Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[SilverChaser]

Man oh man.... you guys are all making me so jealous.... i'm stuck out in Lethbridge and won't be able to fish at all this year 

[Noahs Arc]

I just spent the last 3 days 'working the river' from bottom to top.  In reality, this was more of a scouting mission for the annual mid-October week long camping and fish your brains out fiesta.    

Drove up to the hatchery Thursday and it was nice to see the Coho & Springs staged but noticeably absent was the presence of Chum.  Generalizing but the lower river was very slow in several spots that I put time in at, not just for me but for anyone in sight of me.  Mid-river was a game of patience and hiking but paid off with a beautiful 14lb Coho.  Upper river seemed to have the most quantity of people but didn't spend much time with a hook in the water.

There is lots of great water to be found if you are willing to explore but a bit more rain would be welcome!!

14lb? That's a hawg you have any pictures?

[CohoJake]

Important reminder - Cultus Lake sockeye are present in the system.  I tailed one for an angler on the upper river today (he had no idea what it was) and kindly sent the fish on his way.  20 minutes later, I landed the same fish myself.  10 minutes later, another angler near me briefly played this fish.  I was surprised by the persistence and aggression of this fish, but now I am fearful that the next time he is hooked and landed, somebody will think he is a coho.  Please don't just bonk every fish with an adipose missing!  And don't assume these fish will immediately take the right turn up to Cultus lake, this fish was obviously on quite the detour.  He was schooling with coho, so maybe he was just looking for company.

[fishmonk]

Fished the Upper on Saturday from first light to 11:00 AM. Got 1 coho about 6 or 7lbs and my buddy got 2 springs. All action was at first light and then it was over. River is very low and clear. Wait for rain....I personally won't be back until some rain.

[Tangles]

don't assume these fish will immediately take the right turn up to Cultus lake, this fish was obviously on quite the detour.  He was schooling with coho, so maybe he was just looking for company.

That must have been a Chilliwack Lake sockeye, definitely not all heading to Cultus. Most of those fish, especially at this point would be pretty colored up with no scales at all, so they should be fairly easy to distinguish from coho.
Good on you for spending time to educate the guys on the bank. It's sad to think a lot of those last stragglers will end up bonked by mistake, all the odds are against them - netting, snagging, lowest water levels in the hottest time of the year, all just to get a head bonk by accident 

[Taboo]

14lb? That's a hawg you have any pictures?

Not sure why I said 14??  More like 8 or so...yes I have a pic - will post when I get a sec.

[CohoJake]

That must have been a Chilliwack Lake sockeye, definitely not all heading to Cultus. Most of those fish, especially at this point would be pretty colored up with no scales at all, so they should be fairly easy to distinguish from coho.
Good on you for spending time to educate the guys on the bank. It's sad to think a lot of those last stragglers will end up bonked by mistake, all the odds are against them - netting, snagging, lowest water levels in the hottest time of the year, all just to get a head bonk by accident 

Do any of the Chilliwack Lake sockeye have a clipped adipose?  I thought the Chilliwack Lake fish were a completely wild run, so no clipping would take place.  Also, I believe the Chilliwack Lake fish have all passed through, but the Cultus Lake fish have a later run timing.  I wish I had a picture, but I wanted to get him back in the water ASAP.  The coloration of this fish was similar to the pics I have seen of Cultus Lake fish before (darker shade of purple on the body, olive head) and not at all the bright colors that I have seen from the Chilliwack Lake fish.  Yes, it was getting quite colored, but not too different from a blushed coho at first glance.

[Dave]

That must have been a Chilliwack Lake sockeye, definitely not all heading to Cultus. Most of those fish, especially at this point would be pretty colored up with no scales at all, so they should be fairly easy to distinguish from coho.
Good on you for spending time to educate the guys on the bank. It's sad to think a lot of those last stragglers will end up bonked by mistake, all the odds are against them - netting, snagging, lowest water levels in the hottest time of the year, all just to get a head bonk by accident 

Actually I would bet that is indeed a Cultus sockeye, especially as it was adipose clipped.  These fish have been known to wander upstream as far a Tamihi; who knows if they eventually turn around and eventually get into Cultus Lake
Chilliwack Lake sockeye are long finished and are now nicely rotting away, providing much needed nutrients to Chilliwack Lake.
I agree Tangles, good on WAfishboy for educating the angler.

No Chilliwack Lake are adipose clipped.

[DanL]

Not sure why I said 14??  More like 8 or so...yes I have a pic - will post when I get a sec.

It's a well known phenomenon that a fish will decrease in size by 40% the instant you take a picture of it.

[Noahs Arc]

It's a well known phenomenon that a fish will decrease in size by 40% the instant you take a picture of it.

Man, tell me about it. 6'5 280lbs. I rarely take hero shots cause the fish decreases by minimum 40%

[bigblockfox]

Man, tell me about it. 6'5 280lbs. I rarely take hero shots cause the fish decreases by minimum 40%

same problem. bear mitts. lol.

[BNF861]

Actually I would bet that is indeed a Cultus sockeye, especially as it was adipose clipped.  These fish have been known to wander upstream as far a Tamihi; who knows if they eventually turn around and eventually get into Cultus Lake

A few years ago, during coho season I caught three adipose clipped cultus sockeye during the fall salmon season. Two of them were a bout a km above the Sweltzer creek, but the third was a few km above Tamahi. I was surprised to find it that far up, but have heard similar stories from other anglers as well. Whether they drop back down or not, I would also be curious to know.

[lapa]

A few years ago, during coho season I caught three adipose clipped cultus sockeye during the fall salmon season. Two of them were a bout a km above the Sweltzer creek, but the third was a few km above Tamahi. I was surprised to find it that far up, but have heard similar stories from other anglers as well. Whether they drop back down or not, I would also be curious to know.

 A few years ago ,I got one mid-October above Tamihi too.

[greese30]

Most women wish the camera would drop 40% too. Strange how it works in reverse for fish.

[fic]

With the water level so low, clear and no rain in sight. Will the fish even bite when it's not first light?