Print

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

[RalphH]

The fish has to be landed by person legal to fish (either licensed or under 16). Just 'being there' is not enough. If fish are gifted to someone who isn't legally able to fish or has retianed their bag or retention limit, it has to be documented.

If someone is fishing with illegal tackle - call RAPP.

[bobby b]

Popped my cherry! Fished for sockeye and the Peg Leg both for the very first time today. Trial by fire, I guess. Amazed at how many people are there on a weekday. 11-3, managed to land one, hooked a few more. Two guys (friends, I guess) next to me argued over which colour wool to use. One insisted on green because it infuriates to fish. The other guy also insisted on green because they can't see it. lol, probably the latter.

Question: An older couple was fishing below me. Well, the man was, landing four fish between them while the wife never left her chair. I presume she has a licence but she has to bring it to shore, no? nobody said anything.

Another guy snagged my line a few times, when I unhooked him, I noticed he didn't pinch the barb. I told him but he just giggled. wtf?

Is all this typical for the fishery? I mean, it was fun and most people were cordial but it's a difficult value proposition coming from downtown to combat for two fish, maybe. I guess you really have to get closer to Hope for the best action?

I was there for a while Sunday..later in the day. No fish landed for me .... I did have one on, but a dude downstream from me decided to ignore my calls of "fish on...fish on" and cast over my line while I was playing the fish ..... the inevitable tangle happened and there went the fish...  

RE: the barbed hook. If I see someone fishing barbed I will tell them that it is illegal and should be pinched....some claim not to know....maybe some are truly clueless..who knows.. IMO most are not clueless and know damn well...   So I also tell them if they keep fishing with a barbed hook I will report them.

[clarki]

or catching for sturgeon bait.

Well, that would be illegal

[Easywater]

forgot to quote - double post.

[Easywater]

Well, that would be illegal

The use of fin fish (dead or alive) or parts of fin fish other than roe is prohibited throughout the province, with the following exception: 

You may use the head of fin fish or the headless body of fin fish as bait, only:
(a) when sport fishing for sturgeon in Region 2 only on the Fraser River, Lower Pitt River (CPR bridge upstream to Pitt Lake), Lower Harrison River (Fraser River upstream to Harrison Lake), or
(b) when set lining in lakes of Region 6 or in lakes of Zone A of Region 7.

Page 9 provincial regs.

We always worried about picking up a floater sockeye for bait during no opening for sockeye.

[clarki]

The use of fin fish (dead or alive) or parts of fin fish other than roe is prohibited throughout the province, with the following exception: 

You may use the head of fin fish or the headless body of fin fish as bait, only:
(a) when sport fishing for sturgeon in Region 2 only on the Fraser River, Lower Pitt River (CPR bridge upstream to Pitt Lake), Lower Harrison River (Fraser River upstream to Harrison Lake), or
(b) when set lining in lakes of Region 6 or in lakes of Zone A of Region 7.

Page 9 provincial regs.

We always worried about picking up a floater sockeye for bait during no opening for sockeye.

True, you can use the bits. I just had a mental picture of using the whole sock for bait, but if they were taking off the fillets and then using the head and backbone, then yes, totally legit.

I'll blame it on wildmanyeah using "or" not "and"

[wildmanyeah]

Sturgeon guides have been using the whole
Sockeye. The regs allow And people have been cutting strips of the whole
Sockeye including the fillets.

All the regs say you can’t use the whole
Fish with the head on.

Sockeye for bait was hard to come buy before any openings but they were in the river and it was hot bait. Lots of rumors of some sturgeon guides buying illegal fish for bait.

[milo]

Question: An older couple was fishing below me. Well, the man was, landing four fish between them while the wife never left her chair. I presume she has a licence but she has to bring it to shore, no? nobody said anything.

Technically, and assuming she has the proper license and salmon tag, she should at least take the rod from her husband and land the fish herself. However, many " fishing wives" would rather let the husbands do all the deed. If I had been there, I would have kept quiet for as long as the couple didn't exceed the 2 fish per person limit.
There are simply too many violations to police everybody and everything. The older couple would get the benefit of the doubt.
As for the guy with the barbed hook tangled in my line, I'd take out my pliers which are always on me, pinched the barb, and cheekily told the guy that he "forgot" to pinch the barb and that I "fixed" it for him so he doesn't get caught if a CO shows up. I've done it countless times. Never got an argument from anyone. Usually I get a sheepish "thank you".

[GordJ]

True, you can use the bits. I just had a mental picture of using the whole sock for bait, but if they were taking off the fillets and then using the head and backbone, then yes, totally legit.

I'll blame it on wildmanyeah using "or" not "and"

FYI, those fish are the property of the licencee and they can do whatever they want. Dog food, fertilizer, smoker, sandwiches or crab bait are all “legit” uses.

[clarki]

FYI, those fish are the property of the licencee and they can do whatever they want. Dog food, fertilizer, smoker, sandwiches or crab bait are all “legit” uses.

Yes, you and Wildman are correct and I am not. Normally I check these things out before making pronouncements, and I should have this time.

In the Fisheries Act and the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, there is no prohibition against using a salmon for something other than human consumption.

In the Freshwater Synopsis, it does prohibit wasting fish but that's in terms of releasing fish. I had in mind the "wasting" regulation as being applicable here, but it's not.

I stand corrected, gents.

[DanL]

In the Fisheries Act and the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations, there is no prohibition against using a salmon for something other than human consumption.

This came up a couple years ago here and I dont think that is universally true. You apparently cannot use consumable salmon as crab bait. It can be debatable what may or may not count as suitable for consumption, but the consensus seemed to be that using heads, spines, fish trimmings, etc would not cause problems. As would grabbing a floater, though most felt that wouldn't be permitted if there was currently a closure on that species.

From the BC Sport Fishing Guide

When sport fishing, you may not waste any fish that’s suitable for human consumption. You’re not allowed to use any finfish suitable for consumption as bait in trap fishing. However, you are allowed to use fish offal, herring, mackerel, northern anchovy and Pacific sardine.

[milo]

This suitability for bait is a really silly debate.
Here's what to do if you want to use your sockeye for crab bait: Let it sit in the sun for a few hours. That will make it unsuitable for human consumption, but the crabs will love it. Problem solved.

[clarki]

Good catch, DanL. It's mentioned in another spot in the Guide too, in slightly different wording "When sport fishing, you may not waste any fish that’s suitable for human consumption. However, you are allowed to use fish offal, herring, mackerel, northern anchovy and Pacific sardine as bait when fishing with traps."  But it wasn't mentioned in the regulations and there is a difference in the enforceability of regulations vs guides and may vs must.

I'm not an expert in provincial/federal, tidal/non-tidal, salmon/other finfish, acts/regulations, or the tea in China, and I think I was still wrong about guides harvesting socks for hook and line sturgeon fishing.

So back to the sockeye fishing thread!     

[tfishy]

Commercial opening will be 600am-1000pm Wed and again 600am-1000pm Thursday.

[wildmanyeah]

Area 29: Portions of 29-3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 11, and 13 to 17: Open to Area E gillnets from
6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Wednesday August 15 and 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Thursday August 16,
2018 (Please refer to DFO Fishery Notices for further details)


Get out and bounce while you can that will put a hole in chilliwack friday/saturday.