Fishing the Little Q

[lure-washer]

When folks are fishing in the Little Qualicum River, what do they use, and how do they go about it?
Also where do they access the river?
Lure-washer

 

[Sangstercraft]

Personally I think people should stop fishing for chinook on the LQ. The fish are sitting ducks in the small pools, and the run's not as big as it used to be. I saw a guy last year fight a big chinook till it was exhausted, release it, and it simply sank to the bottom and lay there dead.

Season opens Oct 1
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/fresh-douce/region1-eng.htm

 

[Fish Assassin]

This is the saltwater section

 

[Big Green Machine]

Hopefully one of the mods can move this, but the river is super low right now so Cutties, pretty small, might still be hooked. What are you fishing for? Did you mean salt fishing for Chinook at the mouth in a boat? If so, still too early.

There are a couple of access points that you could pm me about, very easy, five minute walk to the river but you would have to explore to find the Cutties.

 

[jeffywestcoast]

I have done well in front of the little Q , with the water real low they will be pooling up out front but probably a couple weeks yet.

 

[lure-washer]

Thanks guys.
I was told by a fellow at the French Creek Boat Launch on Friday that he had caught a 28 and a 30lb Chinook in the river on Thursday.
This sounds like another fish story, either 6 weeks before the season opens or a couple of weeks before the salmon show up.
I have fished out front of the Little Q many times as well with mixed results, with lots of un-willing fish.
Lure-washer

 

[Fish Assassin]

Remember if its saltwater fishing you want to do its open. You could head out today and fish it with many other fishermen. People just aren't talking about it. But there are fish there and I bet with the rain yesterday more will pool up in front of the Q's.

If it's fresh water salmon fishing you want to do it a whole other set of rules.

Being this is posted in the saltwater and mentions a guy that caught fish at the LQ and was at the boat ramp leaving the saltwater. I suspect this is what you want to do. And it's totally legal.

You can even use beach accesses and toss gear off the beach and catch some awesome chinook salmon. You'll see how close they are to the shores as you will have to toss gear between the boats or hit them with buzz bombs.

 

[Big Green Machine]

Thanks guys.
I was told by a fellow at the French Creek Boat Launch on Friday that he had caught a 28 and a 30lb Chinook in the river on Thursday.
This sounds like another fish story, either 6 weeks before the season opens or a couple of weeks before the salmon show up.
I have fished out front of the Little Q many times as well with mixed results, with lots of un-willing fish.
Lure-washer

Anyone know where the tidal boundary is on the Little Q, I assume it's the old highway bridge and I also assume he hooked those fish in the estuary portion of the river at high tide, if his story is true.

 

[Kildonan]

The bridge might be the official boundary, I'm not certain, but the tide certainly pushes up further than that. The tide pushes up as far as that big pool accessed from the Cedar Grove Campground.

 

[lure-washer]

As far as I know, the estuary portion of the river is closed for saltwater fishing.
There used to be a buoy out off the point, and a line between it and a checker board on shore was the boundary.
Is that not still the rule? The guy I was talking to definately referred to the river, not off the river mouth.
Does this area open on October 1?
Lure-washer

 

[Big Green Machine]

As far as I know, the estuary portion of the river is closed for saltwater fishing.
There used to be a buoy out off the point, and a line between it and a checker board on shore was the boundary.
Is that not still the rule? The guy I was talking to definately referred to the river, not off the river mouth.
Does this area open on October 1?
Lure-washer

There's nothing in the tidal regs saying you can't fish the tidal portion of the estuary UNLESS there is a special reg stating you are not allowed to fish in bird sanctuaries, and there is one there.

The freshwater portion of the river is open now, but for Chinook and Coho they open for retention on October 1. You really need to read both tidal and freshwater regs for either of the two Qualicum Rivers as there are a ton of restrictions and the freshwater regs apply to when you are targeting Salmon, which a lot of people forget.

 

[robertg]

I just reposted an answer about the boundary on the fresh water forum,

 

[Big Green Machine]

I just reposted an answer about the boundary on the fresh water forum,

Thanks! I new their was a section of the river open to fishing, 250 yards below the bridge.