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Author Topic: Coquitlam River  (Read 21669 times)

A Frayed Knot

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Coquitlam River
« on: November 11, 2014, 09:29:21 PM »

So, they started reintroducing pink salmon or rather, last pink run I saw a ton of pinks coming through and its been a long time since I've seen anything in there, I pulled one jack Chinook out of there as CnR but thats about it.
Much to my disappoint I of course saw some shady fishing practices that year, which I reported at the time. I haven't actually been back there but I've seen the odd fishing happening there this year, and I wanted to find out if its open or not.
The reason I ask is because I was up in Chehalis and met a fantastic gentleman who shared a nice spot with me all afternoon and shared some Timmys but he said it was closed because it was turned into a sockeye habitat. I haven't found any such info but I do see a TON of signs now saying to pretty much "stay off the damn lawn or we'll shoot first and ask questions later" since its a salmon spawning area.

I wondered if anyone else has heard anything? Not that I don't believe the man, I can only hope the gov would go through something like this because that rivers seen better days...even with the hatchery its seems like its still a sterile river.

The area I fished as a kid back in the early 80s and late 90s. was around the train bridge just below Lions Park.

Regs say
No fishing above Mary Hill Bypass bridge, May 1-June 30
Hatchery trout daily quota = 2 (20-30 cm only), from Lougheed Highway bridge to Mary Hill Bypass bridge, July 1-Oct 15
Weird salmon doesn't show up at all unless I missed it in regs...

So if anyone can inform me with more :D would be fantastic.
« Last Edit: November 11, 2014, 11:25:54 PM by Rodney »
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DanL

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2014, 09:42:05 PM »

Regs say
No fishing above Mary Hill Bypass bridge, May 1-June 30
Hatchery trout daily quota = 2 (20-30 cm only), from Lougheed Highway bridge to Mary Hill Bypass bridge, July 1-Oct 15
Weird salmon doesn't show up at all unless I missed it in regs...

You're looking at the provincial freshwater synopsis instead of the DFO Freshwater Salmon Supplement.

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/SFG-GPS/SFGfresh-GPSdouce-2013-eng.pdf
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A Frayed Knot

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2014, 09:45:03 PM »

Thanks DanL. I appreciate that alot.
« Last Edit: November 11, 2014, 11:26:11 PM by Rodney »
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bigsnag

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2014, 06:16:18 AM »

If there's salmon in a river then it'll be in the regs which will tell you whether that river's run can support a fishery. This river is listed in the Salmon supplement. Of course the basic non tidal regs for area 2 still apply.
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A Frayed Knot

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2014, 06:29:04 AM »

Yes. I am well aware of that but it wasn't what I was asking at the time.
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Flytech

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2014, 06:55:59 AM »

If there's salmon in a river then it'll be in the regs which will tell you whether that river's run can support a fishery. This river is listed in the Salmon supplement. Of course the basic non tidal regs for area 2 still apply.


A ton of smaller flows have salmon but are not listed in the salmon supplement. If they are not listed the fishery is closed to salmon fishing.

redlad

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2014, 07:51:44 AM »

The way it works for Region 2 is that if a stream is not listed you may fish salmon but may not retain them. If you are not allowed to target salmon or a particluar species of salmon then the stream is listed in the supplment stating, for example, "no fishing for salmon" or "no fishing for coho".

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RalphH

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2014, 08:05:36 AM »

Quote
he said it was closed because it was turned into a sockeye habitat.

Whatever he may have meant by that, the facts are a formerly large run of sockeye was destroyed when the dam was built in 1914. Those fish would run up the Coquitlam River to the lake in April and May then stay in the lake until fall and spawn in the streams that ran into the lake. The Alouette River had a similar run which was likewise destroyed by dam construction. Several years ago it's thought some water spilled from both dams released some kokanee from the lakes and both rivers experienced subsequently small returns of sockeye. BC Hydro has been funding projects to use the kokanee as a genetic source of the extirpated sockeye stock to try and re-establish some sort of return of sockeye to both systems. The Coquitlam dam has been modified to allow fish passage while I believe Alouette fish are captured and moved by truck to the lake. I don't know how successful this has been to date. If you google Coquitlam River sockeye recovery you can get more information.

As far as the May and June closure of the Coquitlam River it has been in place for over 30 years and has nothing to do with the sockeye project. The closure applies to many river in the valley, most with no historic return of sockeye in the spring and the intention is to protect downstream migrant steelhead and cutthroat smolts that are very susceptible to angling pressure. 
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A Frayed Knot

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #8 on: November 12, 2014, 08:56:32 AM »

Whatever he may have meant by that, the facts are a formerly large run of sockeye was destroyed when the dam was built in 1914. Those fish would run up the Coquitlam River to the lake in April and May then stay in the lake until fall and spawn in the streams that ran into the lake. The Alouette River had a similar run which was likewise destroyed by dam construction. Several years ago it's thought some water spilled from both dams released some kokanee from the lakes and both rivers experienced subsequently small returns of sockeye. BC Hydro has been funding projects to use the kokanee as a genetic source of the extirpated sockeye stock to try and re-establish some sort of return of sockeye to both systems. The Coquitlam dam has been modified to allow fish passage while I believe Alouette fish are captured and moved by truck to the lake. I don't know how successful this has been to date. If you google Coquitlam River sockeye recovery you can get more information.

As far as the May and June closure of the Coquitlam River it has been in place for over 30 years and has nothing to do with the sockeye project. The closure applies to many river in the valley, most with no historic return of sockeye in the spring and the intention is to protect downstream migrant steelhead and cutthroat smolts that are very susceptible to angling pressure.

So I am to understand there is a infact some kinda project there and the river is closed? If so I am glad to hear that some things finally happening there.
Other than the one time I went by there on my home and saw the pink salmon back during the second to last run, I haven't fished there since I was a kid but back then it was still mostly dykes and development.
Back then too it was all about the frogs and snakes we tried to catch!
 But back on subject I've seen a few odd fishermen this year and wanted to get my facts straight, I would have just called but its been pretty busy here.
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RalphH

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #9 on: November 12, 2014, 09:44:16 AM »

So I am to understand there is a infact some kinda project there and the river is closed?

No. You've read the regulations for the river in the Provincial synopsis and the salmon supplement? People have repeated them here for you and provided the links. What's the problem? You've been fed a line of BS by a stranger on the river, why are you so insistent on believing him?
« Last Edit: November 12, 2014, 11:01:11 AM by RalphH »
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Flytech

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #10 on: November 12, 2014, 10:52:37 AM »

He told you that info so you wouldn't fish there. Small system, too much pressure. It's open if you actually read the Regs. I wouldn't rely on info given on the river, or on the forum when it comes to regulations or law.

A Frayed Knot

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #11 on: November 12, 2014, 11:08:57 AM »

No. You've read the regulations for the river in the Provincial synopsis and the salmon supplement? People have repeated them here for you and provided the links. What's the problem? You've been fed a line of BS by a stranger on the river, why are you so insistent on believing him?

I have read the regs, why do you insist on getting all hostile about it?

I don't think I actually said I believed him or not. I wanted to confirm if there was some kind of project happening, regs usually only say that its going to be closed correct? And not have a lengthy discussion about why its closed. So I wanted to find out what was happening on the river itself, because of signs I saw encouraging people and pets to stay out of the river. I suspected there may be more going on than just a beware.

He told you that info so you wouldn't fish there. Small system, too much pressure. It's open if you actually read the Regs. I wouldn't rely on info given on the river, or on the forum when it comes to regulations or law.

I am aware of this. But people seem to completely missing what it is I was trying to ask as such I re-explained yet again. But seems to be seriously bad energy.


However I finally I got what I needed.
« Last Edit: November 12, 2014, 11:11:23 AM by A Frayed Knot »
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clarkii

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #12 on: November 12, 2014, 11:11:29 AM »

What ive learned is a couple people would be good politicians.

Deflecting the question into a regs thing and not answering about whether a project exists or not.
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A Frayed Knot

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #13 on: November 12, 2014, 11:12:29 AM »

What ive learned is a couple people would be good politicians.

Deflecting the question into a regs thing and not answering about whether a project exists or not.

Thank you!

What I found was like that was said earlier.
" The North Fraser Salmon Assistance Program and Watershed Watch Salmon Society will be improving and monitoring habitat in the Lower Coquitlam River Watershed this summer. "
They got funding from Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP). I don't know for sure. But I suppose that is where BC Hydro comes into play or maybe they are doing a separate project all together. That I haven't found out yet.
But its good to see something is happening.
« Last Edit: November 12, 2014, 11:26:36 AM by A Frayed Knot »
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RalphH

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Re: Coquitlam River
« Reply #14 on: November 12, 2014, 11:30:08 AM »


 I wanted to confirm if there was some kind of project happening,


However I finally I got what I needed.

I believe I said this:

Quote
BC Hydro has been funding projects to use the kokanee as a genetic source of the extirpated sockeye stock to try and re-establish some sort of return of sockeye to both systems. The Coquitlam dam has been modified to allow fish passage while I believe Alouette fish are captured and moved by truck to the lake. I don't know how successful this has been to date. If you google Coquitlam River sockeye recovery you can get more information.

Glad you finally got what you needed. Invariably one gets far better information by looking for yourself but you seem to have other ideas... sheesh  ::)
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"The hate of men will pass and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people!" ...Charlie Chaplin, from his film The Great Dictator.