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[FlyFishin Magician]

Arrived at Kilby at around 6:30.  Nobody around.  Walked down to the mouth of the Harrison with flyrod in hand.  Had 2 other buddies with me.  We notice that there is now a boat launch with a bunch of FN boats.  This is the area near the mouth where we fished in 2003 with great success.  There's a van at the top of the trail with a FN woman in it.  We ask her if it is OK for us to fly fish the area.  She says OK.  We go down and start fishing.
 
Few rises - just out of casting range.  River was up - so it was tough to get out to where the salmon were.  Spoke to a few FN guys who seemed pretty friendly.  Even helped one bring in a boat that floated off the beach.  It was loaded with sockeye.  FN started unloading their boats.  The counts - 120, 131, and 148 fish in three boats counted.
 
Then - an elderly FN gentleman comes down and tells us that we're on their land and orders us to leave.  Well - there's three guys with Sage rods versus over a dozen FN guys.  So - we say OK and leave.   
 
The mouth area was the only place where we saw any chance of hooking a pink.  Pretty much nothing going on up river.
 
So - someone please tell me:
 
1) Don't we have a right to fish the water at the mouth of the Harrison?
 
2) Which FN band is out there?  Do they own the land right up to the water?  I thought the trail was public land.
 
3) I think as a minimum, we have right to fish the water as the water line (high tide mark) couldn't possibly be FN land - could it?
 
So - all in all, a frustrating and disappointing day.  Talk about nuts!  These guys pull in hundreds of sockeye - yet they throw away pinks (there were several dead pinks lying in the water - obviously dumped).  And they tell us we can't fish in an area where we're not interfering with them in any way!

[Rodney]

I believe you've bumped into the boys from Cheam today. There is a driftnet opening for them today from 0800 to 2000. I've forwarded your concerns to the SFAC to get some feedbacks, stay tuned.

[FlyFishin Magician]

Thanks Rodney.  Yeah - it was an unfortunate experience.  I was wondering if this should be reported.  Again, we thought about standing our ground - but figured it wasn't worth the stress over hooking a few pinks.  It's just not what fishing is all about!

[FlyFishin Magician]

Rodney.  I just read your post a bit more carefully.  You mentioned there was a drift net opening today for the Cheam from 8:00 - 20:00.  Well - we were there at 6:45 AM and there were boats coming in absolutely loaded with sockeye!  Does that sound right?

[Rodney]

Good call to back up. May I suggest that you phone the Agassiz RCMP and tell them the story as well? (604) 796-2211.

[FlyFishin Magician]

Just did.  The RCMP committed to calling me back.  I'll let you know what they say.

[FlyFishin Magician]

OK - RCMP called me back and referred me to DFO.  I spoke with Richmond DFO office and the information person referred me to the Langley and Mission DFO offices.  So I left messages with Langley and Mission DFO offices as there were no people available.   I also called the DFO line for "violations" and reported what I saw.  The guy on that line said he'll check to see if there were violations (officers are all out on the river).  He had no idea whether the FN had the right to order us off the water.  I hope I get a call back.  If I do, I'll post the information here.

[DionJL]

you can only own land up to the highwater mark, correct?

[Randog]

I know that this is a REPORTS page and I don't really want to open up the politcal can of worms BUT.....

 Our Federally funded DFO, who takes direct orders from our govenment in power is NOT going to deny the FN their food and cerimonial drift net openings. Are they crazy? They don't want to the headlines in the Vancouver Sun to read "Liberal Govt. Racists". No thank you, in order to stay in government that would be political suicide and don't think for one nanosecond that the FN are not aware of this.

 The facts are simple people, the laws are only as good as the enforcement. Think about it, next time your on the Fraser and see an RCMP patrol boat try ramming into it and see what happens, can you say SWAT team

Not to be pesemistic, but it really does not matter what government is in power.  Since the Liberals are in now, we'll bash them.  A few opposition members have gone out on a limb, but really, what do they have to lose?  End of the day, any government in power is going to advance the agenda that will get them re-elected.  The political environment now dictates that the Liberals stay clear of any controversey with the FN that could further lead to the government being brought down.  The Conservatives are still trying to avoid the "raciest" label pinned on them by the eastern media.  How much noise do you think that party wants to make about this issue when they are sooooooo close to gaining power.... they must walk softley and carry a small stick

In the end, it is our fishing community that needs to come together.  We are so fragmented that our voices cannot be heard.  What we really need to do is get behind ONE recreational assoc. like the SDA that can voice our concerns and ALL of us get behind it.

[MatthewJ]

The facts are simple people, the laws are only as good as the enforcement

Have you ever thought that the enforcement can ONLY be as good as the laws.  If the laws/courts were tougher, speaking from a rather biased opinion (being in law enforcement myself), things would be a lot different.  My $0.02...not trying to start anything.

[calfisher]

Uh....3 boats..500 fish one outing (BEFORE OPENING) times how many days and how many fishermen up and down the river.  What is the real count this year?

Flyfishin, this would be worthwhile alerting the press (newspapers, TV stations, Radio Stations) about.

Just my $.02

Cal

Oh, BTW I spotted a Budget Rental truck with 2 large vats 6'x6'x4' at the Reserve on Dollarton Hwy unloading fish for the local band members yesterday.  At least some fish are getting to FN for food and ceremonial purposes.

[freddy2596]

I believe that the east side of the mouth(upper) is native land,that launch has been in use for years...and I may be wrong but you were most likely dealing with the Chehailis band(if the woman who gave you permission was a cheam you would not have exchanged any pleasantry's(just my experience) sure way to tell if the pinks are at the mouth is by the number of guide boats first thing in the A.M., great way to make a happy client is get them into fish 10 min after getting in the boat...........As for a report.fished the lower Fraser(below mission and above port Mann) and managed two pinks released at the side of the boat(there choice not mine) and two sockeye that could have been brought to the net If I had wanted.YES thats right two sockeye took my spinner right in the yap shocked the hell out me...nice fight though on a light spinning rod.......

[Nikko]

Oh, BTW I spotted a Budget Rental truck with 2 large vats 6'x6'x4' at the Reserve on Dollarton Hwy unloading fish for the local band members yesterday.  At least some fish are getting to FN for food and ceremonial purposes.

That would explain the "Buy your BBQ Sockeye here!" signs I saw on Dollarton the other day then

Nikko

[RalphH]

Flyfishing Magician - was that you I talked to at the top of the trail at about 9am?

I've fished the Harrison for many years - for some time dyke was marked as Private but since at least '99 I've had no problem fishing there. If it was me I would have mentioned to the elder fellow that you had already asked and was told it was ok to fish there.

I don't know if reserves have riparian rights or not (down below the high water mark) but you might not want to push your luck.

There are fish in the Fraser itself you just have to scout around. The place I fished had small schools moving through plus 2 good sized schools that i hooked a couple of fish out of. Remeber in many places on the Fraser the Pinks will be within 30 feet of the shore or even just 10 or 12.

[calfisher]

That would explain the "Buy your BBQ Sockeye here!" signs I saw on Dollarton the other day then

Nikko

Gee, and they seemed so sincere when they explained what was happening to the salmon. <g>

Cal