After yesterday's trek and 2 hours of badminton last night I thought I would keep closer to home today and would give the Vedder another try. As I have mentioned several times the river has been a bust coho wise for me for 2009 although numerous coho jacks, chum salmon and chinook jacks has seen the float disappear many times. It gets frustrating to see others that fish differently than I in places like Tamahi Rapids getting lovely coho time after time. I take comfort in knowing I am not the only person experiencing the same lack of success. I know top angler Gwyn has only 3 adult coho salmon to the beach so far, two ahead of me. Don't get me wrong I donot have to build up big numbers but I would like more than one before the season ends.
Actually I had said last week it was all over for the major coho salmon run on the Chilliwack Vedder River and I told Rodney that a few times.With thoughts like that I was in no big rush to get to the river but a crisp fall morning made it feel good to once again to be able to tramp along the river.
I decide on the Chum Run, called that for all the chum salmon I had hooked there the last few trips. As I sit on a convenient log by the run I see the usual chum salmon showing themselves to the new day. I know some will be fairly fresh run fish, maybe fish that have escaped the recent commercial fishing fleet's nets that fished last weekend for 24 hours. I saw them as 2:40 and I rode the sky train over the Fraser on Saturday on our way to the Canuck - Leaf Game. I always question a net fishery at this time of year when the Thompson River steelhead are also passing through this stretch of river. Some people question if there should be a steelhead season on the Thompson River at all when the numbers are so low. Some also think bait should not be used but I believe these and other netting activities will cause more mortalities than sports anglers but maybe the combination of all will one day see the end of these mighty sea going trout. Of course there is environmental concerns such as too much water drawn off important spawning and rearing creeks and rivers that drain into the Thompson as well there are reports each year of poaching by some people. That is one bonus of having anglers out there, to report this activity, eyes and ears of the river so to speak.
I have made a few casts and the Maple Leaf Drennan is down, I strike and I bring a pink salmon carcasses to shore minus its tail and head. Flossing the dead I think. A few minutes later a more lively chum salmon is fighting to free itself, A fairly fresh buck is landed and released. Shortly after another chum this one with some silver scales on its sides is landed and once again let go, to spawn in a few weeks. I then hook and lose two fresh doe chum followed by another buck landed and once again kissed goodbye.
You can see why I call it the Chum Run. Also I miss a few in between these fish hooked,where are the coho salmon. I see a couple of fellows above me working the blades or spoons, on the other side of the river. I heard later they took out limits each.
I am thinking maybe I should give up and look for some floats but decide to give it a bit longer as I was to meet Gwyn around 10 and I want to check the float trap before that. Once again the float is down I strike half heartily thinking another chum salmon but wait, I see a silver bright flash something I have not seen on my line for nearly 4 weeks I think it has been. Can it be a coho salmon? Yes it is I say out loud. I then think I did not set the hook properly, will it fall off? I handle it like I am balancing some priceless bit of glass and it nears the shore I see no adipose. Even though I have landed many fish I am handling it like it was the first steelhead I landed, maybe my hands are shaking a bit too. As it nears the shore I apply pressure and drag it onto the beach, success once gain after a month of trying. Its a clean buck only 4 to 5 pounds but it looks like 20 pounds.
I have 30 minutes before I want to meet Gwyn so a few more casts take place before I visit the float trap and find 3 good ones including a wooden one.
I then head to meet Gwyn and as I need him to give me a hand to move a generator I treat him to breakfast at Cookies Grill. By the way he had taken two coho jacks this AM. With my success this morning and after breakfast at Cookies we decide to head to the Chum Run for a few casts. We are there for about 30 minutes with no bites and then I get the first chance and what this, another coho salmon brighter than its brother that turns out to be another hatchery, a doe this time also around 4 to 5 pounds. In few hours I have gone from one to three coho salmon. Gwyn and I both hook another fish both chum he lands his, I lose mine. Its then off to visit Chuck Strahl's office to check on the meeting we are wanting to have with him regarding the gravel issue on the Fraser River.
Gwyn heads for home and I stop for a coffee at Tims and then off to check the indicator area, Tamahi Rapids. No wonder I caught two as the river must be full of coho as lovely coho litter the area, much success by those that wish to fish there.
I guess I was wrong, the coho salmon season is not over after all
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Topic: Chilliwack River, October 28th 2009 (Read 2947 times)