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[barklee]

I always walk the dog along the river between New West and Burnaby and I noticed compared to other years at the same time there isn't much salmon jumping around, even during incoming tides. I guess that is why pinks are still closed. It might be a stupid questions but will the pinks come later as the water cools, did they die, do they stay in ocean for another year or do they go to another river system?

Just wondering?

[CohoJake]

Some of these observations are personal and some are from what I read online, FWIW.
1.  Pinks don't jump as much as other salmon, so if you saw jumpers in other years, are you sure they were pinks?  Pinks tend to porpoise or just flip their fin or tail out of the water, especially when a big school is cruising through.
2.  I think this is still pretty early for the bulk of the Fraser pink run - it is only September 1 after all, and they should be going strong into October.
3.  Will they come later as the water cools?  Pinks are actually more warm-water tolerant than other salmon species, so this doesn't deter them as much.  They certainly aren't as sensitive as sockeye.
4.  Did they stay in the ocean for another year? - No, this is one rule that Pinks follow strictly - 2 year life cycle, period.
5.  Do they go to another river system? - Of all the species of pacific salmon, Pinks seem to stray the most, especially when there is something making their home waters unreachable or undesirable.  This was a conclusion from a large workshop on straying salmon that was held about 20 years ago - I'll post the link if I can find it again because it is fascinating reading.  The conclusion was that some strains of some species virtually never stray, while some have a stray rate of 20 percent.  There was a huge variance in Chinook strains - some seemed to have much better homing skills than others. 

My personal fantasy is that a large percentage of the pinks this year were eaten up by monster springs that will be returning in October!  Wishful thinking I know, but I have caught and seen some really dinky pinks this year.  I can easily imagine a 40 lb spring eating 1 lb pinks, but I don't know if it ever happens.

[hrenya]

I always walk the dog along the river between New West and Burnaby and I noticed compared to other years at the same time there isn't much salmon jumping around, even during incoming tides. I guess that is why pinks are still closed. It might be a stupid questions but will the pinks come later as the water cools, did they die, do they stay in ocean for another year or do they go to another river system?

Just wondering?

it was sockeye jumping you saw .

[Knnn]

Thanks WAfishboy, that was a good and interesting post.

[ynot]

pink run for the fraser this year is about 6 million , about half of 2 yrs ago and less than 4yrs ago. still early for big numbers entering the river.

[Drewhill]

2.  I think this is still pretty early for the bulk of the Fraser pink run - it is only September 1 after all, and they should be going strong into October.

Lower Fraser pinks definitely don't go strong into October. Usually they're done just after mid september.

[TheLostSockeye]

pink run for the fraser this year is about 6 million , about half of 2 yrs ago and less than 4yrs ago. still early for big numbers entering the river.

lies. 50% chance of being 14mil

2 years ago fraser pink run was 22 million

[Flytech]

pink run for the fraser this year is about 6 million , about half of 2 yrs ago and less than 4yrs ago. still early for big numbers entering the river.

Do you know what year it is currently?

[Rodney]

As I mentioned in the Fraser River salmon updates, PSC's Fraser River Panel today approved the latest in-season estimate of Lower Fraser River pink salmon run size, which is 6 million fish. This is significantly lower than the pre-forecast P50 estimate. 6 million fish is in fact DFO's escapement goal so it leaves very small amount of fish for TAC, meaning that retention of pink salmon in recreational fishery is unlikely to happen at this point.

It is September 1st after all, and saltwater test fisheries had problems last week due to the bad weather conditions, so the run size can change throughout the next couple of weeks.

[fossil]

Lots of pink have already been in the river now.

[CohoJake]

As I mentioned in the Fraser River salmon updates, PSC's Fraser River Panel today approved the latest in-season estimate of Lower Fraser River pink salmon run size, which is 6 million fish. This is significantly lower than the pre-forecast P50 estimate. 6 million fish is in fact DFO's escapement goal so it leaves very small amount of fish for TAC, meaning that retention of pink salmon in recreational fishery is unlikely to happen at this point.

It is September 1st after all, and saltwater test fisheries had problems last week due to the bad weather conditions, so the run size can change throughout the next couple of weeks.

What confused me is it said they estimated the run size at 5 million but they were assuming 6 million for management purposes.  Perhaps that's so they can justify some FN harvest while not opening the commercial and sport harvest?  If the estimated run size really is below the escapement needed, I don't see how they can justify any openings at all.

[samw]

it was sockeye jumping you saw .

This video from 2009 that I found (from a Search Engine) shows something very similar to what the OP and other dog walkers probably see in the Fraser during early pink season.  I saw similar to this on Sept 2, 2009 in the South Arm of Richmond.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo57BMZYxvU

Here's another video from the same person confirming that the first video was filmed in the Fraser River.  The first 44 seconds of 2nd video was from Fraser River and the rest was from Vedder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjH1q1ZcMsM

[Kever]

A local I talked to today in Chilliwack says he's noticed numbers are way down this year for pinks compared to 2013 and 2011

[barklee]

Thanks everyone for chiming in SO:

As I understand even if they open the pink season in the lower Fraser it would be a little more challenge catching one as their numbers are significantly lower.

[gman]

I just got back from a weeks fishing north of Campbell river. I go this time most years. In odd years the pinks are so plentiful they are a nuisance, and that's what I expected this year. Turns out we only caught the odd one, actually caught more springs than pinks.
Sure does not seem like a large pink run at all.
BTW the spring fishing was great