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[halcyonguitars]

Might be heading out for a drive tomorrow but wondering if I should take a rod for kicks...

[TimL]

The stocked lakes up there were still producing rainbows for us a few weeks ago. Also if you are not picky and have a tidal license you can bottom fish the ocean shoreline for groundfish (flatfish, surf perch, etc)..we were catching lots of sole/flounder each time we went. Beach salmon fishing still very quiet though we've seen a few anglers casting for them already! Still a few weeks more till the pinks arrive in considerable numbers.

[halcyonguitars]

I'll be heading up the river itself, just wondering if there's still bulls or something out and about...

[Knnn]

The river is still over 4 m and last I heard is still highly coloured.  The bulls will probably follow the pinks in.  While there are some residents, most seam to leave the system between the  end of May and September.  Also, based on past experience, the river wont clear enough to fish until at least the end of Aug or September.  The Mamquam may be clear enough.

[halcyonguitars]

Thanks for that. I'll leave the rod at home and just go exploring instead...

[Noahs Arc]

NEVER leave the rod  at home. Mamquam and Chaeakamus are clear enough to fish the elaho probably will be as well. There's also lakes along the way.
I haven't fished those 2 rivers lately but I drive by them once a week.
There will be fish in there. Check the regs I have not.

[Knnn]

Unfortunately the Elaho clears later than the Squamish. The clarity on the Cheakamus is great at the moment but at 1.5 m it's tough to fish as there are not too many beaches or accessible locations and it's flowing pretty good.  The Mamquam looked reasonably clear and low today.

[halcyonguitars]

Well, Squamish was indeed high and dirty and fast. Stuck to camping, though the campfire ban kinda takes away from that, but what can you do...

Was surprised that the river access on the FSR ended so quickly. I was looking for fishing spots and found myself way up in the mountains. I was hoping the roads would go back down but they started getting sketchy enough with the grader bumps that I decided enough was enough.

Still, a pleasant outing and my first chance to use the 4x4 for what it's supposed to do.

I guess they're called FSR's and not Riverside Drives for a reason.

Anyway, my river app showed it was at about 4m, does anyone know what level the Squamish becomes properly fishable, or what the range is?

[redside1]

It can be fished at 4 meters but not much higher. You will need the colder nights of October to get the river to be a fishable clarity. Sometimes in September this can happen but it usually needs to be October

[Knnn]

Wow, how far did you go up!  With a 4x4 you can go a hell of a long way, almost 42 k on the Elaho FSR until you hit a big washout and a lot further on the Squamish, but both rivers do become very canyon like up there.  Did you cross the Elaho bridge or keep going up the east side of the Squamish?

Most consider the river most fishable below 3.2 m, but as noted previously, if you know the river well, there are places you can fish at higher flows.  However, the flow rates do not always equate to water clarity.  If you look at historic water levels, you will see that around late August early September levels drop back into the 2.5 region, however water clarity can still suck.  During the last pink season in 2015, visibility in the Squamish was in the 6-8 inch region even with flows between 2-3 m in early to mid September, if my "oldtimers" lets me recall correctly. 

[halcyonguitars]

I went about 35km up the east side of Squamish. Then retreated, crossed the bridge which I think might have been Elaho, and followed the road on that side until it got sketchy enough to be clear it was fading out as a road and not going to get better. Way high up.

Is the Elaho bridge the secod bridge, some km after Ashlu crossing?

I was google earthing last night but didn't find the names. I think instead of following the west side of Squamish, I should have gone straight off the bridge which would have led to what I assume is the Elaho River then? West of the Squamish? That would have led to a more river centric drive.

So if the water stays cloudy until Sept/Oct, does Squamish have a fairly short season, or do the fish come up the silty water?

[MetalAndFeathers]

I went about 35km up the east side of Squamish. Then retreated, crossed the bridge which I think might have been Elaho, and followed the road on that side until it got sketchy enough to be clear it was fading out as a road and not going to get better. Way high up.

Is the Elaho bridge the secod bridge, some km after Ashlu crossing?

I was google earthing last night but didn't find the names. I think instead of following the west side of Squamish, I should have gone straight off the bridge which would have led to what I assume is the Elaho River then? West of the Squamish? That would have led to a more river centric drive.

So if the water stays cloudy until Sept/Oct, does Squamish have a fairly short season, or do the fish come up the silty water?

The water clears up when the temps start freezing. The coho run up from oct-jan.

[Noahs Arc]

I have fished the upper  Squamish above Elaho in summers past. Haven't been up this year myself.

[halcyonguitars]

Coho as late as January? Cool!

[RalphH]

I had no trouble catching pinks in August in 2013 and 2015. One trip it pissed rain from mid morning and when the river got that double double look the fish were crawling along the shore in a foot or 2 of water - often bumping into my legs as they went by - fishing sucked by then.

Also done well in cloudy water for chums in November.