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Yes

21 (56.8%)

No

13 (35.1%)

Unsure

3 (8.1%)

Total Members Voted: 37

[BladeKid]

The current bait ban runs from Aug 1 - Oct 31

Lower Mainland (Region 2) Salmon Limits, Openings and Closures:
https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region2-eng.html

Would be great to see people's rationale for vote choice, or any other thoughts or ideas (e.g., amend the dates, alternate strategies, etc.). I am aware that a similar thread was posted many years ago, but it didn't include a poll and perhaps opinions have changed.

Thanks,
BK

[zap brannigan]

i find it ridiculous to have a baitban on a hatchery system especially the cap.

[Knnn]

No idea. 

If I know the reason behind the bait ban it would be easier to decide.

I have heard that it is to minimize deep hook sets for the few summers that frequent the system.  No idea if there is any truth to this

[milo]

It's busy on the Cap even with a bait ban in place. Imagine what it would be like if bait were allowed and all the people who can't fish without bait showed up?
I can just see it...empty worm and roe containers all over the place...red and pink stains on the rocks...yuck!
Long live the bait ban!

[Fish Assassin]

No idea. 

If I know the reason behind the bait ban it would be easier to decide.

I have heard that it is to minimize deep hook sets for the few summers that frequent the system.  No idea if there is any truth to this

It was put in ostensibly to protect the summer steelheads.

[MetalAndFeathers]

The Cap isn't a very generous river for legal fisherman, the fish are stale quick and usually aren't to keen on artificials at all which leads the average Joe to either snagging or fishing bait. Plus the runs are completely hatchery enhanced and the hatchery gets 1000's of surplus fish which are supposedly given to natives, but by the time the fish have reached the hatchery they're usually pretty much near unedible which makes me think whoever is acquiring these fish have a different use for them

[RalphH]

I'd like to see bait bans extended to many local watersheds to protect trout and smaller populations of wild salmon. A couple of generations ago roe bans extended over all of Vancouver Island and most of the South Coast.

I don't think there are any watersheds have summer runs on the South Coast, that that don't have a bait ban. The rationale is not just to reduce deep hooking injuries but also to reduce the pressure of more frequent catch and release on those fish. As they pool up in summer it is known that bait it is often the only method that will catch fish.

I think the logic of reducing repeated hook and release of wild fish applies on many streams on the South Coast. As wild fish everywhere deserve such protection and that would apply to many streams with enhanced runs.

[milo]

I'd like to see bait bans extended to many local watersheds to protect trout and smaller populations of wild salmon. A couple of generations ago roe bans extended over all of Vancouver Island and most of the South Coast.

I don't think there are any watersheds have summer runs on the South Coast, that that don't have a bait ban. The rationale is not just to reduce deep hooking injuries but also to reduce the pressure of more frequent catch and release on those fish. As they pool up in summer it is known that bait it is often the only method that will catch fish.

I think the logic of reducing repeated hook and release of wild fish applies on many streams on the South Coast. As wild fish everywhere deserve such protection and that would apply to many streams with enhanced runs.

x2

[96XJ]

I'd like to see bait bans extended to many local watersheds to protect trout and smaller populations of wild salmon. A couple of generations ago roe bans extended over all of Vancouver Island and most of the South Coast.

I don't think there are any watersheds have summer runs on the South Coast, that that don't have a bait ban. The rationale is not just to reduce deep hooking injuries but also to reduce the pressure of more frequent catch and release on those fish. As they pool up in summer it is known that bait it is often the only method that will catch fish.

I think the logic of reducing repeated hook and release of wild fish applies on many streams on the South Coast. As wild fish everywhere deserve such protection and that would apply to many streams with enhanced runs.

X3

[essyoo]

I have yet to fish the Cap during the bait ban and NOT see evidence of bait use scattered along the rocks. It might be in effect but it doesn't appear to be enforced.

[BladeKid]

Some of my observations:

--The vast majority of Capilano steelhead (summers and winters) enter during the months NOT covered by the bait ban (i.e. November through July). So, the bait ban (right or wrong), is not very effective IMO.

--Given the high, year-round pressure on this small system, I would imagine that many steelhead on this system get hooked 1-3 times on average (inferences from Nelson et al. 2004), even in the absence of using bait. I have found that steelhead tend to "shut off" after getting hooked this many times, particularly in combination with low and clear water, which the Cap regularly experiences, so much so that they will move out of the way to let drifting roe pass by (insert Moses reference here). So by banning bait, are we really reducing the angling impacts on these steelhead? Caveat: deep hooking effects associated with bait considered here, nor effects on juveniles (though most in the system are likely hatchery origin).

--The majority of steelhead entering this system are a product of hatchery enhancement. I would suspect that the natural origin/ "wild" component is small in an absolute sense, and especially small compared to the number hatchery origin fish.

[RalphH]

if any wild summer runs remain in the Cap they will be in the river when the bait ban comes into effect in August 1st.

It would be interesting the ask our Fisheries staff at Fish and Aquatic Habitat Branch why this ban is still in place.

[Roderick]

Unlike springs and coho, steelhead are suckers for artificials like gooey bobs, jensen eggs, and plastic worms since they are actually feeding in river.  Personally I don't see a difference between hooking up with a jensen egg and a size 6 hook and roe with the same hook. 


Maybe there should be a ban on pink worms and shrimp fly patterns in all systems with steelhead.

[RalphH]

most soft plastics like jensen eggs are scented...ditto for most 'rubber worms'. By definition they are bait.

BTW unless you are thinking about Great Lakes Steelhead, steelhead don't actually feed in the same fashion as resident trout though they do take things incidentally to a greater extent than the other 5 species of Pacific Salmon

[Fish Assassin]

I have yet to fish the Cap during the bait ban and NOT see evidence of bait use scattered along the rocks. It might be in effect but it doesn't appear to be enforced.

Unfortunately some of biggest culprits are seasoned anglers who ought to know better.