journal on Fishing with Rod, your top fishing web site in the Northwest for fishing stories, tips, tall tails, videos, education and environmental issues along with much more.

It seems ages since I have written the Journal but have spent a good part of the last 5 weeks enjoying some solitude and landing 6 chinooks along with 3 jacks in Simon Fraser territory all since the opening a few weeks ago.

I also did some exploring and even walked a little of the HBC fur Brigade trail first used in 1948 by a Mr. Anderson to transport furs in New Caledonia from the center of BC to Spuzum, Yale and then to Fort Langley. I would like to hike the whole route one day it apparently goes up to Nicola Lake way.


I also picked some wild blackberries, the trailing type that are right on the ground, small but the best berry every made. Also picked some Saskatoon’s, not as nice but make ok freezer jam.

Other events including finding some bottles and cans during these trips to help with the
Soaring gas prices. Also witnessed a traffic mishap in that terrific storm of 3 weeks ago and had to coax the lady away from her car as it was steaming away and thought it could blow up. Took video footage (for Global TV but did not send in) as well as some pictures for the local press. The RCMP wanted all this so put it all together for them the next day. All in all a welcome break from a lot of e-mails and meetings for a few days. O and I found time to take in some Canada Cup fastball games at Softball City and pumped some bugs at White Rock. I also umpired two softball games, not at Softball City but here in Chilliwack, I retired about 10 years ago from this but they were short one night so I filled in for two games.

This Monday I planned to get the Leaf Craft checked over by Doctor Chad and Ernie, she had some problems as she did not ply the waters of the Fraser River in 2007 but a new impeller had her ready for Tuesday’s trip to the bar.


However on Tuesday I thought I would try the Lower Vedder at daylight for a chinook there but I found so many steelhead smolts I could not keep bait on and the little critters even ripped open the roe bags. I was using a 2/0 hook so I would not hook any. Sockeye were jumping everywhere. Saw only one other angler and he said he was 'Towing" the Fraser the other day and was getting a sockeye on every second cast, somewhere up Scale Bar way, I shook my head as I headed back to the Leaf Mobile.

I then decided to check the golf course for golf balls and got caught up in that and found
close to a hundred, by this time I was so tired I decided to just go to Island 22 and buy the launching pass for $50 and took in close to that much in bottles to pay that levy. See it pays to be a dumpster diver. Also I had enough for a late breakfast at Cookies to end day 1 of the Journal. Everyday will post some pictures to go with this as I work on day 2.

[johnny]

How much for some golf balls??!!??

[Every Day]

Here are pics : Enjoy 

[chris gadsden]

How much for some golf balls??!!??

I sell 100 of grade C for $25 and $12 a dozen for others in excellent shape except $25 for PRO V 1's.

Back to writing the Journal.

[Every Day]

Lol you sure are the money making machine... cans on the Vedder at 5:30 in the morning, and golf balls in the evening    Me and Ryan never hit anything that day by the way 

[kingpin]

can we see more baseball pics please 

[chris gadsden]

can we see more baseball pics please 

Coming up when Dan posts them.

[chris gadsden]

I arose early on Wednesday morning, July 23, loaded up the waiting and smiling Leaf Craft with the bar fishing gear and headed to Island 22 looking forward to the first bar fishing trip of the year.

The gate is wide open and the attendant waves me through, seeing my orange pass on the Leaf Mobile’s window. A small decal for $50.

I am surprised to see lot has only about 6 trucks and trailers in it. (this of course will change come Saturday as sockeye mania will make the parking lot look like grand Central Station) The park people will be happy as they will sell more of those little orange decals for $50 clams each.

I finally get the Leaf Craft in the water and it jumps to life much to my pleasure as I am sure looking forward to a relaxing day in the lawn chair and maybe the bell will toll as a bonus.

A guide boat beside me, waiting for his clients has some awful music, to me anyway, blaring away. I am tempted to say something like “Doesn’t the sound of the Fraser rushing by and the early morning birds announcing the start of another day in Rainbow Country sound more appealing to ones ears “but I tell myself, just because you just got your gold card that does not give you the right to say something like that. To each his own I keep telling myself on several issues.

I push off from dry land as I have to now, to bed as I am tired from today’s events too and I will try to complete this segment tomorrow morning before I start another fishing trip and other adventures, all in the day of The Journal here on FWR, in the Valley and beyond.

[Fish Assassin]

Is that a Maple Leaf drennan next to the dead spring ? Dumb spring, deserved to be bonked.

[chris gadsden]

I turn the nose of the Leaf Craft downstream and say to myself, “boy it is sure nice to be out on my favorite river, the Fraser once again", she sure is large, impressive and full of many stories past and present. One cannot help but think of the billions of salmon that have passed through where I am presently sitting, since the glaciers retreated ions ago.

My sounder goes from a few feet of depth before plummeting to over 50 in a few seconds as we reach the drop off of where the river is washing away the old camping area of Island 22.

Too bad it is now closed as so many people enjoyed camping there for many years before the river changed directions and started washing away tons of silt and earth yearly. Some say it was past gravel extractions above that caused the rivers change in directions, one will never now as all rivers have a mind of their own. They can not and will not be tamed unless they are dammed and they better damn not be and spoil another salmon bearing river. I will take my changes with the flood threat each year. The only drawback of camping at the Island was the mosquitoes that at times made camping unbearable, there was  only a few when I launched but the worse of this annoyance is over for this year.

I then turn the Leaf Craft in the direction of Maple Leaf bar, nosing her in a upstream direction she responses and I am just going to give her more throttle when something is now wrong. The steering is now very loose, I have no control, the current catches her as we are pushed sideways, now heading downstream towards some large fallen trees along the shore.

I donot panic as I was born on the water, 65 years ago, it never scares me but I respect it though as in a flash things can turn to disaster if one is not careful. I foolishly have not put on a life jacket, a new one my wife gave me a year ago; it sits in its shelf package on the floor, out of reach, no time to open it and put it on, very careless of me, I should know better.

I donot know what was guiding us, was it pure luck or was it the swirl of the current or some heavenly interference ( I went to church on Sunday) but the Leaf Craft and I are being pushed ashore. I grab an oar as I reach the rip rap bank protection and hold us there until I pitch the anchor to hold me and the Leaf Craft firm. I now don my life jacket.

I then see the steering cable has come apart and I realize my fishing trip for this day is over. I aslo see I can move the Mariner 50 horse somewhat by hand but it is stiff so I decide to walk the 200 yards back to the launch as I should find someone to tow me as it would be too tough to maneuver in the current by hand steering the motor.

I donot have to wait long as friend Don comes in and he of course he is willing to help and in no time he has towed the stricken Leaf Craft back from where we came, a few minutes before. I load the disappointed Leaf Craft back onto the trailer and head back to Doctor Ernie and Chad.

As I leave the launch two young chaps are pedaling by on their bikes with blood stained burlap sacks on the handle bars. “Want to buy some fish one shouts at me”, “how much” I reply, to test the waters.” How much can you afford’ one of the teenagers replies?

I feel like saying, with a hefty bill ahead to repair the steering I cannot afford much but say that is ok and they are on there way looking for some more willing and richer pockets to sell their freshly caught wares. I did for a moment think I should buy one to prove these food and ceremonial fish are sold but we all know they are so what would be the point. I have never bought a salmon anywhere and I am not going to start now. If I donot catch one the table will remain bare.

Dr Ernie and Chad on my arrival at the shop say the cable is indeed broken, time to visit a boat repair shop which I do. I decide to try Venture boats just down from Ernie's. I see a friend there, Jim, who is visiting with Bob, a part owner. Well what great service I find here as he makes some phone calls, measures the cable up and is able to find one for the 20 plus year motor, I am thankful. “Will have her in late morning” Bob says. See you then I say as I take the Leaf Craft home and then go and search for some more golf balls, to help pay for the repair, well I am shortly a Gold Card member of society.
After the golf ball hunt that adds a few more to my collection I go to the FOC office and report the attempt at selling of the fish experience and I find also there was no scheduled sockeye opening, interesting.

The officer takes the details down. Another fishery officer I know comes over and says they have just charged 4 local eating establishments with serving illegally sold sockeye, wow I thought I read in the press a few month ago some spokesmen said there was going to be a fish shortage for their people, how things change when money is to be made.I also see a dumpster outside the FOC office full of nets, must have beena lot of illegal fishing going on I think to myself. Enough said on this topic.

 I return home for a nap the day is done, I learned a lesson I should have known, do not think of buying illegally caught fish and wear that life jacket at all times. Back with the final segment of the Journal, after breakfast.

[chris gadsden]

Well another day breaks sunny in the valley, will I get the Leaf Craft repaired in time to finally get out bar fishing, time will tell I guess.

Anyway I know the steering part does not come in until late morning so I head to try the Chillwack Vedder again, for a chinook, I decide on the Ranger Run.

As I get the gear ready on my arrival I am paid a visit from a deer, a two prong with velvet still in his horns. He is very curious of this early morning vistor, he nibbles on some leaves, watching me as he does, I snap a picture or two and capture some video footage.

With the deer now on his way I head looking for a chinook run to fish. I am not familiar with this area so it is searching time.

I have a skip in my pace as I breathe in the mountain air, the troubles of the day behind me, I feel refreshed after a good nights sleep.

I see above me 4 anglers working a good looking run but it is a bit crowded so I just watch for a bit, one angler from this forum says nothing doing so far but fly guy took some fish here last night.
After watching for a few minutes I try a run below but find nothing except a snag which I luckily do not break off and loose the Maple Leaf Drennan. I see some Chilliwack Lake sockeye breaking water around me. Good to see the run is healthy this year.

Just as I start to leave I see one of the anglers above lands a chinook, looks a bit dark from a distance but maybe I am just jealous.

I head back towards the Leaf Mobile and fish out some old chairs someone dumped in the river. I make a pile of it, along with some other garbage left by a careless camper. I will come back and get it one day when I am not fishing.

I see part of trail I am on is the Trans Canada Trail, I follow it, as it meanders through some second growth, peaceful and serene.

I decide to give up fishing for the day as I can never really get into this red chinook fishing on the Vedder, I donot know why.

I then stop at the Cement Slabs and the Limit Hole and cleanup some litter along with a few tins. Some anglers are long lining and bottom bouncing with no float. I see several fish, chinook and sockeye snagged in all parts of the body, two colored chinook lay in a pool surrounded by rocks. I leave.

It is coffee time at the Chilliwack Hatchery so I stop in for a brew and a chat. Of course the topic of conversation is the pending sockeye opening.

With coffee time over I go and pick some blackberries and visit the junco nest I found a few days ago, one egg has hatched, I snap a picture of this bundle of fluff. A very small coyote pays me a visit as I continue to pick the berries. He comes close like the deer, curious, more pictures and video.

It is now time to head to get the boat repaired at Venture, the service is great and Cory has the job done quickly. I have a Tim Hortons as I wait,it was great to get out of the hot weather.

The day is now late, so home I go for a nap and get ready for today's adventure, better go now as the gate at Island 22 opens in 4 minutes. Also this will be the last peaceful day on the Fraser for 10 days or so as sockeye mayhem starts on Saturday. I hope to enjoy the outing today and maybe my bell will ring at least one, with my luck of late it will be a chinook over 77 cm or maybe even a sockeye.

Another Journal tonight.

[Athezone]

Thanks Chris, nice to see The Journal up and running and to enjoy a good read with my morning coffee. Sorry to hear about your mishap with The Leaf Craft, hope with the needed repairs done you're able to get out and catch a chromer in the right size range, (when are they going to let us keep the big boys???). Anyways like you mentioned its going to get crazy over the weekend and Island 22 will be a zoo. Thanks Again Chris. Good Fishing All.

[Every Day]

More pics 

[chris gadsden]

Thanks Dan, hard to see the baby junco in the nest, it looks like the other ones will not hatch.

I finally made it to Maple Leaf Bar today (Leaf Craft ran well) and bar fished for about 7 hours and had one fish (sockeye ?) run into my line water was lovely with visibility close to 2 feet. Saw numerous sockeye jump and lots of seals around and saw them working one of the FN nets. Saw a osprey catch a pike minnow and tried to get a photo of it eating its victim on a log but it was too wary and flew away but I did get some video.

Lots of activity by FN netters, I had a report given to me today that on the opening last weekend in the Canyon one netter took 1,200 sockeye, that seems high to me.

When I came in the creel surveyor at Island had not checked a chinook in her shift and anglers reported to her 7 sockeye released..
However I know one angler who is camped out took a chinook bat fishing and another said he broke one off.

May try again tomorrow and see the mayhem out there as may be taking one of the local papers out for some pictures of the going ons.

[Tinhat]

"Lots of activity by FN netters, I had a report given to me today that on the opening last weekend in the Canyon one netter took 1,200 sockeye, that seems high to me."

Hi Chris,

I fished in the Fraser Canyon a little last weekend (not far from Yale) and I don't doubt that number at all, those nets were checked regularly and I was surprised (read as jealous) at the amount of fish tossed into the boat every time. The boat was clearly loaded returning from each net every trip. What puzzled me more than anything was that not one fish was ever returned to the water.. everything was kept, I assumed they must have all been Sockeye. I was only there for a day but if the amount of fish I saw taken was representitive of the whole weekend then 1200 would be a good estimate in my opinion.

Regards,

Tinhat