Live 2 fish
Active Member
Hey guys, thought I'd give the qualicum river a try since it's open to gear. Anybody know where to access? Hatchery at little qualicum? Where's the "big pool"?
Thanks
Thanks
Qualicum river
- Thread starter Live 2 fish
- Start date
Goathorns
Active Member
there are 2 Qualicum rivers. the big Q has a hatchery just above tidewater and reserve. a couple big pools there. access off the old island hwy. and a short drive up the road to the hatchery. good parking.
Little Q has spawning channels for chum up off of the alberni highway. no big pool there that I know of. You may run into violators on the little Q.
Little Q has spawning channels for chum up off of the alberni highway. no big pool there that I know of. You may run into violators on the little Q.
Big Q or Little Q. Big, park at the hatchery and join the flossers fishing off the viewing platform just below the first wier, from boundary sign 70 m's below weir to tidewater is indian land. or hike above the hatchery on well established trails. Don't know about the little Q.
Live 2 fish
Active Member
Thanks for the info guys. Might check it out Saturday.
Cheers,
Cheers,
Sculpin
Well-Known Member
I have fished the Big Q one time only for coho years back. There were a lot of fishers on the bank and none of them were "flossing". My single bright chrome unit came home with me after a very solid strike of the lure presented. Just saying. Please don't brush broad strokes
. River fishing is what you make of it IMO.Live 2 fish
Active Member
Totally agree!
buddy and I checked out both rivers on wednesday, the big Q lots of fish just below the hatchery, we did not walk upriver, the little Q fish are holding just above the highway bridge, we went upriver from there and except for one beat up spring we did not see any other fish, usually the little Q would have a load of chums but as of Wednesday just a few.
I have fished the Big Q one time only for coho years back. There were a lot of fishers on the bank and none of them were "flossing". My single bright chrome unit came home with me after a very solid strike of the lure presented. Just saying. Please don't brush broad strokes
Call it what you will, but a dozen guys putting their lines through the only holding water again and again and again hoping to hook one of those gaping mouths is what it is. Yes there are a few legit strikes, especially from fresh unharrassed fish. Just got back from a walk up Sooke trickle. Lots of fish being caught in the mouth. Guess they're biting eh? Apparently the ticket is a very sparse fly and a sink tip and very slooow retrieve.
Big Green Machine
Well-Known Member
River fishing for Salmon is hit and miss whether you are intentionally trying to floss them or not. I agree with eroyd, you sometimes chuck a spoon or spinner and they will strike it out of aggression, but most times the fish are getting lined, especially in some holes and irregardless of the gear you are using. It's not the gear that dictates a flossed fish so much as the anglers intent and location they choose to fish. Hatchery Salmon on a river is open season. There should be a limit though when it comes to runs that coincide with wild fish, if there is such a river, the Thompson comes to mind.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Ocean fishing, River Fishing, gear fishing, fly fishing is all the same. Each one impacts salmon stocks equally..So truthfully if you went all summer and then go down to someone on a river and say hey don't do that do it this way etc etc..
Just let them fish you guys all had a entire summer loading up on fish. I am sure the river can take a few fish from some of the river guys... A lot of these guys aren't lucky to go and have a boat and money to go out on charters...I got no problem if the river can sustain it. As long as you don't snag the crap out if them who really cares...Crazy how worked up people get in here...Its like you can kill tons all summer but one day buddy goes out with his kid and takes fish from river its a big deal.
If Cowichan opens for coho this year I will go for a little catch and release so what? Maybe I will floss the crap of it..LOLOL
Just let them fish you guys all had a entire summer loading up on fish. I am sure the river can take a few fish from some of the river guys... A lot of these guys aren't lucky to go and have a boat and money to go out on charters...I got no problem if the river can sustain it. As long as you don't snag the crap out if them who really cares...Crazy how worked up people get in here...Its like you can kill tons all summer but one day buddy goes out with his kid and takes fish from river its a big deal.
If Cowichan opens for coho this year I will go for a little catch and release so what? Maybe I will floss the crap of it..LOLOL
Pat
Member
Well put SV. Not everyone has the resources to get out on the open water.
Live 2 fish
Active Member
Ended up going to the north island. Decided to check out the Quinsam. Lots of coho in there! They were hitting hard and lots of fun. Landed a nice #10 + and released. It was a great day and weather was good too.
OldShoreFisherman
Active Member
As one of those guys and someone who follows the rules, thanks for that.
And thanks to Searun, Pat, KCW and the rest of the members who understand that responsible fishing -- including the ability to enjoy eating a fresh-caught fish -- really should be enjoyed by everyone who wants to cast a line.
Regards.
searun
Well-Known Member
No prob, drives me crazy when the sport fishing community gets side tracked into forgetting our roots and pursuing what I would call elitist and exclusionary agendas. Let's keep the rules simple and encourage anglers of all skill levels and tackle preference to get out and fish.
Dave H
Well-Known Member
No problem keeping it simple here at all. LMAO
Appeal to "roots" and call anything else "elitist and exclusionary". LMAO
Ok then, let's go back to our roots with open tackle, bait allowed, barbed hooks, treble hooks and two dead steelhead per day or 40 for the season.
That's the way it was.
While we're at it let's compete to see who can kill their 40 the quickest.
That used to happen too.
Roots?
Sure thing, let's get back to our roots. LMAO
Then, after the steelhead are almost gone perhaps we can figure out some other effective management method to lessen angling impact on them....................but of course we can't use the tackle box or change any regs or anything like that because that might be exclusionary and for sure there's no way we can have FFO because that would be both elitist and exclusionary.
What a crock of crap.....IMHO.
Just how exactly FFO is elitist and exclusionary given that anyone can learn to fly fish meaning nobody need be excluded escapes me, but it certainly appears to be a major concern for some of you.
But heck ya, back to our roots is the answer for sure. That way we can have those much desired eyes on the river we hear we need so much, even though those eyes will be fishing old school and having a huge mortality rate, just like back in the day. But at least there'll be eyes there.
Sounds like an awesome trade-off to me.
Take care.
Sharphooks
Well-Known Member
I don't know you Dave, and you seem like a nice guy, but I have a sneaking suspicion that your sign off...."take care...." has very little to do with caring but seems to imply some taking.
I also noticed that when you sign off with..."I'm Out of Here....", you rarely stray too far.
Most people I know who fish from the heart say what they mean and mean what they say
Take Care
I also noticed that when you sign off with..."I'm Out of Here....", you rarely stray too far.
Most people I know who fish from the heart say what they mean and mean what they say
Take Care
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