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[hungry6]

Hi, as the title state, I'm doing a bit of research for up coming trips to Canada.
I have read pages and page on here in regards to species I'm targeting, but what I also want to do is target multiple species in per trip, as Canada is along way from home for me, home is Australia to be exact.
What I asking is what time of the year can you successfully target both sockeye and know chinook salmon. I now know the pinks are on odd year, so they will have to wait till 2015.

Also due to travel and packing fishing gear. I normal pack 2 spin reels shimano sustain 2000 and 4000 match with 2 multi piece rod of 4 and 8kgs.
I have use this combo and successfully stop 10kgs Giant trevally and 13kgs spanish mackeral.
However I have read here that alot of Canadian anglers view people with spinning reels as snaggers,
My dilema here is that I have never use a centrepin my life and a fly rod is a pain in unknown territory as they require room to be effective.
I need honest input as to do I bring my regular gears or acquire CP which I have no problem acquiring and learning prior to depart.
Also the issues of licensing and wading gears
Terminal gears are also an unknown. In NZ everyone use a spoon type lure with treble, is this acceptable? Or something else I need to know.

Finally can someone please post up clear picture of different type of salmon and steelhead and the distinction from wild and hatchery fish.

Thank you.

Wayne

[Fish Assassin]

Depending on the returns, there may or may not be a sockeye opening. If there is one, it will probably occur in August. As to pinks, you don't have to wait til 2015. There is a return this year. (2013 is an odd year) There is absolutely wrong with using a spinning rod. If you are comfortable with a spinning rod by all means bring and use it.

[colin6101]

You can definitely use spinning gear here as well as drift gear. Usually people using spinning gear would be targeting slower moving water and pools and is quite popular in the lower canal area of the vedder river and along the harrison. You cannot however use treble hooks in any of our rivers and would need to switch them over to single barbless.
Here's the current regulations for B.C. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/
and there is a supplement for salmon season that needs to be checked when you actually plan on heading out as well http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region2-eng.htm
Rod posts some really good salmon identification pictures at the start of every salmon season, here is the one from last year
http://www.fishingwithrod.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=31056.0

[hungry6]

Thank you for the replies guys. FA 2013 is out for me, as I already have pre commitment with other trips.
However I have note the terminal tackle used.
The fishing guidelines and photo is a great help, the same cannot be said about fishing boundaries. We have to resort to local knowledge when this happens in 2014.
Ok as for the sockeye in 2014 I read that they have cycles of 4 years 2014 should be the year, however what time or dates are opening for this fishery.
I know you can just roll up and and do C&R Im not comfortable with that. Rather have official open season.

As for the fishing techniques, I see that some people uses roes for bait, what are they targeting? Also I'm a predominantly lure person as it save carting around bait and having it spoils.

To be honest Im just happy to dangle a line and if I get a fish its a bonus.

Thanks
Wayne

[sbc hris]

Sockeye openings aren't set, they are determined during the run , based on numbers and survival rate. Do a forum search on sockeye fishing, it's a heated topic that I'm not about to open up here. Roe works for just about any salmon or trout, it's very commonly used for springs, coho and steel head. Don't rule out the lures though, I use them a lot, and enjoy fishing them with lots of success.

[hungry6]

Well, that is certainly eye opening, as to how you would plan a trip. But its understandable in term of future sustainability of the fishery. If you have to or definitely going to plan the trip, around what time of the year would be best to target both sockeye and king and hoping that the sockeye season will be open.
It would be good for some of the old timer to throw in there 2cent here.
Thanks

[1son]

Honestly every seasons different .. It"s Pink season(Every odd year) so it should be okay but from what I've heard  it's gonna be another poor year for sockeye as far as numbers go last year was pretty bad. All I can say is be prepared and read the regulations before attempting to fish cause it changes pretty frequently.

[Tadpole]

Check Skeena river.  End of July and early August  you can catch all salmon species  and steelhead  on a fly....... if you are lucky.

[Burkie]

I would also agree with the Skeena system it will be a much better experience.

[hungry6]

Sorry to drag this thread up again, I didn't want to start a new thread on it.
Ok, the time is coming closer to start looking at planning for flights and accom. My GF is pushing me to set a month of 2014 so she can book it all in and move other trips around to fit this Canada trip.
I'm hoping to spend around 14 days in BC and a few over the US east coast.
I'm after local knowledge as to which month normally would be the most productive for salmon fishing.
Currently I'm planning Between August or Sept,
So shoot and let me know what you think is the best month to be there.

Thanks
Wayne

[losos]

Sorry to drag this thread up again, I didn't want to start a new thread on it.
Ok, the time is coming closer to start looking at planning for flights and accom. My GF is pushing me to set a month of 2014 so she can book it all in and move other trips around to fit this Canada trip.
I'm hoping to spend around 14 days in BC and a few over the US east coast.
I'm after local knowledge as to which month normally would be the most productive for salmon fishing.
Currently I'm planning Between August or Sept,
So shoot and let me know what you think is the best month to be there.

Thanks
Wayne

This 2013 as it turned out was a complete disaster for sockeye and huge for pink (estimated 24 million returned). 2014 suppose to very good for sockeye since 3 years ago we had a very good returns. This however depends on survival rate which is unpredictable. If you have funds and enjoy guided fishing you can fish our shores for salmon and halibut as well. In Fraser river you can target huge sturgeon (catch and release only). However it's costly.

[Suther]

This 2013 as it turned out was a complete disaster for sockeye and huge for pink (estimated 24 million returned). 2014 suppose to very good for sockeye since 3 years ago we had a very good returns. This however depends on survival rate which is unpredictable. If you have funds and enjoy guided fishing you can fish our shores for salmon and halibut as well. In Fraser river you can target huge sturgeon (catch and release only). However it's costly.

I've seen guys fishing for sturgeon from shore in Derby Reach Park - they had two to beach in a little over 3 hours. There is also a very popular spot in Mission (I think its called the sturgeon hole even?) so it doesn't HAVE to be expensive. Although a 8kg rod is way too small for one.

I wouldn't plan my trip based on Sockeye strictly because of how their opening (if it even opens) works, as others have already explained.

I would recommend August to come here. September can get really wet (rains a lot here...) but August is frequently the driest month of the year. September can be really dry, a few years ago(2011 I think?) September was hands-down the nicest month of the year, so all hope is not lost if you decide to come then, you just have a better chance of rain-free weather in August.

If Im not mistaken, August/September is Chinook season. Can't go wrong with them!

[HOOK]

2014 is the big return year for sockeye. If they don't open I would be amazed 


Honestly if you want to catch lots of species in the same trip then Northern BC is where you'll want to be. Fish the ocean and/or rivers and have yourself a good time. If I could afford it I would do the same

[Every Day]

Book a trip for October and go to Vancouver island.
Forget sockeye fishing, as it is almost a complete snag show (very few exceptions in clear water where they will bite bait).

Sport fishing... I'd say October. A huge number of coho start showing up all over the island at this point. The first 2 weeks of October would be prime because you can still get clean coho in rivers on the west side of the island, and peak run on the east side will just be starting. There will also be a huge number of coho off a number of beaches, along with the odd chinook. Steelhead fishing is also amazing at this point. Pinks wont be around as they are done in the beginning of September. Lots of cutthroat around as well feeding on salmon eggs, etc.

If you want to go for a huge meat harvest, then come to the island in September. Coho will be flooding rivers on the west coast of the island, and the limit on the stamp is 2/day per person. Chinook will also be running very strong on the island in a number of west coast rivers and off some beaches which allow retention. Add on to that some spectacular summer run steelhead fishing in a number of rivers (all catch and release). If you want to enjoy some amazing scenery, remote locations (probably won't see another person), and the potential for some amazing fishing, that would be my option.

As for gear. If you're going to the fraser for sockeye... a spinning rod will be all you need, and lets be honest, it is snagging and people only do it for meat... If you're sport fishing, my advice is stay away.

On the island, you can spin fish off the beaches and in most of the rivers. Coho love spinners and spoons. Off the beaches trebles are allowed (have to be barbless), in rivers, only single barbless is allowed. Actually, most times of year on the island all I do is spin fish now with spoons and spinners, it's highly effective for everything.

[Johnny Canuck]

No need for a center pin when a bait caster/level wind is WAY more versatile.

The scenery of the west side of Vancouver Island is faaaaaaar better than anything on the LML as well. Like ED said the island would be in full swing, the Fraser Valley would be in a slump with it picking up more so in late September to mid October.