How do distinguish you a slough from a backwater or side channel? Other than being called slough. Not being a intelligent and respectable human being here, just wondering.I fly fish for coho a lot and often catch late ones in cutty spots, just wondering what constitutes slough versus back waters
You ask good questions for an intelligent and respectable human!
If I understand your question properly...some sloughs (ie Cattermole and Greyell) are actually side channels of the Fraser and have Fraser river water flowing through them ( if not now, then in periods of high water) and are currently open for fishing for coho.
Other sloughs (ie Maria or Pumphouse/Mountain) are not a side channel of the Fraser and are actually tributaries of the Fraser. They are called sloughs because they will back up during freshet. If a slough is a tributary of the Fraser and it is not named in the regulations, then it is closed to fishing for coho.
Some sloughs are named in the regs (ie Hope) and are closed and others are named (ie Nicomen) and are open.
Rather than wonder if it is a slough, backwater or side channel, recommend asking yourself, is this part of the Fraser River, or is it a tributary? If it’s the Fraser, it’s open. If it’s a tributary, is it named in the regs as open to fishing? If not named, it’s closed.
Or has that made matters more confusing? 😀