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[Bently]

Hey there,

 Rod is a big boy, I think he can speak for himself. On the flip side , why don't people who aren't sure of their salmon species just keep the regs with them, there's a full page with all the salmon plus other fish, with written descriptions under the pictures. Pretty simple don't you think ? 

[Sir Castalot]

Picture no workie for me....

The sad thing is these coho are also being caught in nets.

I can't speak for other commercial fishers but this is what I know from 2 of them.
I went out for the first 3 hour opening this year to see, and "help" with the catch.
Only sockeye, and 2 spring were caught. In all of the following openings, they've only caught one other spring. They keep these for their own food along with a good 50 or so sockeye.
The guy, I was riding with, has only ever caught one steelhead in his net, in over 50 years of fishing. That was a few years ago, and luckily for that fish, it was put into the revival box, and was released back into the river.
As for coho, the say they do catch them occaisionally but not very often. If they do, they go straight into the survival box.
Now you guys can go and say whatever you want, but this is a trustworthy man, who has fished the river his whole life. I have known him for many years. I have no reason to doubt him.

[mykisscrazy]

As you only went out on the first commercial opening the likelihood of catching a coho would be quite slim

Revival Boxes are great for letting the fish to recover...but I'm not sure what good they serve on a gill net boat fishing in the Fraser River as when they are released the nets  still in the river....from one net to another.

[M.Dean]

What may help people ID there Salmon before there dragged up on the rocks or clubbed to death with a stick would be for a group of people who are dedicated enough to print off the Salmon ID chart on this thread and hand them out at the more popular boat launches and fishing area's. Instead of standing back and taking pictures of dead Coho, try to educate the people before they kill them! Quite a few of the guilty ones have no idea what a Sockeye looks like or a Bull Trout as previously mentioned. If your out there handing out pamphlets at least your trying to save the Coho, not sitting back watching them get slaughtered. M.Dean

[iRobertO]

Hey there,

 Rod is a big boy, I think he can speak for himself. On the flip side , why don't people who aren't sure of their salmon species just keep the regs with them, there's a full page with all the salmon plus other fish, with written descriptions under the pictures. Pretty simple don't you think ? 

I now have that PDF that was posted in iBooks on the trusty iPhone. Have given it to other buddies that fish and they think it's great. We are all very interested in becoming good at quickly identifying.

[DionJL]

Really?! My impression of the site is that he invests a lot of time to educate people, so I still think it's a good suggestion. But maybe you're right, the guy (me) with limited knowledge should teach everyone..

Rodney does spend a lot of time trying to improve this site. And if you need a tutorial on fish identification check out this post in the Chillwack River thread. It gets posted every year. Remember, ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law. If you can't identify your fish you should release it.

I'm just somewhat sick of the attitude that everyone else should teach me, or show me, or explain to me how to do something. It's no one's responsibility but your own to know how to identify fish. And you didn't privately ask or make your suggestion to Rodney, which would have been the polite way to get him to do something. Rather, you called him out publicly, basically telling him he should do it.

[Tex]

why don't people who aren't sure of their salmon species just keep the regs with them, there's a full page with all the salmon plus other fish, with written descriptions under the pictures. Pretty simple don't you think ?  

Great suggestion, for sure.  Even simpler suggestion would be:

IF YOU AREN'T SURE WHAT KIND OF FISH IT IS, LET IT GO!!!

Tex

[Tex]

I can't speak for other commercial fishers but this is what I know from 2 of them.
I went out for the first 3 hour opening this year to see, and "help" with the catch.
Only sockeye, and 2 spring were caught. In all of the following openings, they've only caught one other spring. They keep these for their own food along with a good 50 or so sockeye.
The guy, I was riding with, has only ever caught one steelhead in his net, in over 50 years of fishing. That was a few years ago, and luckily for that fish, it was put into the revival box, and was released back into the river.
As for coho, the say they do catch them occaisionally but not very often. If they do, they go straight into the survival box.
Now you guys can go and say whatever you want, but this is a trustworthy man, who has fished the river his whole life. I have known him for many years. I have no reason to doubt him.

Interesting post, but as was pointed out earlier the coho numbers come through later than the first opening *generally*.  Also, you state the fellow is trustworthy, and that's great, but I wouldn't find it at all surprising if someone who makes their livelihood from such a pursuit would risk it by admitting to bycatch - especially when it comes to steelhead, or coho for that matter.

Tex

[Rodney]

No need to fight over me, there's enough Rod to go around.

Anyway, there is a link from the homepage that deals with this particular subject. Here is the direct link:

http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fishy_news/100908-3.html

Most of my effort on the site actually isn't focused on developing educational posts on the forum (not that I don't do it, just not as much as other projects) because majority of the readership (especially new readers) actually does not come into the forum. Instead they browse through the main section of the website where you can find articles, fishing reports, news updates etc. The forum traffic takes up about 40% of the server bandwidth but most is done by repeat users.

[burnaby]

Folks should also learn how to release fish. Sad to see intended C&R dragged onto the rocks, then kick back in cause they don't want to get wet. Yes we tell the newbies you get all wet releasing them in the water, consider that last kick of water in your face a friendly goodbye wet kiss. That's fishing, don't want to get wet, stay home.

[Sterling C]

What may help people ID there Salmon before there dragged up on the rocks or clubbed to death with a stick would be for a group of people who are dedicated enough to print off the Salmon ID chart on this thread and hand them out at the more popular boat launches and fishing area's. Instead of standing back and taking pictures of dead Coho, try to educate the people before they kill them! Quite a few of the guilty ones have no idea what a Sockeye looks like or a Bull Trout as previously mentioned. If your out there handing out pamphlets at least your trying to save the Coho, not sitting back watching them get slaughtered. M.Dean

Maybe you should re-read my posts.

The first dead coho I came across I never did track down its captor so no chance to do anything there.

Later that day I released a coho for someone and in the process showed him how to tell the difference.

Next day I came across someone with a dead wild coho. Explained to him that coho are closed and showed him how to identify it as a coho.

I'm not sure what else you really would have expected me to have done in a grand total of two hours spent at the bar. I haven't been back since then but obviously what I saw had enough of an impact on me to incite my initial post.

I personally have not participated in this 'fishery' for four years and am of the opinion that it should be shut down before all of our local salmon/steelhead fisheries are ruined. Perhaps some of the flossing apologists who defend this fishery should be the ones handing out pamphlets in an attempt to prove that this is somehow a legitimate fishery.

[burnaby]

Your contribution to a better fishing was good up to the last paragraph. There is nothing to prove regarding legality, DFO sets the rules, remember we live don't live in a guilty till proven innocent society. Or perhaps you're thinking of "legitimate" in a philosophical or economic sense. Either discussion always ends with beating a dead horse with IMHOs; only outcome is a OT distraction from your attempt to educate which you have done a good job thus far.

...
I personally have not participated in this 'fishery' for four years and am of the opinion that it should be shut down before all of our local salmon/steelhead fisheries are ruined. Perhaps some of the flossing apologists who defend this fishery should be the ones handing out pamphlets in an attempt to prove that this is somehow a legitimate fishery.

[M.Dean]

In my previous post I wasn't finger pointing at anyone person, I was quite serous about people handing out ID sheets, it would help save lots of Salmon before there killed. I personally find nothing wrong with the way Sockeye are being caught, you still have to have a bit of knowledge about fishing to catch one flossing. To some folks the only right way to fish is there way, they are the saints of the fishing world! Well, not every one can fly fish like you, some can't afford the gear you use or travel to the rivers and streams you do, so they fish close to home, the Frazer river! It's full of Sockeye, millions of them, people from all over the world right now are showing up on the sand bars, in Charter Boats, some are buying new boats and motors, rods and reels, hooks, line and sinkers too, just for the chance at a Sockeye! The Bears are scooping them up with there paws, Eagles are eating Sockeye, Seals also are gorging them selves on the flesh, every animal around will in one way or another benefit from this run, even the lowly human! I guess to some, if your not using a fly rod or a belly boat like them, your not worthy enough to be on the river, well Tim I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I just got back, with my legal limit and now there in my smoker and when there done I'm going to can them! In closing, I have to admit I do own a custom built RayMac Fly Rod, I tie my own flies and can fly fish with the best but on a sadder note I just bought a lowly Level wind reel and a Technium 11.6 rod for Salmon fishing, and worst yet, I do have a few 3 1/2 ounce Bouncing Bettie's in my vest pocket!     

[bbronswyk2000]

Maybe you should re-read my posts.

The first dead coho I came across I never did track down its captor so no chance to do anything there.

Later that day I released a coho for someone and in the process showed him how to tell the difference.

Next day I came across someone with a dead wild coho. Explained to him that coho are closed and showed him how to identify it as a coho.

I'm not sure what else you really would have expected me to have done in a grand total of two hours spent at the bar. I haven't been back since then but obviously what I saw had enough of an impact on me to incite my initial post.

I personally have not participated in this 'fishery' for four years and am of the opinion that it should be shut down before all of our local salmon/steelhead fisheries are ruined. Perhaps some of the flossing apologists who defend this fishery should be the ones handing out pamphlets in an attempt to prove that this is somehow a legitimate fishery.

So the last time you participated was during the last big opening and you want all the current flossers to hand these out? C'mon now.

Its up to the individual to know the difference. Their are no excuses for not being able to identify a fish. If you cant or are unsure just let it go its as simple as that. I would not waste my time trying to educate these people as I have more important things to do. Like work, spend time with my kids etc etc.

[Fish Slayer]

It's funny how when the snag fest on the Fraser started a couple decades ago it's slowly spilled it's way onto smaller flows. Back when the sockeye first opened there were so many fish that you would float fish with a 2' leader with a slight sweep to the drift and BAM every drift a fish. But now people who originally rallied to have sockeye opened wish that they never did and now hang their heads in shame as they're responsible for the plague that has been unleashed on the Fraser valley. Now a days all people care about is money just look at the reason the commercial guys wanted to be able to keep fishing. Apparently there will be too many sockeye and not enough gravel for them to spawn in in their natal waters. LMFAO YEAH RIGHT!!! This years return is barely over 30 million, how did they survive for centuries with returns over 100 million? People now a days will believe almost anything they see or read as they rely too much on spoon fed information, I swung by peg leg as I was in the area today, I got to hear the talk of the hot wool color combo of the day. How orange is great as you will get sockeye and springs, bow only green for sockeye, red for just springs. I also got to see some wild endangered coho get dragged up onto the sand and gravel bar. The "anglers" then stand over the fish trying to ID a now sand coated fish with no idea of what they're doing. After I tell them it's a coho they kick it back into the river, seems very sportsman like huh? They sure didn't like my following comments that is for sure.

Once again the fuel of greed has over powered the need of conservation and sustainability.