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Yes, on occasion, and I always feel bad about it.

2 (2.2%)

Yes, it's my fish which I legitimately caught and I am to use it as I please.

2 (2.2%)

Yes, I only kill female fish for the roe, not for consumption. I always need roe for bait/food.

1 (1.1%)

No, I always practice catch and release regardless of the species or gender.

4 (4.4%)

No, I always make sure I can use the whole fish. I never waste my catch.

81 (90%)

Total Members Voted: 90

[RalphH]

It is unlawful to:

Waste the fish you catch. If your fish is not suitable for eating or if possession is illegal because of quotas, size limits or closed seasons,
return the fish quickly and gently to the water.

Provincial Synopsis pg.9

[clarki]

I'm not so sure, Milo. Those are the BC fishing regulations for fish and waters that fall under the province's jurisdiction.

The provincial fishing synopsis says on page 90 (and I paraphrase cuz I can't copy from a .pdf) that management of salmon in freshwater is the responsibility of DFO and to refer to http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/first-premiere-eng.html#unlawfulactions where there is no mention of what is the legal/illegal use of a legally harvested fish.

If the provincial regulation you cited does apply to salmon roe, the regulation speaks to bait. What if the skeins of fresh roe in my vest are for personal consumption?

I'm not trying to play silly bugger, and don't get me wrong, I think it is unethical to harvest a fish just for the roe...but is it illegal to do so?

Edit: Yes, Ralph, that section is frequently cited, but per my comments above, it's not readily clear to me that that applies to salmon.

[wildmanyeah]

Anything in here

https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/docs/sfg-gps-2019-eng.pdf

[milo]

Clarky, you raise a good point. I have no irrefutable answer to your question anymore. I was under the impression that all non-tidal provincial fisheries (including salmon), are subject to Provincial regs. I would think provincial rules regarding roe would apply to non-tidal salmon since recreational anglers' dealings with salmon roe is not regulated by DFO. Please don't quote me on this, I'm not sure, I'm only assuming.
As with everything, I'd err on the side of caution and take the whole bloody fish with me, registered in my license, until I get home. I think any CO worth his salt would ticket you if you were found with fresh roe on you without the fish that provided for it.
We are anglers, we angle for fish, not for roe. The roe should only be a welcome bonus, not the objective of our activity.

[Knnn]

After seeing many dozens of chum does with slit bellies in a pile at the Stave, I cannot bring myself to use roe.  Prawns, worms yes, but not roe.  I certainly don't judge others who use a very effective bait

My countryman in the UK are appalled when they hear we can use roe here.  I would prefer to see a ban on using roe.

[clarki]

We are anglers, we angle for fish, not for roe. The roe should only be a welcome bonus, not the objective of our activity.

Agreed. Cheers

[Hike_and_fish]

After seeing many dozens of chum does with slit bellies in a pile at the Stave, I cannot bring myself to use roe.  Prawns, worms yes, but not roe.  I certainly don't judge others who use a very effective bait

My countryman in the UK are appalled when they hear we can use roe here.  I would prefer to see a ban on using roe.

The end result is the same. Something that was once alive is now dead just for bait. I fail to see the difference between a dead prawn or a dead salmon. It's like saying "I drive a hybrid and not a 5.7L V8 so I'm better than everyone else". It makes no sense at all. In the end you're still polluting.

[RalphH]

Clarki, all the Provincial Regulations apply to salmon. In almost every case the regulations are also synchronized in the Federal Fisheries Act Regulations. That is done so the question of jurisdiction can't be raised as a possible defense in court.

[RalphH]

Anything in here

https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/docs/sfg-gps-2019-eng.pdf

pg 19: The use of natural bait has been linked to infections in fish. If you carry fish and
fish products, including roe, from one area to another, you could be transferring
disease-causing agents that may harm local fish.

To keep fish stocks safe, don’t transfer untreated roe or other fish products from
one body of water to another.

pg 28: When sport fishing, you may not waste any fish that’s suitable for human consumption.

[banx]

having spent most of my life fishing for salmon in kitimat, there was a bait ban for the entire salmon season, and the use of bait was allowed usually sept 1st. That's pretty much peak/end of coho season, as all the other species have spawned already. You learned to catch fish with lures or artificials.  I did not use bait for steelhead either. No one I fished with switched to roe on sept 1st. well, only this joao from terrace who I worked with.  But he was a Terracite, so I digress.......

I believe there should be a complete ban on all bait in rivers in the province. All of them.  You seriously don't need it, especially with how ridiculously effective beads are now.  Even the plastics used in worms are so life like now, unlike the rigid one's you'd get in the 90's.

stories of gutted fish laying on the river bed is disgusting and an indicator at the level of greed here in the lower mainland.  In this day in age of user groups blaming each other for waste, this type of behaviour does not promote 'sport fishing'.

[milo]

having spent most of my life fishing for salmon in kitimat, there was a bait ban for the entire salmon season, and the use of bait was allowed usually sept 1st. That's pretty much peak/end of coho season, as all the other species have spawned already. You learned to catch fish with lures or artificials.  I did not use bait for steelhead either. No one I fished with switched to roe on sept 1st. well, only this joao from terrace who I worked with.  But he was a Terracite, so I digress.......

I believe there should be a complete ban on all bait in rivers in the province. All of them.  You seriously don't need it, especially with how ridiculously effective beads are now.  Even the plastics used in worms are so life like now, unlike the rigid one's you'd get in the 90's.

stories of gutted fish laying on the river bed is disgusting and an indicator at the level of greed here in the lower mainland.  In this day in age of user groups blaming each other for waste, this type of behaviour does not promote 'sport fishing'.

Where is the "like" button?

Awesome post, banx.

[RalphH]

Where is the "like" button?

Awesome post, banx.

+1...

5 stars Banx!

[poper]

Is this a try and get bait banned thread?

[CohoJake]

While I would agree with a ban on curing products that are toxic to resident fish (like the have done in Oregon), I am strongly opposed to a bait ban for salmon fishing in this system.  Float fishing roe is the simplest way for the masses to catch fish without flossing/snagging.  Take that away and you will see longer leaders and more acceptance of flossing as the only way to catch these fish.

Also, banning roe as bait on the c/v would in no way eliminate the targeting of fish only for the roe - just look at the commercial chum fishery in the Fraser.  Not only would anglers continue to covet the roe for other fisheries, but there is a sizable population (myself included) that prizes salmon roe for caviar/sushi uses.  My wife always demands that I set aside a couple of skeins of large eggs every season for this purpose. 

[RalphH]

blades are probably easier to use and just about as effective.Properly rigged the same is true for yarn. A ban would not preclude anyone keeping roe for their own consumption.

BTW when I suggested a roe ban, I didn't expect a single person to agree with it.