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[fic]

So I was out with buddy on the weekend fishing somewhere in the Lower Mainland, and we encountered a whole bunch of chums that got "lost" on their way to the hatchery, and they were swimming in 8 inches of water stuck in this tiny creek which came to a dead end.  Assuming the retention of chums were not cancelled, are you even allowed to fish for them in that shallow amount of water?  I didn't see any no-fishing signs. We took some nice pictures and videos, but don't dare post it in case poachers figure out where it is.

[Mike D.]

This kind of stuff happens....I wouldn't try to catch them as they would not bite in that kind of water....

this happens regularly on small rivers in the valley such as the chehalis...where I have gone to the extent of hand catching land locked coho from an almost dry creek/pond and run fast to the river and put them in....

Sometimes they know they are going to die/stress and spawn right where they are...is this a good thing I don't think so..

[milo]

Chum in creeks in 8 inches of water ARE SPAWNING.
They are to be left alone, not harassed.

Why anyone would even bother to fish for salmon at the very end of their journey is beyond me. 

[bcguy]

Was making my way down towards the mouth of the Chehails to get way from the Vedder like crowds forming, and was practically tripping over them this weekend, they are an amazing fish, that seem to want to go as far as they can, I saw a couple this weekend in a puddle on the trail, that had to be at least 20 ft from the nearest creek...amazing stuff, I wanted to pick them up and move them, but I figure, let nature do its thing, it doesnt need men to get in the way of something thats been happening for thousands of years.

[vancook]

As Milo said those fish are spawning. In some shallow Side channels along the vedder you will see lots of chum spawning in this shallow water. Not all fish go up to the hatchery

[mattyo]

Was making my way down towards the mouth of the Chehails to get way from the Vedder like crowds forming, and was practically tripping over them this weekend, they are an amazing fish, that seem to want to go as far as they can, I saw a couple this weekend in a puddle on the trail, that had to be at least 20 ft from the nearest creek...amazing stuff, I wanted to pick them up and move them, but I figure, let nature do its thing, it doesnt need men to get in the way of something thats been happening for thousands of years.

Pretty sad to say ill never fish the Chehalis on the weekend again. Too many people for my liking. Good point in the last sentence, I have though in the past picked up some dead ended chum and moved them to a main flow.

[canso]

do your best to step around,
think of all thr redds people are walking threw this time of year.

[cohojoe]

I think the regs say the name of the creek or stream or river,  and its  tributaries.     Can you imagine how many salmon were in these small  puddles and  streamlets  before modern day  people caught them to near extinction.     I read somewhere the fish were so thick the whole stream was a moving mass of salmon  with no open water showing.   

[cohojoe]

I checked the regs for b.c freshwater and you will see a star beside the creek, stream etc  name.    that star means no fishing including the tributaries.     Heck  everything is a tributary of some thing then. 

[samw]

I checked the regs for b.c freshwater and you will see a star beside the creek, stream etc  name.    that star means no fishing including the tributaries.     Heck  everything is a tributary of some thing then.  

I'll take a stab at it.

For BC Freshwater regulations, the Region 2 tables list the water specific exceptions to the regional regulations on pg 23.  If there is an asterisk, then those exceptions apply to all of that body of water's tributaries (unless those tributaries are also listed in the table in which case those apply).

For example, Capilano River has exceptions.  It also has an asterisk.  Therefore, all non-listed tributaries to the Cap river have the same exceptions.  

Compare this to Cheakamus river.  It has exceptions.  But it does not have an asterisk.  Therefore the exceptions for Cheakmus river do not apply to the non-listed tributaries to the Cheakamus river but they must still adhere to the Regional regulations on page 23 and Provincial regulations on page 9-11.

The original thread however pertains to the freshwater salmon regulation by DFO which is separate from the BC Freshwater regulation.

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region2-eng.htm

The first regulation states:

"Unless otherwise stated in the table, the daily limit in all water of Region 2 is zero (0). "

So if the creek/stream in question is a tributary of a body of water in this table but it is not listed in the table by name and "tributaries" is not specified under Specific Area for that body of water, then the retention is 0.  

For example, Seymour River which has a retention of 1 hatchery coho.  It does not specify tributaries under "Specific Area".  Therefore, there is no retention of coho in the Seymour river tributaries.

Compare this to Capilano River which has a retention of 4 hatchery coho.  Under "Specific Area" column, it says "including tributaries".  Therefore, the tributaries of the Cap river and Cap river itself has a combined retention of 4 hatchery coho.

Compare this to non-tidal Fraser River which has 2 hatchery coho retention.  Chilliwack river is a tributary to the Fraser River but it is listed in the table so you would refer to this regulation which has a 4 hatchery coho retention when fishing this Fraser River tributary.  Non-listed tributaries to the Fraser River would have a retention of 0 coho.

All else aside, the answer to the original question would then be... what does the regulation say about the body of water that this creek flows into?  If the body of water allows retention but it doesn't specify tributaries, then there is no retention in this creek.  I know the creek that the original poster is talking about and I know the body of water that this creek flows into, so I already know the answer to this question.

[habkid10]

even if the fish seem stranded and doomed u should leave em alone.u d be surprised where chum can spawn an be successful.and besides its gainst the law to harrass them.time to move on to winter steelys.

[anorden]

Dont forget chum in particular are very good for fertilizing the ecosystem. So dying in a small side stream benefits the ecosystem (even if they dont spawn and reproduce) far more than dying in the main river and being washed way downstream. Not just the trout feeding on the eggs but the bears that drag the carcasses into the forest.

[burnaby]

Nature does not require human interference. Enhancement programs are in place only to correct prior interference.

Nature is great at trial & errors, perhaps that 8" creek turns out to be new spawning grounds. If only humans could be as good in balance and moderation.

[fic]

They were not spawning at the time, but would be a great buffet for bears and eagles.

[burnaby]

Expect them to drop the eggs/sperm like all ripe fish does once they're beached.