Three more sleeps until opening

The Chilliwack River opens for (red chinook salmon) fishing on July 1st. I looked at the river today and for anyone trying for an early red, the conditions should be ideal come Wednesday if today was any indication.

There are a couple of things to note. If you are fishing for small rainbow trout, you are allowed to keep 4 hatchery fish of any size daily. Hatchery fish can be identified by the absence of the adipose fin and a healed scar in the same area. You must release any with an adipose fin. Most of these rainbow trout are in fact juvenile steelhead that will undergo smoltification and return from the ocean as trophy size adults.

The dyke is close up and down of Keith Wilson Road to cars until July 15. I must write them to remind them to open the gates come the 16th. Water is high in this area anyway and the bugs are out.

Please remember that when the dyke opens, pick up your garbage behind you and take the time to pick up those that drop it. It is a constant battle to keep this area open for recreational use. Garbage dumping, as well as driving off the upper dyke road, could see our access closed anytime as we saw happened on the Abbotsford side of the canal.

The Chilliwack Vedder River Cleanup Coalition on July 18th. Give a couple of hours back to the river by joining us. You can fish before and after the cleanup. We will be meeting at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve between 8:30am and 9:30am. Donuts, muffins and coffee will be available for volunteers.

Do not leave valuables in your car while fishing because break-ins continue unabated in the area. I saw fresh glass in the Lickman parking lot today. Good luck in the upcoming Chilliwack River salmon fishing season!

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 28th, 2009 at 1:16 pm and is filed under The Journal by Chris Gadsden. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.