Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

Vedder

42 (82.4%)

Capilano

9 (17.6%)

Total Members Voted: 49

[bentrod]

I am very familiar with the Vedder, but have never made the journey to the Capilano.  What are the numbers like compared to the Vedder?  Is the river more or less fishable, meaning better/worse access and frequency of quality holding water.  How about crouds?  Thanks for the input

[Fish Assassin]

No comparison. Vedder has far more springs.

[one more cast]

Also, way less "safe" fishable area at the cap...it's a way smaller system.

[cutthroat22]

I like the Cap because from my house it's a 15-20min drive and a 10 minute hike down to the canyon.

No idea on actual numbers but once the water comes up into October there will plenty of fish in the Cap.  Lots of coho, enough springs to make them catchable, and chum which tend to color very fast so I try to avoid them.

I don't fish the lower at all but the upper river is all hike in with "goat" trails down to the spots.  Crowds are non-existent in the canyons.  However if you go to Cable Pool (below the hatchery) or the pool below it there will be crowds.  Also the lower river can be crowded sometimes.  "Crowded" being a relative term as I would consider 10 folks fishing Cable Pool or one of the runs on the lower river crowded.

http://www.vankayak.org/capcam/  This link is almost necessary to check before you fish the Cap.   My favorite times are when the water is just above the middle (4-5).

[mr.p]

Vedder has bigger numbers and much more accessible water.  Cap has about 5km of fishable river consisting of about 20 pools/runs.  Access is ok but does require some hiking/climbing in much of the canyon area.  IMO the cap fall fishery sucks.  The water level has been at a 0 since July.  The lower river has been and is impassable.  The fish cannot enter the river.  So you have thousands of springs and coho sitting at the mouth going stale and being picked off by Natives and seals.  By the time the water comes up, many of the fish will be dark.  Also, if the water is too high(like above 5 on the cam), real estate is severely limited and landing fish of decent size is very difficult.

I live 10 minutes from the Cap and rarely fish it in the fall.  Vedder over the cap hands down.

[deepcovehooker]

I too live only 10 minutes from the Cap but usually go out to the Vedder.  Do fish the Cap in May and June.  The Cap is a difficult river to walk.  Lots of big boulders which in wet weather can be quite slippery.  River levels can change quite drastically as they open and close the dam especially in rainy weather.  A few people get caught in the middle of the river each year.

[cutthroat22]

Oops my bad.  No fresh fish in the Cap and everyone should go to the Vedder 

[maverick]

I have only fished the Capilano a handfull of times but we found the fishing to be about the same as the Vedder. We did feel like the river was more crowded even though there was obviously far less people fishing. I think if we gave it more of a chance we might of been able to find a few quieter spots. I would say the slots seem smaller and tighter to the bank on the Capilano.

[TheChumWhisperer]

The Cap has only a few good days each year when it comes to the fall salmon run.  The water comes up, the fish run up to the top as quick as possible, then they all get trapped in the cable pool and get lock jaw within a day or two.  Also, all the popular spots have very limited space to fish, and to land your fish.  People trying to land fish off the cliffs at the cable pool always makes me laugh.  Unless you are part mountain goat, you will have a very difficult time finding any decent water to fish on the cap.  If you are very stubborn and persistent like I am, good days can be had on the cap, but they are fairly rare in the fall.  For your weekend warrior, less experienced fisherman, stick to the Vedder, at least you can use bait there.  When the water comes up past a 3, the Cap can be an extremely dangerous place to fish, one slip on the wet slippery rocks, or trails, and chances are you won't be fishing again......

[Robert_G]

The Cap is a joke. Between the dam and the natives at the mouth....not to mention limited access....and did I mention the dam?
The Vedder has it's issues, but there is nothing that touches it in the LM. The Chehalis is probably the closest in comparison to the Vedder and is still leagues better then the Cap.

I've heard stories of the glory days on the Cap before the Dam......very sad. Apparantly the Cap was once an absolute gem with an abundant Summer Run of Steelhead to boot. But I guess we all need electricity, and water to drink.

[cutthroat22]

Right!  The Cap is a joke and there are no fresh fish and you will surely fall and get hurt and maybe die!!!  Stay away!!! 

Seriously there are plenty of fresh fish coming up all fall once the water comes up but you do have to explore a little (or maybe a lot) to find suitable spots.  Some spots are great when the water is at 3, some are great when the river is blown.

Most of the people getting into trouble or falling into the Cap are standing on WET and SLOPING cliff edges or are standing in the middle of a dammed river that has signs saying it can rise or drop significantly without given notice.   


http://www.metrovancouver.org/about/maps/Maps/Capilanomap.pdf  Here is a map including the bigger pools and runs.

[n8]

I've done quite well on the Cap.. have to time the tides and water levels tho... those fish get lock jawed pretty quick I find but it's always cool to see fish in the river. The Vedder is just much easier and much more pleasant to fish (except for the crowding that's now becoming ridonkulous). More fish in there too. Big river so you can find your own water to fish away from people... just that most people go to the easy access spots because they don't wanna drive that far to get skunked. Understandable, but COME ON... they call it FISHING, not catching... if you need the meat that bad... Costco, Superstore, Safeway 

[hamster]

Vedder. 

[4TheKids]

Proximity also matters. I can leave from my desk in Burnaby at 3:30 and be casting in the cap at 4:30.

When I walk across Canada Way all that is protecting me is a white line and a red light. When I am fishing I have proper boots and my own judgement. For risk mitigation, I'll take the latter any day.

[tmilley]

Vedder for sure.