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[doja]

btw im not fishing waiting for pinks opening in lf

So you hand no interest in Chinook...?

[hrenya]

im just wondering if you read between the lines ?! check few posts about Chinook

p.s. I got mine in squamish already kissed and released

[typhoon]

hrenya, what answer do you want to hear?

The laws are coarsely written so there are many loopholes. You can choose to fish based on the strict letter of the regulation or you can choose to fish ethically.

You can't catch chinook from shore in the Richmond/Steveston area so ethically you shouldn't fish for them. The lower Fraser is open to selective fishing for chinooks so you are allowed to fish for them, even though you will only catch closed species.
Rod said he will clarify the regulation around, but the answer should be that C&R of closed species is allowed.

Similarly, there is nothing in the regulations stopping someone from C&Ring 100 pinks in the Squamish River a few weeks ago, but logically it is not a good thing for the fish stocks (and can't be that much fun after 30 fish).

If you want to catch chinook go to the bars around hope and bar fish (or plunk) for them.

[Chris S]

If you want to catch chinook go to the bars around hope and bar fish (or plunk) for them.

Lol you don't have to go that far. I catch many Chinook from shore each year by spin casting on the Tidal portion (usually above Langley/Maple Ridge with home made spinners instead of spoons). I find it helps if you learn to read the tides and solunar charts before targeting springs from shore in the Tidal Fraser. I ran out with my spinning rod a few hours before they closed the river a couple weeks back and picked up a nice red spring from shore, I find it way more effective than barfishing. Don't understand why it wouldn't be effective in the Richmond/Steveston area too?

@hrenya Maybe you are choosing poor spots for springs. There is a depth contour map of the lower Fraser by "Fish-n-Map Co." found in many tackle shops, it displays popular spots to fish for Chinook and other species in your area.  I think it would be a valuable tool to have in your tackle box.  If you are using very light tackle and spoons aren't working for you: maybe try something like a wedding band with a weight at the top of the leader, seen some big tidal fraser springs brought in with those.  It's all about experimenting, if something isn't working then try something else...don't just stick with a couple sizes or types of presentations.

[poper]

Why is it ok to catch and release stealhead in the Thompson,but not pinks in the Fraser.

[Drewhill]

Rod said he will clarify the regulation around, but the answer should be that C&R of closed species is allowed.

No, c&r of a closed species is not allowed. You can't go out catching and releasing pinks. You will get ticketed because you are clearly targeting a closed species. If you are targeting chinook and get one as bi-catch you have to release it. This is where wording is confusing.

[typhoon]

No, c&r of a closed species is not allowed. You can't go out catching and releasing pinks. You will get ticketed because you are clearly targeting a closed species. If you are targeting chinook and get one as bi-catch you have to release it. This is where wording is confusing.

Good one. I'd like to see someone charged tossing spoons and releasing a Pink. The judge would laugh the CO out of the courtroom.

[Drewhill]

Good one. I'd like to see someone charged tossing spoons and releasing a Pink. The judge would laugh the CO out of the courtroom.

If someone was using pink spoons in a location where people clearly target pinks then there would be a ticket. Unfortunately  I highly doubt a judge would go against a co.

[DanL]

Closed for fishing and closed for retention are two different things. ie the Thompson Steelhead is a good example.

I think the current confusion is whether the latest fisheries notice that opens retention for chinook means that other species are closed for fishing or just retention.

Trying to think back regarding DFO openings from previous years, when they close waters for salmon fishing they have done so for all species. I cant ever recall a notice worded like 'No fishing for *SPECIFIC SALMON SPECIES*". Rather, they will reduce retention of the closed species to zero.

Take this chum closure from 2011 for instance:

http://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=136993&ID=all

Would one interpret that as 'no fishing for chum' and would one get a ticket for drifting a pink/purple jig? I doubt it.

[fishseeker]

Closed for fishing and closed for retention are two different things. ie the Thompson Steelhead is a good example.

I think the current confusion is whether the latest fisheries notice that opens retention for chinook means that other species are closed for fishing or just retention.

Trying to think back regarding DFO openings from previous years, when they close waters for salmon fishing they have done so for all species. I cant ever recall a notice worded like 'No fishing for *SPECIFIC SALMON SPECIES*". Rather, they will reduce retention of the closed species to zero.

Take this chum closure from 2011 for instance:

http://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=136993&ID=all

Would one interpret that as 'no fishing for chum' and would one get a ticket for drifting a pink/purple jig? I doubt it.

Reading that I would certainly think it fine to target chums for catch and release purposes.  Heck, I do that all the time on the Squamish river as do many others without breaking any regs to my knowledge.

Judging by all  the responses to my question I can see this whole thing is a confusing mess.  I mean, if I really wanted to be an a**e about this I could go down to the river with a big heavy rod, toss big blue spoons and claim quite reasonably that I am targeting Chinooks knowing full well that tossing a big blue spoon would work just as well for pinks as any pink presentation.   

[twocoaster]

Reading this thread, and all the confusion that it highlights, confirms what I have always thought: certain aspects of the BC fishing regulations are often too complex, contradictory, or ambiguous for many people to understand correctly. This is especially true when you consider that for many fishers, English may not be their strong suit or even their first language. The result is that too often, the regulations are not followed because of a) ignorance, or b) willful misinterpretation. The resource loses in the end.

[Flytech]

Reading this thread, and all the confusion that it highlights, confirms what I have always thought: certain aspects of the BC fishing regulations are often too complex, contradictory, or ambiguous for many people to understand correctly. This is especially true when you consider that for many fishers, English may not be their strong suit or even their first language. The result is that too often, the regulations are not followed because of a) ignorance, or b) willful misinterpretation. The resource loses in the end.

They do not have the budget to rework the entire system, sucks. Rodney and I were just talking about their delivery system needs to made more user friendly.

[hrenya]

not sure about friendly , but they DO need to make it more clear and check for mistakes on their sites . I remember last year confusion when they put "no fishing for finfish" by mistake , I even called them and they were confused , and couple days after they changed it to "no fishing for salmon" . Small mistake but did caused a lot of problems .

[DanL]

Trying to think back regarding DFO openings from previous years, when they close waters for salmon fishing they have done so for all species. I cant ever recall a notice worded like 'No fishing for *SPECIFIC SALMON SPECIES*".

Actually I take that back. Here's a notice from way back in 2001 where they closed the Mamquam saying "No fishing for pink salmon"

http://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=57357&ID=all

So I guess they have had specific species closures in the past but it's wording they don't use very often or recently...

[doja]

This not a complex issue (pretty easy actually,  lol) ...  Chinook open to fishing with  instructions to REDUCE/AVOID HOOKING SOCKEYE and nothing about avoiding pinks,  coho,  or chum....  Don't target anything but those and by the law you are OK....  Seems a mistake may have been made and not uncommon,  too bad people can't figure things out of their own without a hand holding from DFO.... Lol

I would not  be surprised to see a DFO officer make the same mistake giving the lack of understanding on here...

When fishing an area you first check to see if it is open....  Fraser open,  next species...  Chinook open....  Done! Lol

Maybe we need a skill testing question for fishing licences...

The instructions in the regulations are very clear on how to navigate but clearly no one takes the time to  read them anymore judging by the responses....