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[chris gadsden]

Looked today and for anyone trying for an Early Red the conditions should be ideal come Wednesday if today was any indication.

A couple of things if you are fishing for the small rainbows you are allowed 4 hatchery fish daily, of any size Release any with an adipose fin.

The dyke is close up and down of Keith Wilson Road to cars until July 15. I must write them to remind them to open the gates come the 16. Water is high in this area anyway and the bugs are out.

Remember when the dyke opens pick up your garbage behind you and take the time to pick up those that drop it. It is an constant battle to keep this area open and garbage dumping as well as driving off the upper dyke road could see it closed  any time as we saw happen on the Abbotsford side of the Canal.
Remember the Chilliwack Vedder River Cleanup Coalition on July 18. Give a couple of hours back to the river. You can fish before and after the cleanup. Donuts, muffins and coffee there for breakfast.

More info on cleanup at www.cleanrivers.ca

Do not leave valuables in your car while fishing as break ins continue unabated in the area. Saw fresh glass in the Lickman parking lot today.

[chris gadsden]

Chilliwack Progress
River users told to be careful around Tolmie slide
 


Published: June 25, 2009 9:00 AM
Updated: June 25, 2009 10:47 AM

Undercutting erosion from spring runoff is bringing down chunks of the Tolmie slide on the Chilliwack River.

"It's a dynamic river. It's been doing that for many years," said Dave Lamson, president of the Chilliwack River Action Committee. "But it means it's more dangerous now.

"People have to know that they have to be more careful."

The river has been fairly high due to the runoff for the past three weeks, but it's starting to recede now, he said.

Charlie Hilliard with Kids in the Nest Educational Society has trained her river cam on the slide, and is worried about the safety of kayakers and rafters coming down the river.

She uploaded up a five-minute video on Youtube called "Danger Tolmie Slide June 24/09" that clearly shows debris coming down.

"The kayakers are oblivious to the dangers as they come down," she said.

Hilliard has been watching chunks of mud and trees splashing into the water since mid-June, including a very large tree now wedged in the water near the bottom of the slide.

"It's a lot worse now," she said on Wednesday. "The public needs to know is should stop kayaking along the slide area."

Hilliard, who is also an avid kayaker herself, said she wants more signs put up to warn river users.

Lamson said they are already two signs up as it is, near the parking lot at Obyrne Road, and on the riverside near private property. He said he's not sure if more signage can be put upstream of the slide.

"Actually the Anderson slide is sloughing even more," said the CRAC official. "That's our major concern now."

CRAC is a group of volunteers that has applied for and been granted thousands in funding over the years to install protective groynes at several clay slide sites along the river. The groynes, which are large boulders, protect the "toe" of the slide from being eaten away by erosion.

In terms of Tolmie, he said the 21 protective boulders that went in were doing a good job at the upstream end. A slump on the downstream side also covered some of the groynes. But there isn't adequate funding in place yet to complete the terracing needed to make the slide area even more stable, Lamson added. jfeinberg@theprogress.com

[Every Day]

Was a few people spin cast fishing the sweltzer confluence on my way across the bridge a few mins ago......
Water looks really good, dropping fast and has nice colour, should be crystal clear up top.
Lots of new areas to explore for the upcoming salmon season... Now I can fish after work....

Can't wait for the rainbows on the fly either later on in August...

[BNF861]

Was a few people spin cast fishing the sweltzer confluence on my way across the bridge a few mins ago......

You saw this today? The chilliwack is currently closed and sweltzer is closed all year.

[chris gadsden]

Was a few people spin cast fishing the sweltzer confluence on my way across the bridge a few mins ago......
Water looks really good, dropping fast and has nice colour, should be crystal clear up top.
Lots of new areas to explore for the upcoming salmon season... Now I can fish after work....

Can't wait for the rainbows on the fly either later on in August...

You should phone situations like that in to the Conservation service or tell the people that it is closed. A number of casual people donot look at the regualation, they just  see water and start fishing. It happens all the trime.

[rides bike to work]

Just a reminder those released trout are our future steelhead so take it easy on them.Fishing with bobber and worm I notice the swallow it deep every time remember
"catch your limit but limit your catch"

[Every Day]

Well guys there is a reason for the retention limit on these little guys.
First of all they compete with wild stocks for food.
Secondly MOST of these little guys are done going to the ocean by now, some do go later.
Most of these hatchery fish become resident bows and move to the upper.
I choose to only fly-fish them in August as I believe that some are still outgoing in July. I prefer to just catch and release, fun but too much work for food.

Sometimes it really bothers me when people get mad that we are fly-fishing for them.
First of all, the guys salmon fishing reds (probably quite a few of you including me) do way more damage with bait and oversized hooks that go through their heads.
I see them getting killed and mistreated by salmon fisherman all the time because they are mad about their bait being stolen.
Secondly, half the guys fly fishing dont kill them and are doing it for fun, with minimal damage to the fish. I MIGHT gut hook 1-2 a year out of hundreds, how many do you think the bait guys gut hook or brain hook with bait fishing for reds?

Yes Chris I know that lots of people see water and just fish right away.
In fact the people I saw today were a big group of swimmers/camp fire people, of which only one was fishing.
I was just driving home from work... just wanted to get home or I would have went down.

BNF yes I know it is closed right now.
By the way, you can fish sweltzer up to the hobo camp for future reference.
I have asked DFO and they confirmed this, also in the regs it says you can fish 100 (might be 200M) within the confluence.
Right along the edges can be good during high water late season for coho (and steelhead).

[Preliator]

Sometimes it really bothers me when people get mad that we are fly-fishing for them.

Just curious why people would be mad that you are fly-fishing for them?

[BNF861]

Took the dog for a walk down on the river bank, lickman area, last night. River is definately coming down and is starting to take nice shape.  Even found a like new dne float which is what i use and in the color i buy, made my walk lol. I just got a new Sage cp rod as a fathers day/ early birthday present, so I'm itching to use it.  How early do people usually start seeing some reds being caught on the vedder, mid july? 

[chris gadsden]

Took the dog for a walk down on the river bank, lickman area, last night. River is definately coming down and is starting to take nice shape.  Even found a like new dne float which is what i use and in the color i buy, made my walk lol. I just got a new Sage cp rod as a fathers day/ early birthday present, so I'm itching to use it.  How early do people usually start seeing some reds being caught on the vedder, mid july? 

All the loose floats are mine. Looked at the river this morning looked like some clay had fallen in.

I heard some are taken opening day but the best is mid July like you say. With the river high it cuts down on the spots they like to sit in.

[Every Day]

Just curious why people would be mad that you are fly-fishing for them?

Because we are "harassing the Steelhead smolts."
Or my personal favourite : "Why do you like killing (when I'm not) small fish when you could be fishing for the big ones in here."

[rides bike to work]

Ive seen many uneducated people catch way over their limit of these small trout (buckets full) because they are so easy to catch.If they are near their car  I take the license plate # other wise Ill walk up and try to educate them on the regulations and limits usually with a fairly cold reaction.If they continue to fish I walk down with my fly rod and hook em in the lip with my back cast and say "how do you like it",just kidding but the more we report the vialators the action will be taken.

[kingpin]

chrome bar is correct, typically they will spend around 2 years, but they can spend as little as 1 year or even up to 4 years.

[buck]

chrome bar
 
Everyday is correct when he says that hatchery smolts ( juveniles ) that have been released from the hatchery should be removed from the system
if they have not left by the first of July. These fish most likely will not survive the winter and will compete with wild steelhead juveniles. You are correct
when you say that steelhead spend 1-3 years in fresh water before heading to the sea. However, steelhead at the hatchery have had their growth
rate accelerated so they can be released in 1 year. These fish range from 80 - 110 grams which is much larger than wild steelhead smolts. 

[Every Day]

Just because they have grown faster doesn't mean they'll leave sooner. It just means they're bigger now, its up to their biological clock when they want to leave.

Buck works at the hatchery.... he knows what he is talking about.
I really dont see the big deal fly fishing with a small barbless hook and then releasing them.
Like I said, if you are so concerned about the Steelhead smolts you should probably not be fishing for reds at the same time.
These little guys will bite whatever is on your over-sized hook, wool, spinners or bait.

I believe that these fish go looking for more food.
When they are bigger it means they need more food and they leave.
These tiny little wild ones could easily live on the food the Vedder has to offer.
Whatever the case, go out and have fun fishing. Opens tomorrow, I'll be out there for reds..... and smolts if I get desperate