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[Dave]

It’s that time of year again to remind anglers fishing the Chilliwack - Vedder to be on the lookout for adipose clipped Cultus Lake sockeye.  The earliest recorded migrant through the Sweltzer Creek counting fence was July 31, last year, and there is some evidence to suggest these fish may hold in the Vedder downstream of Sweltzer Creek in the cooler water, before making the push to Cultus Lake.  If they are not in the system now, mixed along with Chilliwack Lake sockeye, they soon will be.
The issue here of course is not to confuse adipose clipped sockeye with adipose clipped coho.   The majority of potential angler/Cultus sockeye encounters will be below Sweltzer Creek, situated at the Vedder bridge.   Without proper photos it is difficult to describe the visual differences of the 2 species but here’s a try:

Sockeye have a pure white mouth, thin caudal peduncle (tail wrist) and slightly forked, gray tail. Sockeye have no spots on the back or tail.  July and August sockeye will be chrome bars; September and later fish have a grayish/green cast, definitely not the typical sockeye red colour.  Fish will be fairly consistent in weight  - average about 5 lbs; some males perhaps 8lbs.

Coho have a darker lower gum line, thick caudal peduncle and an almost square, dark tail.  Coho have black spots on the back and on the top half of the tail.  Early fish will be silver, turning red/brown as they mature.  Coho are throughout the Vedder- Chilliwack system and tend to be variable in size but as a rule larger than sockeye – up to 18 lbs.

If you are not sure of the identification of a fish you catch, please do the right thing and err on the side of caution.  Release it.

[GoldHammeredCroc]

A timely reminder Dave, thanks for posting.

[mykisscrazy]

Radiotracking Cultus Sockeye back in 96 or 97...The last year they behaved "normally". We tracked Cultus Sockeye up to Osbourne road. We found they quite often overshot Sweltzer and kept going and then would hold at times for days in the Chilliwack River. We even had fish go up Sweltzer and then come back to the Chilliwack and Vedder.
In the past I have heard rumors if people cannot tell the difference between clipped sockeye and clipped coho, or just choose to ignore - The simple thing would be to close it to sportsfishing.
Personally maybe closing is a little harsh....ban bottom bouncing, flossing, and other methods that get away from the true meaning of Sportsfishing.

[speycaster]

Make the complete Chilliwack river system fly fishing only.

[Dave]

Speycaster, that too is my dream ( then I wake up).  Just think of the worldwide dollars that would attract  ....  boggles the mind.  But, we all know it ain't gonna happen.

[bbronswyk2000]

Make the complete Chilliwack river system fly fishing only.

That would be cool BUT think of all the people that wouldnt buy fresh water licenses. Those licenses are what funds the hatchery. So sure it sounds good but you would be flinging at water with no fish.

[chris gadsden]

Make the complete Chilliwack river system fly fishing only.

Nice try.

[Dave]

BB, the Province does not pay a penny for steelhead production at the Chilliwack River Hatchery.  All hatchery costs ie. food, water costs, manpower, etc are covered by DFO.
The Province releases the juveniles (note, I did not say smolts).  Thats it.

As to your comment who would buy licences, think a little larger.  The rest of the world would find this, a flyfishing only river, a paradise (think Skeena tribs without the jetboats, Henry's Fork, Yellowstone, etc) and pay big, huge  bucks to experience it - tackle shops, guide services, motels/hotels, gas stations, food outlets.  It goes on....

But, as stated, this all a dream.  But I liked it.

[bbronswyk2000]

BB, the Province does not pay a penny for steelhead production at the Chilliwack River Hatchery.  All hatchery costs ie. food, water costs, manpower, etc are covered by DFO.
The Province releases the juveniles (note, I did not say smolts).  Thats it.

As to your comment who would buy licences, think a little larger.  The rest of the world would find this, a flyfishing only river, a paradise (think Skeena tribs without the jetboats, Henry's Fork, Yellowstone, etc) and pay big, huge  bucks to experience it - tackle shops, guide services, motels/hotels, gas stations, food outlets.  It goes on....

But, as stated, this all a dream.  But I liked it.

Hey I am with you I like it as well. I am just skeptical about people flying from all over the world to fish an urban river. I can see them wanting to fish places like the Skeena as its far from urban. Think about this. They fly into YVR, take a drive from Vancouver to Chilliwack and fish a river that is so close to urbanization. I just dont see it.